immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: aargau

  • Umwelt Arena presents new exhibition on micro-apartments

    Umwelt Arena presents new exhibition on micro-apartments

    According to an announcement, the Umwelt Arena in Spreitenbach is presenting a pioneering living concept with the new exhibition “Micro-apartment – 50 m2 for 4 people”. Sustainable, affordable living is one of the major challenges of our time, it continues. With a concrete example, the Umwelt Arena shows that intelligent spatial planning, multifunctionality and energy-efficient construction are not visions of the future, but reality.

    Visitors learn how the project is created, which solutions are implemented and what impact micro-apartments have on sustainability, it continues. The show flat demonstrates how space for a family of up to four people can be created on around 50 square metres without any loss of comfort. Through space planning and multifunctional furnishing, the living room can be transformed into a bedroom at the touch of a button and the children’s room can become an office or playroom if required.

    The 1:1 scale model flat can be viewed during short guided tours. They take place twice a day at 2 pm and 3.30 pm.

    Guided tours for companies, clubs and schools can be booked on request, according to the Umwelt Arena. The topic of micro-living can be chosen as the focus of the two guided tours Sustainability in Everyday Life and Building and Modernising.

  • New alliance for international location marketing

    New alliance for international location marketing

    The canton of Aargau is preparing to rejoin the Greater Zurich Area. The canton first joined the location marketing organisation between 2007 and 2010, the cantonal administration explains in a press release. At that time, however, the canton of Aargau was hardly able to achieve any success in attracting new business, partly due to different focal points. Today, however, the strategic orientation of GZA and the business location of Aargau “fit together very well”, the press release explains. At the beginning of the year, the canton therefore applied for renewed membership of the GZA.

    Specifically, location promotion is currently focussing on innovative sectors that are also important for the canton of Aargau. The press release cites life sciences, automation and digital tech as examples. According to the press release, the canton of Aargau, which has hardly been active in foreign marketing to date, has decided to join the GZA as it is “more cost-efficient and less risky than setting up its own foreign marketing”.

    Funds totalling CHF 8.5 million are required for the first period of new membership in the GZA from 2027 to 2032. This will cover the membership fee and the costs of two additional positions required at the GZA. The canton also plans to invest a further CHF 4.5 million in the years 2028 to 2032 to promote the location of so-called potential areas. The aim here is to support associations of groups of municipalities with economic potential with joint professional location promotion.

  • Zurich and Aargau plan mobile network

    Zurich and Aargau plan mobile network

    The Limmat Valley is developing rapidly, not least thanks to new transport projects. In order to strategically address this dynamic, the cantons of Zurich and Aargau, together with three regional planning associations, are launching a cross-cantonal planning instrument:. The Limmattal regional overall transport concept.

    The concept follows the guiding principle “The Limmat Valley is fit for the future” and aims to create a sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly balance between settlement and transport development. The planning horizon extends to the year 2050.

    Multimodal networking as a guideline
    The focus is on improving regional networking, promoting multimodal solutions and integrating logistics concepts. Neighbouring regions such as the Furttal or the city of Zurich are also included.

    The results of the concept will form the basis for future agglomeration programmes and will flow into concrete implementation in the municipalities and cantons from 2027/2028. Objectives, strategies and measures will be developed in several phases by the end of 2026.

    Structured process with regional participation
    The project will be managed by a steering group with representatives from the cantons and regional planning associations. Broad participation by the municipalities and public information events ensure transparency and acceptance.

    Project manager Sarah Hug (Canton of Zurich) and project manager Dominik Kramer (Canton of Aargau) are coordinating the participatory process. Public information events are planned on 5 November 2025 and 13 May 2026, among other dates.

    Mobility strategy with a signalling effect
    The rGVK Limmattal is a model project for intercantonal cooperation in one of Switzerland’s most economically significant development areas. It shows how regional and supra-regional interests can be united in a joint strategy for sustainable mobility.

  • Pioneering project: Greenhouse solar system utilises light twice

    Pioneering project: Greenhouse solar system utilises light twice

    The start-up Voltiris from Epalinges has installed its largest solar system to date on a greenhouse belonging to Meier Gemüse AG in Rütihof, according to a press release from the canton of Aargau. The solar system is based on a filter technology in which light waves used to generate electricity are filtered out and redirected to a solar panel, while the light required for photosynthesis can enter the greenhouse unhindered. In this way, plants can be grown without any loss of yield and renewable energy can be generated at the same time. The canton of Aargau subsidised the solar system with CHF 50,000.

    The solar plant in Rütihof covers an area of around one hectare and generates around 234 kilowatts of electricity with around 1,730 solar panels. “As a Swiss startup, we are proud that the first and world’s largest plant with our spectral AGRI-PV system has gone into operation here in the canton of Aargau,” said Dominik Blaser, Chief Product Engineer and co-founder of Voltiris, in the press release.

    Thanks to the filter technology, Voltiris’ photovoltaic modules can be used inside greenhouses without casting shadows, unlike conventional solar systems. The concave arrangement of the filter also concentrates the light, allowing it to hit the photovoltaic module with four times the intensity. In this way, a higher energy yield can be achieved than with conventional solar radiation.

    The solar installation is also in line with the cantonal energy strategy, which aims to achieve the net-zero target by 2050 and strengthen security of supply.

    “This plant is an example of how agriculture and energy production can be combined in a meaningful way,” Markus Dieth, member of the cantonal government and Director of Agriculture, is quoted as saying in the press release.

  • New innovation centre for thermal coating solutions

    New innovation centre for thermal coating solutions

    OC Oerlikon Corporation AG, a thermal spray and coating solutions company headquartered in Pfäffikon, has invested CHF 40 million in its new innovation and production centre on the Reichhold campus in the canton of Aargau. The company is now celebrating the laying of the foundation stone for the new site, construction of which is due to begin shortly, according to a press release. Commissioning is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. With 250 employees in future, the facility will bring together research and development, engineering, production and sales in one building complex.

    Oerlikon plans to develop modern thermal spray technologies and laser-based technologies as well as provide various services at the Reichhold Campus. “The new Campus Reichhold will play a central role in the further development of our aerospace and general industry businesses by bringing together the entire value chain in a collaborative environment,” said Prof Dr Michael Süss, Executive Chairman of Oerlikon, in the press release.

    The technology developed at the Reichhold campus is intended to improve heat resistance, durability and corrosion protection in industrial high-performance components. In future, it will be used primarily by customers in the aerospace, automotive and general industry sectors. A test rig for aerospace turbine components will also enable the validation of thermal spray coatings under real-life conditions.

    In addition, Oerlikon plans to implement comprehensive measures to reduce the environmental impact in the areas of energy consumption, mobility and resource management at the new site.

  • Bergdietikon grants building permit for retirement and care centre

    Bergdietikon grants building permit for retirement and care centre

    The Bergdietikon municipal council has given the green light for the construction of a retirement and care centre in the Hintermatt area, according to a statement from the Oase Group. Retirement flats and care places are to be built there. The building permit is expected to come into legal force at the end of May, according to the municipality’s press release.

    Planning for the Hintermatt retirement and care centre in the Kindhausen district of Bergdietik has been ongoing for around twelve years, according to the press release. It began with a municipal assembly and the sale of the land in Hintermatt to Oase Holding AG in Baar ZG. Oase submitted the planning application in November 2023.

    The Oase Group, based in Dübendorf ZH, currently operates a wide range of residential concepts in the areas of retirement living, assisted living, care for people in need of care and long-term and palliative care at eight locations throughout Switzerland, according to the company. A further seven projects, including Bergdietikon, are in the planning stage.

    According to the guideline project on which the design plan is based, Oase will build a centre with around 64 retirement flats and 45 care places. Seven parties objected to the planning application. After the public consultation was completed in summer 2024, several objection negotiations took place between the developer and the objectors. The negotiations were concluded before Easter and the municipal council issued the building permit at its meeting on 22 April, according to a statement from the municipality.

    According to the plans of the municipality and the Oase Group, the new retirement and care home is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.

  • Expansion of the district heating network in Ober- and Unterentfelden

    Expansion of the district heating network in Ober- and Unterentfelden

    With the heating network in Ober- and Unterentfelden, Eniwa AG will connect the next network to its grid, as detailed in a press release. The Buchs-based energy supplier has now received authorisation to build an energy centre and the first part of the network. From 2026, waste heat from the Buchs waste incineration plant(KVA Buchs) will supply CO2-neutral thermal energy to the first customers.

    The first stage is scheduled to go into operation in 2026. According to the press release, it will enable the supply of thermal energy for a demand of 20,000 megawatt hours. Fewag is expanding the pipeline network from Suhr to the energy centre in Unterentfelden to transport the waste heat from the waste recycling plant to Entfelden.

    The waste heat will be transported to the energy centre in the form of hot water and distributed to the buildings via the distribution network at 65 degrees Celsius. Aleksandar Dunjic, project manager for heating/cooling, uses the example of a central heating system to compare the cycle thus initiated. After being converted into thermal energy for heating and hot water preparation, the cooled water is transported back to the heat source.

    After the first realisation phase by 2028, Eniwa is aiming to increase the amount of energy generated by district heating to 60,000 megawatt hours by expanding the network in Oberentfelden and Unterentfelden, according to the press release. “The district heating projects offer customers a high level of supply security at stable prices in the long term,” CEO Hans-Kaspar Scherrer is quoted as saying. The expansion targets are 12 kilometres of lines over the next 15 to 20 years.

  • Advanced logistics solution: opening of the new centre in Möhlin

    Advanced logistics solution: opening of the new centre in Möhlin

    Rhenus Logistics AG will open its new Swiss logistics centre in Möhlin in January after a construction period of one and a half years. According to a press release, this will comprise a total of 30,000 storage spaces on a total area of 2,000 square metres.

    The logistics centre will be operated by around 80 employees working with 30 P40 robots from Chinese manufacturer Geek and seven RoboShuttles. This collaboration should enable time savings of 70 per cent. The building will also have special storage rooms for temperature-controlled goods and the storage of hazardous materials, for example.

    Power will be supplied by a photovoltaic system on the roof. This is expected to generate 1 million kilowatt hours per year.

    “Our new logistics centre in Möhlin is an impressive example of what modern logistics looks like: more automation and increased efficiency while simultaneously promoting jobs, sustainability goals and quality standards,” said Andreas Stöckli, CEO of Rhenus Alpina and a member of the Rhenus Group’s Management Board, in the press release.

    The Rhenus Group, which has its headquarters in Holzwickede in North Rhine-Westphalia and its Swiss headquarters in Basel, has a presence at 1,320 sites in more than 70 countries and generates an annual turnover of EUR 7.5 billion.

  • Strong property market in Aargau shows high prices and low vacancy rates

    Strong property market in Aargau shows high prices and low vacancy rates

    The latest property barometer from Aargauische Kantonalbank(AKB) attests to the “strong momentum” of the Aargau property market. The canton’s strong appeal as a place to live is reflected in “continued above-average increases in property values”, write the AKB experts in the barometer. Specifically, they noted a 4.6 per cent year-on-year increase in residential property prices.

    Among the individual regions of Aargau, Aarau/Seetal stands out with a 5.1 per cent increase in house prices and Rheinfelden/Fricktal with a 6.1 per cent increase in the price of owner-occupied flats. According to the experts’ research, in the majority of the canton’s 230 municipalities, more than CHF 1 million must be paid for a detached single-family home with a neighbouring plot. Prices are even higher in the catchment markets of the surrounding major centres.

    The AKB experts have recorded a 4.7 per cent year-on-year increase in asking rents. The average rent for a modern 4.5-room flat is therefore around CHF 2,200 to 2,300 excluding ancillary costs. The vacancy rate across the canton is currently 1.3 per cent.

    The property experts at Kantonalbank expect prices for residential property and asking rents to continue to rise in the future. They are basing this forecast on continued strong population growth coupled with a continuing stagnation in construction activity. They also expect further reductions in key interest rates, which will have a positive effect on the return on property investments compared to comparable investments such as government bonds.

  • Property prices in Aargau continue to rise at an above-average rate

    Property prices in Aargau continue to rise at an above-average rate

    The property market in the canton of Aargau continues to record an above-average increase in value. As the latest real estate barometer from Aargauische Kantonalbank shows, prices for residential property have risen by 4.6 per cent and asking rents by 4.7 per cent. “The canton’s strong appeal as a place to live is reflected in sharply rising property values,” say the experts at AKB.

    Aarau/Seetal and Rheinfelden/Fricktal in the lead
    Particularly significant price increases were recorded in the regions of Aarau/Seetal with a 5.1 per cent rise in house prices and Rheinfelden/Fricktal with a 6.1 per cent increase in condominiums. In most municipalities in the canton, buyers now have to pay more than CHF 1 million for a detached single-family home, and prices are even higher in the catchment areas of the surrounding major centres.

    Increased level with falling vacancy rate
    The rents on offer have also risen sharply. The average rent for a modern 4.5-room flat is between CHF 2,200 and 2,300, excluding ancillary costs. The canton-wide vacancy rate is comparatively low at 1.3 per cent, which indicates high demand with limited supply.

    Prices set to rise further
    AKB property experts assume that both residential property prices and asking rents will continue to rise. The reasons for this are:

    • Strong population growth in the canton of Aargau
    • Stagnating construction activity, which limits supply
    • Expected reductions in key interest rates, which will make property investments more attractive

    The combination of high demand, limited supply and economic conditions will ensure that the Aargau property market remains dynamic in the future. Both buyers and tenants should be prepared for further price increases.

  • Aargau energy subsidy programme limited until 2026

    Aargau energy subsidy programme limited until 2026

    The Aargau energy promotion programme will be continued until 2026 with a gross credit of CHF 97.2 million. This decision by the Grand Council, which was passed by 89 votes to 47, deviates from the original proposal by the cantonal government. The government had envisaged an extension until 2028 and a total budget of CHF 176.5 million. The shorter period was chosen due to possible cost-cutting measures by the federal government, which could make cantonal co-financing more difficult.

    Controversy surrounding the funding
    While the SP, Centre Party, GLP and Greens welcomed the increase in the credit, the FDP and SVP were sceptical. The FDP called for a budget of CHF 88.25 million, which would cover half of the originally proposed total costs for four years. The SVP rejected the programme in principle and criticised state intervention.

    Focus of the programme
    The funding programme supports measures to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO₂ emissions. Among other things, the programme supports

    • Improvements to the building envelope
    • Wood heating systems and heat pumps
    • Connections to heating networks
    • Solar thermal systems
    • Projects for the development of heating networks

    Funds are also available for pilot projects. According to the cantonal dispatch, previous programmes have shown that energy efficiency has been increased and CO₂ emissions have been significantly reduced.

    Funding from CO₂ levies
    The majority of the funding comes from federal contributions, including from the CO₂ partial earmarking and the federal impulse programme. The canton itself bears around 25 % of the total costs.

    Prospects for homeowners
    The two-year limit raises questions about long-term planning. Homeowners and builders emphasised the need for continuity in funding programmes in order to promote investment in sustainable building technologies.

    The Canton of Aargau’s energy subsidy programme remains an important instrument for reducing CO₂ emissions and increasing energy efficiency. However, the limited duration of the programme until 2026 reflects the uncertainties surrounding federal funding and poses planning challenges for the future.

  • InCube Challenge comes to the FHNW in Aargau

    InCube Challenge comes to the FHNW in Aargau

    The InCube Challenge 2023 is also coming to Aargau: from 9 to 13 October, a 25-square-metre glass box will stand on the Brugg-Windisch campus of the FHNW. Inside, a group of students will eat, sleep and work on an innovative solution to a real challenge posed by ABB, Microsoft and the Canton of Aargau’s location promotion in 100 hours.

    According to a statement from the FHNW, the exact problem will be announced to the participants on the first day of the competition. Until then, it will remain secret. The cube can be visited at any time and the students will also be able to exchange ideas with the surrounding area, for example by asking for feedback on their ideas. According to a statement from the Aargau Economic Development Agency, the cube on the FHNW campus will be about developing resource-saving innovations, products and services. The InCube helps to make innovation visible.

    InCube is an international innovation competition organised by the ETH Entrepreneur Club. The two-week challenge begins this year on 2 October. During the PrepCube phase, participants meet online for the first time. During OutCube, they come to Switzerland to a retreat to train and connect with the others. During InCube, they live in a glass cube as a team for five days. This year, four will be in Switzerland and one will be in China.

  • Aargau department receives award for mediation

    Aargau department receives award for mediation

    For the first time, the Mediation Award of the Swiss Mediation Association (SDM) goes to a canton. The Aargau Department of Construction, Transport and the Environment(BVU) is being honoured for its consensus-oriented procedures in infrastructure projects. The procedure of the BVU shows “that living democracy with mediation and mediation-like participatory interests offers various forms that go far beyond majority decisions”, according to the SDM’s statement of reasons. Where controversies and different interests emerged, the possibilities of mediation were used. BVU, under its Secretary General Markus Büsser, plays a pioneering role in mediation in the public sector.

    The BVU is delighted with the award. “In the BVU’s areas of responsibility, conflicting goals, differences and differing perspectives are part of daily business,” Büsser is quoted as saying in a statement from the canton. “The department management therefore regularly considers how it can promote a culture of communication and conflict that enables dialogue-oriented and sustainable cooperation.” The BVU refers, for example, to the round tables on the expansion of the Mellikon quarry, the floodplains in the Rietheimer Feld and the settlement of grid usage prices for electricity.

    The Swiss Mediation Prize will be awarded for the third time in 2023. The Haus Tabea retirement centre in Horgen ZH also received an award. The prize will be presented at the SDM Congress, which will take place in Lausanne on 16 and 17 June.

  • SUIXX Immobilien AG strengthens commercial location Dättwil-Baden

    SUIXX Immobilien AG strengthens commercial location Dättwil-Baden

    SUIXX Immobilien AG from Aargau has been renting out offices, office combinations and entire areas in the Dättwil-Baden business park since January. The Terzo commercial building offers modern offices equipped with ergonomic office furniture and WLAN, as well as relaxation areas and conference rooms on a floor space of around 2600 square metres, informs the company from Untersiggenthal in a statement. With this offer, SUIXX wants to “strengthen the business location Dättwil-Baden and offer regional as well as international companies an attractive company headquarters”, it continues.

    Since the launch, more than 20 Aargau companies have already moved into Terzo, and further companies use the offer on a weekly basis, explains the real estate company. “Despite extensive customisation requests, our office was handed over ready for use and fully equipped within ten days of the initial contact,” the user of the offer, Comexis GmbH, is quoted as saying in the statement. The user of the offer, rmDATA AG, points to the excellent location in terms of transport and the possibility of using conference and meeting rooms. For Nadler Architektur, it was crucial that “the rooms were fit for productive work as promised” from the very first minute.

    Sustainability is part of SUIXX Immobilien’s business model. All of the company’s properties will gradually be equipped with their own solar systems. Where possible, heat pumps will be installed and rainwater will be used. Existing underground garages will be equipped with e-charging stations.

  • Shoppi Tivoli takes over the Limmat Valley Railway station

    Shoppi Tivoli takes over the Limmat Valley Railway station

    With a ceremonial "key handover" the "Shoppi Tivoli" stop of the Limmattalbahn (LTB) was handed over to the Shoppi Tivoli shopping center by the operator Aargau Verkehr (AVA) on Monday. According to the Shoppi Tivoli media release, the management of Aargau Verkehr AG and Shoppi Tivoli Management AG and other guests, including the mayor of Spreitbach, Markus Mötteli, attended.

    For Severin Rangosch, CEO Aargau Verkehr, the realization of the Limmattalbahn is a commitment to the region. One believes in their potential, Rangosch is quoted as saying.

    Patrick Stäuble, center manager and CEO of Shoppi Tivoli, is quoted as saying that the management is "proud to be able to present the Shoppi Tivoli train station today". This is extremely important for the shopping center, but also for the adjacent facilities, including the environmental arena and the entire Tivoli Garden district with its housing, a medical center, shopping facilities and a kindergarten.

    The Shoppi Tivoli is preparing for the station by expanding its service to the special needs of travelers. There are already five new fast food restaurants at the entrance to the LTB train station. And they are still accessible after the official closing time. According to CEO Stäuble, this will also include a restaurant that is open seven days a week.

    “The stop will be directly under the CenterMall. So you get off the train, take the escalator and you're already in the Shoppi Tivoli. This connection will be a major milestone for us, because development is taking place along the Limmattalbahn," Stäuble was quoted as saying in an interview with the regional location promoter Limmatstadt AG.

  • New service and commercial arena planned in Werkmatt Uri

    New service and commercial arena planned in Werkmatt Uri

    Franz Kempf AG wants to move its activities to a new building in Werkmatt Uri, which it intends to build. However, since she will only use a small part of the building on the 7,000 square meter plot, managing director and company owner Franz Kempf is looking for companies that have a need for property or rental space.

    The company for plaster, stucco and panel work has too little space at its current location. Kempf also sees great potential in the new location. It is well developed and offers employees a workplace with a high quality of life close to nature. Cooperation with other companies also creates new jobs in the canton of Uri.
    In order to address interested parties from all over Switzerland, Kempf advertised in various media in Basel, Zurich, Central Switzerland, Aargau and Ticino. At the moment he is evaluating the interested parties who have contacted us. He doesn’t want to reveal what kind of company they are: “It’s very exciting, but for reasons of discretion I can’t give any information about it yet.”

    The new building is to be developed according to the needs of the interested parties. Kempf hopes that the project will start soon and that the commercial space will be available from 2024. The plot in which Kempf would like to build its service and commercial arena is the southernmost one in the Werkmatt. It is located right next to the new motorway junction.

    Franz Kempf, Managing Director and owner of Franz Kempf AG.
  • Prices on the Aargau property market are soaring

    Prices on the Aargau property market are soaring

    The Aargau Real Estate Barometer published by the Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB) shows a sustained strong increase in cantonal real estate prices. The report on developments over the past twelve months names low interest rates and scarce building land reserves as the main drivers behind this development. Together with the robust economic development in the aftermath of the Corona crisis, this led to the “boom” in prices.

    The AKB real estate barometer shows the development of the residential property market and also provides information on rents, vacancies and yields. The entire document can be downloaded from the AKB website.

    Regarding regional development, the barometer says that price growth on the Aargau property market cannot be “slowed down”. In the past few months, the development has even picked up speed significantly. Single-family houses would be selling 5.4 percent higher than a year ago. The increase in condominiums is also 4.7 percent within a year.

    Considering all 243 communities in the market area, according to the barometer, the purchase of a typical property with 140 square meters of living space, 450 square meters of land and garage space can be expected to cost between CHF 800,000 and CHF 900,000. However, the range of prices is considerable. In coveted locations such as Baden, Rheinfelden and Aarau, the same property is sometimes traded for well over a million francs.

    Apartment rents throughout Switzerland remained unchanged within a year, as the evaluation of the published advertisements showed. In the same period, landlords in the Northwestern Switzerland region increased their asking prices slightly by 1.4 percent.

  • Aargau wants to attract more companies

    Aargau wants to attract more companies

    The Aargau government council has presented the task and financial plan for the years 2022 to 2025. It also provides for measures to increase the attractiveness of the business location, including the settlement of new companies. According to the government's embassy, Aargau and its advantages should be made better known to companies abroad. "That is why additional measures should be examined and implemented in this area in order to increase the density of companies in Aargau in the long term."

    When it comes to settling in, the canton wants to concentrate primarily on the sectors in which it is already strong today, namely the life sciences and the energy industry. The focus is on industrial companies and industry-related service providers who rely on a highly qualified workforce. The aim is to locate between twelve and 14 companies each year, including six to eight in the two focus industries. In the past year five companies were relocated, three of them in the focus industries. The acquisition strategy is to be developed next year and applied in a selected market from 2023.

    According to the embassy, it will be checked as early as 2022 whether the canton should join an existing cross-cantonal organization of location marketing. The canton was one of the founders of the Greater Zurich Area (GZA) in 1999, but later left it. Today, GZA is the largest location marketing organization with nine German and Italian-speaking member cantons, including the three neighboring cantons of Aargau: Solothurn, Zug and Zurich. Aargau also borders the Basel Area Business & Innovation , to which the two Basel cantons and the Jura belong.

    With Lucerne, Nidwalden and Obwalden, the Aargau is only one of four cantons that do not belong to any cross-cantonal organization of location marketing. Western Switzerland is organized in the Greater Geneva Bern area , the four cantons of Eastern Switzerland in the St.GallenBodenseeArea .

  • With a click of the mouse to the building application

    With a click of the mouse to the building application

    For around three years now, the canton of Aargau has enabled the digital submission of building applications with “eBau”. The Department of Construction, Transport and Environment is implementing this digitization step as part of the federal and cantonal eGov strategy. The advantages are obvious: "The entire building permit process from the applicant to the municipality to the canton can be processed electronically," explains Reto Käch, Head of Support and Training eBau, from the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment of the Canton of Aargau. The use of such online services enables efficient and less personnel-intensive processes, leaner work organization, more transparency and better networking of those involved.

    As of today, a total of 22 municipalities are connected to eBau Aargau. "With the step-by-step roll-out and the training courses, we are gradually familiarizing the communities with the digital building permit process," says Käch. The support manager explains the lack of the majority of the 213 municipalities in Aargau as follows: «50 percent work with their own construction management software. These communities have to wait until the second quarter of 2022. " From then on, the connection without media discontinuity will be possible via a specially initiated eCH interface. According to the figures, the switch to the electronic processing of building applications is still making municipalities that already meet the requirements hesitant. “Maybe some people have different priorities in the corona crisis. Some may also find it difficult to replace old processes. We do not apply any pressure. We are happy to support and train interested communities in this regard, ”says Käch.

    The feedback from those involved who work with eBau has been consistently positive. “The simple structure of the online form for submitting the application is particularly impressive. Mandatory fields prevent something from being forgotten when entering it. The time lost is significantly reduced, ”says Käch. And the municipalities also benefit: “In the eGov area, the standardized work processes are particularly valued. The successive work steps lead successively through the process. This means that administrative employees without specific industry knowledge can also process a building application. " Less administrative effort, better data quality and paperless work are the greatest trump cards for administrations.

    A topic that concerns all cantons
    Municipalities that are introducing eBau will only work electronically from this date. "Only a few applicants submit their applications in physical form," explains Käch. In such a case, the application would then be digitized by the administration. According to the eGov strategy, eBau Aargau should bring added value for everyone and save costs, as the administrative effort is reduced. The first cantons are already making it possible to publish a project that is subject to publication online. According to Käch, the current law does not take a position on digitization. "The Administrative Law Maintenance Act (VRPG) of the canton of Aargau only regulates when a public publication is required, how long and with what content the construction project has to be publicly published and who is to be informed in which publication medium," explains the trainer.

    The canton of Lucerne, for example, handles the digital edition as follows: The municipalities have to make the application form with all attachments available for inspection on the Internet during the public edition, if the building application was submitted electronically and the municipality has the necessary infrastructure. "We deduce from this that an online edition is possible and that there are no federal legal bases that speak against it," concludes Käch. In such a case, however, in the interests of equal treatment, citizens without internet access would have to be able to view the planning applications in the municipal office.
    The canton of Aargau did not consciously assume a pioneering role in the electronic submission of building applications. "Today all the cantons are concerned with implementing software, web applications or platforms that support the electronic submission of building applications," Käch is convinced. And adds: "It is a sign of the times that this issue is being dealt with across Switzerland." Architects, surveying and engineering offices as well as specialist planners have been working with 2D drawings, accessible 3D models, photo-realistic visualizations or digital building and terrain modeling for decades. "With the electronic building permit process, the basic understanding is changing from an administration-oriented service to a customer-oriented one," says Käch.

    Last but not least, the corona pandemic makes it clear once again how important advancing digitization is: “During the lockdown, part of the administrative workforce was also sent to the home office. One of the challenges was not the organization around the equipment, but the fact that many dossiers in the administrations are only available in physical form, ”explains Käch. Customers also increasingly switched to digital channels: "The challenges that Covid-19 brings with it could turn out to be an opportunity for increased acceptance of digital administration over the long term."

    The investment costs for the development of eBau were borne by the canton. There are no initial costs for municipalities that want to work with the digital solution. Operation, data archiving and support are paid for with an annual flat rate. The total costs for the application add up to a total of 50,000 francs per year. This amount is divided among the user communities. If all Aargau municipalities were to use eBau, this would result in a marginal contribution per year and municipality. The first three years of operation (2018-2020) were pre-financed by the canton.

  • "We anticipate a trend towards urban living"

    "We anticipate a trend towards urban living"

    To person
    Stephan Attiger (FDP) has headed the Construction, Transport and Environment Department of the Canton of Aargau since 2013. At the national level, the 54-year-old represents the concerns of the canton as President of the Conference of Construction and Environment Directors (BPUK) and as a board member of the Conference of Energy Directors (ENDK). Born in Baden, he worked for a long time in the management of various Swiss companies before moving into politics. Among other things, he was Mayor of the City of Baden from 2006 to 2013 and Grand Councilor of the Canton of Aargau from 2009 to 2013.

    You are in charge of the Construction, Transport and Environment Department of the Canton of Aargau. How do you have to imagine a typical working day for you?
    In the last few months, my working days have been rather untypical due to covid: I was often in the home office, physical meetings were rare, and official events hardly took place at all. But not every day is the same, and the process depends heavily on the schedule. Basically, early in the morning I discuss the short-term issues and what is to come in the medium and long term with my closest employees. This is followed by meetings at various levels: government council, department, departments, bilateral discussions and meetings with external parties. In between I study files.

    What milestones have you reached in terms of construction so far?
    On the one hand, there are numerous larger and smaller buildings that I was allowed to inaugurate – not only in road construction, but also in the environmental sector, such as flood protection and renaturation projects. The latter also have a direct and positive effect on the residential and location attractiveness. In addition, we have created important foundations for the planning and subsequent implementation of mobility projects. With the last revision of the structure plan and the new cantonal mobility strategy mobilitätAARGAU, we want to coordinate settlement and traffic development. It therefore sets specific spatial accents and differentiated goals per room type for the individual means of transport. This in turn affects civil engineering and building construction. As a canton, we also act as a role model.

    In what way?
    For example, we are promoting more biodiversity and quality of stay in the outdoor spaces of our properties. We are looking for good solutions for how biodiversity issues can be taken into account in new buildings and in the maintenance of existing properties. Climate adaptation measures on buildings and in their surroundings make a contribution to achieving our climate policy goals. Another good example is the new building for the Office for Consumer Protection, in which we want to use wood from the Aargau forests as a sustainable building material.

    What are currently the most important construction projects in building construction?
    A major project currently underway in the area of cantonal real estate is the new construction of the police building in Telliquartier in Aarau. The units of the cantonal police, which are distributed across numerous locations, are to be brought together here. The building permit is already available. At the end of March, the canton also started the consultation process for the new location of a canton school in Fricktal. The hearings on the aforementioned new building for the Office for Consumer Protection and the project to merge the Aargau IT department into one building in Unterentfelden were concluded. All construction measures are implemented according to the principle of sustainability. During planning, special attention is paid to the gray energy bound in the building, and the time for new user requirements is coordinated with the time of repair.

    Aargau has a large number of development areas that could offer space for additional residents. What are the plans here?
    The cantonal structure plan designates 21 residential areas with areas that are predestined for high-quality settlement development. These should make a significant contribution to absorbing the expected population growth over the next 10 to 20 years in suitable, easily accessible locations. The areas should not only support the economical use of the soil with an appropriate density, but also become high-quality and attractive residential locations in the interests of sustainable development. This is the task of the municipalities, which determine the appropriate framework conditions and requirements in the land use planning. The canton supports them in this.

    Area developments often stumble over traffic problems. Are you actively helping to find a solution?
    It is effectively the case that high demands are placed on traffic planning, especially when it comes to site developments. This is because there are many unknowns about future claims. Here, traffic planning must provide a flexible framework in order to be able to react to the various requirements of investors. As far as the canton is concerned, it takes an active part or sets the framework conditions at the interfaces.

    The project to extend the Limmattalbahn from Killwangen-Spreitenbach to Baden is currently making waves. What are your arguments to try to change your mind against the opponents of extra time?
    The reporting in the media unfortunately gives a distorted picture of the general level of acceptance for this project. In the public hearing, the regional planning associations and all municipalities in the perimeter of the new tram route as well as most associations of the Limmattalbahn approved. The specifically proposed lines also received broad approval. We take the public's reservations that emerged from the hearing very seriously. For example, we have added additional variants for the lines. We will examine these and other objected points in more detail until they are determined in the structure plan and weigh them against the other cantonal interests and with the reservations mentioned.

    Urban sprawl is also a problem in Aargau. Did the municipalities make mistakes in spatial development?
    It is important to look to the future. In today's inventory, the potential that can be better used for sustainable development should be recognized. The revision of the Spatial Planning Act of 2013 has shown that the development needs of the next 20 years can be covered with the internal development of the settlement, i.e. the use of the existing reserves. We take the containment of urban sprawl very seriously. The 2015 structure plan finally defines the settlement area. The consumption of crop rotation areas has already fallen sharply.

    How well or badly does the cross-community cooperation in spatial development work?
    The regional planning associations play an important role in this cooperation. You also have to coordinate the municipal land use planning regionally in accordance with the building law. The coordination along the municipal boundaries works.

    What does an optimal use of land resources look like for you?
    The economical use of the soil is a central concern. Building upwards cannot, however, be unrestricted. The quality of the settlement and the townscape must always be taken into account. And in the case of underground structures, care must be taken to ensure that there is enough space left where large trees can be planted and water can seep away. This is crucial for avoiding heat islands in the settlement area and for the groundwater. Climate change poses great challenges for us. Optimal use of soil as a resource, sustainable settlement development and high-quality residential and workplace areas are not mutually exclusive.

    The canton of Aargau is already well positioned when it comes to digitization. What are the future plans in the construction sector?
    The digitization of construction projects with Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a big topic for us. We are currently working on around 20 BIM pilot projects. At the beginning of the year, the first master builder submission was put out to tender as part of a pilot project in the invitation process. Our goal is for BIM to be used as standard for project management in all new projects in the civil engineering department from 2025. Astra and SBB have the same “timetable”.

    Pandemics have had an impact on urban planning before. Will Corona present urban planners with new challenges in the future?
    Our villages and small towns are ideally suited for walking and cycling as places with short distances. This is a very good starting position, even in times of pandemic. In more and more places there is the possibility to work in co-working spaces. In this way, long travel times can be avoided, even if there is little space for home office. Attractive public spaces and easily accessible recreational opportunities are important. These are in great demand, and not just since Corona. I do not believe that this pandemic will completely turn city planning upside down.

    According to an analysis by Wüest & Partner, the canton of Aargau has the highest potential for new living space and development areas alongside Geneva, Vaud and Zurich. What will have changed in Aargau in 10 years?
    According to our forecast, we will get more attractive living space, especially in easily accessible locations, near train stations, in the centers of our villages and cities. Existing buildings are being converted, some of them are being built. We anticipate a trend towards urban living, not least because of the demographic development. More older people are drawn to central locations where they can benefit from services, short distances and cultural offerings. But living in the country will also remain attractive. Many of the around 100,000 single-family houses in Aargau are being renovated and brought up to date in terms of energy or even replaced by new buildings.

  • Canton approves Rai design plan in Bergdietikon

    Canton approves Rai design plan in Bergdietikon

    The design plan submitted by the municipal council for the Rai area in Bergdietikon has been approved by the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment of the Canton of Aargau. This is announced by the municipal council in a message. It contains a look back at the 40-year history of the land of Rai. It began by buying four parcels of land in the Rai area between 1980 and 1990 so as not to leave the potential building land to speculators.

    After the canton's approval, the next step will be to implement the construction project. According to the communal council, the first step is to take measures to stabilize the hillside area. Implenia Immobilien AG has to submit a planning application for the planned work to the municipality of Bergdietikon. The concept developed by Heinrich Jäckli AG and Basler & Hofmann AG suggests slowing down the slope movements by means of deep drainage ditches arranged in the direction in which the slope falls. For the future development and development of the Rai area, subsoil investigations and movement measurements were carried out between 1991 and 2005. It follows from them that the slope movements can be reduced to such an extent that development and development are possible.

    In the years since the municipality acquired the Rai area, the topic of use has repeatedly dominated the political debate, writes municipality clerk Patrick Geissmann in the report on the Rai area. Pius Achermann, mayor from 1994 to 2005, has their say. He is quoted as saying: “The importance of the Rai area achieved a high priority during my tenure. Hardly a council meeting went by without addressing the subject of Rai. Rai became a constant topic. "

    For Paul Meier, mayor from 2006 to 2009, the state of Rai was “a stimulating word during my 16 years on the parish council.” And Gerhart Isler, mayor from 2010 to 2017, is quoted as saying that the subject involved the involvement of Implenia Development AG and specific planning work has been objectified. Ralf Dörig, mayor since 2018, is quoted as saying: "I am of course very pleased that the 40-year history of the country 'Rai' can now be concluded with a legally binding design plan." Solutions have been worked out, but there have also been setbacks. The entire planning has now been successfully completed.

  • BKW renews substations in Oberaargau

    BKW renews substations in Oberaargau

    BKW is renewing its aging substations in the Bernese communities of Huttwil, Niederbipp and Bannwil, the energy service provider informed in a message . The reason given there is the increasing energy demand in Oberaargau. Various companies are planning to expand their capacities here, writes BKW.

    BKW plans to invest around CHF 11 million in the renewal of the three substations. The work will be carried out jointly with the subsidiaries AEK and onyx , as the systems also supply the areas of these subsidiaries, according to the announcement. The areas around Niederbipp, Densingen, Bannwil, Herzogenbuchsee and Huttwil are to be equipped with “state-of-the-art network technology” by 2023, writes BKW.

    The work in Huttwil is about to be completed, the energy service provider continues in the message. Here the 50 kilovolt system was renewed and housed in a new building. Work in Niederbipp has been going on since August last year. The old 16 kilovolt system will be replaced by a more powerful new one. A new 50 kilovolt switchgear is to be installed in Bannwil.