“With our participation in the fully rented office building WOODEN, designed according to the ecological state of the art, we are offering German investors, among others, a direct investment in a sustainable property. By investing in this project, investors have the best prospects for a stable and promising investment," says Kai Bender, Managing Director of ACRON GmbH.
Wooden SA is the owner of the WOODEN office property, whose floor space of 9,462 m² is fully let to renowned financial companies. Among other things, the building will house the headquarters of Bâloise Assurances Luxembourg. The Baloise leases around 82 percent of the total floor space for up to 15 years. The remaining 18 percent will be used by the CLE (Compagnie Luxembourgeoise d'Entreprises) until at least the end of 2028.
The first wooden office building of this size in Luxembourg is a "pioneer project" at a desirable location in Leudelange. The growing importance and rapid development have already made Leudelange the most important conurbation in Luxembourg and one of the top locations for real estate in the country.
The tenants are expected to be able to move into their office space from the end of 2022.
This investment opportunity is open to semi-professional and professional investors from Germany via ACRON LUX REAL ESTATE I SCS (ISIN: LU2399210942), which was founded specifically for this purpose. After the investment in this club deal has been fully placed with 10 to 15 investors, the composition of the group of investors will probably not change until the exit. The company's goal is to develop WOODEN, hold and manage the property and later sell it for a profit.
BREEAM is the world's leading certification system for sustainable construction, which includes the entire life cycle of buildings – from new construction to use and maintenance. WOODEN was rated "BREEAM Excellent". The WELL Building Standard was developed to promote health and well-being in buildings worldwide. The types of wood used in the property come exclusively from sustainable forestry from PEFC-certified forests in the greater Luxembourg area. For every tree felled, one or two new ones are planted.
The Swiss Painters' and Plasterers' Association SMGV and Messe Luzern AG jointly award the "Swiss Prize for Plaster and Paint" under the umbrella of appli-tech. The organizers advertise the prize for teams made up of planners and craftsmen. Concretely implemented projects can be submitted in the two categories plaster facade/color design and interior design. A great opportunity, the organizers agree. «In the past editions, the creative potential in the areas of plaster and paint could be shown with the submitted projects. We are convinced that this time we will be able to make high-quality and exciting work known to the public,” explains Ursula Gerber, trade fair manager at appli-tech. Mario Freda, SMGV Central President, adds: "This year we want to continue to promote the very important cooperation between experts from the trades and planning and move the use of plaster and paint into the focus of public attention."
Energy renovation as a focus A well-known jury evaluates the objects. In addition to the prizes in the plaster facade/color design and interior design categories, a special jury prize will be awarded for energy-efficient refurbishment. Jury member and SIA President Peter Dransfeld knows how important the topic is: “Sustainable building and energy-efficient renovations are becoming more and more important, with facade design also playing a key role. Innovative and sensible solutions can be achieved in close, trusting and professional cooperation between architecture and trade. This honors this award." The jury awards a total prize money of CHF 35,000. The winning projects and selected works will be presented in a special show at appli-tech 2023, the trade fair for the painting and plastering industry, drywall construction and insulation, from February 8th to 10th, 2023 and on the website. Reports in specialist media and the presentation in the jury report also beckon.
Registration until the end of September Objects can be registered until September 30, 2022. The work must be submitted by October 20, 2022. The call for applications with detailed information and the Registration options can be found at www.putz-color.ch
On April 21, Stefanie Steiner from the certification organization SNBS presented the certificate at a certification ceremony in the Tröckneturm St. Gallen and thanked the builder Previs Vorsorge for the good work and handling of the certification.
The Waldacker development is made up of two long, kinked rows of buildings that hug the natural terrain lengthways. Together they form an interior space that serves as a meeting and communication space for the residents. From the upper edge of the basement, the buildings were almost entirely built using timber system construction with closed, rear-ventilated spruce wood formwork, including the lift shafts. The timber construction was inspired by the historic Tröckneturm, which is located directly next to the superstructure.
The living room has external areas on both sides in the form of a veranda and an integrated winter garden. The apartments are accessed via a continuous arcade; Access is via external, covered stairwells. Photovoltaic systems were installed on the roofs and the heat supply is ensured by the district heating network of the city of St. Gallen. Between the two rows of buildings, a continuously green inner space with a playground and seating areas invites you to linger. The neighborhood should be kept car-free as much as possible. There is a large number of bicycle parking spaces and charging stations for e-bikes and e-cars. There are also Mobility vehicles that can be used by tenants.
The environmental monitoring in Andermatt Reuss has announced a positive result, according to a media release by Andermatt Swiss Alps AG . The intensified construction activities would have fulfilled the environmental requirements, it is said. At the start of construction of Andermatt Reuss, Andermatt Swiss Alps AG commissioned the engineering office Hodel Umweltberatung , based in Schaffhausen, to monitor and document the environmental impact.
As part of the environmental monitoring for 2021, the review extended not only to the operation of the Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course and the upcoming revitalization of the Dürstelenbach, but also to the construction measures for a podium extension and the construction of apartment buildings. The increase in construction activities has increased the number of inspections, but has not changed the result of a low burden on the environment, according to the statement.
The categories of immission control and measurements, water protection, nature conservation, butterfly monitoring and soil protection were examined in accordance with cantonal specifications.
From an ecological point of view, there is a positive finding for the operation of the Andermatt Swiss Alps Golf Course, which can be attributed to the protection and the practiced care of the nature conservation areas on the golf course.
Despite the pandemic, the Nüssli project teams built ten country pavilions for the Expo in Dubai on time. As the company has now announced , they have received numerous nominations and a total of 23 awards.
Five pavilions have been nominated for one of the Expo’s governing body’s prestigious BIE (Bureau International des Expositions) awards . The German and Kazakh received gold and silver in the Theme Interpretation category. The Japanese Expo building also won gold in the Exhibition Design category. Silver and bronze in the architecture category went to Austria and China. The pavilions of Belarus, Germany, Kazakhstan and Luxembourg received one, and the Japanese pavilion even two Honorable Mentions in the various categories.
According to the information provided, the Austrian pavilion consumed 70 percent less energy than comparable buildings. The structure and facade of the Kazakh building can be largely recycled. And when the Baden-Württemberg house was built from wood, 200 tons of CO2 could be saved compared to conventional steel structures. According to Nüssli, these three examples are “exemplary for the innovation and sustainability of Nüssli’s pavilion range.
It’s literally a beer idea: Two friends chat after work about the garden, barbecuing and cosiness. A floor in a two-family house has just been bought and the first child is born. The existing open shelter would probably no longer offer enough protection to spend any more time in the garden. Reto Schär is a master plasterer, his contact person is a technical consultant for dry construction systems. What goes together comes together.
The place was given The farm’s grounds offer the necessary open space for a stately garden house, on the concrete slab where the dung heap once steamed. A very concrete and measured hand sketch gradually turned into construction plans for the 5 x 5 meter room with a pent roof. The whole thing stands 10 cm higher on heavy-duty consoles so that the underbody insulation has space. After all, you want to feel good on cooler days, even when there is no heating.
Completely made by Gipser The choice of system is of course no coincidence. Thanks to the use of Rimodul ® , Glasroc X, Habito, Rigiton ® Ambiance and the right accessories, the builder, project manager at the plastering company carrying out the work, can build his garden house himself from the first profile to the top layer of plaster. The decisive factor for this solution was actually the new fleece-reinforced Glasroc X gypsum board from Rigips ® , because thanks to the low water absorption and integrated UV protection, it can also be used where gypsum boards previously did not belong: outdoors. The RiModul ® lightweight steel construction system is used as the substructure, which is extremely light but still fulfills a full load-bearing function. This allows dimensionally stable, i.e. walkable and resilient and therefore also free-standing buildings to be erected. The system is based on the principle of prefabrication, which reduces the overall construction time by up to 60%.
The prefabricated RiModul®elements are assembled according to an assembly plan.
Process as usual The on-site assembly of the steel profiles was carried out according to the “assembly kit principle”. The plastering team then paneled the supporting structure on the outside with Rigips Glasroc X, with the cavities in the steel frame then being insulated with mineral wool. The entire outer skin, including the window reveals and roof soffits, were designed in this way. All panel joints and corners were taped with weather-resistant Glasroc X joint tape that can be plastered over. This ensured a driving rain-proof surface until further processing.
Protection against all weather influences Rigips ® Glasroc X is a fleece-reinforced gypsum board of type GM-FH1 with extremely low water absorption. Even short-term direct exposure to the weather cannot harm it; Water that could freeze in the event of frost does not get into the plate in the first place. Since gypsum boards can lose their strength properties at high temperatures, the lightness value of the surface coating for external walls with Rigips ® Glasroc X is set at >20. Shades in this range have proven themselves in long-term tests; With proper maintenance and care, facades designed in this way remain permanently free of damage.
Really strong when used correctly With correct planning and execution, the Rigips ® Glasroc X can withstand even the heaviest storms thanks to the preliminary design tables.
With the cladding using Rigips ® Glasroc X, the statics of the construction are retained even under the influence of fire. Thanks to the excellent fire-retardant properties of the gypsum boards, Rigips exterior wall systems can also provide load-bearing components with a fire resistance period of up to 90 minutes. System structures with Glasroc X also achieve a significant reduction in sound transmission.
Completely planked with Rigips®Glasroc X, the garden house is optimally protected against wind and weather, fire and noise.
Inside comes the all-rounder By choosing Rigips ® Habito H, the builder keeps all options open. The board has a much denser gypsum core that is mixed with a special formulation. It gives the plate a high degree of surface hardness, makes it shockproof and allows a load capacity of up to 30kg per screw. Schär is now completely free to hang all sorts of useful and decorative items on the interior walls, without the need for drills, dowels or wooden inserts. Simply screw in the chipboard screw – and you’re done. The suspended acoustic ceiling consists of a double grid and Rigiton ® Ambiance perforated panels, which are designed using Primeline technology. So it can get a little louder at the garden party with friends and children.
Cut dust-free as usual Reto Schär, himself a seasoned master plasterer, didn’t want a wooden house from the catalogue. The idea with RiModul ® and the new Glasroc X immediately appealed to him: “Exactly the right solution for a real garden house. The best thing about the board is that you can cut it without a machine and like any plasterboard with a cutter, very efficiently and without creating dust. It’s amazing what we’ve done out here with systems that were previously reserved for interior design!»
Reto Schär’s summer house in Inkwil BE was built from A to Z with dry construction systems.
Walo Bertschinger completed the renovation of a track section at Kesswil station in the short time available. According to a statement on Facebook and on the company’s dedicatedwebsite for this project, it has rehabilitated 595 meters of track for SBB in just seven days.
In order to meet the time challenge, the work steps had to be precisely interlinked. The close coordination between the various performance centers for transport and logistics, civil engineering, track construction and road construction was carried out by Raphael Reber, construction manager for track civil engineering, according to Walo.
In order not to endanger the increased volume of traffic with the replacement buses, a concept was worked out with the municipality and the SBB. A temporary bridge was used to calm the volume of traffic in the town of 1,000 inhabitants and to bring around 1,000 trucks to the construction site by a shorter route. In addition, a 600 meter long construction slope was built along the construction site.
First the rails were removed and then the old ballast was excavated. This was washed and processed. Due to the washed material and the resulting shorter transport routes, Walo was able to guarantee savings of around 65 tons of CO2. A new drainage system was installed for the substructure renovation.
After the provisional approval of the SBB for the use of the washed ballast, the laying of the tracks could begin. Around 1,000 new sleepers were used for the 595 meter stretch. A report of the construction work with comments from the construction management can be seen on YouTube.
The Federal Office for Spatial Development ( ARE ) wants to support the cantons in countering the spatial causes and effects of climate change, explains the ARE in a statement . It has created a working aid for the cantonal structure plans. With these structural plans, which are binding for all authorities, the cantons control their spatial development.
The working aid developed by the ARE is intended to supplement the existing guidelines for cantonal structural planning. It offers good and realizable practical examples of how spatial planning can meet the challenges of climate change. Both measures for climate protection and measures for adapting to climate change are discussed.
As an example of a climate protection measure, the ARE cites the promotion of walking and cycling as anchored in the canton of Geneva’s structure plan. This and “the planning principle of short distances” are “important spatial planning levers for climate protection”.
When it comes to adapting to climate change, the ARE cites an example from the canton of Schaffhausen. In his structure plan, he stipulated that areas in the settlement area should not be sealed if possible, so that the water can seep away and contribute to the formation of new groundwater reserves.
digitalSTROM AG from Schlieren is launching a new device for the convenient operation of shadow facilities. According to the press release , electric roller shutters, awnings, blinds and curtains can be opened and closed digitally with the GR-KL300 universal shade clamp. This is done using digitalSTROM commands. These can also be given by a smartphone app. In this way, desired shading positions can be called up from a distance.
According to the product description , the various types of shading, such as the height of blinds, can be freely configured using software. Several installations can be intelligently networked in the digitalSTROM system via the power line in the house. This makes it possible to control several shading devices in one room or in the entire apartment or house.
With the GR-KL300, opening and closing can be controlled via a digitalSTROM button and automated if desired. Depending on the time of day, weather conditions or as a simulation of presence, a specific setting can be selected.
The drive of the blinds or other systems can also be operated directly via buttons without digitalSTROM. The installation automatically recognizes the position of the shading device. And there is a shutdown when overload is indicated. According to digitalSTROM, the new device will be on the market from April 15th.
Due to the wavy structure of the F100 W skylight dome, the glazing absorbs loads better and distributes them evenly. This results in better load transfer and more rigidity, allowing the skylight to remain watertight in higher wind speeds and withstand more wind and snow. According to LAMILUX, the load-bearing capacity for snow has also been increased, depending on the size and variant of the skylight, by up to four times that of skylights previously available on the market. The new dome light has been checked and tested for resistance to heavy rain with 8 liters per square meter and minute and simultaneous hurricanes of up to 115 km/h and the highest hail resistance class HW5. This means that the wave-shaped dome light can withstand hailstones of up to 50 mm in size, which hit the dome light from sky high with a final speed of 111 km/h.
More safety in extreme weather
Precisely because extreme weather occurs irregularly and suddenly, it is particularly important to protect roofs from the dangers of environmental influences. “As a manufacturer of daylight systems, we see it as our duty to adapt our skylights to the constantly changing influences in order to preventively protect buildings from extreme weather events. That’s why it was our goal to once again optimize the functionality and stability of our well-known classic skylight. This is how the LAMILUX F100 W skylight dome came about – with an innovative wave shape,” explains Niklas Braun, Technical Manager for the Daylight Systems division of the LAMILUX Heinrich Strunz Group.
More convenience during installation
In addition to technical advantages, the new product impresses with even easier installation on the roof, because the constructive improvement of the geometry without additional material does not generate any additional weight. Following the tradition of the other LAMILUX daylight systems, the new F100 W skylight dome is also delivered to the construction site completely pre-assembled. So nothing stands in the way of an uncomplicated installation for processors.
On March 30th, Stefanie Steiner, project manager of the certification organization SNBS, presented the certificate to the new cooperative housing project on Schorenweg in Basel and thanked the builder of the Northwest Housing Cooperative for the good work and handling of the certification.
In particular, great importance was attached to social values such as a multi-purpose room or residents’ café. The SNBS building standard is a building standard that covers the building itself and the site in the context of its surroundings. It enables the needs of society, the economy and the environment to be equally and comprehensively included in planning, construction and operation. The prerequisite for this is the view of the entire life cycle of a property.
The winning project, which emerged from a competition, is the final building block to close a vacant lot that resulted from the demolition of a former Novartis office building on Schorenweg. 94 apartments can be found in the buildings, which impress with their permeable structure and clearly defined outdoor spaces and passageways. The latter connect the different uses of the public, semi-public and private areas. The roofs accommodate a photovoltaic system with an output of approx. 230,000kWp, the settlement draws the electricity as a group for self-consumption (ZEV).
Due to the central location near the train station, the number of parking spaces tailored to the use and the numerous bicycle parking spaces, the requirements for mobility from the energy efficiency path can be met. A spacious bicycle storage hall and numerous above-ground parking spaces encourage the use of fuel-free means of transport and support the sustainability concept of the client and the canton. By taking into account the social and economic aspects, which are checked in addition to the energetic criteria in the SNBS building certification, the SNBS building certification is a perfect supplement to the Minergie-P-ECO certification. As a building standard, the SNBS building allows the Comprehensively incorporating the needs of society, the economy and the environment into planning, construction and operation.
At the end of March, the world exhibition in Dubai came to an end after six months. According to a press release , Presence Switzerland is satisfied with Switzerland’s performance. As a unit of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), Presence Switzerland was responsible for running the Swiss pavilion during the Expo.
According to Presence Switzerland, the Swiss Pavilion received a total of 1.7 million visitors. Among them were people from around 100 different nationalities. This made the Swiss Pavilion one of the most popular and most visited pavilions at the Expo.
The Swiss Pavilion also served as a platform for exchange with trading partners. More than 50 companies and 20 institutional partners and universities have used it for this purpose. In addition, 987 official delegations visited the pavilion, including 90 prime ministers, ministers and governors from different countries.
A survey showed that the majority had a good or very good impression of the Swiss presence. The pavilion has also had a positive impact on how Switzerland is perceived in areas such as innovation, tourism, sustainability and Swiss products.
The Swiss pavilion also received three prizes: the World Expo Award from Exhibitor magazine as the best medium-sized pavilion, the 2A Certificate & Veneration and Innovative Achievement Memorial Icon from 2A magazine and an award for architecture and landscape from the Committee of Experts of the Bureau International des Expositions ( BIE ).
The leisure, sports and event center Tägi in Wettingen invites you to the Bauen+Wohnen Aargau trade fair again this spring after a two-year break. According to the press release , it will take place from Thursday, April 7th to Sunday, April 10th and will present offers for everything to do with building, living, gardening and energy. More than 180 exhibitors present products and services in four halls as well as on Tägerhardstrasse, the Tägi forecourt and in the event arena. There are also several specialist lectures in the Limmatraum on topics such as light, heat pumps, kitchen planning or solar power.
The fair is open on Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There is paid parking on the circus meadow.
This weekend the Tägi also opens the mini golf season. The 18-hole mini golf course is open daily from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Provided the weather is nice and allows the game to play.
The Office for Spatial Development of the Canton of Zurich has developed a shop for geodata . According to a press release , users receive free access to spatial data in the canton of Zurich and can order them at the touch of a button.
With the new shop solution, use-restricted, i.e. non-open data is now also being added. Previously, cantonal geodata sets were available to users free of charge as open authority data via the GIS browser maps.zh.ch or a geoservice and could only be called up manually.
A total of over 500 products from the geographic information system can be viewed and ordered in the geodata shop, including data on buildings, air, noise and climate. Later, data on buildings and land, so-called object data from the ObjektwesenZH platform, will also be added.
The Zurich Real Estate Days took place from March 18th to 20th. Under the roof of the newly renovated congress center, the “SVIT Immobilien-Messe”, the “SVIT Digital Day” and the “Digital Kompass Schweiz” were held there for the first time. Over the three days, there were a total of more than 2,500 visitors and more than 50 exhibitors at the fair.
The “SVIT Immobilien-Messe” was held for the twelfth time and was a complete success. Due to the intensive construction activities in the economic area of Zurich, the fair has found its place in the agenda of visitors. Those interested in home ownership or first-time rentals found what they were looking for at the “SVIT Immobilien-Messe”, because existing properties and properties that are only in the planning stage are also presented.
For the third time, but for the first time combined with the SVIT real estate trade fair, the “SVIT Digital Day” took place on Friday, March 18, 2022. The latest digital trends for the real estate industry were shown by around 40 exhibitors. The practice-oriented specialist presentations by Joel Hadwiger (Sales Manager casavi), Luc Zehnder (Account Executive Intrum AG) and Erich Birchler (CEO BMT AG) were also very exciting.
The “Digital Compass Switzerland” is an innovation of the SVIT Zurich. The tool accompanies real estate players on the way to digital transformation, because the efficiency of a real estate company depends heavily on its software and its interfaces. The SVIT platform shows specific applicable solutions that are specifically tailored to the Swiss real estate industry.
Vail Resorts’ investment of CHF 149 million consists of two parts. On the one hand from an investment of CHF 110 million in Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG to improve the guest experience on the mountain. On the other hand, from an amount of CHF 39 million, which is paid to ASA and fully reinvested in real estate development. ASA invests in the further development of the core business in Andermatt and Sedrun, ie in real estate, hotels and infrastructure as well as the expansion of Andermatt Reuss. The CHF 110 million will be invested via Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG in lift systems, snowmaking systems, gastronomy, leisure activities and infrastructure in the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun.
Andermatt Swiss Alps AG has already invested around CHF 1.3 billion in the development of Andermatt in recent years. This includes around CHF 150 million that was invested via Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG to expand and modernize the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun. Vail Resorts’ investments in Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG will significantly accelerate the expansion of the SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun and the destination as a whole. The partnership between Vail Resorts and ASA is based on a shared vision to build and expand a premier alpine destination and ski area.
“As a partner, Vail Resorts is an ideal match for our goal of developing Andermatt into a prime alpine destination,” says Samih Sawiris, majority owner and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Andermatt Swiss Alps AG. “With its high level of expertise in the successful operation of integrated destinations, its impressive marketing capacities and the fresh capital, Vail Resorts will provide a strong boost for the further development of Andermatt-Sedrun.”
Omar El Hamamsy, CEO of Orascom Development Holding AG (ODH), ASA’s second major shareholder, adds: “It’s great to have Vail Resorts as a partner in our group of 14 destinations.” ODH has a long and successful history of developing luxury destinations in Europe and the Middle East, which in combination with Vail Resorts’ partnership and investments will further strengthen the Andermatt-Sedrun destination.
“Entering the European market is a long-term strategic priority for Vail Resorts. We are extremely excited to partner with ASA and invest our capital and resources to support the transformation of Andermatt-Sedrun into a premier destination,” said Kirsten Lynch, CEO of Vail Resorts. “We want to rely heavily on and learn from our partners, the community and the Andermatt-Sedrun team while gaining experience and getting to know the area, its guests and operations. We are proud to add this unique Swiss destination to our network of world-class resorts and to incorporate it into the Epic Pass, expanding access for our existing pass holders and seeking to create an even more diverse offering for skiers in Europe.”
The companies’ partnership goes beyond a shared commitment to enhancing the guest experience. Both Vail Resorts and ASA place safety, sustainability and contributing to the success of local communities first. In particular, both companies have individual obligations to protect and preserve nature. Vail Resorts is doing this with the Commitment to Zero initiative (net zero carbon footprint and zero waste at all 40 resorts by 2030). Through the Andermatt Responsible campaign, the ASA is committed to sustainable and climate-friendly tourism in the Andermatt region, with the aim of being CO2-neutral in operation by 2030.
A representative from Vail Resorts will take over the presidency of the board of directors of Andermatt-Sedrun Sport AG, the ASA will provide the vice-president. Topics such as future organization and others will be decided over the next few months. The winter operation that has already started will continue as planned. There are no changes for employees.
The negotiating team was led by Naguib S. Sawiris, member of the ASA Board of Directors and designated Chairman of the Board of Directors of Orascom Development Holding AG. The transaction is expected to close before the 2022/23 ski season. Vail Resorts plans to include Andermatt-Sedrun in the 2022/23 Epic Pass and Epic Day Pass with access to all resorts, subject to the timing of transaction completion.
In order to answer the question of the ideal age of a real estate investment, PriceHubble first examined the development of market prices and rents for buildings of different ages for its analysis. “Buildings, like cars, tend to depreciate faster in the early part of their life cycle than in later years. However, since a property usually also includes a plot of land that does not wear out, the value of the property then approaches the value of the land,” says Dr. Nima Mehrafshan, Head of Research at PriceHubble.
The analysis was carried out based on the PriceHubble valuation model. For each of these, a location in a major Swiss city was selected and a typical apartment in this location was evaluated. The year of construction was varied for each apartment assessed, while all other influencing factors were kept constant – including the time of the assessment. “In this way, we can determine how the market value and market rent of a typical apartment decrease with age, ignoring market-wide price changes over time,” adds Dr. Mehrafshan.
Biggest loss in value in Bern and sharpest drop in rent in Basel – real estate in Geneva with the smallest loss in value The majority of the price loss occurs across all the cities examined in the first 40 years after construction and then levels off between 17 and almost 26 percent. Real estate in the city of Bern experienced the greatest loss in value at around 26 percent. In contrast, real estate in Geneva only lost around 17 percentage points.
A similar picture emerges when it comes to rents, with the decline in market rents already having largely taken place after 20 to 30 years. After this time, rents are between -12 and -25 percent compared to a new building. Rents in the city of Basel are falling the most at around 25 percent, while rents in Geneva are only falling by just under 12 percent.
Lowest rental yield after 10 to 20 years Basically, rental yields are only slightly influenced by the age of the building. The rental yields for new buildings are only slightly lower than for older buildings. The rents fall slightly in the first few years, since the market rents fall a little faster than the market prices with the age of the building. In general, rental yields are lowest for buildings that are 10 to 20 years old and range between 2.3 percent and just under 3.0 percent. After almost 60 years, returns reach their zenith and remain between 2.6 percent and 3.4 percent.
The city of Bern is the leader in terms of rental returns with a rental return of around 3.4 percentage points after 60 years. The city of Zurich has the lowest average rents and shows a return of 2.6 percent after 60 years.
10-year return: Bern is the leader A similar picture emerges when looking at 10-year returns (combination of rental returns and market value loss through wear and tear). Here, too, the yields level off from an age of just under 60 years. The city of Bern is also the front runner with a total return of around 33 percent. Real estate in the city of Zurich meanwhile has the lowest average return of around 26 percent.
In principle, the return on buildings under 20 years of age also falls to 16 percent to 23 percent over a 10-year period. «In order to answer the question of the best building age for an investment, investors must also consider the maintenance costs in addition to our analysis. Here, of course, the faster depreciation early in the property’s life is offset by the higher maintenance costs for most older buildings. Nevertheless, investors can use the results of the study to review their investment strategy,” says Dr. Mehrafshan.
“Data is the new gold” – that’s what we’ve been hearing for years. Against the background of an increasing complexity of issues and requirements, data analysts are being recruited in companies across all industries and corresponding teams are being set up. However, data per se does not lead to any solutions. Rather, it is necessary to derive a strategy from it – this not only requires the intelligent linking of data but also appropriate market knowledge and analysis in a specific context.
How can market needs be better determined and suitable living space developed and built? Digitization has created many possibilities for the planning and construction of real estate. With the appropriate tools – for example from Luucy, Archilyse or PriceHubble, to name just a few – processes and decisions along the entire value chain can be simplified and accelerated: from the acquisition of suitable plots of land, through development and marketing, to the management of the properties. AI-based technology is being used more and more here.
The “hard facts” are certainly the basis for data-based evaluations. But developers are also increasingly wanting “soft key figures” to supplement their decisions, for example information on the satisfaction of residents. Ultimately, of course, it is the experience that counts – the best decisions are, as is well known, the ones where the “subjective gut feeling” is right. Because even with the best data, it is always the human who decides in the end.
The three projects Holzbau-LAB, Swiss Mobility Program and Entrepreneurial Thinking and Acting at Vocational Schools in Switzerland are in the final of this year’s Enterprize , the SVC Foundation for Entrepreneurship and the Swiss Federal College for Vocational Training ( SFIVET ) inform in a statement . With the Enterprize, they honor outstanding projects in professional training and further education every year. Around 30 projects applied for the prize this year.
Finalist Holzbau-LAB imparts practice-oriented knowledge and activities in the timber construction industry. The digital learning and theme worlds of the project of the Swiss timber construction industry association are open to learners, management employees, entrepreneurs, educational providers and teachers alike.
The Swiss Mobility Program was launched in 2015 by the cantons of Lucerne and Ticino. Here, apprentices in all professions can complete an internship in the partner canton. The canton of Vaud has also been a partner since 2018.
With the project Entrepreneurial Thinking and Acting at Vocational Schools in Switzerland, the Swiss Directors’ Conference of Vocational Schools wants to anchor the myidea.ch program in general education classes. Myidea.ch imparts entrepreneurial skills for learners at vocational schools. The program is currently being implemented by the four pilot cantons of Bern, Solothurn, Valais (French-speaking part) and Ticino.
The winning project will be able to receive the Enterprize on May 31 at the EMS anniversary conference. The award ceremony takes place under the patronage of Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin.
A study by the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research ( Empa ) examined which cities have the potential to be transformed using superblocks. This means of urban planning can counteract increasing heat, noise and air pollution and dwindling green spaces due to climate change or population growth. Urban planning is key, study author Sven Eggimann is quoted in a statement by Empa: “The design and use of street space influences the quality of life of residents and has the potential to significantly improve the urban climate.”
Barcelona is a model for the formation of superblocks. There, ideally, 3 by 3 blocks and their inner courtyards are combined into a super block. The development traffic is routed around the outside, the inside remains completely car-free. Instead of streets and parking lots, bicycle paths and footpaths, green areas and meeting zones will be created. In addition, heat-reducing measures can be implemented.
According to Eggimann, the potential of this urban design is so high because streets make up a significant part of the total area in today’s urban areas. In European cities, this is typically between 15 and 25 percent.
Eggimann calculated the superblock potential of individual cities with values between 1 percent and a third of the streets. Cities such as Mexico City, Madrid and Tokyo showed the greatest potential. However, according to Eggimann’s study, cities whose streets are laid out less grid-like than in Barcelona are also suitable for super blocks: “This offers the opportunity to make urban districts more attractive by putting people and not vehicles at the center.”
A central showpiece in the Swiss Pavilion is the artificially generated fog. The effect changes constantly for the visitor, so that at the end a Swiss mountain panorama becomes visible. The expert jury also voted the fog the third best staging element of the Expo in terms of theme and implementation.
The Zurich scenography agency Bellprat Partner AG is behind the Swiss fog. According to the information, she worked on the development of the Swiss Pavilion for more than five years. She was also supported in the implementation by Zurich architects OOS and Lorenz Eugster ‘s office for landscape architecture, also in Zurich. The partners worked on behalf of Presence Switzerland .
The Swiss pavilion was not only well received by the jury of the World Expo Awards. With a total of 1.5 million visitors so far, it is one of the five most popular buildings at the entire Expo. Overall, the world exhibition in Dubai has so far had over 19 million visitors. It runs until the end of March.
With the newly founded company TerraRail Modalsplit AG, the transport of excavated material for large construction projects in the canton of Zurich is to be shifted from road to rail. According to a press release by Eberhard Bau, the companies HASTAG (Zürich) AG based in Birmensdorf ZH, Schneider Umweltservice AG in Miles ZH and Eberhard Bau AG in Kloten ZH have merged to form the company. TerraRail Modalsplit is also based in Kloten.
The reason for the merger of the three companies is a new legal provision in the canton, as the announcement shows. Since July 1, 2021, clean excavation from excavation pits with a volume of over 25,000 cubic meters must be transported away by train in the canton of Zurich.
With the founding of TerraRail Modalsplit AG, the transport of excavated material and aggregate is offered by rail and truck traffic is shifted to rail. The excavated material can be delivered to the Rümlang, Volketswil, Winterthur and Birmensdorf sites and the aggregates can then be picked up. According to the announcement, the locations – Birmensdorf is still under development – all offer a direct rail connection and can cover the necessary handling capacities. The excavated materials are then transported away by train and deposited or recycled in a material extraction point.
The new company can “cover the demand triggered by the law, use synergies with the previous construction site transport and relieve the traffic area with the train. We were already able to actively offer the service for the first tenders,” Markus Streckeisen, President of the Board of Directors of TerraRail Modalsplit AG, is quoted as saying.
Swiss Asset Management – Vermögensverwaltung launched its Metaverse platform DecentWorld on March 1st. The game offers users the opportunity to invest in digital real estate and roads using NFT (Non-Fungible Token) technology. According to a media release , the creators of DecentWorld expect their creation to “step by step revolutionize the blockchain industry and bring real value to virtual real estate.”
The purchased virtual roads can be grouped into collections. Completed collections automatically generate income. These are accumulated and distributed at regular intervals.
As the release goes on to say, Switzerland is on the way to becoming the next Silicon Valley for crypto and blockchain. “Inspired by the Swiss approach to designing the future”, the development team “created a unique user interface with an artistic touch”. DecentWorld also stands for trust and transparency in the blockchain industry through the use of state-of-the-art security functions.
The rental index of the online real estate marketplace homegate.ch in cooperation with the Zürcher Kantonalbank rose again in February. According to a press release , rental prices rose slightly by 0.26 percent. The index was thus slightly higher than in the previous month at 117 points.
Rental prices have risen in almost all cantons and cities, above all in the canton of Graubünden by 2.15 percent. There was a drop in rents there in January, which has now been offset by the increase in February. In addition to Graubünden, Appenzell, Glarus, Schwyz and Valais also recorded an increase of more than 1 percent in February.
With the exception of Bern and St.Gallen, rents rose in all cities in February, with the strongest increases in Lausanne at 1.7 percent and Lugano at 1.41 percent. In the respective cantons of Vaud and Ticino, on the other hand, prices rose less sharply or even fell.
Rents in the canton of Zug have fallen by 0.56 percent. Rents rose significantly here in January. “A comparison of the cantons shows that, in addition to the majority of increases in rents, there have also been fluctuations over the last few months,” says the press release.
The prices of single-family houses increased in 2021 compared to the previous year by an average of 9 percent to CHF 1.42 million. The prices of condominiums rose by an average of 8.3 percent to CHF 0.91 million. This is shown by the figures from the Home Market Price Analysis presented annually by the real estate marketplace Homegate and the Swiss Real Estate Institute of the Zurich School of Economics (HWZ). As stated in a media release , this is the highest price dynamic for residential property in ten years.
For second homes, prices rose by 35 percent compared to the previous year. “The price increases for first homes are amazing,” says Peter Ilg, head of the Swiss Real Estate Institute. “But in the case of second homes, a market has been created due to the strict limitation on supply by the second home initiative that is ideal for real estate speculation.”
Condominiums are still the most expensive in the Zurich region, single-family homes in the Lake Geneva region. The sharp rise in prices seems to be leading to fewer sales transactions, at least for single-family homes. They fell by 10 percent.
There are major differences between the regions at the community level: With the same budget of 3.1 million francs, for which there was a house in Erlenbach ZH, you could buy a good six single-family houses in Brugg AG. The lowest average prices for condominiums were paid in the municipality of Sainte-Croix VD at CHF 0.28 million, the highest in Zumikon ZH at CHF 2.37 million.
Under the aspect of living and working directly on the track, the SBB has announced an architectural competition for the design of their area at the railway station in Wettingen . According to the press release, the results are now available. They can be viewed in an exhibition in the foyer of the Tägi Wettingen until Tuesday, March 8th.
The winning project is called Stadtlaube and, according to the SBB announcement at Wettingen station, envisages two long, five-storey residential buildings with service, retail and catering areas on the lower floors and a four-storey service building with public-oriented uses. The historical railway buildings are preserved.
The two buildings to the west of the station form a boundary opposite the track field and thus create living and recreation space in a central location, according to the project announcement. The entrance areas and partly open-plan staircases are intended to provide a view of the railway tracks. There will be small squares and a play street in front of the house entrances. Flexible 2.5 to 4.5 room apartments with private outdoor areas and communal roof terraces are planned.
A four-storey service building with shops and restaurants is planned to the east of the residential buildings and embedded in the historic station buildings. According to the announcement, the protected individual objects Lokremise, goods shed, station building and turntable will be preserved.
On March 12, 2012, the Swiss population accepted the second home initiative. The corresponding Second Homes Act stipulates that no additional holiday homes or houses may be built in communities with more than 20 percent second homes. Experts feared that if the initiative were accepted, the prices for corresponding real estate in the tourist areas would explode.
Ten years later, these fears have not been confirmed, writes the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts ( HSLU ) in a statement . Researchers at the HSLU have examined the effects of the Second Homes Act in two studies. According to the results, house prices did not increase until 2018, but instead actually decreased.
“The acceptance of the initiative has led to a panic-like flood of last-minute building applications,” the head of the relevant study, Daniel Steffen, is quoted as saying in the statement. “Ironically, this has caused a temporary oversupply.” It was only with the outbreak of the pandemic that the demand for apartments in the tourist mountain regions increased. “Today, prices are roughly back to the level at which model calculations show they would be even without the second home initiative,” says Steffen.
The hotel industry and mountain railways also felt only minor consequences of the new regulation, as is further explained in the communication. Only the hotel industry’s model of cross-financing renovations through the construction and sale of second homes is restricted by the Second Homes Act. In the construction industry, however, the researchers identify significant impairments for construction companies active in the affected communities. “In particular, larger, strategically broad-based companies” are already “orientated more towards the valley floor, where orders are not so heavily dependent on the construction of second homes,” the head of the corresponding study, Stefan Lüthi, is quoted in the statement.
“Looking at all sectors, it can be expected that the effects of the Second Homes Act will only be noticeable in the coming years,” the HSLU researchers state.
The Schliere-based innovation service provider Zühlke is developing an efficient portfolio management system for the Zurich building cooperative Zurlinden . According to a press release , the building cooperative wants to completely integrate its real estate portfolio with a market value of around CHF 1.5 billion into the Nexport software of its long-standing partner Aktiva AG from Zurich.
The existing platform is reaching its limits, according to the statement. The processes are error-prone. They were based solely on the exchange of document and Excel files. The future appearance should make the professional competence visible and show the added value that arises from services such as personal advice for customers.
Zühlke has been commissioned with the further development. The new portfolio management tool is intended to enable central data storage and collaboration between the two partner companies. Important key figures are calculated and trends and master data are visualized, according to the Zühlke statement. Strategic decisions could be made based on current data. New tasks and strategies are constantly being integrated. The solution can be offered to customers as a software service and further developed together.
Zühlke developed the solution based on the flexible development platform for enterprise applications, Mendix . According to the announcement, specialists from the areas of business analysis, user experience, low-code development and operation are working very closely with the Zurlinden building cooperative and Aktiva AG.
Aufzugbauer Schindler bringt seinen Installationsroboter R.I.S.E. jetzt auch im Asien-Pazifik-Raum zum Einsatz. In Schanghai bohrte er unzählige Löcher für die Installation von fünf Fahrstühlen in einem der grössten Geschäftskomplexe der Innenstadt. Auch im Singapurer Wohnbauprojekt Avenue South Residence nahm R.I.S.E. Monteuren diesen Teil der Arbeiten ab. Dort wurden laut einer Medienmitteilung weitere zehn Fahrstühle installiert.
„Mit Schindler R.I.S.E. machen wir Hochbaustellen sicherer und effizienter“, so Schindlers COO Paolo Compagna. „Der Roboter übernimmt das Bohren von Tausenden Ankerbolzen, die für die Installation von Aufzügen erforderlich sind und trägt so zu mehr Arbeitssicherheit bei. Monteure können ihre Zeit so für anspruchsvollere Tätigkeiten nutzen.“ Dies garantiere eine schnellere und effizientere Projektabwicklung, „was in einer Zeit, in der weltweit viele mit Verzögerungen auf Baustellen konfrontiert sind, noch wichtiger geworden ist“.
Schindler verweist darauf, dass es diese „bahnbrechende“ Innovation in der Kategorie Innovation Leaders in die engere Auswahl für den Swiss Technology Award geschafft habe. Er gilt als der bedeutendste Innovations- und Technologiepreis der Schweiz.
Sika has announced the takeover of the Canadian building materials supplier Sable Marco in a media release . With this commitment, the specialty chemicals company wants to make sales in eastern Canada even more successful.
Sable Marco is a leader in mortar and cement production. According to the press release, the company based in Pont-Rouge in the province of Québec has annual sales of 20 million francs.
Sable Marco’s customer base fits Sika’s portfolio, they say. In addition, Sika can benefit from the “contacts to national and regional building material markets and DIY retail chains” and is taking an important step towards a “new customer base with high potential”.
The cementitious products, mortar, polymer sands and other materials are produced in Greater Quebec. According to the announcement, the companies see synergies in the “cross-selling potential of the products that Sika offers in the target markets of waterproofing and building finishing”. Due to the geographic location, Sika sees opportunities for new sales channels in eastern Canada. In addition, the increasing demand for polymer sand products is conducive to cooperation.
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