Category: Trends

Swiss Life Asset Managers expands real estate funds

Swiss Life Asset Managers has acquired two office properties in Berlin and Antwerp, an industrial property in the Stuttgart area and a residential property in Oldenburg for the real estate fund Swiss Life REF (CH) European Properties . At the same time, an office property in Oxford was sold at a profit.

The assets held in the fund have thus currently reached a level of almost EUR 715 million. In the persistently low interest rate environment, attractive returns can still be achieved with investments in European real estate, writes Swiss Life Asset Managers. The asset manager plans to carry out another capital increase for the fund in autumn of this year.

In the communication, Swiss Life Asset Managers also communicates its own commitment to sustainability. “Environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) are systematically included in the investment and risk management processes at Swiss Life Asset Managers,” writes the company. Last year, the Swiss Life REF (CH) European Properties achieved 72 percent in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark and thus received three stars and Green Status, Swiss Life Asset Managers informs. The company signed the United Nations Principles for Sustainable Investment back in 2018.

February 2022
HSG inaugurates the Square learning center

On Sunday, February 13, the HSG inaugurates its new learning center. Square represents a “prototype of the university of the future” and should serve as a “place for surprising encounters and mutual inspiration”, writes the HSG in a statement . “The new learning and teaching formats that are being developed in Square are intended to inspire the entire university and prepare our students as best as possible for practice,” HSG Rector Bernhard Ehrenzeller is quoted as saying.

Square’s work is based on three pillars that faculty, alumni and students have developed together. On the one hand, the learning center is intended to serve as an experimental field for new formats which, if successful, can be implemented at the HSG and other universities. For the spring semester beginning on February 21, 80 existing courses were selected to be carried out and evaluated in the square.

On the other hand, Square will take on the role of a base camp for an exchange between students, alumni and researchers. The HSG has planned to include personalities from various professions and social groups. Paul Achleitner, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Deutsche Bank, Gabriele Fischer, Editor-in-Chief and publisher of the German business magazine “Brand eins”, and Federal Chancellor Walter Thurnherr, among others, have confirmed for the spring semester.

Last but not least, Square should also serve as a public space for a critical discourse by and with those who are not directly connected to the HSG. In order to attract residents of St.Gallen and guests from near and far, Square wants to present itself as a marketplace with an open atmosphere. Music, barista coffee and beer brewed especially for Square are also offered.

February 2022
Empa shows the advantages of high-performance insulating materials

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research ( Empa ) have investigated when an investment in costly high-performance insulating materials such as aerogels can be worthwhile for builders. According to a media release , the 25 most expensive cities in Europe, North America and Asia were initially compared. The research team found out that the lucrative area gain through the more expensive aerogels at a square meter price of more than 8000 francs exceeds the additional costs of the thinner insulation variant.

The reason given is that high-performance insulation achieves the same insulating effect as conventional mineral wool, but only requires half to a quarter of the material used. Against the background of rising real estate prices and dense construction in cities, high-performance insulating materials such as aerogels could promote economical construction. Because the thinner the outer shell of a building, the more space is available inside.

The economic advantages calculated using an equation could have been shown in the 15 most expensive cities – including the four Swiss cities of Zurich, Geneva, Lugano and Basel with the highest prices per square meter in Europe. Amortization was determined in the 14 most expensive cities in North America and in the ten most expensive cities in Asia. The knowledge could also support future planners when deciding on the appropriate insulation material.

February 2022
Schindler and ISS become partners in vertical mobility

According to a press release, Schindler and the building service provider ISS , headquartered in Zurich, have signed a global framework agreement to optimize ISS’ vertical mobility solutions. The cooperation makes the Ebikon-based provider of elevators and escalators the “preferred partner for the maintenance and modernization of elevators and escalators” in ISS buildings worldwide.

In particular, Schindler’s “real-time performance and maintenance monitoring” is to be used in ISS services. ISS specializes in the design of workspaces and building management and has buildings in more than 30 countries.

According to the media release, the focus of the partnership is on “tailor-made solutions to optimize the flow of people in buildings managed by ISS worldwide and thus make the stay in these buildings more pleasant”.

The cooperation should also help to support ISS in its sustainability efforts, according to Paolo Compagna, operational manager at Schindler. The Schindler Port 4D product will be used to achieve the intended net-zero emissions. It can reduce the energy consumption of an elevator group by up to 40 percent. Further support for achieving the sustainability goals should bring “modernization and the introduction of adaptive maintenance solutions”.

February 2022
Portfolio value of the HSC Fund slightly higher than in the previous year

The acquisitions from the previous year contributed to earnings for the whole year for the first time. This led to an 8.2% increase in rental income from CHF 38.8 million to CHF 42.0 million. The market value of the real estate portfolio increased by 0.8% to CHF 750 million at the end of the previous year. This increase in market value was mainly achieved through letting successes and dedicated asset management. Due to various acquisitions in the 2020 financial year and the associated one-off increases in value, last year’s investment return was 6.9%. Since there were no acquisitions in 2021, correspondingly fewer revaluations were achieved with slightly higher net returns, resulting in an investment return of 5.4% in 2021.

As of December 31, 2021, the fund comprised 35 properties with a total rentable area of over 300,000m2. Further information on the HSC Fund can be found in the factsheet as of December 31, 2021. The annual report will be published on March 15, 2022.

February 2022
Paperi's first "2000-watt area" in the canton of Zug

The paper mill shaped the community of Cham and the Zug West region for more than 360 years. A new living and working quarter with industrial charm is now being built on the former industrial site. Formative existing buildings are being supplemented with striking new buildings directly on the Lorze and implemented sustainably. The story continues and bridges are built between past and future, between people and nature, between living and working. “Sustainability” has played an important role as an overall topic since the beginning of the site development. As the client, the Cham Group committed itself to the goals of the 2000-watt society early on in the planning process and made the decision to use fossil-free heat supply out of conviction and even before the intention of certification. As the crowning glory of the ongoing sustainability efforts, the Papieri was the first area in the canton of Zug to be awarded the “2000 Watt Area” certificate today. On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Daniel Kellenberger thanked the Cham Group for their commitment and perseverance in not only talking about energy and CO ₂ targets, but actually implementing them with the “2000 Watt Area” certificate, among other things.

Zero CO2 emissions
The Papieri area offers completely new foundations for an energy-efficient, climate-neutral and sustainable society. This makes it a pioneering project throughout Switzerland. Practically from the beginning of the development of the site, the Cham Group decided to completely dispense with fossil fuels for heat generation and to rely fully on the favorable location factors with hydropower, geothermal probe fields and photovoltaics. The highlight of the area is the completely CO ₂ -free energy system. The entire energy supply on the site is based on 100% renewable energies. This is achieved by means of geothermal probes and a river water catchment, which each serve a central heating and cooling network via heat pumps. Thanks to a ZEV (association for self-consumption) with the renovated small hydroelectric power plant on the Lorze and large-scale photovoltaic systems of 6,500m2 on the new buildings, around 40% of the total energy required can be generated on site. “Moreover, other aspects of comprehensive sustainability are explored in practically every project, be it through “building recycling”, ie intelligent conversion of the existing building, the use of CO ₂ -optimized construction principles such as timber construction, or through intelligent sharing offers in the field of mobility,” explains Lukas Fehr, Head of Development at the Cham Group.

Lighthouse character for municipality and canton
So far, only 43 areas in Switzerland have been certified with this label by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy –
26 of them as a 2000-watt area “in development”. Government Councilor Florian Weber is also pleased that the canton of Zug is playing a role in this. “100 percent for 2000 watts: the Cham Group is opening up a new era of comprehensive and sustainable energy concepts for large-scale developments at the Papieri site,” says the construction director. As Energy City Gold, the municipality of Cham also celebrates the award of the papers as a “2000-watt area”. “The award is a seal of quality for the Cham Group’s site development, an incentive for others and at the same time corresponds to the community’s commitment to climate protection. After all, Cham wants to become climate-neutral internally by 2030; by 2050, “net zero” greenhouse gas emissions should even be achieved for the entire municipality,” explains Drin Alaj, Head of Traffic and Safety for the Cham municipality. And Mayor Georges Helfenstein adds: “We see the developments on the Papieri site as an opportunity and are pleased about this certification and about the new, vibrant and now also certified sustainable quarter”.

Marketing start of the first office and commercial space
On February 10, 2022, the rental of the shop, office and commercial space on the ground floors of the properties in the first construction phase, which will be ready for occupancy at the end of 2022, will start on the papieri-cham.ch website. The Papieri area offers space for every business model and company of different sizes. Not interchangeable and arbitrary, but sustainable, well thought out and in the middle of a lively district.

February 2022
Walo installs new flooring at Stadler

Walo Bertschinger has provided the Stadler Rail production halls in St. Margrethen with a new floor covering. According to a message on Facebook, an area of 19,000 square meters was covered with the Haypanol-D covering in the production halls for the assembly of trains. The Haypanol-D epoxy coating developed by Walo has been tried and tested in industrial buildings and parks for years. The finally hardened epoxy forms together with the scattered material of the quartz sand a very hard, clean and even surface structure.

According to a technical explanation on Walo’s special website for floor coverings, the seamless Haypanol-D litter coverings have high mechanical and chemical resistance. The property profile of the industrial floor coverings is adapted to the respective stress class. The anti-slip properties of the covering are coordinated according to the customer’s requirements. In addition, the system can also be designed as an antistatic or electrically conductive covering. The flooring has a longevity of up to 25 years.

The Stadler site in St.Margrethen in the border triangle is the competence center for double-deck multiple units within the Stadler Group, according to the Stadler Group website. After more than 20 years in Altenrhein, this production was moved to the newly built plant in St.Margrethen in 2020.

February 2022
New apps offer 3D views of Zurich

The city of Zurich is making a 3D city model accessible to the general public. According to a media release , two applications have been developed for this. According to the information provided, the Zurich virtual app allows freely selectable views of buildings, trees, forests and bridges. The Zurich 4D app focuses on structural development in space and time. Current building construction projects, design plans and completed architectural competitions should be visualized there. Both apps are freely available to the public, including schools, as open data.

According to the city, they are primarily aimed at planners and specialists from architecture and engineering. Functions such as measuring the height of buildings or casting shadows will be of professional interest to them. The documentation of real estate is also possible with it.

As the city of Zurich also reports, the underlying technologies are already being used within the administration for the visualization of noise simulations, in the context of architectural competitions and for the integral presentation of civil engineering and building construction projects.

As the city of Zurich also reports, the two apps were created as part of the city council’s strategy focus on the digital city. They are part of the so-called digital twin, the digital representation of the city of Zurich.

February 2022
Brivo integrates alarm management from Sitasys

Brivo, Inc. from the US state of Maryland has entered into a partnership with Sitasys AG from Solothurn. The North American inventor of cloud-based access control and the so-called Smart Spaces technology integrates the cloud-based alarm management evalink talos from Sitasys into its platform. This integration is available on evalink marketplace .

“For customers who value central monitoring, we are pleased about the partnership with Sitasys AG’s evalink technology,” said Brivo founder and CEO Steve Van Till in a press release . This would allow security professionals to manage access, alarms and video surveillance more easily and save time, “without sacrificing performance”.

The Brivo integration combines alarm centers, tracking systems, cameras and access control in a unified security platform called Brivo Access. It uses analytics, business intelligence, and machine learning “to generate actionable insights from big data.”

“We are convinced that the integration of Brivo with our evalink technology will strengthen our overall offering and create added value for our joint customers,” says Peter Monte, CEO and founder of Sitasys AG. “The integration of cloud systems makes it easier for users to work in different tools within one platform and thus more efficiently.”

February 2022
Construction and real estate projects: models of cooperation at a glance

In the case of complex and challenging construction and real estate projects, partner companies can provide valuable support – be it by taking on the coordination and overall responsibility for the project or by accompanying individual project phases.
The providers of such services can be roughly divided into the categories: overall provider, total contractor and general contractor. But which model of cooperation is the right one for which project? The information brochure "With the right cooperation model for successful project implementation" aims to help clarify this question. It provides an overview of the three models, shows which model is best suited for what, and lists important points when working together. The information brochure was prepared by the Swiss Development Industry Association. He represents companies that offer overall services in the development, planning and realization of construction and real estate projects. «We are convinced that a project with a common goal and shared responsibility can be implemented more successfully. That's why we want to show the possibilities and services of the existing cooperation models and draw attention to their potential," says Managing Director Franziska Bürki.
The three cooperation models at a glance:
Overall providers take over the development, planning and realization of construction and real estate projects. With interdisciplinary teams, they work on tasks throughout the process through to execution or operation. The service can have different characteristics and include, for example, usage planning, design competitions, preliminary studies and the legally prescribed approval procedures. Because a full service provider is involved early on, the potential for innovation and optimization is high. Opportunities and risks can be better identified, defined and controlled at an early stage and together. The client has the guarantee that his project will be developed, planned and implemented from a single source.
Total contractors take on the planning and implementation of construction and real estate projects. Within a given framework, the client leaves the responsibility for the planning and implementation to the total contractor, with more or less narrow specifications. Total contractors take over a construction project either from the project planning or at least from the implementation planning. The responsibility for the tasks up to handover (including pre-existing planning) remains with the client. The potential for innovation and optimization in this model of cooperation depends heavily on how much planning and design freedom the client gives the general contractor. General contractors take on the realization of ready-to-execute construction and real estate projects. The aim is to realize a building. They assume responsibility for the turnkey realization of a construction project, their influence is essentially limited to the optimized construction process. Within this area they are responsible for quality, deadline and price. The overall and planning responsibility remains with the client. Cooperation with a general company is particularly suitable for professionally managed projects with a specifically formulated order for the general contractor.
The content of contracts with a partner company can vary. It depends on the client's wishes, on the choice of cooperation model, but also on when the cooperation begins. "The partner company can take on more responsibility the earlier and more integrated the client involves them in the cooperation," says Franziska Bürki.
Development Switzerland is convinced: If you want to successfully implement a project, you have to take a holistic view of it, involve all stakeholder groups and decide on the right cooperation model at an early stage and adapt it to the specific project situation.
Franziska Burki,
Managing Director Development Switzerland

February 2022
University of Applied Sciences on the way to the future

Die Fachhochschule Graubünden (FHGR) – die achte öffentlich-rechtliche Fachhochschule der Schweiz – ist heute auf fünf Standorte in neun Gebäuden innerhalb der Stadt Chur verteilt. Die Anzahl Studierender sowie das Forschungsvolumen der FHGR nehmen weiterhin zu. Die bestehenden Standorte bieten zu wenig Räumlichkeiten und Ausbaumöglichkeiten, um die Hochschule in Zukunft optimal aufzustellen. Bislang fehlt beispielsweise der Raum für den Austausch zwischen den Disziplinen sowie für die informelle Kommunikation zwischen den Studierenden und den Dozierenden. Darüber hinaus sind derzeit zu wenige studentische Arbeitsplätze vorhanden, die den heutigen Anforderungen genügen. Durch die Verteilung der Gebäude über die Stadt fehlt der Hochschule zudem die architektonische Visibilität.

Aus diesen Gründen hat der Kanton Graubünden entschieden, das Fachholschulzentrum am Standort Pulvermühle neu zu erstellen. Hier befindet sich seit 1993 der Hauptsitz der FHGR. Der Neubau soll ein zusammenhängendes Bildungs- und Forschungszentrum ermöglichen, das von der Diversität und interdisziplinären Zusammenarbeit aller Organisationseinheiten lebt. Die Projektleitung wurde dem Hochbauamt Graubünden übertragen. In einem Wettbewerbsverfahren wurde aus den 57 eingegangenen Bewerbungen ein Generalplanerteam selektioniert, welches die Vorgaben und Ziele der Regierung bezüglich Funktionalität, Ortsbau und Architektur überzeugend umsetzt und die Realisierung in der geforderten Qualität und Wirtschaftlichkeit sowie unter Einhaltung der Kosten- und Terminvorgaben garantieren kann.

Das Siegerprojekt überzeugt mit Nachhaltigkeit und Funktionalität
Die Entscheidung fiel auf das Team rund um das Projekt «Partenaris». Den Lead übernimmt dabei das Zürcher Architekturbüro Giuliani Hönger Architekten. Überzeugt hat das Projekt die Jury durch die gleichmässige Berücksichtigung der Kriterien Architektur, Tragwerk, Nachhaltigkeit und Funktionalität. «Partenaris» sieht eine städtebauliche Positionierung des Neubaus vor – unter Einbezug der bestehenden Gebäude und durch die sorgfältige Gestaltung eines parkähnlichen Aussenraums. So wird ein attraktives Hochschulareal geschaffen. Die Planung berücksichtigt ausserdem die gewünschte Nutzungsflexibilität.

Die erste Etappe sieht einen viergeschossigen U-förmigen Baukörper mit einer zentralen, rund 1200 Quadratmeter umfassenden Eingangshalle vor. Dabei öffnen sich die drei Gebäudeflügel nach Süden zur Pulvermühlestrasse hin und interagieren mit den bestehenden Gebäuden. Der Neubau wird als Hybrid-Skelettbau ausgeführt.

Mittels Passerelle wird es mit dem Neubau verbunden. Die Obergeschosse sind für Nutzungen der Institute und Departemente vorgesehen, wobei der Öffentlichkeitsgrad und damit die Publikumsintensität mit jedem Stockwerk abnimmt. Das Raumprogramm wird mit vergleichsweise wenig Geschossfläche flächeneffizient umgesetzt. Dank der strukturierten Bauweise und ressourcenschonenden Materialisierung können die Werte bei der Grauen Energie auf einem guten Niveau gehalten werden. Im Westen entsteht zudem eine neue Terrasse. In der zweiten Etappe wird das bestehende Gebäude P57 in Richtung Westen erweitert.

Aus Sicht des Kantons Graubünden ist die Realisierung des Fachhochschulzentrums hinsichtlich Bildung, Forschung und auch innovationspolitisch von grosser Wichtigkeit. Denn der Mangel an Fachkräften, insbesondere in den technisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Disziplinen, hat Auswirkungen auf die Bündner Unternehmen: Diesen fehlen das nötige Wachstum und die gewünschte Entwicklung. Die neue Fachhochschule soll junge Leute ausbilden, fördern und damit die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Bündner Volkswirtschaft stärken.

Das Siegerprojekt wird in einem nächsten Schritt planerisch weiterbearbeitet. Danach muss es vom Grossen Rat genehmigt werden. Erhält «Partenaris» grünes Licht, soll Ende 2024 mit den Bauarbeiten begonnen werden. Im Jahr 2028 soll der Neubau bezugsbereit sein. Der Studienbetrieb läuft während den Umbauarbeiten weiter wie gewohnt.

Die Visualisierung zeigt den zukünftigen Campusplatz.

So soll das Foyer des Neubaus dereinst aussehen.

February 2022
Peach Property posts record pre-tax profit

According to a statement from Peach Property , the Zurich-based real estate company, which specializes in real estate in Germany, posted a pre-tax profit of CHF 258 million in the 2021 financial year. This is the highest pre-tax profit in the company’s history, writes Peach Property. CHF 153 million was realized in the 2020 financial year.

The value of Peach Property’s real estate portfolio increased year-on-year from CHF 2.1 billion to over CHF 2.6 billion. Rental income increased from CHF 54.7 million in 2020 to around CHF 108 million. With the help of a mandatory convertible bond issued in the year under review, the debt ratio was reduced from 57.8 to around 52 percent.

In the financial year, Peach Property was also able to improve all external ratings, the press release explains further. Moody’s currently rates the company at Ba2 with a stable outlook, while FitchRatings gave it a BB with a stable outlook. S&P Global Ratings rates Peach Property at BB- with a stable outlook.

“Our strategy and our business model have also proven to be outstanding in the 2021 financial year and we were able to close another year with very profitable growth,” Thomas Wolfensberger is quoted as saying in the press release. According to the CEO of Peach Property Group AG, the current financial year will primarily focus on “modernizing the residential portfolio and expanding sustainability activities”. Peach Property intends to invest around CHF 70 million in this.

February 2022
Halter establishes a research center in Lupfig

As of February 1, Halter AG took over the Futura Towers in Lupfig from Wisca Immo SA . According to a press release from the Schliere-based real estate developer and new owner, the two buildings with almost 25,000 square meters of commercial, production and storage space are to become a multifunctional center for teaching, research, manufacturing, leisure facilities and gastronomy. This should be repositioned under the brand name Futurama. The property, completed in 1992, has eleven upper floors and three lower floors with 287 parking spaces and 30 additional outdoor parking spaces.

Futurama stands for a modern working world of short distances for teaching and research institutes, industrial production as well as office and service companies, says Halter Managing Director Andreas Campi, who is responsible for developments. “We will attach particular importance to the quality of stay and create additional leisure facilities and gastronomy offers,” Campi continues.

The location is directly connected to public transport, a five-minute walk from the Lupfig train station. There is also a good connection to the A1/3 motorway with two motorway junctions, according to the statement. Futurama is in the immediate vicinity of green.ch’s Zurich-West campus data center.

The takeover of the Futura Towers by Halter “ignites the great hope that life will finally come into being in the properties, which have mostly been unused for almost 30 years,” said Richard Plüss, the mayor of the Lupfig municipality.

February 2022
Holcim und Eni wollen CO2 in Zement speichern

Der Zuger Baustoffspezialist Holcim spannt mit dem in Rom ansässigen Energieunternehmen Eni zusammen. Gemeinsam wollen sie untersuchen, wie sich Kohlenstoffdioxid (CO2) abscheiden, in dem Mineral Olivin speichern und anschliessend in Zement einbauen lässt, heisst es in einer Medienmitteilung. Damit will Holcim den ökologischen Fussabdruck seines Betriebes weltweit verringern und sein Angebot an nachhaltigem Zement erweitern.

Eni verfügt über Wissen, wie sich CO2 abscheiden und mineralisieren lässt, um es in Olivin zu speichern. Im Innovationszentrum von Holcim wollen Forschende „die Verwendung dieses karbonisierten Olivins als neuen emissionsarmen Rohstoff für die Formulierung eines grünen Zements untersuchen“, heisst es in der Medienmitteilung. Das Forschungsteam von Holcim will sich dabei auf die Charakterisierung der mechanischen Eigenschaften von karbonisiertem Olivin in der Betonproduktion konzentrieren.

Olivin ist ein auf der Erde weit verbreitetes Mineral. Dies in Kombination mit den weltweiten Aktivitäten von Holcim und Eni würde diese Lösung „in hohem Masse skalierbar machen“ und so Materialien für umweltfreundliches Bauen weltweit ermöglichen.

Die Partnerschaft mit Eni ist eines von weltweit 30 Projekten von Holcim, die sich mit Lösungen zur Abscheidung, Nutzung und Speicherung von Kohlenstoffdioxid beschäftigen.

February 2022
Holcim is looking for ideas for sustainable construction

On February 1, Holcim started the application period for the third edition of its Startup Accelerator Program . Start-ups from all over the world are invited to apply and accelerate sustainable construction with their innovative solutions. The six-month program runs from May to November 2022.

"The Holcim Accelerator Program enables us to connect with the brightest minds in the world to drive disruptive breakthroughs," Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch said in a press release . "I invite this year's startups to think outside the box in all dimensions of construction, from circular construction to intelligent building design."

As in previous years, the specialty chemicals company Sika is a partner in the acceleration program. New partners for this year's edition include French company Bouygues Construction and British engineering consultants Mott MacDonald .

Swiss explorer and environmentalist Bertrand Piccard, founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation , contributes a call to action: “The construction industry has a key role to play in accelerating our world's transition to net zero. Holcim's Accelerator is a unique incubator for start-ups around the world to innovate for our planet.”

February 2022
When the current can be felt

Riccardo Pozzi is Head of Energy Management at Primeo Energie AG and responsible for procuring electricity, including for EKZ customers. To understand the price of electricity, you have to look at the prices for other energy sources. Because the price of electricity is closely linked to this. So let's look at the price of gas. Because it currently determines the electricity price and there is a lot to be read, seen and heard about it in the media: it is reaching record values. And a rapid price recovery is not yet in sight. "The reasons for this high gas price are, on the one hand, that the gas storage facilities could not be filled in the summer months," explains Riccardo Pozzi. The price of gas was already rising back then. In the hope of a price recovery, the annual filling of the gas storage facilities had been postponed. Added to the wait is the delayed commissioning of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. In the future, this will transport Russian gas directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea. However, political and legal issues have delayed commissioning until now. Thus, the demand is greater than the supply, which drives up the price on the market.
dependence of the electricity price
But what does the price of gas have to do with the price of electricity? Electricity is traded on various exchanges on the European electricity market. The price is determined by the most expensive technology used to generate electricity. This is because these power plants are deployed in the order of their marginal costs (variable costs). And so until the demand is met. The most expensive power plant used thus determines the price. This mechanism is expressed by the so-called "merit order curve".
“Currently, it is mainly gas-fired power plants that determine the price,” explains the energy specialist. This explains the sharp rise in electricity prices. But there is another reason for the increase in electricity costs: CO2 certificates. Power plants have to purchase certificates for the CO2 emissions they produce. These are also traded and their prices are largely influenced by the EU. As a result of the EU's ambitious emission reduction targets, the prices for CO2 certificates have also risen.
Electricity price prospects
"Currently, business customers on the open market who are still without a contract, i.e. customers with a consumption of more than 100 MWh, are feeling the high electricity price very badly," says Riccardo Pozzi and adds: "Up to now, many customers have hoped that the prices would would go down." Customers in basic services would have it better. Because while business customers buy electricity at the current price, the price for customers with basic supply is made up of an average over two years. "Our customers will feel the effects of the current electricity price trend in 2023 and 2024 through a major price increase," explains Karl Resch, Head of Regulation Management and Network Management at EKZ. "Since we have hardly any own production in Switzerland and are therefore dependent on market prices, our price increase will be somewhat larger than that of energy suppliers who have a large proportion of their own production," adds the expert. And he says: "These companies tend to have higher electricity prices over the years, but they don't fluctuate as much". EKZ will also be one of the cheapest electricity suppliers in Switzerland in 2022. The extent to which electricity prices will increase in 2023 has not yet been determined. Because the tariffs will not be determined until summer 2022. However, EKZ continues to work to keep electricity prices as low as possible.
Composition of the electricity price
If you want to know how the electricity price is made up, read the article on energie-experten.ch by Claudio Maag, Deputy Head of Network Management and Regulatory Management at EKZ.

February 2022
The new real estate buzzword is called “API”

A(pplication) P(rogramming) I(nterface) is a programming interface between two software solutions – a kind of "intermediary" between two different systems, so to speak, without one system having to learn or understand the (programming) language of the other system and the two systems can still communicate with each other quickly and easily. The interface translates the request from one software to the other, so to speak. In order for the two systems to "understand" each other, a clear interface definition is required.
To describe it simply with a metaphor – it's like ordering in a restaurant: the guest orders the desired dish from the waiter, who reports the order to the kitchen. The dish comes ready from the kitchen and the waiter serves it to the guest. The guest does not have to understand how the processes and preparations for this dish work in the kitchen – they are satisfied when the waiter serves the dish they have ordered as they wished. In a figurative sense, the menu card would be the clearly defined interface, so to speak. Anything that is not on the menu cannot be ordered.
Why is the topic of API so exciting for the real estate industry? PropTech companies and those responsible for digitization at real estate companies are increasingly concerned with the cross-platform integration of new software solutions. Due to the digital transformation and the ecosystem idea, the interface problem is increasingly coming into focus. Manual object imports and data comparisons are time-consuming and comparatively inefficient.
If a real estate company wants to integrate a new PropTech solution, the new software needs an interface to the respective ERP system. In the Swiss real estate industry, it is essentially the three ERP providers Abacus, GARAIO and W&W that can offer an interface here. If a company works with different PropTech solutions, it makes sense to think about an interface between these third-party providers. The increasing establishment of such software solutions or new services, such as the digital signature, will continue to focus on the topic of API – and not only among those responsible for digitization themselves. In the future, every employee will need a certain basic knowledge in order to to find one's way in the jungle of software solutions and flows of data sets.
You can get more impulses on the subject here: https://proptechmarket.net/impulse

February 2022
ConReal and ProMaterial want to digitize the construction industry

The construction industry is considered to be one of the largest industries in the world and at the same time the least digitized, write ConReal Swiss AG and ProMaterial Technologies in a joint statement . The two companies want to change the latter. To this end, they are building a platform that enables manufacturers, dealers and building contractors to connect directly and digitally.

"We are building a data standard with outstanding quality that will make online trade and communication in the construction industry more transparent and efficient," Nils Gagzow, Managing Director and co-founder of ProMaterial Technologies, is quoted as saying in the press release. Manufacturers should be able to use this data standard to place their offering digitally on the market. The products are described by an international industry standard so that dealers can access highly qualified product information, the press release explains.

ConReal, in turn, contributes the data from its own digital ecosystem to the project. Market information is collected here, for example data on what is being built, when, where and how. In combination, "the physical product and craftsmanship can be brought into play at the right time," says the statement.

January 2022
Ina Invest completes acquisition of Ceres Group

Ina Invest has completely taken over the Ceres Group. The real estate company based in Opfikon is the majority owner of the Ceres Group based in Pratteln, according to a press release .

The heart of the acquisition is the Buss site at Pratteln station with the Bredella development project. The commercial and industrial park with an area of more than 80,000 square meters is to be converted into a city district with 70 percent residential space and 30 percent commercial space over the next 20 years. Ina Invest wants to build more than 1000 apartments there.

The transaction was announced on December 16, 2021. Part of the purchase price, about which confidentiality was agreed, was paid by Ina Invest in treasury shares. In addition, 886,656 titles were issued. After completion of the transaction, Ina Invest’s share capital will be around CHF 292,000, divided into 9.75 million registered shares.

January 2022
Neubau Portal AG and Engel & Völkers cooperate in brokering new construction

According to a press release , the new construction projects and first occupancy platforms operated by Lucerne-based Neubau Portal AG and Engel & Völkers Wohnen Schweiz AG from Zug are joining forces in the highly sought-after new construction sector. The partnership aims to give customers faster access to the new property they want. The declining construction activity cannot keep up to cover the increasing demand for new properties. In addition, as a result of unqualified inquiries for Engel & Völkers, there is a high level of processing work, which often does not lead to the conclusion of a purchase.

According to Engel & Völkers, the demand for home ownership is unbroken. Inquiries about new properties have the edge. This would also be underpinned by the figures from the Credit Suisse Real Estate Monitor for the third quarter of 2021. In order to close the gap in demand, Engel & Völkers wants to give its customers access to exclusive real estate through the partnership. With paid subscriptions, customers of Neubau Portal AG are offered around 150 to 200 new construction projects every month that do not appear on any other portal. The globally active broker of residential and commercial real estate wants to increase its customers’ chances of success and serve inquiries promptly.

According to the company, Engel & Völkers has been a market expert for the brokerage of high-quality residential and commercial real estate as well as yachts and aircraft in the premium segment for over 40 years with over 900 locations in more than 30 countries.

January 2022
An algorithm controls thermostats

Two researchers from the Urban Energy Systems Lab at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research ( Empa ) have created a self-learning algorithm for heating thermostats. According to an Empa report , it can be integrated into conventional intelligent or smart thermostats via a cloud connection and regulate the room temperature in a predictive manner.

"The potential is enormous," says Felix Bünning, co-founder of the Empa spin-off viboo, which markets this algorithm. "Our experiments at NEST have shown that energy savings of between 26 and 49 percent can be achieved with this approach."

To create a model of the building, building data such as valve positions and room temperature measurements from just two weeks are sufficient. In combination with forecasts for the local outside temperature and global solar radiation, the algorithm then independently calculates the ideal amount of energy required to heat or cool the building up to twelve hours in advance.

According to the information, a first partner is the Danish company Danfoss . The internationally active thermostat manufacturer is currently testing in a pilot project together with viboo how high the savings potential is in conventional existing buildings. In addition, the start-up is already in talks with other industrial partners. For example, it will integrate the algorithm directly into the central building automation system in a Zurich office building.

January 2022
Five start-ups move into Büro Züri Innovationspark

The Züri Innovationspark office has officially opened, according to a press release . Five start-ups have moved into a total of 170 square meters in the converted fire station of the former Dübendorf Airport. They were selected by public vote from among ten candidates last summer.

The modern building offers 16 flexible workplaces, meeting rooms, a kitchen and a generous infrastructure. With their move into the Dübendorf office in Züri, the teams will also become part of the ecosystem in the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich, according to the Zürcher Kantonalbank . The Zürcher Kantonalbank, co-founder of the Zurich Innovation Park, makes this space available free of charge for an innovative and collaborative working group. In a statement , the bank describes the Züri office, of which there is another edition in Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse, as its "gift" to the population.

The five start-ups from Büro Züri Innovationspark include Medtech aiEndoscopic and the data processing platform for artificial intelligence, Lightly . Soma Rem is also on site, which helps people with body image disorders with virtual and augmented reality. TerraRad Tech brings remote space sensing technology to agriculture. And Tethys Robotics develops underwater robots.

January 2022
After successful restructuring, Novosan AG is returning to its roots

Bern, January 18, 2022: Novosan AG was acquired by Spycher Group Holding AG at the beginning of 2021. Now, one year after the takeover and the successfully implemented corporate restructuring, Novosan AG is returning to its roots. With retrospective effect from the beginning of January 2022, the fire and water damage specialist will go to the experienced industrial specialist Martin Schweizer.
The life partner of company co-founder Deneshini Santschi takes over the share package of the Spycher Group and the operational management of Novosan AG. The founder Hanspeter Santschi keeps his company shares and remains with the company.
Since 2021, Novosan AG has been restructured by those responsible at Spycher Group Holding AG. New business areas were also created and the structures adjusted. The renovators were thus able to arm Novosan AG for the future.
The makers of the Bern company have been carrying out fire and water damage restoration for years and are also popular and proven in drying, electrical and industrial renovation, odor neutralization and special cleaning. In the event of damage, the Novosan AG team is always on hand immediately.
The Spycher Group will retain the two newly created business areas "pollution remediation" and "facility management" of Novosan AG under a new name. The two business areas now form PuraTec GmbH and are based at Ey 9 in Ittigen. PuraTec GmbH perfectly complements the company portfolio of Spycher Group Holding AG and offers those responsible for it the opportunity to further expand their comprehensive real estate services.
Novosan AG
Novosan AG, founded by Hanspeter Santschi in 1992, became a successful fire and water damage restoration company under the joint management of Deneshini and Hanspeter Santschi. Far beyond the Bern region, the Novosan AG team is on the spot immediately after damage, to save what can be repaired with care and respect, to limit the damage and to protect property and cherished objects. For those who have suffered damage and their insurance companies, rehabilitation is often more ecological and economical than replacement. In addition to fire and water damage restoration, the team also specializes in electrical and industrial renovation, odor neutralization, drying and special cleaning. novosan.ch
The PuraTec GmbH
Shortly after the takeover of Novosan AG by Spycher Group Holding AG, Novosan harmful substances GmbH was set up together with its managing director, Pascal Meier. In addition, the Novosan Facility Management division was created. PuraTec GmbH, which also takes over the former Novosan Facility Management department, emerges from Novosan harmful substances GmbH. PuraTec pollutants specializes in analyzes and pollutant remediation for construction pollutants such as asbestos, PCB and PAH. PuraTec Facility Management, in turn, offers a wide range of services related to house maintenance and property services. puratec.ch
The Spycher Group Holding AG
The Spycher Group holds subsidiaries and holdings in the construction industry, in communications and in the tourism industry. In the construction industry, these are Maler Pfister AG, Intertapis AG, Fritschi Fensterbau AG, Akzent Küchen GmbH and GIO CERAMICA GmbH. The communications division includes the companies Prolith AG, Werbehorst and Witschi + Partner AG. In tourism it is Belpmoos Reisen AG. spychergroup.ch
Press Office Spycher Group Holding AG / Novosan AG / PuraTec GmbH
IMS Marketing AG; Dominik Rothenbühler, dominik.rothenbuehler@ims-marketing.ch , Gartenstadtstrasse 17, 3098 Köniz, +41 79 262 66 60, ims-marketing.ch

January 2022
Vebego drives the development of cleaning robots

Vebego wants to be the driving force in the development of cleaning robots. A media release from Vebego AG states that digitization is also a strong driver for innovations and further development in the cleaning industry. “As an innovative company”, Vebego wants to help determine, shape and drive digitalization. Cleaning robots and their development are therefore a big topic in the company.

Vebego has been analyzing the market and customer needs for five years in order to be able to make cleaning even more innovative and flexible in the future and to be able to further expand it while maintaining the cleaning quality. The company works with partners such as Soobr , a technology company based in Stettlen BE.

Vebego started with the needs-based planning and execution of cleaning tours by Soobr. By optimizing resources, the assignments of employees could be planned more efficiently. Robotics is still not a sure-fire success. Cleaning robots are currently not yet fully autonomous and continue to require regular support from people. Vebego tested the robots and used the mature models in a field test. Two models are currently in continuous use.

Vebego is working with its partners on further developing the models in the direction of autonomous robots. It should be noted that workplace design has changed significantly in recent years. The pandemic with the resulting increased work from home brought changes not only in terms of land use. The associated cleaning planning had also been given a further boost.

January 2022
Verit and Flatfox offer completely digital rentals

Zurich -based Verit Immobilien AG , together with the rental portal of Bernese Flatfox AG , offers a fully digitized rental and rental process. According to a press release , this will conclude a pilot project lasting more than a year and extend the offer to all of Switzerland for the first time. From the application to the conclusion of the tenant deposit to the signing of the rental contract, the entire process is digital. That goes as far as ordering the name badges for the new tenant. It is not only the tenants who benefit from the time savings, according to the press release. For the owners, the chance of seamless follow-up letting increases

Shortly before the end of the year, Verit Immobilien and Flatfox opened the first digital rental deposit as part of the electronic re-letting process, around a year after the first rental agreement was electronically signed by the tenant and landlord. The successful pilot project will now be offered at all Verit locations in Switzerland. After Verit started with Flatfox, ELCA Informatik , Skribble , Helvetia Versicherung , SwissCaution , FirstCaution and, for a rental deposit account, Hypothekarbank Lenzburg are now also involved in the offer.

Verit Immobilien uses the Flatfox platform to handle the entire process. Martin Frei, Chief Digital Officer at Verit, is quoted as saying: "The entire process of re-letting takes place seamlessly digitally via the Flatfox platform – from the time a potential tenant becomes aware of an offer to the formally valid issue of the rental agreement . "Of course, this also applies to all intermediate steps such as initial contact, registration, deposit, credit check and ordering of tags."

January 2022
Artificial intelligence analyzes CO2 emissions from traffic

An analysis method developed at the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) can make statements about how the consumption of a country’s vehicle fleet changes from year to year. This new method is based on math and deep learning techniques. According to a communication , it is able to show where politicians and car buyers could start to reduce CO2 emissions.

Analyzing this has become increasingly difficult in recent years. Because vehicles can no longer be divided into classic segments such as small, medium and luxury classes due to technical innovations. In addition, new vehicles are getting bigger and heavier. In addition, the cubic capacities would decrease, while the efficiency of the engines would get better and better at the same time.

That is why the Empa Vehicle Drive Systems department describes its analysis technology as an “important breakthrough”: It enables “CO2 emissions to be assessed separately and an accurate automatic vehicle classification to be carried out by analyzing large databases,” explains researcher Naghmeh Niroomand. “This makes it easier to analyze changes in fleets in a country or a large company.” Thanks to this new method, “subjective and expert-based factors” would be eliminated and databases from all over the world would be comparable.

For Switzerland, the team was able to calculate the average CO2 emissions of newly registered cars. If less heavy vehicles such as SUVs were on Swiss roads, this would be the most effective way of promoting decarbonization, says Niroomand. It would also be helpful to buy vehicles with lower performance in the same vehicle class.

January 2022
A year to forget? Not for homeowners and tenants!

2021 is unlikely to be remembered as a bright year – the never-ending pandemic sends its regards. However, a reliable source of positive news has been the real estate market. Owners of condominiums were able to post an increase in value of 7.3 percent over the course of the year, while the increase in single-family houses was almost as high at 6.9 percent. This is shown by the evaluation of sales advertisements as part of the Swiss Real Estate Offer Index, which is collected by the Swiss Marketplace Group in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI.

The reason for the significant increases in value is probably not solely due to the changes in living requirements due to the pandemic. The economy is also developing solidly, immigration is continuing and the supply of land is becoming increasingly scarce. At the same time, consumer prices have risen sharply, which further increases the attractiveness of tangible assets such as home ownership as protection against inflation.

No bad news for tenants either
2021 also meant it with tenants: inside not bad. Anyone looking for a new apartment was able to benefit from a minimal decline in asking rents of 0.3 percent over the year on average. The fact that the rent trend tipped into the red is thanks to a veritable year-end spurt: In December, a nationwide drop of 0.9 percent was registered.

What will 2022 bring for the Swiss real estate market? “Under the current conditions, the new year should also come up with rising property prices. Whether the trend turns around is largely up to the monetary authorities: The American central bank (Fed) has announced that it will raise the key interest rate faster than planned. If the European (ECB) and Swiss monetary authorities (SNB) join in, prices would also fall in this country, ”says Martin Waeber, Managing Director Real Estate, Swiss Marketplace Group.

January 2022
BEKB, ewb and GVB launch myky platform

The three Bern companies BEKB , ewb and GVB have launched the myky website. Its aim is to offer homeowners expert knowledge and services from a single source on the platform, according to a media release . Myky stand for my key, my key.

First of all, the platform offers an interactive renovation planner. This should help to find and implement meaningful renovation measures. “Customers have an overview of the energetic state of their home at all times and can plan the renovation measures holistically and in a way that optimizes costs,” says the press release.

The initiators hope that users will be actively involved in the further development of the platform. It is desirable that homeowners, investors and companies network with one another and “actively participate in the development of the home universe with their own inputs, questions and requests”.

For companies, myky should offer the opportunity to maintain customer relationships. “The myky project helps us, for example, to support the owners on their way to sustainably refurbished homes in all financial matters and beyond,” said Armin Brun, CEO of BEKB, in the media release.

January 2022
Implenia is building district heating tunnels in Hamburg

Implenia will build a 1.2 kilometer long tunnel for Wärme Hamburg , the construction and real estate company from Opfikon informs in a press release . The tunnel is to connect the north of Hamburg to a new heating network. To do this, it will cross under the Elbe around 2 kilometers west of the Elbe tunnel for the motorway.

The work is divided into two phases, with the planning phase starting in October. Implenia has now received the order for further planning and construction work from the beginning of 2022, according to the announcement. The total order volume there is estimated at around 75 million francs.

The work should be completed by the first quarter of 2025. To this end, Implenia will first create diaphragm walls for the start and finish shafts with a depth of up to 42 meters. A tunnel measuring 1.16 kilometers long and around 4.5 meters in diameter is then to be drilled between them and lined with precast concrete elements. Implenia is also responsible for planning and installing the operating technology for the district heating pipeline.

"We are very pleased that we are able to create this large and complex infrastructure project for our customer Wärme Hamburg", Erwin Scherer, Head of Tunneling at Implenia, is quoted in the press release. "The fact that we are making a contribution to improving the sustainability of heat generation gives us additional motivation, because sustainability is an Implenia corporate value that we will also live by in this project."

December 2021
SWISSBAU WILL BE POSTPONED TO MAY 2022

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the requirements for official approval from Swissbau in January 2022 are not met. Last Friday, the MCH Group, as the organizer of Swissbau, was informed by the canton of Basel-Stadt that, in accordance with the ‘COVID-19 regulation, special situation’, the refusal to hold Swissbau from January 18 to 21, 2022 would be issued.

In initial discussions with leading exhibitors from all areas, despite the great disappointment, there was clear support for a postponement to the coming spring.

Swissbau 2022 has been postponed and will now take place from Tuesday, May 3 to Friday, May 6, 2022 in Basel.

December 2021