Apartments are scarce in the larger Swiss cities. This applies in particular to inexpensive apartments. In order to enable more non-profit housing construction, especially in central urban locations, the Federal Housing Office (BWO), Swiss housing cooperatives and the SBB have jointly drawn up framework conditions for a model building rights contract. The BWO also represented the Swiss Housing Association. This protects the interests of both umbrella organizations for non-profit housing construction. The model building rights contract will come into effect in future when SBB hands over land with building rights to non-profit housing developers.
“We welcome the fact that SBB is making areas available for non-profit housing construction with building rights. This contract ensures that the framework conditions are compatible with the funding criteria for non-profit housing construction,” says Martin Tschirren, director of the BWO.
“SBB aims to offer around half of its apartments at low prices – either through their own apartments or by paying the building permit.” According to Alexander Muhm, Head of SBB Real Estate, the new contract is an important step in this direction.
“We are pleased that we have reached an agreement, even if the building lease interest for non-profit housing will be at the upper price limit,” emphasizes Eva Herzog, President of the Swiss housing cooperative. “Now we will take the SBB at its word to give more areas of building rights to cooperatives.”
Compromise lays a uniform basis for future projects The common regulation has the advantage for all partners that future building rights contracts with non-profit housing developers no longer have to be negotiated from scratch for each project, but can be implemented more easily and quickly on the basis of the framework conditions that have now been agreed. The SBB advertises every sale of SBB land in the building law in a competition. In close cooperation with cities and municipalities, it ensures that the best use is found for the respective location.
In particular, the new agreement regulates the assessment and development of the building lease interest and ensures that the non-profit apartments within the meaning of the Housing Promotion Act (WFG) are also inexpensive in the long term. This is because the building lease interest is based on the so-called cost rent and corresponds to the cost limits of the BWO.
The new model contract also takes account of the fact that the SBB, as the owner of the land, participates moderately in the increase in value of the areas, as required by the strategic goals of the federal government. As a state-owned company, SBB is bound by clearly formulated tasks and goals. The owner expects SBB to develop railway areas in a targeted manner and thus make a long-term contribution to a financially healthy railway system.
The promotion of non-profit housing is a constitutional mandate of Swiss housing policy. The non-profit property developers – housing cooperatives, foundations or associations – orientate themselves towards the cost of rent and operate without the intention of making a profit. Your apartments are inexpensive in the long term. Many non-profit property developers offer their tenants various social services in addition to living space, thereby relieving the public sector. In addition, this type of housing promotes social mixing and generational diversity. SBB can look back on around 100 years of tradition in working with non-profit housing developers. This is based on the support of the railway workers’ building cooperatives, which were among the pioneers of cooperative housing construction.
The new NEST unit Sprint offers 200 square meters of office space made mostly from reused materials and components. Partitions made of different materials that can be flexibly removed divide the office unit into twelve individual offices. The unit was built on the lowest platform of the NEST building, the research and innovation platform of Empa and Eawag. It took only ten months from the ground-breaking ceremony to the opening.
The entire sprint unit follows the “Design for Disassembly” approach. Their design already takes dismantling into account, and their construction facilitates future modifications and dismantling to recover components and materials. In this way, the premises can be efficiently transferred to another cycle at the end of their service life.
The sprint unit wants to find solutions that are as universal as possible and thus simplify the reuse of building materials. The project is a collaboration between various actors from research, business and the public sector. During the construction and subsequent use of Sprint, the opportunities and challenges of the reuse process are continuously documented and compiled – with the aim of making the construction more marketable. The sprint unit shows that building with reused materials and components is a viable alternative to building with new material that meets the market requirements for flexible and fast building.
Building with reused materials is a step-by-step approach – the issue of available materials runs through the whole process. This requires, among other things, a rethinking of planning and execution, a flexible schedule and flexibility in design. For example, the material found also determines the final design. Sprint shows “that reused material is by no means a hurdle for the design, but that creativity can be used to achieve design elements that you would not have originally thought of,” says Oliver Seidel, architect and member of the management board at baubüro in situ AG. An example are the different partition walls. Some are built from scrap bricks, some from old books, and still others from old carpet.
The reuse of materials is not necessarily cheaper in today’s market situation. However, Seidel is convinced: “As soon as a competitive market with reused materials and components has been established, there will also be cost advantages with reuse.” In addition, certain reused materials such as natural stone or automatically closing fire protection doors would suddenly become affordable, in contrast to the same components made of new material.
One of the office partitions in the sprint unit is made of bricks that would actually have ended up as waste in the landfill. The sprint unit was completed in just ten months – re-use does not necessarily have to have an impact on the construction time.
The energy transition can only be achieved with the housing industry. Because almost 40 percent of the world’s CO 2 emissions come from buildings, and most of it from residential buildings. In order to achieve the climate protection goals, European and national regulations are therefore increasingly aimed at the construction and housing sectors.
However, it is not only increasingly stringent regulations that are forcing builders and owners to pay attention to sustainability. Irrespective of this, investors are increasingly demanding that ecological and social criteria be taken into account in real estate projects, and the EU Disclosure Regulation ensures more transparency in this regard. Properties that fail to meet sustainability criteria will lose value and find it increasingly difficult to find buyers and tenants.
In this way, the market creates incentives for builders and owners to make their properties more sustainable. The “impact” idea is becoming more and more important: It is not about complying with the regulations with the least possible effort, but about creating the greatest possible benefit for the environment and society with reasonable effort.
It is not primarily a question of planning new buildings at the drawing board according to the latest ecological standards. Because most of the houses that we will be living in in ten, 20 or 30 years have already been built. And many of them have the energetic standard of the seventies and therefore no features to keep energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions within limits. Demolition and new construction are often not financially viable. In addition, there is the so-called gray energy, which is used for the extraction, production and transport of building materials and the construction itself. A refurbishment with unspectacular but intelligent measures often has more ecological impact than an ecological model new building.
Strong Lever Quarters, i.e. entire building ensembles or districts, offer special opportunities to achieve impact. On the one hand, of course, because such projects include a large number of residential units. This multiplies the effect of measures at building level, such as improved insulation, installing better insulating windows or replacing the heating system with more energy-efficient technology.
Above all, however, thanks to the economies of scale, the construction of complex systems is considerably cheaper because several buildings can share a common infrastructure. Energy-efficient combined heat and power plants can thus become just as economical as the use of solar energy, small wind turbines or geothermal energy. Electromobility concepts, which include, for example, charging infrastructure for electric cars or bicycles, can be implemented much more easily in a neighborhood than in a single building. Other possibilities concern common green areas that improve the microclimate or accommodate biotopes for plants and insects.
In addition, larger neighborhood projects have spillover effects on the neighborhood and possibly even beyond. This applies in particular to the social component. In this way, facilities such as kindergartens or doctor’s surgeries, which are being planned as part of the development of the district, can also be used by residents from the wider area. The planning therefore includes the social structure beyond the boundaries of the quarter and should be carried out in close coordination with the municipality and residents. For larger projects, there should also be traffic planning in cooperation with external bodies, which works towards pedestrian and bicycle friendliness and greater use of local public transport and electromobility.
The more a project has an impact on the neighborhood, the greater the weight that builders and owners have in negotiations with municipalities and authorities. This can also lead to urban planning decisions that increase the sustainability and thus the market value of the project, for example when a new tram stop is built for a new or redesigned quarter.
Good contacts and negotiating power in the exchange with authorities are also important in order to influence or accelerate bureaucratic processes in terms of the sustainability of the project. One example is environmental protection, which often prevents environmentally harmful heating systems from being replaced by more efficient technology. However, authorities have some leeway when it comes to permits and are more likely to use this leeway if a permit for a large-scale project will bring significant environmental benefits.
Possible conflicts between ecological and social sustainability must be taken into account. It is conceivable that energy-related renovations will increase rents. On the other hand, tenants are relieved of the ancillary costs, which is more important due to the recent sharp rise in energy costs. With state aid, it is conceivable to make energy-related renovations neutral in terms of overall rent.
Climate protection is one of the most important challenges of our time, and the real estate industry has a special responsibility here. In the case of neighborhood projects, the actors have a particularly strong lever in their hands to quickly achieve noticeable effects.
After the official SVIT delegates’ meeting on Thursday morning, the strategy and innovation consultant Maks Giordano gave a lecture in the conference room of the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. He showed what happens and how one can react “when the future comes in exponential steps”. Giordano is convinced that after mobile communications and the World Wide Web, our industries are now being fundamentally changed again by the third wave of digital disruption and its exponential developments in technology. “In these times of hyper-innovation and hyper-growth, it is imperative that we all learn the necessary skills to manage this change,” he said.
Comedy and political gossip Afterwards, comedian Kaya Yanar offered a “best of” of his previous work in the television and comedy scene, before the first panel discussion took place in the afternoon. SVIT Forum moderator Urs Gredig welcomed the politicians Hans Egloff (SVP, President HEV Switzerland) and Michael Töngi (Greens, Vice President of the Swiss Tenants’ Association) as well as Martin Tschirren , Director of the BWO Federal Office for Housing, on stage. Together they analyzed the current political and social mood with regard to a possible total revision of Swiss tenancy law, which dates back to 1990. In general, given the majority in the National Council, they only consider minor changes to be possible, even if Egloff and Töngi demanded fundamental modifications and partial revisions. Federal Office Director Tschirren pointed out that the housing shortage is threatening to worsen in the period ahead. This is primarily to be seen in the large cities and centers.
The Federal Council sees a need for action on rents At the end of the first day of the SVIT Forum 2022, Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin , Head of the Federal Department of Economics, Education and Research and President of the Swiss Confederation in 2021, addressed a message of welcome to the SVIT delegates and guests. He emphasized the new meaning for living as a result of the corona pandemic. In view of home office and video conferencing from home, office workers in particular have now given more thought to their living situation. Today it is important to react to sharply rising housing and energy prices. In addition, the home ownership rate in Switzerland is again in reverse gear: While it was still 38.4 percent in 2015, it was only 36.4 percent in 2019, Parmelin quoted from the figures from the BFS and the Federal Office for Housing. He sees a “certain need for action” when it comes to structuring rents. Specifically, he was in a possible review of the site and neighborhood customary. There will soon be a group of experts to deal with this topic. Regarding the latest developments on the interest side, Parmelin said: “The Swiss National Bank is getting back to normal.”
Boat ride and roller coaster The first day of the event was rounded off with a boat trip on Lake Lucerne on the MS Diamant. The second day of the SVIT Forum 2022 on Friday began with an impressive keynote speech by the former AMD boss and current start-up investor Carsten Maschmeyer , who described the ups and downs of his business career and shared his “success formula through opportunities and crises for a fulfilled life» revealed.
Data rights of digitized service providers The second panel discussion, moderated by “Immobilia” editor Ivo Cathomen , dealt with the future of real estate service providers. He had invited Oliver Hofmann , CEO of Wincasa AG, Béatrice Schaeppi , head of the family company of the same name, and Severin Krebs , managing director of Pfannenstiel Immobilien AG, to the podium. The three company leaders described how digitization influences and determines the work of the manager in many ways today. They identified data sovereignty and data protection as well as the satisfaction of different customer needs and the recruitment of specialist staff as the most important construction sites for services in the real estate industry.
The SVIT Swiss Real Estate Forum 2022 ended on Friday afternoon in the Verkehrshaus Luzern with a farewell by SVIT President Andreas Ingold and finally with a Thai stand-up lunch in the foyer, while the first major thunderstorm of the day fell outside.
The municipal properties on Rütistrasse in Schlieren will be equipped with a photovoltaic system and e-charging stations by decision of the city council. In its most recent meeting, the city council for installation and operation signed the electricity works of the canton of Zurich ( EKZ ), according to the latest edition of the city council news. The IJZ innovation and start-up center Schlieren is housed in the building complex on Rütistrasse.
The photovoltaic system will be installed on the roof of the commercial building. According to the city council news, EKZ will install 1080 panels on an area of 4200 square meters. They should produce an output of 355,000 kilowatt hours per year.
Six charging stations for electric vehicles will also be set up. They are not only available to employees and visitors of the IJZ Schlieren. Outside business hours, they can also be used by the general public.
For the project, it is envisaged that the electricity works of the Canton of Zurich will finance and install the systems on the two main roofs at Rütistrasse 12/14 and 16/18 as well as an additional six e-charging stations along the Rütistrasse 12/14 facade and for 20 years with one Operate full guarantee. After the end of the contract period, the installations become the property of the property owner.
Good things take time – there is no better way to describe the development of the Oberhauserriet in Opfikon. As early as 1952, the city separated the 67.4 hectare Oberhauserriet as an industrial zone. A district plan procedure was initiated five years later, but this was only approved in 1979. The first district plan provided for 30,000 jobs. But the project dragged on due to numerous appeals and requests for revision. In 1986, the city council of Opfikon stopped the enforcement request. Because: The planned jobs would also have meant 30,000 parking spaces. Traffic problems and environmental pollution threatened.
Interest in the planned industrial area increased sharply with the construction of the north ring road in the 1980s. In 1987, Planpartner AG was commissioned to review the planning. The planning office proposed a renewed revision of the building and zoning regulations with a significantly reduced use. New only 9700 jobs were planned. In addition, living space for 3000 people was considered for the first time, as well as a park that should cover around a third of the country in the direction of Glatt. Access to public transport rounded off the project in terms of environmental compatibility.
These adjustments found favor with the electorate in 1990. The city council of Opfikon, the city of Zurich and the interest group of landowners that had been created in the meantime also approved of the new overall plan. The then 25 landowners were closely involved in the planning by the city council. It is probably thanks to this circumstance that they were willing to make a significant financial contribution: in terms of green space or the planned “monorail” – a kind of elevated railway that should have opened up the new district.
It was spring 1996 before the first draft for the new district plan was available. Due to numerous requests, this was revised twice before the city council was finally able to set the district plan in 1999. The Government Council of the Canton of Zurich passed it on October 11, 2000, paving the way for implementation – after almost 50 years of planning.
First area marketing organization in Swiss real estate history They had agreed on living space for 6,600 people and 7,300 jobs. A 12.4-hectare green area with an artificial lake was planned for the park. A project competition was announced in 2001 for the design of the park, which the Kiefer landscape architecture office in Berlin won. Central was the elongated rectangular lake, which later received the name “Glattpark-See”.
In 2000, the city of Opfikon, the city of Zurich and the company Allreal tendered a contract for the development of a comprehensive platform for the development area. Halter Immobilien + Treuhand with the then managing director Bernhard “Beny” Ruhstaller was awarded the contract. Ruhstaller’s communication strategy envisaged making a brand out of the Oberhauserriet in order to simplify the search for investors and key tenants as well as communication with the population and image cultivation. Ruhstaller proposed area marketing empowered by all landowners.
The mission was clear: from the mass of planned individual projects, a vision of a completely new district should find its way into people’s minds. Ruhstaller already brought experience from the Limmatwest, Zurich-West and Zurich-North development areas. «It was precisely these experiences and insights that helped me with the Oberhauserriet development area. The Glattpark was of course one size bigger. On the other hand, it was almost easier to create a new identity here, since there was no inhabited area,” Ruhstaller sums up. He also remembers the founding of the new area marketing well: “The first difficulty was convincing the then many private landowners to pay money into a marketing pot, although a possible start of construction could not even be estimated.”
The real estate professional was successful together with the city of Opfikon: In December 2001, 63.64 percent of all property owners recognized the added value of joint marketing. On May 13, 2002, for the first time in Swiss real estate history, 14 of the 21 landowners founded an area marketing organization. This merger quickly bore fruit: Thanks to marketing and communication measures such as a showroom, website, trade fair appearances and intensive networking, the organization quickly became the central information and contact point for the new district, which the city of Opfikon had given the name “Glattpark” in 2001. With the increasing success of the marketing efforts, more landowners could be brought on board: in 2017, the area marketing organization had a maximum of 35 members.
↑ The aerial photo – taken from a helicopter at the time – shows the Oberhauserriet in 2001. The city of Opfikon commissioned the company Comet Photoshopping GmbH, which specializes in aerial photos, to document the construction progress. And this is how the Glattpark looks from the air 20 years later. ↓
Thanks to the Glattpark, Opfikon is now one of the 50 largest cities in Switzerland Again and again, there were discrepancies between area marketing and the city of Opfikon: “The planning authorities involved in the Oberhauserriet district plan were not used to the fact that market and marketing issues suddenly played a role,” explains Ruhstaller and adds: “The private organization of the In the beginning, landowners might also have been perceived as a danger.” Today, cooperation between the city authorities and area marketing has normalized and can be described as mutually beneficial.
The transition from the development to the operational phase in 2016 brought with it changed tasks for area marketing. A simplification of the landowner’s contributions and the renaming to IGG Glattpark were decided. Today, the organization takes care of overarching issues. “It’s about processes that go beyond the parcel boundary of an individual property owner – such as the boulevard, parking or media work,” says Ruhstaller, who has been working as managing director of the area marketing organization for around 20 years and meanwhile from his Daughter Janina is supported. The IGG Glattpark is intended to protect and further develop the identity of the still young district. “In cooperation with the city of Opfikon, we are currently conducting a needs survey among the more than 70 businesses in the Glattpark,” Ruhstaller gives an example.
The former vision of Glattpark has become reality: the first residents moved in as early as 2006. The Monorail, which was originally planned, became the Glattalbahn, the last stage of which was inaugurated in 2010. In 2019, the majority of the second construction phase was completed. By the end of 2019, 3100 jobs were created and 5781 residents were counted. And that’s not the end of the development of the young part of the city: the hard-fought school building should be ready for occupancy in 2023/24. The often neglected 3rd stage of the Glattpark could also be in motion in the near future: “The city of Zurich, as the largest property owner, is facing an early solution together with the city of Opfikon and other private property owners,” says Ruhstaller.
The development of the Oberhauserriet – which was often referred to in the media as “the most expensive meadow in Europe” – into the Glattpark district has definitely been a success: in the past 16 years, Opfikon has grown from 13,000 to 21,000 inhabitants thanks to the Glattpark. This means that Opfikon is now one of the 50 largest cities in Switzerland.
The magazine “ Bilanz ” has published this year’s ranking of the quality of life in Swiss cities. Zurich took first place again and, according to the report , has been the undisputed leader for eleven years. The cities of Zug and Bern took second and third place, followed by Winterthur, Basel and Geneva.
The city ranking was created by the real estate experts from Wüest Partner for the business magazine “Bilanz” based on several indicators for the quality of life in cities, for example in the areas of the job market, education, leisure and shopping. A total of 162 cities were rated in this way.
According to the article by “Bilanz”, it hardly seems possible for other cities to break into the absolute top group. In the top 10, only the canton’s capital, Aarau, lost two places and fell from 6th to 8th place. When asked whether other cities even had a chance of making it into the top group, Patrick Schnorf from Wüest Partner was quoted as saying: “It’s impossible It doesn’t.” For example, St.Gallen, which currently ranks 11th, has a chance if the city could increase its educational and cultural offerings as well as its population growth.
According to Schnorf, Bassersdorf ZH is a counter-example, which has slipped back eleven places. “Compared to other cities, Bassersdorf has not developed as quickly, for example in terms of education and culture,” Schnorf is quoted as saying. According to the ranking, the two economic regions of Zurich and Lake Geneva are the most liveable.
Since there are only four cities in the top 30 from western Switzerland and Lugano, one in Ticino, it must be said that the overall quality of life in German-speaking Switzerland is higher.
The Swiss environmental arena has presented its latest future energy policy project, “ Building 2050 ”. According to the press release , the pioneering project in Urdorf shows how, thanks to the use of the latest building technology, residential developments can already become a CO2-neutral power plant in which tenants can live within their own energy budgets without electricity and heating costs.
The Umwelt Arena is presenting all of these innovations in the new exhibition “Bauen 2050” in Spreitbach from mid-July 2022 with a construction documentary and interactive elements relating to modern construction.
The pilot project in Urdorf is referred to as a “power house”. The building by René Schmid Architekten AG Zurich shows that surplus solar energy from the summer can be used to produce renewable, non-fossil gas for the winter using photovoltaic systems on the roof and facade. There is also a wind-solar small power station. The facade and roof insulation protects the house against cold and heat. In midsummer, excess heat can be withdrawn from the apartments and used to heat the water. The rest is stored in the ground via the geothermal probes.
The excess electricity from the summer is used to produce hydrogen in a power-to-gas plant. It is temporarily stored in the existing gas network for the winter.
The house in Urdorf shows the residents their daily current consumption level in order to control their personal energy budget. There are sun blinds that can be controlled depending on the weather, energy-efficient, networked household appliances of the highest efficiency class and showers with heat recovery as well as CO2-controlled comfort ventilation. Even when using the lift, the braking energy produces electricity.
Enormous solar potential After a steady increase over the years, photovoltaics recorded a record increase in 2020. According to the "Solar energy statistics" of the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), around 118,000 photovoltaic systems with an output of almost 3 gigawatts were installed at the end of 2020. The strong market growth continued in 2021, so that according to Swissolar, photovoltaics (PV) today covers more than 6 percent of Switzerland's electricity requirements. Experts assume that this trend will continue, not least in view of the efforts towards much more energy independence.
Ecological and economic advantages Photovoltaic systems bring a whole range of advantages for owners of real estate portfolios. On the one hand, they can protect themselves against rising electricity prices. On the other hand, they already meet possible future self-production specifications today. Also with regard to subsidies, new rules will make the production of solar power more attractive in the future. In addition, portfolio owners with their own solar systems benefit from a clear reputation advantage.
In most cases, PV power from your own roof is cheaper than power from the grid. The fact that power consumption due to heat pumps and electromobility will continue to rise in the future contributes to the financial attractiveness of PV systems. Improving the ecological balance sheet is also becoming increasingly important, because sustainability aspects are part of the strategy of more and more companies. Furthermore, PV systems are also interesting because they increase the value of real estate. If the photovoltaic systems produce more electricity than can be consumed on site, it is possible to use the solar power in other properties.
In the ALDI SUISSE solar project, for example, sustainability and cost-effectiveness play a key role. In just over a year, ewz equipped 68 store roofs between Romanshorn and Geneva with photovoltaic systems. ALDI SUISSE uses most of the solar power itself for its own branch operations. Thanks to the large PV systems, the implemented solution enables a high solar yield with an average self-consumption of 55 to 60 percent.
High self-consumption increases profitability There is already a heat pump in around 90 percent of new buildings, and new registrations of electric cars are continuing to rise sharply. However, heat pumps and electric vehicles are only really low in CO2 if they use renewable electricity. The combination with a photovoltaic system therefore makes sense: Solar power reduces CO2 emissions, and high self-consumption increases the profitability of the PV system. This is because the production costs for solar power are lower than the electricity tariff for households and because the energy suppliers pay a low tariff for the solar power fed into the grid.
A good way of using a large part of the solar power yourself is to organize several end users in a group for self-consumption (ZEV). These are possible both in rental properties and among property owners. The degree of self-consumption of photovoltaic systems is on average 30 to 40 percent. This value can be significantly increased with self-consumption solutions.
A large part of the electricity is used on site through the targeted control of consumers such as heat pumps or electric vehicles. The advantage for property owners and their tenants: the cost of solar power, at 8 to 16 centimes per kilowatt hour, is lower than the electricity tariff for households, which costs 15 to 25 centimes per kilowatt hour.
An interesting practical example of this is the "Côté Parc" project in Geneva. 776 photovoltaic panels on the roofs of the area form the basis for an integrated solar solution with heat pumps, charging stations for electric cars and the area's own power grid, including self-consumption for the users.
For property owners with large roof areas (from approx. 700 m2), a contracting model is an option worth considering. The provider takes over all services – from planning to financing, implementation to operation over several decades. Including the integration of photovoltaic systems, it is a holistic energy solution with heating, cooling, electromobility and self-consumption models.
Business customers of ewz can rely on efficient and tailor-made solutions from competent teams with many years of experience. Investment, maintenance and repair costs are not incurred during the contract period. After the end of the contract period – usually 20 to 30 years – the photovoltaic system becomes the property of the customer.
About the person As Chief Digital Officer at Steiner AG, Giuseppe Giglio is responsible for digital transformation and the development of new digital products. Previously, he was responsible for the digitization of sales channels and the development of support platforms for private customers at Swisscom.
Mr. Giglio, what is your job at Steiner AG? Together with my team of around 25 people, I am responsible for digital corporate development. Our goal: to keep the company technologically fit and to successfully establish it in new digital markets. A year ago, Steiner AG bundled the competencies for the digital area and gave me responsibility.
You previously worked outside of the real estate industry. From your point of view, where is digitization in the real estate sector compared to other sectors? Other industries were able to benefit from the advantages of digitization earlier. Real estate is still at the beginning of this journey. However, in the many discussions I have had with various companies in our industry, I sense a great willingness to change. There is a kind of spirit of optimism. The real estate sector still has the best years of digitization ahead of it. It was also this circumstance that made me personally decide to switch.
Was this spirit of optimism stimulated by the corona pandemic? The pandemic has certainly put some pressure on pushing digital issues. But I believe that the real estate industry would be at this point even without Corona. Companies don’t want to be left behind and remain competitive.
Where is Steiner AG ahead in terms of digitization? Not least because of its modern IT infrastructure, the company was able to adapt very quickly to the new market conditions of the last two years. For example, we were able to immediately send the staff from the offices to the home office without any problems and ensure operations at all times. We came out of the pandemic more successful and stronger. Steiner AG also consistently relied on BIM for its own developments very early on. Today we can draw on more than ten years of experience in this technology and know all the tricks and pitfalls.
Which digitization topics are currently particularly in demand? The energy and climate targets for 2030 challenge the industry along the entire value chain. In this respect, there is a great deal of demand for topics relating to transparency with regard to environmental indicators. In addition, online collaboration platforms – which are already standard in other sectors – are gradually gaining a foothold in the real estate industry.
To what extent has BIM already established itself today? We find that BIM or parts of BIM are very often used in larger projects. We have also registered high demand for renovations and existing buildings in recent months. We have some catching up to do when it comes to smaller projects or explicitly in the area of building operations. Digitization is always associated with process changes and investments – many companies are still cautious here. We need to show decision makers the benefits of BIM and provide evidence.
What are the advantages of BIM? BIM creates the basis for real networking of real estate projects. If applied consistently and consistently, planning errors can be avoided in an early phase – and it is possible to react faster and therefore more cheaply to new general conditions. Digital planning also enables efficient operation. The benefits for building operations are exponentially greater.
« Artificial intelligence is already indispensable today »
Can you give an example of Smart Home? The best-known examples are the intelligent control of building technology such as lighting, heating and security solutions, such as door locks or alarm systems. Such solutions are now widespread.
What are the advantages of Smart Home? One speaks today of “Ambient Assisted Living”. Smart technology in the living area, for example, allows older people to stay longer in their own apartment or house and lead a self-determined life, even if they have health restrictions. For example, with the help of sensors that register when someone falls over and immediately trigger an alarm. There is also the option of controlling lights/blinds, etc. barrier-free via speech and not via complicated control elements. Last but not least, this topic also harbors a lot of potential on the investor side.
Which one exactly? A smart home can measure and control the consumption of household technology such as heating or cooling, which leads to a reduction in electricity consumption. This results in lower operating costs.
How and where are future technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Artificial Intelligence (AI) already being used today? AR and VR are currently still niche topics that are often used as marketing tools. They are excellent for visualizing visions and are breeding ground for inspiration.
AI, on the other hand, is already a reality more often than you think: For example, when determining costs or detecting anomalies in building operation. Since these processes are usually carried out in the background, the user often does not notice that artificial intelligence or an algorithm is involved. If you plan and build digitally today, artificial intelligence has become indispensable.
What is necessary for AR and VR to also become suitable for everyday use? We have to tackle projects with a «digital first mindset». The earlier a project is tackled digitally, the more profitable it becomes overall. We need more practical examples that show that projects with this way of thinking become more successful. VR in particular is helpful in an early phase to improve cooperation and to quickly make critical decisions. I am convinced that AR and VR will prevail in the real estate sector in the next five years.
Which digitization solutions are most in demand from partners and subcontractors of Steiner AG? Many companies are still at the beginning of their digitization journey. That is why training courses, BIM management and real estate inventories for the digital inventory of the real estate portfolio are currently in particularly high demand.
In your opinion, how will digitization change the industry in the next five years? I believe that digitization is bringing us all closer together. Clients, the public and companies work and exchange information on the same platform and actively shape the project. This leads to a democratization of real estate projects, which in turn leads to more successful and sustainable results.
Hug inaugurated his bakery in Malters in the presence of numerous guests. According to a press release , it is one of the most modern and energy-efficient production centers for baked goods in Switzerland. The planning time for this “generation project” was five years, the construction time three years. It creates 100 new jobs on a production area that has now been doubled. Hug has invested a total of 63 million francs in the expansion of the production building, the move from Trimbach SO and in systems.
“I am proud to have this innovative and sustainable family business here in the Canton of Lucerne and I would like to thank the Hug family for their loyalty and their connection to the Malters location,” said government councilor Fabian Peter, Director of Construction, Environment and Economics of the Canton of Lucerne , at the inauguration. “I am pleased that the Hug company creates jobs here, produces in a modern and energy-efficient manner and thus makes its contribution to achieving our climate goals.”
According to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Andreas Hug, the energy concept dispenses entirely with fossil fuels. Groundwater and operational waste heat are used to generate heat and cold. By the end of 2022, Hug will build more photovoltaic units on the roof of the bakery.
On the occasion of the inauguration, the fourth generation, represented by the previous managing director Andreas Hug, handed over the operational management of the company to Anna Hug. She will run it in the fifth generation together with Marianne Wüthrich Gross. This is the first time since the company’s founding in 1877 that it will be conducted by two women.
Once again this year, the Villa Boveri in Baden is one of the most beautiful meeting locations in Switzerland. According to a press release , the facility operated by the ABB Welfare Foundation received 9.3 out of a possible 10 points in the Swiss Location Award 2022 in the Meeting Locations category. Villa Boveri achieved the same classification last year. In 2022, an independent expert jury and 28,346 organizers and visitors voted for the award of the highest quality seal, Outstanding.
“The award shows us that our work is appreciated by organizers and visitors and motivates us to continue to do our best for every occasion so that our guests can experience an unforgettable stay with us,” says Managing Director Dorit Lamprecht performance in this year’s Swiss Location Award quoted.
The atmosphere of the former residence of the Boveri family is “unique”, according to the site of the eventlokale.ch portal, which hosts the Swiss Location Award every year. Historical, but also modern meeting rooms and seminar rooms equipped with the latest technology are an inspiring place for workshops, seminars or team events. The Villa Boveri in Baden is also suitable for private or business celebrations, weddings, cultural and social events.
The eventlokale.ch platform was founded in 2008 by Zurich native Marcel Hophan, according to the company’s website, which has belonged to Zurich-based Optimize AG since 2014. This specializes in the marketing of events and related services in the German-speaking area.
According to a media release , Eberhard Bau AG has opened the first interactive educational trail for the circular economy in the Park of Circularity in Oberglatt. The park was developed in cooperation with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ), which is researching forward-looking building methods as part of the project. The recycling course is intended to convey responsible use of limited resources “physically with real materials you can touch”.
The information, which can be called up easily with a smartphone, is aimed at the general public, schools, families with children, young people and, in more detail, at specialist audiences. A sensation is a robot that park guests can use to sort construction waste. An autonomously working robot has already been used to build a 65 meter long and 6 meter high dry stone wall and the park terraces.
A tour on site is barrier-free 365 days a year and makes it possible to experience “what circular economy means in general, what challenges and solutions exist and that the construction industry plays a central role towards a functioning circular economy”. According to Eberhard Bau, it has been implementing the principle of the circular economy for more than 30 years. Circular economic and construction methods help to minimize the ecological footprint, which was symbolically addressed at the opening of the park by fifth-graders from Oberglatt by immortalizing their footprints in concrete.
The park of circularity developed by the ETH Zurich, in which the latest research on promising construction methods, autonomous construction, robotics and architecture are combined, had its premiere together with the circular educational trail.
How and where do we like to work or work best? This is the question that occupies employees. And the challenge that companies are dealing with.
The change from a culture of presence in hierarchical structures to a culture of trust and performance in networks is progressing. We are becoming more and more used to getting involved in common corporate goals regardless of time and place. The involuntary mass home office test in particular has shown how the definition of the workplace is changing over the long term. Companies are reactivating their offices and asking themselves: are our workspaces still up to date? It's obvious: The office with future prospects goes beyond the walls of the company headquarters. A new design normality is emerging that supports hybrid use and regards the office as part of an ecosystem.
What does office design look like today?
It depends on the location In addition to the premises, the location is decisive for how much we are motivated to commute to the office. Employees expect good accessibility by public transport and the best catering and shopping options on site.
Cheers to diversity and freedom of choice An attractive office is a working environment in which employees can choose the zone that best suits their current activity. So a mix of project, creative, meeting and focus rooms as well as lounge-like meeting zones. And not to forget: the workplace with the height-adjustable desk for focused individual work. Alternatives such as home office, coworking space or coffee house expand the range of work outside of the office.
The neighborhood is our territory So-called home bases or hubs provide orientation in the office. These are neighborhoods where teams come together. Rituals are also beneficial for mutual exchange: for example the fixed office day, the team breakfast or cooking lunch together. The office design is crucial for establishing social activities among employees.
Do not disturb! Online meetings will remain an integral part of everyday work in the future. Of course it's annoying when everyone makes the calls in the open team office. The solution? Opportunities to retreat in the form of "telephone booths" with good acoustics, ventilation and lighting. Larger cubicles are perfect for one-on-one conversations or as a temporary individual office.
Acoustically optimized workplace for collaborative teamwork.
Preferably hybrid Zoom & Co. for digital meetings make the journey to the site superfluous. At the same time, we also value physical encounters. It is not a question of whether the collaboration is hybrid, but rather how much. The key lies in the spatial integration and intuitive operation of the technology.
The office as a feel-good place How a room is designed demonstrably influences engagement, perceived appreciation and satisfaction. The acoustics are particularly important: Speech intelligibility should be high in meeting and communication rooms, but it should be as quiet as possible in open spaces. Targeted lighting and plants also ensure a pleasant working atmosphere.
Office? Yes of course! The more natural the environment, the better we feel. Naturalness can also be achieved in the office with furniture and decoration. What is not visible at first glance, however, is the sustainability of the materials used. Wood from sustainable forestry, fabrics made from recycled materials or refurbished furniture give the office additional inner values.
Space for chance encounters and conversations.
Take the opportunity to shape the identity and culture of your company with the physical work environment. Show your employees why it is worth coming back to the office in the future.
To person Oliver Hauri is the Vice President of Central & Eastern Europe and Managing Director at Haworth Schweiz AG.
In his role, he is responsible for Haworth's leadership and growth in Central and Eastern Europe. The family company is one of the world's leading solution providers for furnishing inspiring learning and working environments.
Holcim has reached an agreement to acquire SES Foam LLC of Spring, Texas. The largest independent spray foam insulation company in the US is expected to have net sales of $200 million in 2022. As stated in a media release , SES can look back on double-digit growth. The company produces innovative energy-efficient and bio-based solutions for new and environmentally friendly renovation projects.
This acquisition in the “highly profitable” American spray foam market is another exciting step in the expansion of the Solutions & Products division, “which drives our ‘Strategy 2025 – Accelerating Green Growth’,” its boss Jamie Gentoso is quoted as saying. SES “is an excellent addition to our roofing and insulation business.” This brings Holcim’s 2022 pro forma net sales in this business, including recent acquisitions from Firestone Building Products to Malarkey , to $3.5 billion.
SES was founded in 2009. In addition to its ‘superior’ and eco-friendly products, such as a sucrose-based bio-certified foam, SES excels at providing value-added services to contractors, including on-site technical training, business consulting, branding and customer acquisition support.
The energy service provider ewl has opened an ecological data center underground, according to a media release . The building is based on state-of-the-art technology and sustainability through the use of renewable energies and can use the waste heat from the server park efficiently.
Because the data center is ideally connected to ewl’s own lake energy and communication network, ecological electricity can be used during ongoing operations. Lake water from Lake Lucerne is used for cooling. The waste heat from the computers is used to heat buildings in the vicinity.
In this combination, the data center is energy-efficient and sustainable and is “one of the most ecological data centers in Switzerland”, Patrik Rust, CEO of ewl, is quoted in the press release.
Important and sensitive data from various organizations are stored and secured in the data center. The IT infrastructure required for this consists of 600 server racks on an area of more than 1,600 square meters in a tunnel in Lucerne’s Wartegg hill. More than 50 years ago, there was a civil protection facility for the government council and the students of the canton school in Lucerne.
During construction, the rock was partially blasted. Thanks to the hard rock at the underground location, the data center can guarantee the “highest level of physical protection”. State-of-the-art technologies such as biometric access controls and non-stop video surveillance also contribute to data security.
The transport system in the Kloten region is reaching its limits. The consequences are increasing hours of traffic jams and severe noise and air pollution. The Glattalbahn extension to Kloten promises a chance for improvement, which, in addition to the extension of the tram line between the airport and the Steinacker development area in Kloten, includes two other sub-projects: A main bicycle connection with a separate footpath and flood protection for Kloten and for the airport. The spatial proximity and the dependencies of these sub-projects require joint project planning and construction. This means that the canton of Zurich can effectively and sustainably master three challenges in one project and make optimal use of synergies.
On July 16, 2020, VBG Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal AG (VBG) submitted the application for the infrastructure concession to the Federal Office of Transport (BAV). The procedure examined whether there was a public interest in the construction and operation of the new tram connection and whether there were no significant public interests – for example environmental protection or nature and heritage protection – opposed to the granting of the concession. The Federal Council examined the application and decided to grant the license to the VBG. This decision cannot be contested. There will be opportunities for objections at a later point in time during the public approval of the plan.
The VBG is currently working on the construction project that forms the basis for the cantonal loan approval. The decision of the cantonal council is expected in 2024. This is subject to an optional referendum. The project was submitted to the federal government in June 2021 as part of the 4th generation agglomeration programme. This will probably decide on co-financing by the end of 2023. The approval process (plan approval process under the Railway Act) is expected to run in parallel from 2023. Construction is currently expected to start in 2026, subject to legally binding planning approval and secured funding from the canton and the federal government. The construction work will take around four years.
Ende 2021 zählten die 14 Städte und Gemeinden 189’000 Einwohnerinnen und Einwohner, das sind 8454 oder 4,7 Prozent mehr als Ende 2018. Dabei handelt es sich um das Kerngebiet der Flughafenregion. Die entsprechenden 14 Städte und Gemeinden sind Teil der FRZ Flughafenregion Zürich, Wirtschaftsnetzwerk & Standortentwicklung. Auch die Zahl der Beschäftigten hat sich erhöht: Sie wuchs seit 2018 um 5258 oder 3,6 Prozent, verglichen mit der letzten Erhebung Ende 2020. In der gleichen Zeitspanne stieg die Zahl der Wohneinheiten um 3,2 Prozent auf 88’541. Das bedeutet, dass die Flughafenregion auch als Wohnstandort attraktiv ist. In den vergangenen zehn Jahren ist die Zahl der Einwohnerinnen und Einwohner stärker gestiegen als die Zahl der Arbeitsplätze.
Derzeit werden in der näheren Flughafenregion Zürich viele Bauprojekte von überregionaler Bedeutung realisiert, andere sind in Planung. In Dübendorf wurde Mitte 2019 das höchste Hochhaus für Mietwohnungen in der Schweiz bezogen (JaBee Tower). In den Jahren 2020 und 2021 entstand beim Flughafen Zürich eine moderne Destination mit über 6000 Arbeitsplätzen (The Circle). Zu den Mietern gehören unter anderem: Abraxas, Dufry, Edelweiss, Flughafen Zürich, Horváth, Hyatt, Inventx, Isolutions, Jelmoli, Kieser Training, Microsoft, MSD, Neuroth, Novo Nordisk, NTT Data, Omega, Raiffeisen Schweiz, Oracle, Raiffeisen, Sablier, SAP, Singapore Airlines, Totemo, Universitätsspital Zürich und Vebego.
Der Bau von Rechenzentren beschleunigt sich. Zwischen 2019 und 2022 werden in der Flughafenregion Zürich Rechenzentren im Wert von über einer Milliarde Franken gebaut. Zu den Investoren gehören Green Datacenter AG, Interxion, NTT Data und Equinix. Ihre grössten Kunden sind Google, Microsoft und Amazon Web Services. Der Grossraum Zürich gehört mittlerweile europaweit zu den wichtigsten Datacenter-Hubs nach London, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Dublin und Berlin. Die Forschung und Entwicklung soll mit dem geplanten Innovationsparks Zürich am Standort Dübendorf – Teil des Schweizerischen Innovationspark – vorangetrieben werden. Die Themenschwerpunkte für den Innovationspark Zürich sind wie folgt definiert: Life Science und Lebensqualität, Engineering und Umwelt, Digitale Technologien und Kommunikation. Der Park soll die Zusammenführung des Wissens der Zürcher Hoch- und Fachhochschulen mit der Praxis- und Markterfahrung führender Unternehmen fördern.
USP Die Flughafenregion Zürich gehört zu den schnellstwachsenden Regionen der Schweiz. Die hervorragende verkehrstechnische Lage ist ein wichtiger Wettbewerbsvorteil. Hier haben viele internationale Konzerne ihren Sitz. Die Hochschulen und ihre Forschungseinrichtungen sind in unmittelbarer Nähe. Das gilt ebenso für Naherholungsgebiete und Shopping Centers. Seit einigen Jahren entwickelt sich erfolgreich ein ICT-Cluster – von Datacenter-Anbietern bis Kreativwirtschaft.
Testimonials
Remo Weibel Global Sana
Der Richtsatz für 10-jährige Festhypotheken ist seit Anfang Jahr stark gestiegen. Grund dafür ist die Zinserhöhung der US-Notenbank. Wir gehen davon aus, dass die SARON-Hypothek nach wie vor attraktiv bleibt, da noch einige Zinsschritte der SNB nötig sind, bis die Zinssätze für SARON-Hypotheken steigen.
Gregor Meili Kenny’s Auto-Center AG
Die Flughafenregion zeichnet sich durch eine hohe Dynamik aus. Das ist der Verkehrsknotenpunkt der Schweiz und in der Mobilität spielt Kenny’s Auto-Center eine wichtige Rolle. Deshalb investieren wir hier und an weiteren Standorten. Wir bauen aus, um für die Herausforderungen der Zukunft vorbereitet zu sein.
Patrick Angioy Seitzmeir Immobilien AG
«Die Flughafenregion erweist sich als leistungsfähiger Wirtschaftsstandort mit maximaler Verkehrsinfrastruktur und bietet Unternehmen jeglicher Grösse hervorragende Voraussetzungen für ein erfolgreiches Business – regional, national wie auch international. Dank eines attraktiven Steuerfusses, einer unkomplizierten Ansiedlungspraxis und innovativen Neubauprojekten wie z. B. dem WestGate (www.westgate-zurich.ch), gehört Kloten meines Erachtens bei jedem erfolgsorientierten Unternehmen auf die Watchlist bei der Suche nach einem neuen Standort.»
"Now we need climate protection measures," said Silvio Napoli, chairman of the board of directors and chief executive of Schindler. "We have probably set the most ambitious goals in our industry to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future."
The SBTi confirmed both Schindler's short-term and long-term goals. Schindler's short-term target for 2030 includes an absolute reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from its operations by 50%, starting from base year 2020. This includes direct emissions caused by the fleet, buildings and processes of the company (Scope 1), in addition to the indirect emissions Emissions from the purchase of electricity, heating and cooling (Scope 2). Furthermore, Schindler wants to reduce emissions in its value chain by 42% (Scope 3).
In addition, Schindler has set a science-based, long-term emission reduction goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040. This must be achieved through an absolute 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the fields. 1, 2 and 3, starting from base year 2020. In line with SBTi criteria and recommendations, Schindler is prioritizing decarbonisation through direct emission reduction while working to neutralize its residual emissions.
The science goals use the latest climate science to achieve the Paris Agreement's goals: limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 ° C above pre-industrial levels. The short-term goals describe how organizations will reduce their emissions over the next five to ten years. The long-term goals indicate the level of emissions reductions organizations will need to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. They are created by companies and validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), a partnership between the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Natura (WWF).
Schindler also released its 2021 Sustainability Report today. It outlines its progress towards the 2022 Sustainability Roadmap and presents the results of the recently completed materiality assessment, which will feed into the 2030 Sustainability Roadmap.
The report also illustrates how Schindler is working with clients to help them meet their climate goals and with other real estate players to drive the necessary change. Schindler has been publishing a sustainability report every year since 2011.
The Ukraine war has global economic ramifications. How do you feel it in the local real estate market? PriceHubble investigated this question with a survey of real estate professionals from all areas of the real estate industry.
55 percent of the real estate professionals who took part in the current study "Effects of the Ukraine War on the Real Estate Industry in Switzerland" believe that the Ukraine crisis could have a negative impact on their company over the next twelve months. 31 percent think there will be no impact. In contrast, 14 percent of respondents see a positive development for their business.
According to those surveyed, the reasons for a change are the increase in construction costs, rising mortgage interest rates and a stagnating or declining buyer's market. As one real estate manager comments: «The increase in material costs and delivery times affects both the construction sites and the purchase prices. As a result, buyers will resort to existing goods and abandon construction projects.”
In general, more real estate professionals (28 percent) see a decrease in the number of mandates over the next twelve months than an increase (17 percent). More than 55 percent of those surveyed do not expect any change in the number of mandates.
50 percent of the respondents are of the opinion that projects will not be postponed because of the Ukraine war. 9 percent expect a postponement of up to 6 months, 12 percent a delay of 6 to 12 months, 26 percent of 12 to 18 months, 2 percent a postponement of the projects by 18 to 24 months and another 2 percent even by up to to 24 to 30 months.
Development of luxury properties difficult to predict In the case of luxury real estate, 34 percent of those surveyed stated that they expected prices to rise. In contrast, 31 percent believe that a decline is to be expected. 35 percent are of the opinion that the prices in this segment will not change.
In the comments column to this question, many of the respondents indicated that they expected a decrease in general interest in objects in this segment. Others are of the opinion that luxury real estate is crisis-resistant and that the strong demand will remain. Many are also convinced that the supply will remain stable.
"Luxury real estate in Switzerland, especially in exclusive locations, will always tend to find buyers (both domestically and abroad) and it is therefore possible that the prices for them remain the same or may even rise," comments one broker.
Price development of energy-efficient objects remains exciting When it comes to the question of whether a greater price change is to be expected when buying properties with a high energy efficiency class (A or A+), there is a tie: 50 percent say "yes" and 50 percent say "no".
With regard to the demand for real estate with a high energy efficiency class since the beginning of the Ukraine crisis, 68 percent of the real estate experts surveyed stated that they had not noticed any change. "But it will come, people are slowly becoming sensitive to it," a real estate manager commented on this question. 32 percent of those surveyed believe that demand has already increased.
Regarding rental prices for properties with a high energy efficiency class (A or A+): 69 percent of the participants stated that there will be no changes. In contrast, 31 percent expect a change.
Further results, for example on the impact of rising mortgage interest rates, the development of rents or sales prices of residential properties can be found in the complete study.
Condominiums in Switzerland: An industry that only gains from digitization Swiss real estate is feeling the direct effects of the turn to digitization, as the most important players in the industry have accelerated the pace of increasing efficiency every year. Switzerland, with its 1.4 million owners* (including more than 445,000** condominiums), ultimately represents an important market for Immowise.
Immowise's digital solution is easy to implement and adapts to any type of condominium. By connecting to the most important ERPs used in the industry, the platform is fully integrated into the digitization strategy initiated by the agencies. The lean cost management is also suitable for small structures and self-governing condominium associations.
An office in Zurich serving condominium owners' associations in German-speaking Switzerland With the office opening in Zurich, Immowise wants to offer administrations, self-managed condominium associations or independent local administrators a solution to simplify and reduce the workload with a platform that has already proven itself in western Switzerland. By 2022, around 20 general meetings for over 500 condominium owners had already been held. Immowise wants to cover all Swiss regions by 2023. In addition, the platform will be expanded with additional modules such as the internal news service for condominium owners, the comparison of cost estimates and budget management.
Immowise's development in German-speaking Switzerland is rounded off with the appointment of Teresa Astorina as Director, based in the Zurich region. As a recognized expert in the real estate sector, in which she has been active for over 25 years, she takes over the proptech leadership with the declared goal of converting the management of condominium associations throughout Switzerland using digital technology.
Sebastian Chiappero, Managing Director of Wise.swiss, Immowise's parent company, adds: "20 months after the founding of Immowise, the appointment of a director marks a further step towards ensuring the nationwide rollout of Immowise. I am very pleased that Teresa will be part of this Position has joined us. Her many years of experience in the real estate industry and her skills in the area of strategy development are all plus points for Immowise". Among other things, she was also active in the management or in leading positions in companies such as Credit Suisse, m3 Real Estate, Privera or EPM.
Teresa Astorina emphasizes: "The future of the real estate industry lies in digitization. I am very proud to be able to accompany the development of a "Swiss made" solution that offers a real service in the management of condominiums in Switzerland."
About Immowise Immowise was founded in 2021 and is the first Swiss solution for the digitization of condominium meetings. Developed and hosted in Switzerland, this application helps administrators and condominium owners prepare, manage and follow up on meetings. It complements the wise.swiss software from EPwise AG, which was launched in 2020 and offers public administrations and companies a range of digital communication and event organization tools (eventwise, partnerwise and fundwise). https://wise.swiss/de/immowise/ Immowise headquarters: Neuchâtel Offices: Geneva, Zurich
Popety.io specializes in digital solutions for real estate acquisition. Specifically, the PropTech based in Plan-les-Ouates has developed a digital tool for collecting and processing real estate data. After successfully establishing itself in French-speaking Switzerland, Popety.io now also wants to open up the German-speaking Swiss market. To this end, Popety.io has already set up its first office in Zurich.
The Vaudoise Insurance Group supports Popety.io in its expansion plans. “Popety.io is revolutionizing the Swiss real estate market with the help of artificial intelligence,” says Stefan Schürmann, Head of Corporate Development and M&A at Vaudoise, in a statement by the insurance company. “We keep a close eye on innovations in the real estate sector and are convinced of the development potential of the young company in the German-speaking Swiss market.”
Two years ago, Popety.io won first prize at the Real Estate & New Technology Awards, the statement said. “With Vaudoise Insurance, we can develop further and gain credibility,” Popety.io founder Thibault Clément is quoted there as saying. The PropTech also takes part in The Big Handshake . The congress for real estate professionals will take place on June 21st in Schlieren ZH.
Since the summer of 2020, the civil engineering office in Zurich has been running a pilot project to reduce heat. According to a press release from the city of Zurich , differently colored road surfaces were applied to Roggenstrasse in Zurich-West in order to measure the effect on the temperature. The results show that the light-colored coverings – in contrast to shadows from trees and houses – only have a minor influence on the temperature.
For these measurements, new surfaces were installed on Roggenstrasse and the road was divided into three areas: a reference area made of conventional, street-gray asphalt and two areas with a beige and a reddish surface, according to the city’s statement. Cameras and embedded probes recorded the surface temperature and heat storage of the pads.
The results now available show a minor effect of the light-colored deposits on the surface temperature. The reference surface in conventional gray was even about 2 degrees cooler on average than the two bright surfaces. This result can be explained by the shadow that trees and a high building temporarily cast on the reference area, it is said. It therefore heated up less.
The differences between the two light surfaces were small. The beige covering stayed a little cooler than the reddish one. Calculations showed that if all surfaces had been exposed to the same amount of sunlight, the light surfaces would have been 2 degrees cooler than the reference area.
The results of the pilot project clearly show how important shade and trees are for reducing heat in cities, according to the civil engineering office.
The life sciences location around Basel is to be further strengthened with a new office concept. Behind it is iCITY , an initiative and an ecosystem that wants to network start-ups, investors and researchers. This is to take place in the Alba House , which will be completed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron by 2023.
The Alba House is being built on the BaseLink campus in Allschwil. The Swiss Innovation Park Basel Area , the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute and the Innovation Office of the University of Basel are also located on the site. The house will offer flexible workplaces on a total area of almost 15,000 square meters. According to a press release, it is based on a compact design, circular economy, geothermal energy and photovoltaics.
iCITY also operates a location for companies from the life sciences and biotech sectors in Reinach BL. There it offers, among other things, special laboratory and workspaces on an area of 10,000 square meters.
iCITY has its roots in the Dutch family company Vebego . This has also implemented a similar concept for high-tech players in Eindhoven.
The federal government has presented a reference work for new buildings and buildings to be renovated that shows the effect of building materials on the heat in urban and densely populated areas. It was created by the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland on behalf of the Federal Office for Housing ( BWO ).
According to a media release by the BWO, the catalog compares materials for outdoor use such as floor coverings and facades and explains their effect on the outside temperature. It also takes into account other properties of the materials, such as how they reflect sunlight or how much water floor coverings allow to seep away.
The BWO calls on planners, developers and house owners to consult this material catalog when choosing suitable materials. In addition, the Office invites the scientific community to further develop and research the topic. Because according to the latest climate scenarios, the average temperatures in Switzerland will be 2.5 to 4.5 degrees higher by 2060 than in the period from 1981 to 2010. This means that the buildings that are being built or renovated today will be the microclimate of tomorrow shape.
Ecco2 is increasing its production volume from over 11,000 in the past two years to 26,000 climate sensors. As a provider of intelligent solutions for buildings, the company based in Givisiez wants to reduce the consumption of heating energy. These sensors are manufactured by the Zurich high-tech company Miromico , which focuses on development services for integrated circuits, electronic systems and the Internet of Things. As stated in amedia release , Miromico has been Ecco2’s “trustworthy hardware manufacturer” for years.
With the increased production volume, Ecco2 wants to tackle energy savings of up to 4,000,000 square meters of heated space from 2023, according to its Head of Operations, Alain Wagnières. With this production capacity, Ecco2 can fulfill its vision of saving 50,000,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually by next winter.”
In Switzerland this year, Ecco2 won the Prix d’Innovation in the digital category at the annual event for real estate professionals, Rent Switzerland . The company was also awarded the Swisscom IoT Climate Award 2022 in silver.
The Institute for Digital Building at the FHNW has won Eder Martinez as a professor. According to a press release , the focus of his teaching will be on digital twins and the information lifecycle. “Anyone who wants to build with digital support and needs-oriented in the future must be able to collect, automate, map and process information in a targeted manner,” explains Manfred Huber, head of the institute, explaining the background to the focus.
Martinez received his master’s and doctorate degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). Among other things, he worked as a civil engineer and specialist for cooperation processes on construction sites in Chile and Ecuador. He has also supported companies such as Hilti and Implenia in digital construction projects.
The FHNW only founded the Institute for Digital Building in 2018. According to the university, it has grown significantly since then. With Martinez, the second professorship in the field of information management will be filled this year.
Holcim Switzerland wants to do more for the circular economy in the construction industry. In this context, the building materials company has entered into a partnership with Madaster , according to a press release .
Madaster is working on so-called material passports for new and existing buildings. With these material passports, construction waste is given an identity and can be cataloged and reused as resources. The aim is to avoid waste and promote the circular economy in the construction and real estate sector.
The Madaster platform can also be used during the design phase of buildings to compare different construction methods and material options. Manufacturers of building materials – such as Holcim – can compare and present their products with the product databases on Madaster. They can also trace their products to enable reuse if necessary. Madaster’s services are marketed in Switzerland by Madaster Services Switzerland AG, based in Zurich.
Holcim Switzerland has set itself the goal of producing only climate-neutral and fully recyclable building materials by 2050. The new partnership should now help to achieve this goal. “By using Madaster when planning buildings, the right decisions for recyclable and resource-saving materials can already be made today,” says Christophe Berset, Team Lead New Solutions at Holcim Switzerland, in the press release. “The more transparency there is at the product level, the more future-proof buildings can be planned, built and dismantled, and materials and products can be used in further phases of use,” he adds.
The event was moderated by Monika Schärer, who confidently guided the guests through the afternoon. After a brief welcome, Arun Banovi, owner of immo!nvest/immoTable, and Christoph Lang, managing director of FRZ Flughafenregion Zürich, were briefly asked about the economic region and the connection with immo!nvest.
In addition, Fabian Streiff from the Zurich Business Development Agency gave the first presentation and presented the region in more detail. From this it emerged that the canton of Zurich is a globally significant hub for artificial intelligence (AI). He also introduced us to the innovation hubs in the Zurich airport region, including the Digital Health Center (Bülach), The Circle (Kloten) and the Zurich Innovation Park (Dübenorf).
As the second speaker, Hans Egloff, President of HEV Switzerland, brought us closer to the topic of digitization in the real estate industry. Using various examples, he explained the opportunities and risks of digitization. For example, the AHV number serves as a personal identifier in the electronic land register and this entails a large group of authorized users and thus a large potential for misuse.
Before the break, Tindaro Milone, Head of Large Plants, presented the EKZ and explained what is currently happening in the energy sector. For example, the scarcity of resources, climate change, politics and customer needs. He then presented the future of energy, it is mainly about decarbonization, digitization and decentralization. Of course, sustainability is also a topic that is very topical and will continue to occupy you in the future. He completed his presentation on the subject of electricity storage.
After the first part of the program there was a break that was used for the first talks. There were also cool drinks, refreshing fruits and delicious cakes.
This was followed by Dadvan Yousuf, who introduced us to his platform “Dohrnii”, where everyone can easily learn about cryptocurrencies in a playful way. The presentation also included the Dohrnii Markplace, the DHN Token and the Dohrnii DAO. Finally, he made the connection and opportunities between cryptocurrencies and the real estate industry.
Then Christoph Axmann, Chartered Surveyor MRICS at Wüest Partner, came on stage. With overviews of the population and employment development, he showed the demand in the Glattal-Furttal region. Then he showed which offer can be used to cover inquiries. Below that are investments, quantities, supply in relation to inventory and prices. Finally, he showed the development potential in the airport region.
The last speaker was René Götz from the business development department of the city of Bülach. He introduced the business location Bülach, showed the positioning, spoke about the goals and available development areas. The key sectors of the region, the space requirements of companies and the Digital Health Center Bülach were also included in the presentation.
The crowning glory was the exciting panel discussion with Doris Meier (Mayor of Bassersdorf), Christoph Lang (Managing Director of the FRZ Zurich Airport Region), Fabian Streiff (Local Promotion Canton of Zurich) and Heinz Eberhard (Eberhard companies).
During the aperitif with delicious appetizers and ice cream, there was a lot of networking. The atmosphere was very good and relaxed. Especially when the draw for the competition was due. You could win a trip to the Top of Europe – Jungfrau Joch with overnight stay and dinner for 2 people. This great prize was sponsored by eSMart, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year. Monika Schärer made it exciting and presented the award to the delighted winner Markus Nussbaum.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all guests and speakers for the exciting afternoon. A big thank you also goes to the Eventalm for the great and flexible organization, the friendly service and the delicious treats. But we don’t want to forget our partners either, without you such an event would not have been possible! Thanks to EKZ, eternit, eSMART, Seitzmeir, Sunrise, SVIT Zurich, Rigips, PropTechMarket, Woonig and FRZ.
We hope to see some of you in Lausanne on October 6th and in Basel on November 24th. Until then, we wish you a nice summer!
In Switzerland, there is already a strong trend towards electromobility. Compared to the same period last year, 86.02 percent more new electric cars were registered in the first quarter of 2022 – and the trend is rising. The European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E) has calculated that around three million public charging stations will be needed by 2030 for a good 44 million electric vehicles. With EcoStruxure for eMobility, Feller AG and Schneider Electric are making a further contribution to advancing the electrification of transport on the way to a climate-neutral future.
Innovative technologies for the future of e-mobility The EVlink Pro AC charging station from Schneider Electric, available from Feller AG, is an intelligent solution with the greatest possible efficiency and sustainability. Due to the possibility of integrating them into modular, adaptable metal kits, they can be adapted to a wide variety of needs and are therefore ideal for use in apartment buildings, at the workplace and in public facilities. The metal housing also offers protection against vandalism. The EVlink Pro AC impresses with its high reliability. The well thought-out design with interchangeable components enables quick and safe installation and maintenance. Sustainable operation is ensured because the entire charging station no longer has to be replaced in the event of a defect. The EVlink Pro AC is a charging station for all charging capacities.
Intelligent load management system guarantees trouble-free operation The innovative load management system EV Charging Expert (EVCE) is used to ensure that the electrical capacities of a building are not exceeded by the additionally connected charging stations. As a locally installed industrial controller for up to 1,000 charging stations, the load management system monitors, controls and maximizes the charging process of e-vehicles based on the energy availability of the building infrastructure measured in real time. Up to 100 different zones can be defined in the network of charging stations, which are assigned a static or dynamic current limit value. The continuous overview of individual charging stations, their status and transactions via an intuitive web server enables optimal management and distribution of the available services to the connected charging stations and prevents unplanned downtime. Smart load management rules also enable the definition of fixed charging time windows or the assignment of a VIP status, which prevents capacities from being reduced at certain charging stations during the charging process.
Cloud solution can be integrated for additional functionalities The cloud solution EV Advisor completes EcoStruxure for eMobility as an intuitive platform for operation and billing. Initially only available through Schneider Electric, it enables seamless charging and energy management for e-vehicles over the entire life cycle, while ensuring the commissioning, operation and maintenance of the EV charging stations. A look at the dashboard allows a complete overview of the charging facilities. Charging station owners get useful status insights and also keep control over consumption, notifications, maintenance and service logs. The integration of third-party billing providers also enables automatic billing with the end customer. Electric vehicle drivers benefit from the EV Advisor app. With a tap of your finger, you can access one or more charging stations and get a detailed overview of your own consumption.
In addition, users benefit from Schneider Electric’s decades of experience in the field of e-mobility and the proven multilingual support of Feller AG. Qualified service technicians and various service packages ensure permanent availability of the products.
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