immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Category: Construction

  • Holcim acquires German company Cooper Standard

    Holcim acquires German company Cooper Standard

    Holcim has completed the acquisition of Cooper Standard Technical Rubber GmbH in Mannheim, Germany, according to its media release. Its highly durable technical rubber products are used for roofing systems. The company reportedly has an innovative research and development department, a state-of-the-art production facility and an experienced team of 130 employees.

    This acquisition is expected to drive further growth of Holcim’s roofing business across Europe. “By expanding our range of roofing systems, we can play a greater role in providing innovative and sustainable solutions for energy-efficient buildings and contribute to the European Union’s Green Deal,” Jamie Gentoso, Global Head, Solutions & Products, is quoted as saying.

    Holcim sees the German firm’s “innovation-driven approach” as an “excellent complement” to its existing umbrella business. With its strategic location in the Rhine-Neckar region, it complements other recent roofing and insulation acquisitions, he said.

    The business will be expanded under the new name Holcim Technical Solutions & Products GmbH. As part of its “Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth”, Holcim aims to expand the Solutions & Products business to 30 percent of Group net sales by 2025 “and move into the most attractive segments of construction – from roofing systems to insulation and renovation”.

  • Of people, technologies and organisations

    Of people, technologies and organisations

    The right use of innovations makes the difference between successful and less successful companies. Numerous practical examples show that the effects of innovative work equipment quickly fizzle out if investments are not also made in the users and in operational processes.

    A holistic approach to corporate development is the MTO concept, which focuses on the interaction of the three aspects of people, technology and organisation. The model is based on the insight that companies must continuously find new ways to remain competitive. However, innovative technologies prove to be useless if they are not supported by people or are not embedded in the processes within the organisation as a whole.

    The link between people, technology and processes is that people use technology to carry out processes and achieve their goals. Technology can improve the efficiency and productivity of processes, while people contribute their knowledge and skills to make the best use of technology and manage the processes.

    The MTO model strives to design work systems to meet both the individual needs and capabilities of employees and the needs of the organisation. Optimal alignment leads to better work outcomes, as every interaction between people, technology and the organisation has a significant impact on the efficiency, performance and satisfaction of employees.

    The combination of holistic corporate development with a strong innovation orientation is the prerequisite for long-term success. Companies that integrate people, technology and organisation into their strategic direction are better positioned to meet the challenges of the ever-changing business world and achieve sustainable growth.

  • Ligerz-Twann double track extension a complex rail infrastructure project

    Ligerz-Twann double track extension a complex rail infrastructure project

    The contract includes the 2.1 km long double-track tunnel – about 1,850 m of which will be excavated and about 250 m of which will be built using cut-and-cover methods – including concrete lining and railway technology. In addition, four escape tunnels, a 114 m long viaduct for the N5 motorway exit and various additional structures are being built. The excavated material will be transported by ship and the existing railway line will be dismantled and redesigned.

    The aim of the project is to eliminate the last railway bottleneck on the Jura river line between Lausanne and Biel. Due to the prevailing narrow space conditions between the lake and the slope, where the N5 national road and the cantonal road also run, a new double-track tunnel will be built.

    A particular challenge is the project’s location in protected areas: The region is listed in the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments (BLN). The villages of La Neuveville, Chavannes, Ligerz and Twann are part of the Federal Inventory of Swiss Sites of National Importance (ISOS).

    Christian Späth, Head Division Civil Engineering at Implenia: “We are looking forward to executing this large and complex railway infrastructure project together with our ARGE partners and to once again demonstrating our many years of experience and expertise in this field. We wish the entire project team an accident-free construction period.”

  • Preventing heat islands in the planning stage

    Preventing heat islands in the planning stage

    Climate change is causing problems for cities, especially in summer. “Heat island” has become a ubiquitous topic. However, those who plan larger neighbourhoods can avoid heat accumulation. The decisive factors here are the setting of the buildings in line with their surroundings, the choice of materials for façades and outdoor areas, green spaces and clever shading. The effects of these factors should actually be taken into account at an early planning stage. For this, however, architects would have to consult computer models that can calculate the impact of the decisive factors for a specific location. The problem with the existing models is that the calculation is time-consuming and costly. For this reason, they are usually not used at an early stage. The Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) has now developed a new interactive neighbourhood climate modelling (QKM), which is limited to phase-specific information and delivers results in seconds. The project was financed by the Infinite Elements Foundation and the HSLU.

    Things have to move fast in the planning phase
    For large-scale construction projects, architectural firms usually apply in an elaborate competition procedure under high time pressure. “They have to consider a multitude of requirements in their design, one of which is the microclimate,” explains simulation expert Prof. Markus Koschenz from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. High costs and two-day waiting times would be out of the question for the architects in this creative work phase. But this is exactly what they would have had to accept up to now if they wanted to include the complex calculations. So what happens if you win a competition project and only then realise that the building placement was chosen in an unfortunate way? After all, the jury has decided in favour of the proposed solution; fundamental adjustments are no longer envisaged in the phase after the jury’s decision – even if the subsequent calculation of the microclimate would suggest this. In short, the dilemma cannot be solved this way. Now, warmer summer temperatures are already causing problems for people today. Warming in the coming years and decades will increase, which can be life-threatening, especially for older people. And buildings that are being planned now will still be standing in fifty years. Ignoring all this in the planning process seems negligent.

    Results in seconds
    “What is needed is an instrument for calculating the microclimate that is cheaper and, above all, can deliver results very quickly,” says Koschenz. His core team with Andrii Zakovorotnyi, Reto Marek and an external Revit specialist developed this instrument at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. He explains: “Existing methods use generally applicable computational fluid dynamics (CFD) instruments. These instruments can be used by specialists to develop machines, investigate flows on aircraft or determine the microclimate in neighbourhoods. They are powerful but also correspondingly complex. Our model concentrates on the aspect of the neighbourhood climate and we work with algorithms that calculate quickly,” says Koschenz, explaining the striking difference in calculation speed. It takes seconds or at most a few minutes to calculate the effects of a change. The tool can be used by the planners themselves from the first step in the planning process. With little effort, for example, one can compare two variants of façade design or the planting of trees in an inner courtyard. And not just for one summer day, but for an entire summer period.

    Checking the model with measurements
    The information on the planned buildings, their position, the materials used or the type and position of green spaces and trees is obtained by the interactive neighbourhood climate modelling from the planning tool Revit, which is already used in architecture and landscape planning offices. From this, the physical model calculates the effect of radiation, shade, heat storage properties of materials, air flow, vegetation and time of day on the neighbourhood climate. Images with colour scales show the results in an intuitively understandable way.

    Koschenz’s team proved that the model works correctly with measurements in the Suurstoffi district in Rotkreuz and also compared the results with those of existing commercial software. Koschenz is extremely satisfied with the results: “We can say that the agreement with both the measurements and the results of other software was high. This means that our tool is much faster with the same accuracy.

  • Pension funds: Out of bounds with real estate

    Pension funds: Out of bounds with real estate

    Everything is relative: for pension fund managers, the quote attributed to Nobel Prize winner Albert Einstein may have a special ring at the moment. Their investments in shares and bonds have lost a lot of value in the past year. Positions in real estate, on the other hand, suffered less. As a result, these have – relatively speaking – often gained significantly in weight in the investment portfolio of the pension funds. This has not only theoretical but also tangible consequences.

    At the end of last year, market observers warned that a quarter of the pension funds in Switzerland would have to sell or devalue real estate investments because their weight exceeded the requirements of the Ordinance on Retirement, Survivors’ and Disability Pension Plans (BVV2). The ordinances prescribe a fixed quota for real estate investments that may not exceed 30 per cent.

    “A few pension funds had bandwidth violations“
    Heinz Rothacher, CEO of the well-known St.Gallen pension fund consulting firm Complementa, now tells finews.ch that the quota violations at the end of 2022 turned out to be even more extensive than feared. “More than a third of the pension funds have reported a real estate quota of over 30 percent,” says the market expert (see chart below). And he notes, “There are a few pension funds that had a bandwidth violation due to the increase in ratios.”

    In fact, the OOB2 ordinance allows certain bandwidths in the portfolio shares according to which the pension funds can design their investment strategy. But even this leeway has limits. When the edge of the bands is touched, there are therefore two tactics: Sit it out or correct it.

    Maintain quota for now
    The pension funds have apparently opted for the former as a first step. “Since it is a passive violation of the bands, they tolerated it and decided to maintain the existing quota,” Rothacher reports. The same applies to violations of the BVV2 limit of 30 percent, he adds.

    Complementa has asked a good 150 decision-makers in occupational pension schemes specifically about the problem; the CEO therefore knows pretty well in which direction the industry is heading. As of the end of 2022, the real estate ratio averaged 24.1 percent, 3 percentage points higher than the previous year.

    The wait-and-see approach has not worked badly for the pension funds so far. The real estate quota has been reduced again this year due to the positive performance of the stock markets, Rothacher reports. As a result, “the breach of the bandwidths has been partially remedied.”

    Current surveys by Credit Suisse show that the Swiss pension funds generated an average investment return of 3.86 percent by the end of last June; the major bank UBS comes to an average performance after deduction of fees of 3.51 percent in its measurements. This means that the funds have already exceeded the statutory minimum distribution of 1 per cent per year.

    The crux with illiquidity
    Nevertheless, the problem has not disappeared, and the pension funds must be concerned about keeping within the defined bandwidths in the medium term due to their investment strategy. Another sticking point arises: Due to the illiquidity of the asset class – for example, directly held properties or investment foundations – it is difficult to adjust the ratio in the short term.

    Accordingly, the funds have to tackle where liquidity is most likely to be available: in listed real estate investments. As Rothacher from Complementa reports, there is now movement to be seen there. “37 percent of the funds that participated in the survey are planning to reduce listed real estate funds,” explains the financial professional. As many as 11 per cent of the respondents are also thinking about reducing non-listed vessels.

    Redemption fees increased
    As it turns out, the prices of Swiss real estate funds have already fallen sharply in 2022. The relevant SIX Real Estate Funds Broad Index (SWIIT) lost more than 15 percent of its value last year. This year, the counter stagnated. Meanwhile, a lower demand for additional investments is noticeable among the non-listed investment groups, explains Rothacher.

    Various real estate funds have also received significantly fewer commitments than planned for capital increases. “Not long ago, oversubscriptions were the norm,” he recalls.

    The Complementa CEO does not expect major sales of such vehicles. On the other hand, he knows of individual investment groups that have already increased redemption fees this year – also with the reference to wanting to protect existing investors. This can have a deterrent effect on sellers. “The redemption fees for the various investment vehicles vary greatly and can sometimes account for a large part of an annual performance,” Rothacher knows.

    When do appraisers resort to red pencils?
    But even those who stubbornly hold on to their real estate positions may have to let down their guard. This is the case if there are valuation corrections because the real estate appraisers would be forced to raise the discount rates due to further interest rate steps.

    At least on the Swiss market, the current low level of construction activity, immigration and rising rents make such measures appear premature. However, further interest rate hikes by the Swiss National Bank could still lead the appraisers to apply the red pencil.

    Local pension funds often have a pronounced “home bias” in their real estate investments and would probably be sensitive to a decline in valuations.

  • New professions through the circular economy?

    New professions through the circular economy?

    Prof. Dr. Stephen Wittkopf, how do you find a flat that is built according to the principles of the circular economy? That would be very difficult at the moment. In Switzerland, there are only a few residential buildings that have been built according to the principles of the circular economy, in Winterthur for example. In industry and office buildings, people are already a bit further ahead.

    The idea of reuse is very plausible. Why is it only being implemented hesitantly? Because not everything that is built today is suitable for reuse. In many buildings there are so-called composite materials. This means that different materials such as concrete, wood or steel have been glued together. You can’t just separate them. This creates an enormous amount of construction waste. Of all the material that is imported into Switzerland, i.e. clothes, computers, food and other commodities, by far the largest part is destined for the construction sector. That is, for roads, bridges and buildings. All of this is enormously weight-intensive. The construction sector therefore clearly has the greatest potential for saving material and energy through reuse.

    Is the circular economy only about reusing, or also about rebuilding or continuing to build? The concept of the circular economy can indeed be defined so broadly that it includes all reuse. The question of how to preserve and repurpose existing buildings is the first level of the circular economy. The second level is the reuse of building components and the third level is about recycling and reprocessing materials.

    How would new buildings have to be designed so that the components can be reused decades later? The materials must be separable and the components repairable. This means that the purest possible materials are central, which are not glued together but provide stability with plugs and screws. Repairability is important for the longevity of the individual components. It must not be the case that you have to throw away an entire window just because the window handle no longer works. And last but not least, meticulous documentation is important so that it can be traced later which materials are where. At the moment, this is not yet sufficiently recorded.

    Components are continuously being developed; my grandmother had front windows that could be removed, today there is triple glazing. Is it realistic to reuse them in 50 years? Many products are so good today that a noticeable improvement can only be achieved with much greater effort. And you don’t have to reuse components one to one. In the case of windows, there is a good example from the canton of Zurich: older, double-glazed windows were supplemented with a third glazing; as a result, the improved windows could be reused in a new building.

    That sounds as if the reuse of materials completely changes the work for architects. Yes, it requires a radical change. Architects’ work no longer starts on a greenfield site. They have to incorporate existing materials and the availability of products into their concept. But this paradigm shift does not have to become a design or economic obstacle; it can lead to a new language of form.

    So the client must also be on board. Exactly, they play at least as important a role. The client can shape the brief differently, and specify, for example, that only second-hand materials are to be sought and that planning is to be based on this. It will certainly be a complex puzzle – but other industries also work with complex and flexible supply chains. The construction industry is lagging behind.

    What is the situation in terms of profitability? Can the circular economy in construction be profitable? It can, but not without effort and not overnight. It needs new business models, but also financial support, because it is currently a niche market. However, I am firmly convinced that this will change.

    And what might the new business models look like? Maybe one day we will rent recyclable materials – windows, doors, wood or concrete – instead of buying them. Or we design a new building from the outset as a material store for later buildings. This results in a completely new basis for calculation, because the material costs do not have to be amortised in their entirety. The materials could be traded on material exchanges – by the way, this is already done in other countries like Denmark. Maybe even new professions will emerge, such as component hunters.

    That sounds exciting. So it changes the whole concept of new buildings? Definitely. If the future of a building is taken into account, it will be built in such a way that it can be converted with as little effort as possible. Society is changing, and with it the needs for living space. A neighbourhood that was once designed for families may no longer fit the needs of the now older generation decades later. If the family flats can be converted into smaller ones with relatively little effort, money, materials and energy can be saved.

    In which areas of the construction industry would you describe Switzerland as progressive? Switzerland is already quite advanced in the reuse of concrete. Today, natural stone or gravel is replaced by processed construction waste that would otherwise end up in landfill. In addition to reuse, this has the advantage of saving landfill fees. In large new construction projects, building concepts are also becoming more and more flexible. In general, I observe a growing interest in circular economy among building owners. In Switzerland, the canton of Zurich has a pioneering role. And we, as a university, are of course researching the topic and have the task of sensitising a young generation to the issue by giving high priority to used materials in our training and further education courses.

  • Master builders want to respond to the study on the shortage of skilled workers

    Master builders want to respond to the study on the shortage of skilled workers

    “Our industry is doing well after three years of permanent crisis,” said Central President Gian-Luca Lardi, welcoming the more than 550 guests to the Construction Industry Day at the LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura cultural centre. “The master builders have learned to deal with the effects of the Ukraine war, just as they did before with the price increases and supply bottlenecks in the wake of the Corona pandemic.” And the future outlook is also quite positive in the medium to long term, according to Lardi. Construction activity should continue to grow, “albeit at a somewhat slower pace”. While strong growth is forecast for residential construction until 2040, mild growth to stagnation is expected in commercial construction, public building construction and public civil engineering. At the same time, builders can look forward to prices for building materials gradually falling again.

    SBC study shows: Shortage of skilled workers endangers jobs
    The focus of this year’s networking event was on the shortage of skilled workers and what mix of measures can be used to combat it. Today, the search for suitable employees at all levels is a major challenge for many tradespeople, including master builders. And it can be assumed that the situation will get even worse. With far-reaching consequences. “Without enough qualified craftsmen, important construction projects in our country can no longer be realised,” Lardi explained. To prevent such a scenario, the Swiss Association of Master Builders commissioned the Demographics Competence Centre to conduct a “Study on the Long-Term Development of the Economy and Skilled Workers in the Main Construction Industry”. Now the results of the study are public: while the demand for skilled workers in the main construction sector continues to rise, the supply is falling. By 2040, the shortage of skilled workers in the most important professions in the main construction industry – measured in terms of construction volume – is expected to reach 16 percent. Without countermeasures, there would be a shortage of about 30 percent of the required employees, i.e. about 2,500 skilled workers, among bricklayers and masons alone. This has an impact on turnover: If no measures were taken, the construction industry would lose up to 800 million Swiss francs annually due to the lack of skilled workers, or 13 billion Swiss francs in total over the next 20 years, adjusted for prices.

    Digitalisation and personnel recruitment as hopefuls
    The study points to several solutions against the shortage of skilled workers. “If we increase turnover per capita by 0.5 per cent annually, we can make up for 50 per cent of the shortage of skilled workers,” Gian-Luca Lardi reassured, however. This increase in productivity is to be achieved mainly with the help of digitalisation and through innovations. At the same time, the industry must do everything it can to “train more apprentices, keep skilled workers in the profession longer and ultimately recruit more lateral entrants”. In this way, the other half of the skills gap could be closed. The study points out several levers that can be tightened. For foremen and forewomen, where the shortage will develop less precariously than in other construction professions, lateral entrants already play an important role today. With targeted career and junior staff planning and support, the number of people in management positions can be increased. In apprenticeship training, it is very important to motivate young people to successfully complete their bricklaying apprenticeship and also to stay in the main construction trade in the long term. The decisive factor is not only the management and company culture, but above all the many great, “cool” construction projects that the young people can actively shape. Then they see that their work offers meaning and creates sustainable values.

    Lardi ended his speech with an appeal to all project participants, i.e. builders, planners, specialists, construction companies and political decision-makers alike: “We will only be able to realise our future building park and infrastructures if we work together in true partnership and at eye level.”

    Source: https://baumeister.swiss/

  • Private conversion projects boost construction investments in 2022

    Private conversion projects boost construction investments in 2022

    Total construction expenditure is made up of construction investments and public maintenance work. They increased by 1.5% in 2022. However, since construction prices have risen sharply, this results in a real minus of 5.9%. Construction investments showed a nominal increase of 1.8% year-on-year. On the other hand, expenditure on public maintenance work recorded a decline of 1.4% compared to the previous year.

    Private clients invested heavily in conversion projects
    Investments in new buildings (+0.3%) and conversions (+4.2%) increased in 2022 compared to the previous year. This positive result is due to private clients, who invested significantly more in conversions (+7.2%). In the same period they also spent more on new construction projects (+0.3%). The public clients – i.e. the Confederation, cantons and municipalities – increased their investments in new buildings within the year (+0.3%). On the other hand, they spent less on renovation projects (-0.1%).

    Positive development of building construction investments
    Switzerland-wide, more was invested in building construction (+2.3%) compared to 2021. Both private clients (+2.4%) and the public sector (+1.3%) contributed to this positive result. In contrast, investments in civil engineering (-0.1%) declined within a year. Public clients spent less on infrastructure construction (-0.9%). Private clients, on the other hand, invested more in civil engineering (+3.2%).

    Outlook for 2023
    The work in progress (expenditure) for the following year 2023 for construction projects under construction (incl. public maintenance work) increased by 1.6% as of the reporting date 31.12.2022 compared to the previous year’s reporting date.

    Source: bfs.admin.ch

  • ewz plans large-scale, high-alpine solar plants in Graubünden

    ewz plans large-scale, high-alpine solar plants in Graubünden

    ewz can plan further large-scale solar plants in the canton of Graubünden. With an annual production of around 93 gigawatt hours (GWh), it should be possible to supply up to 58,000 households with renewable energy in the future. In this way, ewz is making an important contribution to increasing security of supply and achieving the net-zero targets.

    These projects are also important for achieving the goals of the federal government’s Energy Strategy 2050. Thanks to the “Federal Act on Urgent Measures for the Short-Term Provision of a Secure Electricity Supply in Winter” (amendment to the Energy Act), the prerequisites for the rapid expansion of such PV ground-mounted systems with high winter production were first created.

    Municipality of Surses, Savognin site
    The city council has approved new one-off expenditure of CHF 1.7 million for a preliminary and construction project for a high-alpine photovoltaic (PV) plant in Val Nandro above Savognin. Ewz can now plan a large-scale PV plant on several areas adjacent to the Savognin ski area. The results of the preliminary and construction project will then serve as the basis for the investment decision on the part of ewz, which will probably be the responsibility of the town council.

    PV modules are also planned for areas west of Piz Curvér. Approval of the project planning costs for these areas is the responsibility of the head of the Department of Industrial Operations.

    In total, depending on the implementation variant, up to 80 GWh of solar electricity could be produced annually for around 50,000 households on the above-mentioned areas in the municipality of Surses. The construction projects will be submitted to the municipality of Surses and the landowners for approval. The municipality, the landowners and Savognin Bergbahnen support the projects.

    Municipality of Rheinwald, Splügen-Tambo site
    Independently of the plans in the municipality of Surses,ewz is continuing to push ahead with the expansion of high-alpine solar plants. On the Tanatzhöhi in the Splügen-Tambo winter sports area in the municipality of Rheinwald, ewz is also starting a preliminary and construction project for a high-alpine PV plant. Depending on the implementation variant, it could produce up to 13 GWh of solar power annually for around 8,000 households. Approval of the project costs is the responsibility of the head of the Department of Industrial Operations.

    Councillor Baumer: “Expand own productionin Switzerland”
    The large-scale solar plants in the municipalities of Surses and Rheinwald are planned in areas that are already developed in terms of infrastructure. The areas concerned are not located in any national or local protected areas. A dual use with alpine farming and electricity generation is envisaged.

    Michael Baumer, councillor and head of the Department of Industrial Operations, explains: “In order to increase energy security and at the same time achieve the net zero targets, the expansion of sustainable electricity production is central.” Alongside hydro and wind power, solar energy is an important pillar of sustainable electricity generation, he says. Councillor Baumer: “In terms of PV expansion, we are concentrating on properties on city territory, Switzerland-wide sites as well as high alpine sites. The projects in the municipalities of Surses and Rheinwald are important building blocks for expanding renewable energy production domestically and further increasing the security of supply in winter.”

    Pioneering high-alpine plants are already running at full speed
    ewz already has two large-scale high-alpine solar plants in operation. They produce solar electricity at the Albigna dam in Bergell and at the dam on Lago di Lei. Both plants meet expectations, especially in terms of high electricity production in winter. Around 50% of the electricity is produced in the winter half-year. In addition, it is confirmed that 25% more energy can be produced on an annual average at a high alpine location than in the Central Plateau.

  • Allreal acquires Rieter site in Winterthur

    Allreal acquires Rieter site in Winterthur

    The area in Winterthur Töss is a focal point in the 2040 development concept of the city of Winterthur. Thanks to the nearby railway and bus stations and a motorway connection, the area has excellent transport links. In view of the very good location quality in a changing area, the site has attractive long-term development potential.

    In a first step, Allreal will define the framework conditions for future development in dialogue with the city of Winterthur and the other responsible authorities. Over time, the current industrial site is to be further developed into a modern working and living space of supra-regional appeal, which also makes reference to the pioneering days of the textile industry.

    Rieter will remain closely linked to the site with its new campus, also built by Allreal, with its headquarters and research area. In addition, well-known companies from the technology and research sectors are to settle here. In this way, Allreal is helping to secure jobs in the long term and create new living space in the city of Winterthur. Allreal will take over the existing tenancy agreements and refurbish and successively re-let unrented space over the next few years.

  • Uri wants to strengthen its business location in the long term

    Uri wants to strengthen its business location in the long term

    The economic development strategy serves as a communication instrument vis-à-vis the economy and politics and creates transparency about the programmatic orientation of economic development. It contributes to achieving the goals according to the Economic Promotion Act – increasing economic strength and competitiveness as well as securing and maintaining jobs – and thus strengthening Uri as a business location in the long term.

    The canton of Uri is positioned as a reliable and pragmatic partner with short routes. The foundations for positive employment development are being laid with the help of key projects. The main topics are knowledge-based services, alpine technology, tourism in the alpine region and around the Lake of Uri, traffic and safety technology, energy technology/cleantech as well as precision engineering and polymer technologies. In future, greater emphasis will also be placed on the opportunities for corporate functions (back office, development units) and the creative industries.

    The most important projects for location development are the further development of the existing and new research and education offers in the direction of a “Campus Uri”, the support of development focal points for the provision of attractive commercial, industrial and service areas, the monitoring of the positive effects from the continuing large-scale investments in tourism, the transfer of the cantonal digitalisation strategy to the companies in Uri and the promotion of municipal lighthouse projects. The strategy will be aligned with the canton’s planned climate protection concept.

    A marketing concept ensures target group-oriented communication. Important measures are the cultivation of resident companies, the visualisation of the key topics and potentials of the business location with factsheets and networking events, projects with a focus on “homesick” Uri residents, the further development of the ambassador network and the bundling of core messages about the Canton of Uri.

    Broad-based process and close coordination with the government programme
    The updated economic development strategy is closely coordinated with the government programme 2020 – 2024+. The update was accompanied by the consulting firm LOC AG from Zurich, which has proven national expertise in this area. Partners from business, tourism and municipalities as well as various cantonal offices were also involved in the process. Now the economic development strategy from 2016 has been updated and sharpened and adopted by the government council. The document is available on the internet at www.ur.ch/wirtschaft.

  • Raegipark topping-out ceremony: work progressing according to plan

    Raegipark topping-out ceremony: work progressing according to plan

    After several years of planning and preparation and after obtaining the building permit, the demolition work of the existing “Revox building” could be carried out from May 2021. The shell construction with excavation started in August 2021. In the meantime, the finishing work is already well advanced. Reason enough to thank the approximately 150 assembled craftsmen and women as well as those involved in the project for their tireless efforts with a topping-out ceremony. For Christoph Keller of HRS Real, a “stage success on the way to the future” was achieved. He pointed out the impressive dimensions of the construction project: around 2,500 tonnes of steel and around 20,000m3 of concrete were used. “That corresponds to around 2 million watering cans,” he added with a wink in his speech. “Rägipark is also something we can be proud of in terms of aesthetic quality and sustainability.”

    Great demand thanks to successful marketing
    On the way to the goal, there were numerous obstacles to overcome, such as the Corona pandemic, the Ukraine war, delivery delays for building materials and construction materials, as well as general inflation, which made construction difficult, as the overall project manager of Allianz

    Suisse Immobilien AG, Kurt Hadorn, emphasised: “The fact that the client’s specifications regarding quality, deadlines and construction costs were largely met is not a matter of course,” the construction professional praised those involved in the project and the trades. “The result

    demand for the rental flats and commercial space is high

    great. I am pleased that Rägipark will soon be filled with life.” The work will be completed and handed over to the building owners in two stages at the end of November 2023 and the end of December 2023. The marketing of the flats is already well advanced

    advanced. Of a total of 204 flats, 200 have already been let. Marketing of the commercial and office space is also proceeding successfully, with leases already signed for around 70%. For Allianz Suisse, the project realised together with HRS as general contractor is one of the largest construction projects in the company’s history, with a total investment volume of around CHF 120 million.

  • Former Steghof substation in Lucerne with protected status

    Former Steghof substation in Lucerne with protected status

    The value of the former electricity plant at Sternmattstrasse 3 is to be carefully examined with regard to the building fabric that still exists. As the owner of the property, ewl wants to take this concern into account. “We will examine together with the preservation of historical monuments and urban planning whether the building fabric is worth preserving,” says Patrik Rust, Chairman of the Executive Board. The concern was formulated in an open letter from IG Unterwerk Steghof to ewl and signed by various Lucerne associations and interest groups (see enclosure).

    Historical building and current substance
    The core elements of the old electricity plant still date from the early 20th century. The building was constructed between 1904 and 1905 by the architect Carl Griot for the Elektrizitätswerk Luzern-Engelberg AG, which was founded in 1903. The plant was primarily used to supply the city of Lucerne with electricity, as the Thorenberg power station in Littau was no longer producing enough power.

    The building has a certain historical significance. However, the original brick building is no longer recognisable today. The former appearance was largely destroyed by several alterations from the late 1950s onwards. The façade was partially broken through, a mezzanine floor was inserted between two storeys and ornamental elements were knocked off. The building envelope has been covered with green fibre cement panels since 1979. From today’s perspective, this careless treatment of the building fabric seems incomprehensible. After preliminary clarifications with the cantonal monument protection authorities, the building has so far been listed neither as worthy of preservation nor as worthy of protection. This is now to be examined. Today, the former Steghof substation is used by ewl as a warehouse, especially for Lucerne’s Christmas lights.

    Interim use and new construction of the ewl site
    Another concern of IG Unterwerk Steghof is the examination of possible interim uses on the site. Patrik Rust sees safety hurdles as the main obstacle to a public interim use of the old Steghof substation, with regular visits by people. “Depending on the idea of use, a lot of money would have to be invested to make the building safe for visitors.”

    Two other buildings are structurally connected to Sternmattstrasse 3: a residential building with currently two rented flats and a disused control centre for the electricity, natural gas and water network systems. The disused control centre currently houses offices.

    With regard to the planned large-scale development of the entire ewl site (“Rotpol” project), ewl sees its own needs as necessary. With the development of the ewl site, a completely new city district is to be created in the next few years. At the heart of the development will be the “Red House”, which is being carefully renovated. A historic industrial building, it will be open to the public for events. “The Red House has already established itself in recent years as an ideal venue for cultural events,” says Rust. It is officially considered an “object worthy of protection”.

    During the planned construction phases of the Rotpol project, ewl employees need space for temporary solutions and office space. “In the surrounding area, it must be possible to place ewl’s supply material in a sensible way so that, first and foremost, the security of supply for the city of Lucerne with electricity, water and heat is not jeopardised,” says Rust. The construction project will probably also require handling areas for large vehicles and heavy construction equipment. “The site where the said buildings are located could serve as such a place.” Regarding the Rotpol project, on 4 May 2023, at the request of the business audit committee, the Grand City Council had referred back the report and motion “ewl Areal AG: Second financing step” for revision. Open questions are currently being clarified. According to the current status of the project work and with an outlook on the next steps, ewl is currently only considering interim uses for the company’s own purposes.

  • Lasers enable internet backbone via satellite

    Lasers enable internet backbone via satellite

    The backbone of the internet – the so-called backbone – is formed by a dense network of fibre optic cables, each of which transports up to more than a hundred terabits of data per second (1 terabit = 1012 digital 1/0 signals) between the network nodes. The continents are connected through the deep sea – and that is enormously expensive: a single cable through the Atlantic requires investments of several hundred million dollars. The specialised consulting firm Telegeography currently counts 530 active submarine cables. And the trend is rising.

    Soon, however, this expenditure should no longer be necessary. Scientists at ETH Zurich have demonstrated optical terabit data transmission through the air in a European Horizon 2020 project together with partners from the space industry. In future, this will make it possible to establish much cheaper and also much faster backbone connections via satellite constellations close to the earth.

    Challenging conditions between Jungfraujoch and Bern
    However, the project partners did not test their laser system with a satellite in orbit, but with a transmission over 53 kilometres from Jungfraujoch to Bern. “Our test distance between the High Alpine Research Station on the Jungfraujoch and the Zimmerwald Observatory of the University of Bern is much more demanding from the point of view of an optical data transmission than between a satellite and a ground station,” explains Yannik Horst, the lead author of the study and a researcher at ETH Zurich in the Institute for Electromagnetic Fields headed by Professor Jürg Leuthold.

    The laser beam had to move all the way through the dense, near-ground atmosphere. In the process, the manifold turbulences of the air gases above the snow-covered high mountains, the water surface of Lake Thun, the densely built-up agglomeration of Thun and the Aare plain influenced the movement of the light waves and thus also the transmission of information. The extent to which this flickering of the air, triggered by thermal phenomena, disturbs the uniform movement of light can be seen by the naked eye on hot summer days.

    Satellite internet uses slow microwave radio
    Internet connections via satellites are nothing new. The best-known current example is Elon Musk’s Starlink constellation, which uses more than 2,000 satellites orbiting close to the earth to bring internet to almost every corner of the world. To transmit data between satellites and ground stations, however, radio technologies are used that are much less powerful. Like WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) or mobile radio, they work in the microwave range of the frequency spectrum and thus with wavelengths of a few centimetres.

    Optical laser systems, on the other hand, work in the near-infrared light range with wavelengths that are around 10,000 times shorter and only a few micrometres. As a result, they can also transport correspondingly more information per unit of time.

    In order to obtain a sufficiently strong signal at the receiver over long distances, the parallelised light waves of the laser are sent through a telescope that can be several dozen centimetres in diameter. This wide beam of light must then be aimed as precisely as possible at a telescope at the receiver whose diameter is in the order of magnitude of the received light beam.

    Turbulence cancels out the modulated signals
    In order to achieve the highest possible data rates, the light wave of the laser is also modulated in such a way that a receiver can detect several distinguishable states per oscillation. This means that more than one bit of information can be transmitted per oscillation. In practice, different heights (amplitudes) and shifts of the phase angle of the light wave are used. Each combination of phase angle and amplitude height then defines a different information symbol. With a 4×4 scheme, 4 bits per oscillation can thus be transmitted and with an 8×8 scheme 6 bits.

    The changing turbulence of the air particles now causes the light waves to travel at different speeds inside and at the edges of the light cone. In the detector of the receiving station, this causes the amplitudes and phase angles to add or subtract each other to false values.

    Mirrors correct the wave phase 1500 times per second
    To prevent these errors, the French project partner supplied a so-called MEMS chip (micro-electro-mechanical system) with a matrix of 97 movable mirrors. The mirror movements make it possible to correct the phase shift of the beam on its cutting surface along the currently measured gradient 1500 times per second.

    This improvement was essential to achieve a bandwidth of 1 terabit per second over a distance of 53 kilometres, as Horst emphasises.

    New, robust light modulation formats were also used in the project for the first time. They massively increase the sensitivity of the detection and thus enable high data rates even under the worst weather conditions or with low laser powers. This is achieved by cleverly coding the information bits to properties of the light wave such as amplitude, phase and polarisation. “With our new 4D-BPSK modulation format (Binary Phase-Shift Keying), an information bit can still be correctly recognised at the receiver even with a very small number of only about four light particles,” Horst explains.

    Overall, the specific competences of three partners were necessary for the success of the project. The French aerospace company Thales Alenia Space masters centimetre-precise targeting with lasers over thousands of kilometres in space. Onera, another French aerospace research institute, has the expertise in MEMS-based adaptive optics, which has largely eliminated the effects of air flicker. And the most effective modulation of the signals, which is essential for a high data rate, is one of the specialities of Leuthold’s research group.

    Easily expandable to 40 terabits per second
    The results of the experiment, presented for the first time at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) in Basel, are causing a sensation worldwide, says Leuthold: “Our system represents a breakthrough. Until now, it was only possible to connect either large distances with small bandwidths of a few gigabits or short distances of a few metres with large bandwidths using free-space lasers”.

    In addition, the performance of 1 terabit per second was achieved with a single wavelength. In a future practical application, the system can easily be scaled up to 40 channels and thus to 40 terabits per second using standard technologies.

    Additional potential for the new modulation format
    However, Leuthold and his team will no longer concern themselves with this. The practical implementation in a marketable product will be taken over by the industrial partners. However, the ETH scientists will continue to pursue one part of their work. In the future, the new modulation format they have developed should also increase bandwidths in other data transmission processes where the energy of the radiation can become a limiting factor.

  • Laax says yes to high-alpine solar plant at Vorab mountain station

    Laax says yes to high-alpine solar plant at Vorab mountain station

    The high-alpine solar plant will be built east of the glacier tongue near the Vorab mountain station. Around 20,000 modules are planned on an area of around 150,000 square metres. With a production capacity of around 7.5 MW, they will supply almost 12 GWh per year, which corresponds to the annual consumption of more than 2,200 households.

    The voters of Laax approved the Vorab high-alpine solar project at the municipal assembly on 13 June. The next step is to install a test system in autumn 2023. In this way, the project team wants to ensure that the technology used can withstand the harsh conditions on the Vorab at almost 2,600 metres above sea level and that it will produce the calculated energy yield, especially in the winter months.

    The Vorab solar plant is planned in an area that is already used for tourism. An environmental impact assessment is currently being carried out. The landowner of the site is the political municipality of Laax. The Graubünden energy provider Repower and the Weisse Arena Group will be the owners of the alpine solar plant, and Flims Electric is planned as the project developer.

    Local solar energy for mountain railways
    As the owner of the mountain railways, the Weisse Arena Group will be an important consumer of local solar energy. The Vorab solar plant brings the Weisse Arena Group one step closer to its vision of making the destination of Flims Laax Falera the first self-sufficient Alpine destination to cover 100 percent of its energy needs from climate-friendly, regional sources. In the 2022 autumn session, the federal parliament created the conditions for the rapid expansion of ground-mounted PV systems with high winter production with the “urgent federal law on the short-term provision of a secure electricity supply in winter”.

  • Global Survey Results on Office Use: “What Tenants Want Worldwide”

    Global Survey Results on Office Use: “What Tenants Want Worldwide”

    “The results of our survey in collaboration with CoreNet Global provide a detailed insight into the driving factors in location and real estate decisions of tenants worldwide and show a shift in thinking and approach to post-pandemic decision-making,” says Dimitrios Vlachopoulos, Head of Portfolio & Location Strategy EMEA, C&W. “It also reveals how tenants are responding to the increasing importance of corporate ESG objectives in the context of climate change.”

    Different priorities in the Americas and EMEA region
    Cost, human resources and operational excellence are the three key strategic factors influencing real estate decisions. While human resources is high on the priority list in the Americas, it ranks second in the EMEA region.

    “Tenants identify cost, human resources and operational excellence as the most important drivers of their real estate strategy and decisions. The ranking of these factors has changed somewhat in 2023. Human resources remains very important and continues to rank first in the Americas, but the importance of cost has increased. This is not surprising given the increased uncertainty since mid-2022, when inflation peaked and interest rates began to rise,” says Dimitrios Vlachopoulos.

    Importance of ESG varies
    ESG is gaining importance and most real estate teams have defined ESG targets, but their underlying factors vary by global region.

    “Since the last survey, ESG has moved up from 8th to 5th place globally as a key driver for corporate real estate. Two-thirds of CRE executives said their company has defined ESG goals, is already implementing them or plans to do so. The reasons for aligning real estate portfolios with ESG targets vary by global region. In North and South America, the focus is mainly on corporate reputation, while in the EMEA region, the focus is on environmentally responsible behaviour,” explains Dimitrios Vlachopoulos.

    Shared space in offices increasingly important
    The share of shared space within offices has almost doubled compared to the pre-pandemic period. Their share is now between 40 and 50 per cent compared to 20 to 30 per cent before the appearance of the Corona virus`. The majority of tenants (89 per cent) see the office as a place for creativity, innovation, exchange and possible meetings.

    “The purpose of the office is changing, but tenants have not yet fully adapted to the new way of working,” comments David Smith, Head of Americas Insights, Global Research, C&W. “The office is not used to control employees, and many employees do not need the office to be productive. Rather, it is a meeting place with clients, a place for creativity, innovation and synergy, and for learning and development. Currently, about half of tenants believe their offices serve these purposes.”

    You can find the complete study for download here: https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/de-de/germany/insights/what-occupiers-want

  • Three-storey timber construction for new training centre in Meiersboda

    Three-storey timber construction for new training centre in Meiersboda

    With a competition, the canton was looking for a project in which sustainability is implemented as an integral component, combined with high-quality architecture. Six teams of planners took on the task of planning a project for the new civil defence training centre in Meiersboda in the municipality of Churwalden, aiming for net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Aspects such as recyclability, optimised microclimate, solar power production and energy storage should also be included in the planning.

    Unanimous decision
    The jury dealt intensively with the proposals received and decided unanimously in favour of the winning project “ZicZAC”. The project comes from the general planner/architect team atelier tsu GmbH from Chur and studiospazio/bersa inc. in Zurich. Their project envisages a three-storey wooden building. The jury was particularly impressed by its clear basic structure, the use of natural building materials, simple construction principles, the low-tech building services concept and the high degree of internal flexibility. Developed as a complete system, the project offers an ideal starting point for meeting changing needs in the long term as well.

    “This project meets all the desired requirements to a very high degree and convinces with its holistic and future-oriented approach to sustainable building,” says the chairperson of the jury, Cantonal Councillor Carmelia Maissen, head of the Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Mobility.

    New replacement building instead of complete renovation
    The new Meiersboda training centre with catering, teaching and accommodation areas is to replace the current school and accommodation building, which was constructed in 1975/76. After almost 50 years of operation, a new replacement building is necessary for economic, operational and sustainability reasons. A utility value analysis as well as CO2 and sustainability calculations showed that a new replacement of the school and accommodation building at the same location has advantages over a complete renovation.

    The new Meiersboda training centre will complement the modern training facility that has been completed for the Civil Defence and its partner organisations. The new replacement building will complete the Meiersboda site with the existing storage and instruction hall as well as the workshop.

    Occupation in spring 2027
    After the elaborated construction project is available, the Grand Council is to discuss the corresponding construction bill during the April 2024 session. If the parliament approves the project, it will be submitted to the Graubünden electorate for approval in September 2024. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2025, and the new training centre is expected to be ready for occupation in spring 2027.

  • The Valley Kemptthal: Industry meets modernity

    The Valley Kemptthal: Industry meets modernity

    At the beginning of The Valley is one of Switzerland’s best-known “start-ups”: in 1872 Julius Maggi founded the company J. Maggi & Cie on what was then a sparsely developed site in Kemptthal and gradually expanded the site in the years that followed. in 1886 he developed Maggi seasoning – which became world famous.

    A lot has happened since then. in 1947, Maggi merged with Nestlé. in 2002, Givaudan took over Nestlé’s flavour business and the associated properties in Kemptthal. in 2003, most of the Maggi production was relocated to Germany. in 2017, Givaudan sold two-thirds of the site to the real estate developer Mettler2Invest.

    Since the beginning of 2018, Metler2Invest and the Motorworld Group have been developing the site with the joint company MA Kemptthal Besitz AG, based on a master plan by the architectural firm Ernst Niklaus Fausch Partner.

    Since 2019, the area has a new name: The Valley. Today, it comprises office, commercial and production space. Currently 1100 people work here in over 130 companies. The area has a modern village character. Among other things, there is a post office, a bakery, numerous restaurants, bars, shops, health practices, art studios, a car-sharing company for business vehicles and a fitness centre.

    Food still plays an important role on the site today – a high-quality food cluster is to develop in the Valley. Many of the resident companies produce or develop food: for example, the well-known manufacturer of plant-based meat substitutes Planted, a contract cheese dairy, a chocolate manufacturer, a bouillon producer and a coffee brewery. Givaudan with its highly specialised research centre and Nestlé with its retail shop are also still present in the area. By 2025, the first new building will house laboratory space for food development and, with The Cultured Hub (Migros, Bühler, Givaudan), a highly specialised research centre for the production of meat from animal cells.

    The Valley is located directly at Kemptthal railway station.

    A second thematic focus of The Valley is on motor vehicles. The Motorworld Manufaktur Region Zürich in the heart of the area is a meeting place for people with a passion for classic and high-quality mobility. Various event rooms among vintage cars, supercars and electric racers are the hub for mobility topics and offer space for numerous events.

    With events, those responsible also want to enliven the area, which is easily accessible with its own railway station and the nearby motorway connection, but does not directly border on a city, for hours and days at a time. To this end, they have founded their own event company. The area offers 10 to 10,000 square metres of event space for seminars, congresses, readings, meetings, banquets, concerts, markets and festivals. As a supporting programme, for example, guided tours, various team-building activities or rides in racing simulators are possible.

    Since 2018, the historic, listed industrial buildings have been extensively renovated and supplemented with additional new buildings that architecturally blend in with the historic building stock. Currently, one of the existing halls is being expanded as an event hall, and the first new building will go into realisation this spring.

    A multi-storey car park on an adjacent plot is currently in the approval phase. A pedestrian bridge will later connect it with Valley Square – the central square of the area. A hotel is also planned in one of the existing buildings. A corresponding adjustment of the structure plan is currently underway at the cantonal level for the non-zoned use.

    Another new building could be realised from 2026 or 2027. Another four new buildings are possible; these are to be realised depending on demand.

  • Collaborative project delivery models (IPA, Design Build, etc.)

    Collaborative project delivery models (IPA, Design Build, etc.)

    SIA phase model
    Common project management in Switzerland is based on the SIA phase model (standard 102/112). This hierarchical process principle creates incentives for the client to distribute the concretisation of his planning over several planning phases. As a result, planning orders are considered in isolation in sub-phases, the know-how of the contractors is not collected until the “execution” phase, and risks are passed on to the last contractor in the chain. The concerns of later operations are often only taken into account in the form of benchmarks or written reports.

    Silo thinking vs. cooperation
    In the SIA phase model, the parties involved defend their interests against the client, architect or a general contractor. The goal of each commissioning party is to achieve the highest possible profit and to take as few risks as possible. The focus is therefore not on a joint solution to the problem and certainly not on the success of the project.

    Solution collaborative project delivery methodology
    The solution lies in a change of culture, in changed processes and in contract rule formation based on incentives and motivation.

    So-called collaborative or integrated project delivery methods (IPA) are based on a partnership approach to the project and on the early inclusion of know-how for all key trades. Teams from planning, engineering, execution and operation jointly develop solution approaches and search for the most suitable way to fulfil the objectives. At the same time, project risks are evaluated and actively managed. Work is carried out according to the “best for project” principle, and everyone participates in profit and loss. This increases certainty with regard to feasibility and profitability, and mutual trust is established. This trust, in turn, is the basis for creativity and mutual motivation.

    Final thoughts
    The cultural change described leads to a changed culture of dispute. It is no longer a matter of shifting risks onto others and asserting isolated party interests. Instead, there is an incentive-driven interest on the part of all parties to solve problems quickly and amicably. This also changes the role

    the role of the lawyers involved. Thoughtful and conflict-avoiding contracts are just as much in demand as forward-looking influence on the process and interest-based contributions to solutions. This leaves little room for costly and time-consuming court proceedings.

    Because in the end, only the success of the project and thus of the entire team counts. A failure within the project thus ultimately becomes the failure of all and not the last one to be bitten by the dog or the opposing lawyer.

  • How Winterthur is becoming a Smart City

    How Winterthur is becoming a Smart City

    A lot has happened in Winterthur in recent years: The population has grown enormously, and digitalisation and networking are becoming increasingly important. However, the city – like many other urban centres – is confronted with challenges that are becoming increasingly complex and overarching: Increasing cost pressure, overloaded infrastructures or achieving energy efficiency and climate protection goals and promoting innovation are some of them. With the Smart City programme, the city wants to address these tasks. The term stands for new holistic urban development projects. The aim is to make Winterthur more efficient, progressive and sustainable thanks to the networking of new technologies and stakeholders.

    in 2018, Winterthur’s city council adopted a strategy that defines goals and thematic areas, regulates organisational anchoring and implementation, defines the necessary resources for planning and implementation, and identifies possible projects and measures. The Smart City Winterthur aims to create an innovative, progressive and networked city that focuses on people and the environment. Thanks to the intelligent networking of infrastructures with modern technologies and the involvement of relevant stakeholders, these goals are to be achieved and the city is to be perceived as an attractive cooperation partner for companies, the population and educational and research institutes.

    Innovations within the administration and at the Winterthur location are to be promoted together with various partners. The programme covers important topics such as energy, mobility, smart government, education and innovation as well as housing, health and ageing. Thanks to an annual innovation credit, Smart City projects – such as the climate simulation using the example of Lokstadt – can be implemented.

    The smart city strategy is currently being revised after about four years of experience.

  • A stove for safe wooden buildings

    A stove for safe wooden buildings

    A house fire does not always proceed in the same way. The combustible material catches fire, the temperature increases, the fire grows and spreads. The existing room volume, the fire load, the temperature and the oxygen concentration in the fire room influence its course. The latest acquisition by the Institute of Structural Analysis and Design at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering at ETH Zurich is intended to show how wooden structures behave in different fire scenarios. The knowledge gained will in turn help to expand the possible uses of wood as a safe and sustainable building material.

    Precisely simulating fire processes
    The furnace, which was specially developed for fire simulations, cost around 2.5 million Swiss francs including conversion measures, looks robust and is housed in the heating centre of the Hönggerberg campus. It is a metal cube reinforced with steel beams with a combustion chamber that is one metre high, one metre wide and just under 1.7 metres long. It is fired by 10 gas burners, half of which are mounted on each of the two long sides. They can heat the kiln to over 1,400 degrees. Several cameras outside the combustion chamber record the tests and the composition of the fire gases can also be analysed.

    “We can precisely adjust the temperature in the kiln and also the oxygen content,” Andrea Frangi explains proudly. Furthermore, the wooden components or other common building materials can be loaded with up to 50 tonnes during the tests. The professor of timber construction initiated the procurement of the fire simulator and helped determine its specifications. “The kiln allows us to simulate different fire histories and test their effect on wood structures.”

    Woodas a building material is sustainable and safe
    Timber construction is booming in Switzerland. And the buildings are growing. In Regensdorf, Zug, Winterthur and Zurich, high-rise timber buildings with heights of 75 to 108 metres are currently being planned or are already under construction. The fact that this is possible at all is also due to decades of research work, such as that carried out by Frangis Group in the fire simulator. New building products and technologies for connecting wooden components are also making ever larger and more unusual constructions possible.

    Until 2004, only one- to two-storey buildings with a load-bearing structure made of wood were permitted in this country. From 2005, the limit was six storeys, and since 2015 there has effectively been no upper limit. “The planned high-rise buildings are certainly lighthouse projects,” says Frangi. “But for mid-rise buildings, wood has long since established itself as a building material and convinces with a good price-performance ratio, sustainability and safety.” The latter may be surprising, but while steel beams can deform in the event of a fire and thus become unstable, timber structures can retain their structural integrity for longer.

    The load-bearing capacity of a wooden beam in case of fire is essentially determined by its size. If the beam burns, about four centimetres of the wood are converted into charcoal per hour on the sides exposed to the fire. Possible weak points are connecting elements and constructional details. In order to expand the possible applications of modern timber construction, Andrea Frangi and his team want to further research the burning behaviour of timber components and connections under realistic conditions. “The construction sector causes a large proportion of climate-damaging emissions. With our research, we can help to ensure that even more of the renewable and CO2-storing resource wood is used as a building material,” Frangi is convinced.

  • Spatial planning, the measure of all things?

    Spatial planning, the measure of all things?

    Source: Swiss Confederation

    In reality, however, the cantonal and municipal planning instruments are incomplete, rigid, purely quantitative and do not pursue a three-dimensionally developed picture of the future. The consequences are well known: Inconsistent cityscapes, insufficient densification potential, growing traffic volumes, uncoordinated infrastructural facilities and, finally, a dissatisfied population.

    Forward-looking spatial planning with new concepts is indispensable, because the current sluggish planning instruments of spatial planning are obviously at odds with the dynamic process of urban planning and to date fail to achieve the goals defined in the RPG.

    With the use of the already existing GIS data, the potential impacts on all relevant topics such as interior densification, land use, transport, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and many others could be visualised, evaluated and communicated in a participatory manner throughout Switzerland on the basis of qualitative future scenarios – and beyond the cantonal borders.

    Buildings in the context of spatial planning
    Spatial planning also creates the framework conditions for the development of neighbourhoods and ultimately of the building stock. When we talk about sustainable buildings, it is not enough to look at them in isolation and focus solely on their substance. Buildings are to be understood in their context and thus in consideration of their contribution to the reduction of traffic volume, to densification and to social integration. Following this logic, the two standards SNBS Building Construction for Building and SSREI for Existing Buildings have been developed in Switzerland. In terms of their content, both are unique in an international comparison.

    Source www.ssrei.ch

  • Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 awarded to eco-neighbourhood in Lausanne

    Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 awarded to eco-neighbourhood in Lausanne

    The “Pra Roman” site development by the Codha cooperative and the “Sur le Pra” association won the Binding Prize for Biodiversity 2023 because the development takes on the ecological and social networking functions for the neighbourhood and the city in an extremely exemplary manner and the project was approached in a participatory manner from the very beginning. The 2023 prize was announced as part of the annual theme “groundbreaking site developments”.

    Ecologically networked living spaces
    The “Pra Roman” housing estate with twelve apartment buildings on an area of 22,000 square metres is located on the outskirts of Lausanne. The surrounding area was integrated into the planning and construction of the 2020 development in an exemplary manner. For example, the award-winner created alternating humid wildlife corridors with integrated small structures for amphibians and small mammals and to promote wild plants. This awareness of taking responsibility for ecological connectivity in a larger system is central to the promotion of biodiversity in the settlement area.

    Involving residents in planning
    Raising residents’ awareness of biodiversity promotion was an important part of the “Pra Roman” project from the very beginning. Codha, the developer and cooperative for non-profit housing, initiated the association “Sur le Pra” at the beginning of the planning phase and developed a participatory process. Future residents met early on for site tours or nature observations and, with a high degree of design freedom, designed their near-natural outdoor spaces in workshops, which they later realised independently. The building owner supported them financially.

    Vegetable garden enables encounter and sensitisation
    One of these green spaces is the community vegetable garden. Here people exchange ideas and get to know nature as a basis for life. The culture of sustainable living and land use runs like a thread through the entire “Pra Roman” project. The surrounding ecosystems are observed, imitated in their diversity and connected with the settlement area.

    “We are convinced that this excellent example will encourage other real estate developers to think about biodiversity at an early stage and involve many people,” says Peter Lehmann, vice president of the jury for the award.

    Recognition prize goes to the Areal Bach project in St. Gallen
    In addition to the main prize, the Foundation also awards a recognition prize of 25,000 Swiss francs for smaller sites. The Areal Bach, an interim use near the St.Fiden railway station in St.Gallen, receives this prize because it impressively demonstrates the potential of the many fallow areas in the cities. With its perseverance and commitment, the Areal Bach association overcame resistance, seized the opportunity and, together with the population, ecologically upgraded the areas and revitalised them with creative ideas. It has managed to get many stakeholders on board to realise a jointly supported, multifaceted project. A temporary green oasis was created from a non-place, which can lay the foundations for biodiversity and quality of stay for the planning of a future area development.

  • Winning project for the Horgen Oberdorf station area has been decided

    Winning project for the Horgen Oberdorf station area has been decided

    SBB is planning new residential and commercial space and a modern transport hub on the approximately 2,100 square metre Horgen Oberdorf station site. SBB commissioned a study to find a convincing and sustainable urban development project for the site. A jury of external experts, representatives of the client and the municipality has now selected the winning project. The winning team – consisting of Galli Rudolf Architekten AG, Westpol Landschaftsarchitektur and Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG – delivered the most convincing overall concept: the planning team’s proposal takes into account the local conditions and skilfully combines open space and urban development. In its unanimous decision, the jury praised the way in which the building, consisting of different volumes, blends into the townscape. The project takes up the structures of the quarter on the valley side and those of the quarter south of Neugasse.

    45 flats with communal roof gardens
    The basis of the new development is a base level that covers and connects the entire length of the railway station. Above this are five buildings with residential and commercial spaces facing the lake. A photovoltaic system will be installed on the roof of the commercial building, and communal roof gardens will be created on the four residential buildings. The spaces between the buildings become private green spaces. With its façade grid of timber frame and photovoltaic elements, the building envelope refers to the Schweiter industrial site on the hillside. At the level of the tracks, a special static construction ensures a space free of supports and thus obstacles, which benefits passenger, bus and taxi traffic. Two pedestal buildings provide shopping and gastronomy facilities for travellers and station visitors. The new station square will have a restaurant/café and seating. A row of trees with benches and waiting shelters along the edge of the slope frame the square and create a village square atmosphere. The staircase between Bahnhofplatz, Stadtterrasse and Passerelle creates a new neighbourhood connection. Oberdorfstrasse will be redesigned as a pedestrian zone and will have a wider pavement on the lake side. This will increase safety for pedestrians and cyclists and make crossing the road easier.

    With the development at Horgen Oberdorf station, SBB is creating around 45 flats in an excellent location, one third of which will be in the affordable segment. The flat sizes vary between 1.5 and 4.5 rooms. Approximately 240 square metres are available for gastronomy and retail, and 750 square metres for services. 20 P+R parking spaces, around 100 Bike+Rail parking spaces and two taxi ranks allow for convenient transfers between the various means of transport. The buildings will be constructed according to the DGNB sustainability standards. Implementation is expected from the end of 2025.

    Public project exhibition at the municipal administration
    The competition entries will be exhibited for the interested public: on 25 May 2023 to 2 June 2023 during opening hours at the municipal administration Horgen, Bahnhofstrasse 10, 8810 Horgen.

  • Federal Council requests 218.1 million for civil federal buildings

    Federal Council requests 218.1 million for civil federal buildings

    The largest single construction project in the Real Estate Message 2023 is the renovation and expansion of the Reckenholz greenhouse site (ZH). cHF 29.5 million have been budgeted for this. cHF 21.1 million are requested for the extension of the connecting level at the Liebefeld administrative centre (Köniz, BE). In addition, a new building is to be constructed in Cameroon’s capital Yaoundé for the office and residence of the Swiss representation. The commitment credit for this amounts to CHF 27.5 million.

    Renovation and expansion of the Reckenholz greenhouse site
    Reckenholz is one of Agroscope’s two regional research centres. The external greenhouses there, as well as the building services in the operations building, have reached the end of their life cycle. The greenhouses will be replaced by energy-efficient and flexibly usable air-conditioned research chambers. The building services in the operations building will be renovated and adapted to the new requirements.

    Extension of the connecting level at the Liebefeld Administrative Centre
    The South Campus in Liebefeld is divided into several administrative and laboratory buildings for the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH), the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Metrology (METAS). in 2025, the Competence Centre for Agricultural Research (Agroscope), which is part of the FOAG, will move to Posieux. This will enable further development of the campus from 2026 onwards. In preparation for this, and in order to introduce mobile-flexible forms of work, the underground connection level is to be extended. This will improve the spatial and technical connections between existing buildings and any new buildings that may be added as part of the further development, as well as integrating them into the access and security concept.

    Construction of the new office and residence in Yaoundé
    The Swiss representation in Cameroon is currently housed in rented buildings. A flexible and functional embassy infrastructure is now to be built on a federally owned plot of land. The new building will simplify the functional processes between the chancellery, the residence and an official residence, which will now be located at the same site. This enables synergies in the security concept as well as the technical infrastructures and allows multifunctional use of the representative premises, for example.

    Further real estate projects 2023
    The Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (FBL) will use a further commitment credit of 140 million for projects not individually specified below an amount of 10 million Swiss francs, for property purchases that cannot be planned or are urgent, and for the planning of future real estate embassy projects.

  • Association of Master Builders demands increase of the threshold to eight percent

    Association of Master Builders demands increase of the threshold to eight percent

    In a report published on Friday, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO speaks plainly on the job notification requirement: “The development of the unemployment rate has a delayed effect on the number of occupational types subject to mandatory notification.(…) This means that at times of historically low unemployment, particularly in the second half of 2022, relatively many occupational types were subject to mandatory job notification.” With consequences for various sectors such as the construction industry. “Due to the simultaneous increase in demand for labour, various areas of the labour market entered a phase of shortage of skilled workers and labour,” the SECO report “Enforcement Monitoring of the Mandatory Job Notification” continues. This situation has only calmed down since the list of occupations subject to compulsory notification was reduced to a practical level as of 1 January 2023, thus more than halving the scope of the job notification requirement.

    The Swiss Association of Master Builders (SBA) also notes that the job notification requirement works in principle from a technical point of view and that the information advantage it gives jobseekers also offers advantages for the economy – provided that the regional employment centres (RAV) can actually forward dossiers of suitable candidates to companies for vacancies. This is because the perspective of the past has repeatedly led to a number of occupations with a clear shortage of skilled workers being subject to compulsory registration. This has had consequences in the main construction industry in particular: for jobs as concrete builders, cementers or the collective category that includes “other professions in the main construction industry”, the probability of successful placement has been a mere 1.5 to 2 per cent, according to estimates by the Institute for Economic Studies in Basel. In view of these vanishingly small chances of success, the construction companies rightly complain about the high costs involved in reporting a job to the RAV.

    Corrections to the mandatory job notification system are necessary
    It is therefore all the more important that the motion “Mandatory job notification. Re-introduction of a practical threshold value” by Erich Ettlin of the City Council, which is mentioned in the SECO report as one of several political initiatives on the job notification requirement, should now be dealt with and passed quickly in parliament. If the threshold value is eight percent instead of five percent in future, as called for by the motion, the danger of distorting temporal effects is much smaller. SBC also supports approaches that improve the quality of the survey methodology for the relevant percentage and make greater use of digital tools.

  • Schänzli site: winning project submitted

    Schänzli site: winning project submitted

    For years, the municipality of Muttenz has consistently pursued the strategy of developing settlement and landscape together in the Hagnau-Schänzli area. The electorate honoured this approach and in 2018 approved the three interconnected neighbourhood plans Schänzli, Hagnau East and Hagnau West. “In order to continue the high level of planning care and to tackle an exemplary Schänzli project in terms of design, ecology and water management, we launched a study commission,” explains Thomi Jourdan, municipal councillor and head of the Department of Building Construction and Planning. From October 2022 to March 2023, five selected teams with different experts in the fields of landscape architecture, ecology and hydraulic engineering worked out very different proposals for how the Schänzli could look, function and be maintained in the future. “I am pleased that the jury, in which the municipality was also represented, unanimously chose “Aqua fera” as the most convincing of these projects,” says Jourdan. It was penned by the team Berchtold.Lenzin Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH, Basel, Versaplan GmbH, Zurich, and Holinger AG, Basel/Bern, and is now to be further developed and implemented. The implementation will be largely financed by a privately agreed infrastructure levy from the Hagnau property owners. The municipality itself took over the 74,000 square metre site from the canton in building rights.

    Wild water, nature to be experienced
    “Aqua fera” means “wild water” and the name says it all: the project frees the Birs from its tight corset and gives it back as much design freedom as possible. “It’s great that we’re finally getting attractive bathing and play access to the Birs in Muttenz as well,” says Jourdan happily. At the same time, groundwater protection is guaranteed and the needs of the fish are taken into account. For the latter, screened shallow water zones and a low-water channel will be created, among other things, which will ensure their connectivity even in the summer months. “Along this floodplain landscape, different zones are lined up next to each other. Their intensity of use is subtly controlled thanks to cleverly chosen structuring and planting,” Jourdan explains. In the northern part, near the tram loop, a buvette made of rammed earth, WC facilities and an area for small events make a larger number of visitors quite welcome. Towards the south and the “Vogelhölzli” conservation area, their distribution should slowly thin out. This is also ensured by clear visitor guidance, for example via boardwalks and orderly branch piles (“Benjes hedges”). In this way, ecologically valuable areas are protected and fascinating insights into the animal and plant world remain possible despite the nature-dominated area.

    Involving the local population
    In addition to providing access via the existing bicycle bridge and from the Hagnau sites, a new connection to the Käppeli district could also be created via this hill. But there is still a lot of planning to be done before that can happen. “We will involve the population and interest groups, as we did in the neighbourhood planning process,” Jourdan assures us. As a first step, the municipal council will present the detailed results of the project study to the public on 25 May 2023 and submit a planning credit of CHF 975,000 to the municipal assembly on 13 June 2023.

    For years, the municipality of Muttenz has consistently pursued the strategy of developing settlement and landscape together in the Hagnau-Schänzli area. The electorate honoured this approach and in 2018 approved the three interconnected neighbourhood plans Schänzli, Hagnau East and Hagnau West. “In order to continue the high level of planning care and to tackle an exemplary Schänzli project in terms of design, ecology and water management, we launched a study commission,” explains Thomi Jourdan, municipal councillor and head of the Department of Building Construction and Planning. From October 2022 to March 2023, five selected teams with different experts in the fields of landscape architecture, ecology and hydraulic engineering worked out very different proposals for how the Schänzli could look, function and be maintained in the future. “I am pleased that the jury, in which the municipality was also represented, unanimously chose “Aqua fera” as the most convincing of these projects,” says Jourdan. It was penned by the team Berchtold.Lenzin Landschaftsarchitekten GmbH, Basel, Versaplan GmbH, Zurich, and Holinger AG, Basel/Bern, and is now to be further developed and implemented. The implementation will be largely financed by a privately agreed infrastructure levy from the Hagnau property owners. The municipality itself took over the 74,000 square metre site from the canton in building rights.

    Wild water, nature to be experienced
    “Aqua fera” means “wild water” and the name says it all: the project frees the Birs from its tight corset and gives it back as much design freedom as possible. “It’s great that we’re finally getting attractive bathing and play access to the Birs in Muttenz as well,” says Jourdan happily. At the same time, groundwater protection is guaranteed and the needs of the fish are taken into account. For the latter, screened shallow water zones and a low-water channel will be created, among other things, which will ensure their connectivity even in the summer months. “Along this floodplain landscape, different zones are lined up next to each other. Their intensity of use is subtly controlled thanks to cleverly chosen structuring and planting,” Jourdan explains. In the northern part, near the tram loop, a buvette made of rammed earth, WC facilities and an area for small events make a larger number of visitors quite welcome. Towards the south and the “Vogelhölzli” conservation area, their distribution should slowly thin out. This is also ensured by clear visitor guidance, for example via boardwalks and orderly branch piles (“Benjes hedges”). In this way, ecologically valuable areas are protected and fascinating insights into the animal and plant world remain possible despite the nature-dominated area.

    Involving the local population
    In addition to providing access via the existing bicycle bridge and from the Hagnau sites, a new connection to the Käppeli district could also be created via this hill. But there is still a lot of planning to be done before that can happen. “We will involve the population and interest groups, as we did in the neighbourhood planning process,” Jourdan assures us. As a first step, the municipal council will present the detailed results of the project study to the public on 25 May 2023 and submit a planning credit of CHF 975,000 to the municipal assembly on 13 June 2023.

  • Under pressure to grow

    Under pressure to grow

    The problem is recognised: More people who at the same time want more and more living space per capita. According to the Federal Statistical Office, Switzerland will have exactly 10,015,400 inhabitants by 2040. Space is in short supply. Solutions for sustainable and quality settlement development are neither simple nor can they be realised in the short term.

    In his article, Andres Herzog, architect and editor of the magazine Hochparterre, uses examples from the city, agglomeration and village to show how higher density is possible while at the same time preserving and creating new architectural qualities. Balz Halter, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Halter AG, emphasises the importance of urban planning across parcels. In the interview, economist and happiness researcher Mathias Binswanger pleads for moderation and thus less living space per capita. But he also states clearly: without growth we will run straight into the crisis.

    For decades we have practised building on greenfield sites. This was easy and fast, especially in times of low interest rates. The consequences in space are obvious and painful. We have to get away from this culture of building. Densification does not mean tabula rasa. Building in the existing fabric, i.e. building and maintaining where many people already live and feel comfortable, is the new discipline. Quality inner development will become the standard for all building and planning offices. This

    this also includes a mindful approach to buildings and open spaces that are worthy of protection, because in the best case scenario this creates more desire for density.

  • Switzerland-wide premiere: Fire tests on wall-bound green façade

    Switzerland-wide premiere: Fire tests on wall-bound green façade

    Green facades can contribute to improving the microclimate in the city, support heat regulation in the building and promote biodiversity. However, there is still a large knowledge gap with regard to fire behaviour. In order to close this gap, researchers from the Institute of Timber Construction, Structures and Architecture IHTA at the Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH have carried out two fire tests on wall-mounted green facades.

    The test arrangement consisted of a multi-storey external wall element with two full and two only partially formed storeys. In the lower part of the wall element, the researchers placed a fire chamber that was open to the front. This allowed them to simulate the escape of flames from a window as it occurs after the so-called flash-over – the sudden development of a small fire into a large fire. The tests were carried out on the premises of the Dynamic Test Center of the BFH-TI in Vauffelin as closely as possible to the test specifications for exterior wall cladding systems of the Association of Cantonal Fire Insurers VKF (2016).

    Based on the results, it is possible to evaluate the fire behaviour of wall-bound green façades for buildings of medium height and to optimise the construction of external wall cladding systems for approval. The tests were part of a multi-year research project.

  • Second tube of the Gotthard tunnel: first tunnel boring machine “Carla” at its destination

    Second tube of the Gotthard tunnel: first tunnel boring machine “Carla” at its destination

    Sometimes Carla, with her followers more than 200 m long, came slowly, sometimes much faster than planned, depending on the nature of the rock. On average, Carla covered about 17 m per day. Her record performance is 45.4 m per day, achieved in rather soft gneiss.

    TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION IS TEAMWORK
    “It’s great that we were able to excavate the northern access tunnel on time and, above all, without any significant accidents,” says Jacopo Cheda, head of northern construction at FEDRO. Xavier von Mandach, Implenia’s site manager in charge, emphasises the good cooperation: “Tunnel construction is always teamwork. Our team, consisting of several companies and colleagues from many nations, has a great deal of experience and works in a highly professional manner. Together we were able to successfully master the technical challenges and reach this important milestone without incident. The team did a great job.”

    WHAT’S NEXT
    The excavation of the access tunnel, which runs parallel to the future second tunnel tube, also provided important findings for the other construction work that will be carried out in the future, which are important for Carla’s “big sister”, which will excavate the northern section of the main tube from 2025.

    In August 2022, FEDRO awarded the “secondo tubo” consortium with Implenia (60%) and Frutiger (40%) the contract for the northern main lot (Lot 241) of the second tube of the Gotthard road tunnel. The construction period for the 7.9 km long tunnel section up to the lot boundary in the middle of the tunnel is scheduled until 2029.

    The construction of the second tube will be driven simultaneously from the north and from the south. A total of four TBMs will be used for this: two smaller ones (Carla and Delia) for the two access tunnels and the two large ones with a shield diameter of over twelve metres for the main tunnel.

    Source: implenia.com