immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Neuenburg

  • Solar park project completed five months earlier than planned

    Solar park project completed five months earlier than planned

    Nexans Switzerland has commissioned its new solar park at the Cortaillod site five months ahead of schedule. It consists of ten individual systems, each of which was installed on a different roof. These independent units were then connected together to form a higher-level system. According to a statement from the cable manufacturer, this required adaptations to the specific architectural and structural features.

    This approach made it possible to completely avoid interfering with production activities at the site during the installation work. “The result: a 100 per cent successful commissioning, almost five months earlier than planned.”

    Since the summer of 2023, a team of Groupe E Greenwatt specialists from the Boudry NE site has installed over 4,000 solar modules, each with a capacity of 430 watts, “under demanding technical conditions”. The solar park has a total output of 1.7 megawatts. Together with a 700 kilowatt system previously installed by Groupe E, Nexans now achieves a self-consumption rate estimated at over 90 per cent.

    “This strategic partnership supports our goal of continuing to reduce our environmental footprint and develop our business sustainably, and strengthens our energy resilience,” Nexans Switzerland CEO Marco Spinelli is quoted as saying. “Even without these plants, Nexans only consumes electricity that comes 100 per cent from renewable sources, and has done so since the beginning of the year.”

  • Apartments in Locle presented for older people

    Apartments in Locle presented for older people

    The renovated apartments in the heart of Locle were developed for older people and people with reduced mobility. The thirteen residential units, which are under the AE label, offer affordable rents that meet the requirements of AVS and AI supplementary benefits. In addition, residents have access to supervision services that enable assisted living.

    Central location and comprehensive range of services
    The building is ideally located in the center of Locle, in close proximity to pharmacies, stores, restaurants and public transport. In addition to the apartments, residents also have access to a communal room that offers the opportunity to socialize.

    Ceremonial award and great interest
    During the official part of the event, the building was ceremoniously awarded the AE label. Representatives of the canton of Neuchâtel, the town of Locle and the architect of the project, Sareg SA, were present to present the project and its significance for the region. Numerous visitors took the opportunity to view the apartments and find out more about what is on offer.

    Successful presentation of an important residential project
    The project in Locle is an important step in the implementation of the cantonal strategy to create a total of 1,800 assisted living apartments for older people and people with reduced mobility by 2030. The open day offered a successful insight into the future of assisted living in the canton of Neuchâtel.

  • Home ownership is becoming more expensive

    Home ownership is becoming more expensive

    Prices for residential property continued to rise in the second quarter of 2024, theSwiss Federal Statistical Office(SFSO) reported in a press release. The residential property price index it collects rose by 1.1% quarter-on-quarter and currently stands at 117.5 points. Year-on-year, the experts at the FSO have observed an increase of 1.4 percent. The index base was fixed at 100 points in the fourth quarter of 2019.

    Prices for condominiums rose by 0.9% quarter-on-quarter and by 1.7% year-on-year. Single-family homes rose by 1.2% quarter-on-quarter and 1.0% year-on-year. The property price index for single-family homes closed the quarter at 118.6 points. Its counterpart for condominiums was slightly lower at 116.5 points.

    According to the FSO experts, prices for single-family homes rose in all types of municipalities during the quarter under review. They observed the strongest increase of 2.3 percent in the category of rural municipalities. In this category, prices for condominiums also rose particularly sharply by 2.7%. In contrast, prices for condominiums in the urban municipalities of a large conurbation fell by 0.3%.

  • Industrial site in Serrières becomes Neuchâtel Innovation Park

    Industrial site in Serrières becomes Neuchâtel Innovation Park

    In collaboration with the Caisse cantonale d’assurance populaire and the Etablissement cantonal d’assurance et de prévention, the State and the City of Neuchâtel have acquired an industrial complex on Rue des Usines in Serrières. The aim is to develop and operate a new innovation centre there. To this end, the public limited company Usinnove SA was founded, in which the state holds a 40% stake and the City of Neuchâtel 20%. The remaining shares are held by CCAP and ECAP. The industrial complex covers an area of 7,000 m² and can create almost 400 new jobs.

    Central role of Microcity SA
    The new site will be managed and operated by Microcity SA. A centre of excellence for diagnostics and related technologies is to be set up, serving as a hub for companies in the fields of diagnostics and automation. Part of the complex will be converted into a business centre equipped with laboratory infrastructure and offering a collaborative project environment for large companies, SMEs and start-ups.

    Strengthening the Neuchâtel innovation cluster
    The acquired industrial complex is intended to further strengthen Neuchâtel’s position in the Swiss Innovation Park. The Serrières site offers potential for the expansion of Neuchâtel’s innovation cluster and will secure an industrial location in the long term. Neuchâtel will thus expand its offering and consolidate its position as an innovation centre.

    Strategic use of old buildings
    The purchase of the industrial complex is part of the state’s strategy to utilise old buildings for light industrial activities. This policy aims to bring start-ups, SMEs, large companies and research centres together on one site in order to meet the economic challenges facing the canton. Similar projects have already been realised at the sites Rue Jaquet-Droz 7 in Neuchâtel and Hôtel-de-Ville 7 in Le Locle, which are also home to cutting-edge applied research activities.

    An important step for Neuchâtel
    The acquisition of the industrial complex in Serrières and the planned transformation into an innovation centre are an important step for the economic development of Neuchâtel. The close cooperation between the state, the city and institutional partners will strengthen the region and create the basis for future innovations.

  • Neuchâtel equips three historic buildings with 33,300 solar roof tiles

    Neuchâtel equips three historic buildings with 33,300 solar roof tiles

    According to a press release, roof surfaces on three listed buildings in the city of Neuchâtel will be used for sustainable energy generation in future. The city’s Collège des Parcs and the cantonal school and university buildings Beaux-Arts and A.-L. Breguet will be equipped with a total of 33,300 solar tiles from Freesuns. The renovation project is supported by the CSEM research and development centre. For the city and canton, it represents a further step towards the energy transition.

    According to the press release, the college can generate 150,000 kilowatt hours of electricity itself each year, which is equivalent to the consumption of 50 Swiss households. The installed capacity on the cantonal buildings is 130 kilowatts peak for A.-L. Breguet and 95 kilowatts peak for Beaux-Arts.

    Architectural conditions required special solutions: At the Collège des Parcs, the tiles had to be installed in such a way that they followed the curved lines of the roof without damaging it.

    The conversion of historic buildings to solar energy could provide an inspiring model for other cantons and municipalities. The tiles could “enable the balance between cultural preservation and sustainable development”, Deborah Learoyd, General Manager at Freesuns, is quoted as saying.

    The renovation projects are “an example of how we can combine roof tiles, photovoltaics, energy transition and preservation of architectural heritage”, Matthieu Despeisse, Group Leader Solar Modules at CSEM, is quoted as saying.

    The work should be completed between September and November 2024. CSEM and Freesuns are considering continuing their collaboration.

  • “Little Marcel” leads Boudry’s road maintenance department into a new era

    “Little Marcel” leads Boudry’s road maintenance department into a new era

    In June last year, the canton of Neuchâtel launched an architectural competition to find innovative solutions for the urgently needed expansion and renovation of the road construction centre in Boudry. The aim of the challenging search was to create a future-proof infrastructure that fulfils the requirements of sustainability and efficiency. The “Little Marcel” project by Julien Dubois Architectes SA from La Chaux-de-Fonds won over the jury out of fourteen entries and took first place.

    The winning project is characterised by its holistic approach, which focuses on both architectural quality and functional excellence. In addition to the refurbishment of the existing building, the planned extension also includes the construction of new buildings that will enable the site to be utilised to the full. The sustainable concept, which emphasises the project’s commitment to the environment through the integration of solar modules and the use of timber constructions, is particularly noteworthy.

    The realisation of “Little Marcel” promises to improve work processes while at the same time enhancing the landscape and architectural quality of the site. The targeted expansion of the workshop buildings and the creation of a spacious inner courtyard will serve to optimise logistics and promote cooperation between employees.

    With a planned budget of CHF 12 million for the overall competition and a further CHF 1.5 million for the relocation of service buildings, the Government Council is laying the foundations for a modern and future-orientated infrastructure. The public exhibition of the competition entries gives the public an insight into the visionary plans for the Boudry depot.

    This project marks an important step in the development of road maintenance in the region and sets new standards in terms of sustainability and efficiency in road maintenance in the Canton of Bern. The further development and refinement of the winning project is eagerly awaited with a view to a future application for a building loan.