immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Bauwesen

  • The groundbreaking ceremony for QUBO has taken place

    The groundbreaking ceremony for QUBO has taken place

    The foundation stone for the QUBO in Sarnen was laid on Monday. The construction work for two interconnected buildings began. On the one hand, Eberli AG is modernizing and expanding its existing headquarters there. On the other hand, the Obwaldner Kantonalbank ( OKB ) is building a new building. Above all, the Startup Pilatus association should find space there. It promotes the settlement of start-ups in Obwalden. Both buildings are to merge into one unit through a central entrance, according to a press release by OKB.

    “The QUBO will create a new, lively workplace in Sarnen,” the CEO of OKB, Bruno Thürig, is quoted as saying. “It creates space for new concepts and ideas in which the digital world of work and New Work can be lived.”

    Accordingly, coworking workplaces, open spaces and various meeting rooms would also be offered in the new building. The OKB itself will set up a room as a creative lab. The room should also be available to external companies.

    The redesign of the office space also enables Eberli AG to “work in a contemporary and efficient manner”, says CEO Alain Grossenbacher. In addition to Eberli AG, the future co-owner of the building, Orfida Treuhand + Revisions AG, and werkunion ag will also settle there. Architekturwerk ag, which is responsible for the architecture of the QUBO, belongs to it.

  • Construction of the InnoQube Swiss has started

    Construction of the InnoQube Swiss has started

    The latest innovation center in the Alpine region is currently being built in Graubünden. The groundbreaking ceremony for the InnoQube Swiss was celebrated on Friday in the Rossboden area of Chur. According to a notification , the project will be fully financed by the Liechtenstein- based ITW group of companies . It specifies the total investment at around CHF 25 million.

    The CEO of the investor and project developer, Dr. Martin Meyer, is convinced that this will create “a place of innovation, inspiration and progress that will become known far beyond the Swiss borders”. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the operating company InnoQube Swiss AG, Franco Quinter, emphasizes that the InnoQube Swiss is viewed as a temporary or permanent “base camp for innovations”. The offer is aimed “specifically at start-ups, spin-offs and companies from research, development and digitization”. “The key issues of health and performance would play a decisive role”.

    Completion is planned for the end of 2023. From 2024 research and work will be carried out in the four-story InnoQube on a total area of 11,200 square meters. It offers flexible office space for around 300 workplaces, various co-working and meeting rooms, an event arena, a restaurant and a daycare center.

  • Schlieren expands planning for Zelgli school complex

    Schlieren expands planning for Zelgli school complex

    The city council of Schlieren has initiated an extended strategic plan for the Zelgli school complex. According to the city council news, the increasing number of students makes new planning necessary. In order to optimally determine the future development of the Zelgli school complex, the city council approved a loan for a feasibility study in July 2019. In April 2020, based on the current figures, two to four additional classrooms, two additional kindergartens and a triple after-school care center were planned. As early as September 2020, the latest figures showed that four new classrooms, two kindergartens and a quadruple day-care center are needed, according to the city council news.

    Structural adjustments are therefore necessary, such as enlarging the teachers’ room or installing additional sanitary facilities. Due to the changed order volume, a loan is now required for strategic planning. The city council has now approved it with 80,000 francs.

    According to the detailed message about the city council resolutions available on the website of the city of Schlieren, the school space requirements are calculated and planned twice a year based on the currently known data. The first order for spatial planning and open space planning with a volume of around 39,000 francs has already been placed with Metron Architektur AG in Brugg AG.

  • Holcim and Volvo develop sustainable dump trucks

    Holcim and Volvo develop sustainable dump trucks

    According to a press release , Holcim and Volvo Autonomous Solutions are working together to test and further develop self-driving “dumpers”, ie dump trucks, that run on battery-powered electric drives. Holcim has chosen its Gabenchopf limestone quarry in Villigen as the location for the joint project with the Swedish company from Gothenburg. The limestone and marl required for cement production in the Holcim cement plant in Siggenthal are grown there. According to Holcim, the plant, which has existed since 1912, is one of the largest cement plants in Switzerland and produces over 900,000 tonnes of cement annually.

    According to the Holcim announcement, the new electric and driverless dumpers mark a groundbreaking step. The world's first, commercially available, CE-certified electric and autonomous transport solution for the quarry and cement industry is being tested.

    The project shows a "sustainable transport solution that is commercially viable and reflects the technological changes in connectivity, automation and electrification," Nils Jaeger, President of Volvo Autonomous Solutions, is quoted as saying. And Simon Kronenberg, CEO of Holcim Switzerland and Italy, sees the joint project as “a further step towards realizing our sustainability goals”. According to the press release, Holcim has been using 100 percent renewable electrical energy at all locations since 2019.

    The tests and the possible use of battery-electric dumpers are part of Holcim's Plant of Tomorrow digitization initiative – the plant of tomorrow, according to the press release. Holcim tests automation technologies, robotics and artificial intelligence throughout the production process.

  • Tisca and Serge Ferrari equip the Swiss pavilion

    Tisca and Serge Ferrari equip the Swiss pavilion

    Visitors to the Swiss pavilion at Expo 2020 will be led into the building via an opulent red carpet. This is a custom-made product from the manufacturer Tisca based in the St.GallenBodenseeArea. The guests are thus welcomed by Switzerland on “Appenzeller lawn”, the company informs in a message . Tisca specializes in carpets, lawn carpets and sports turf. The red carpet, which stretches across the entire forecourt of the Swiss Pavilion, is a special version that was designed for high levels of use at the Expo. The red not only reflects the Swiss flag, it also serves as a visual attraction.

    Serge Ferrari AG from Eglisau, on the other hand, specializes in composite materials and develops products for textile architecture, among other things. The company contributed a facade membrane for the Swiss pavilion, which is based on temporary tent structures by Bedouins. According to the press release, this “gigantic curtain made of textile material” extends over the north and south facades of the pavilion. With its silver shimmer and ruffling, it is not only an eye-catcher. It also shows “what technical textiles from Switzerland can do for contemporary architecture today,” says the company.

    Because the Starnisol Safe One membrane used was launched by Serge Ferrari in 2019 “as the world’s first non-flammable, vapor-permeable facade membrane”. According to CEO Niklaus Zemp, tragic fire incidents have shown how vulnerable high-rise buildings can be. The company took this as an opportunity to “use a large part of our resources for R&D in order to develop a facade membrane that not only carries the high weather protection functions of Stamisol membranes”. In addition, it would also protect against a further spread of the fire. “The result was a specially developed glass fiber fabric with a special elastomer coating that is also open to diffusion,” says Zemp.

  • International School Rheintal is building in Buchs

    International School Rheintal is building in Buchs

    The International School Rheintal ( ISR ) celebrated the groundbreaking for its new campus in Buchs, according to an article in the “Tagblatt”. Around 150 children between 3 and 18 years from 31 countries who are currently being taught in the international school were also present at the groundbreaking ceremony. The three-story new building next to the current school building, which should be ready for occupancy in 2023, will offer space for up to 300 students.

    The investment costs amount to around 30 million francs, “the project costs will be borne entirely by the Hilti Family Foundation Liechtenstein,” says the article. Michèle Frey-Hilti also took part in the ceremony, “and promised the young people and their teachers a great school with the most modern technical facilities”.

    The new building represents a “milestone” for the ISR, which started operations in 2002 with 19 students, as Heiner Graf, Chair of the Board of ISR, said at the groundbreaking ceremony. But Buchs also benefits from the competition for locations. “We are happy to have this school in our high-tech region,” said Mayor Daniel Gut.

  • Sika opens a branch in Ghana

    Sika opens a branch in Ghana

    The Sika Group founds a new national company in the West African state of Ghana. This increases the number of branches of the Zug-based building materials group on the African continent to 18, according to a press release .

    So far, Sika has served its customers in Ghana from neighboring countries. In view of the expected economic growth of 4 percent this year as well as the announced government economic stimulus programs, it is now worthwhile for Sika to invest in its own national subsidiary. This allows the company to produce locally, offer direct technical support and contribute to the country's economic growth.

    “Due to the rapid increase in population in the cities and metropolitan regions of Ghana and other African countries, the demand for infrastructure projects is also growing rapidly. We therefore see great potential for Sika in the medium and long term ”, Ivo Schädler, regional manager for the economic area Europe, Middle East and Africa, is quoted in the media release.

  • Holcim achieves record profit

    Holcim achieves record profit

    Holcim was able to grow strongly in the third quarter of the current year, according to a press release . Net sales rose by 12.9 percent to 7.29 billion Swiss francs. Recurring operating profit (EBIT) rose 6.2 percent to 1.53 billion Swiss francs, setting a new record.

    Holcim achieved strong growth in the North America region, for example. There, net sales rose in the third quarter by 27 percent to 2.3 billion francs. In the Middle East and Africa region, net sales rose by 8.5 percent to 653 million Swiss francs. In Latin America it rose by 8.4 percent to 675 million Swiss francs. Net sales in Europe climbed 8.4 percent to 2.15 billion, while those in the Asia-Pacific region rose 4.7 percent to 1.4 billion Swiss francs.

    Holcim assumes that the dynamic growth will continue in all regions. Firestone Building Products, the acquisition closed in late March, has net sales expected to grow double-digit in 2021.

    "The strategic reorganization of our portfolio is gaining momentum, with the divestment of our business in Brazil, the announcement of nine add-on acquisitions so far this year and the expansion of our Firestone GacoFlex range from Mexico to Colombia and Ecuador," said CEO Jan Jenisch in the Quote message.

  • Halter AG realizes the VIVO Aesch project

    Halter AG realizes the VIVO Aesch project

    The Halter AG construction group is teaming up with the UBS Sima real estate fund as an investor and future builder to implement the VIVO Aesch project. According to the press release , the legally binding building permit for a new development with residential, commercial and commercial use at the northern entrance to the municipality of Aesch is available. The 15,188 square meter area was used by the previous landowner Victus Real Estate AG as a material storage and transshipment point.

    The new mixed-use development is to be built by 2024, with around 85 percent of the main area being intended for residential use. According to a press release, after the development phase was completed in July, Halter AG was able to win an investor in Balintra for VIVO Aesch. Balintra AG in Basel is a real estate company owned by the UBS Sima real estate fund.

    The new property owner will transfer the project with an investment volume of around 150 million Swiss francs as builder together with Halter as developer and overall provider into the first construction phase from this autumn.

    According to Halter, the project comprises four building units. The 40 meter high VIVOTower at the motorway turn marks the entrance to the municipality of Aesch. On the lower floors, the tower offers space for commercial use and the TowerCafe. In addition, 36 apartments and 80 rental apartments are planned.

    The VIVOHof is another building with mixed use, with areas for small businesses and 36 rental apartments on the upper floors. The VIVOKamm comprises 57 rental apartments with south-facing terraces as well as a common room with access to the neighborhood square. VIVOQube offers a further 55 rental apartments on six floors, mostly maisonette apartments.

    According to Halter AG, the start of marketing for the commercial space is in spring 2022, and for the apartments in spring 2023. Completion is planned for the third quarter of 2024.

  • Inventx can expand its headquarters in Chur

    Inventx can expand its headquarters in Chur

    Inventx has received the green light to expand its headquarters in Chur, according to a press release . The IT service provider wants to build a new building on the area of the old forestry workshop in the city center. This should offer space for more than 200 employees. In addition, there will be space in the new building for apartments, restaurants, a daycare center and the Chur city archive.

    Inventx has been planning to expand its headquarters for four years. However, the project was delayed due to “objections from the neighborhood”. Ultimately, the complaints landed before the federal court. But she rejected this.

    “We are pleased that the project can now finally be realized and that the fallow area in the city center is revitalized,” says Mayor Urs Marti (FDP) in the press release. “In addition, the project strengthens Chur as a business location in the long term and thus also strengthens the city’s position as an attractive ICT location,” he adds.

  • Halter breaks ground for development in Langnau

    Halter breaks ground for development in Langnau

    The groundbreaking ceremony for a new residential and commercial building was carried out on Wednesday afternoon on the area north of the Ilfiskreisel in Langnau iE. According to the media release , the construction company Halter AG from Schlieren will be realizing the development on behalf of the insurance company Visana Services AG as general contractor. In autumn 2023, Aldi Suisse is to move into its new retail space there, the first Aldi location in the upper Emmental. At the same time, the reference date for the rental apartments and other commercial space in the new building is.

    According to Halter, the overall project provides for a mixed use of a retail space on the ground floor rented to Aldi Suisse, rental apartments and a proportion of commercial and office space for third parties. In addition, there is a public outside space as a central access area to the building on the south side and on the east side an outside space with play and lounge area that can only be used by the tenants. The delivery area for the shop is on the west side and the entrance to the parking garage is on the north side.

    One floor has an Aldi staff room as well as nine rental apartments and a commercial unit. A further 16 rental apartments with their own loggia or terrace are being built on the two floors above. Cellar and technical rooms as well as an underground car park with around 80 parking spaces are planned for the two basement floors.

  • Look to the future of construction technology

    Look to the future of construction technology

    It is a long way from the idea to marketable innovation – especially in the construction industry. There is a gap between technologies that work in the laboratory and the market that demands well-engineered and reliable products. The modular research and innovation building NEST of the Swiss research institutes Empa and Eawag aims to close this gap.

    The NEST (Next Evolution in Sustainable Building Technologies) was opened in 2016 and is located on the Empa campus in Dübendorf. The building consists of a building core with three cantilevered platforms. Temporary, thematically different building modules, so-called units, can be installed on it. In this way, research teams, architectural offices and companies from the construction industry can test and develop materials, technologies, products, energy concepts and usage concepts together at NEST. In the sense of a “living lab”, the installed units are actually used living and working environments.
    The “HiLo” unit is currently under construction on the top platform of NEST. Construction started in summer 2019. The unit is intended to demonstrate the possibilities in lightweight construction. In addition to an innovative roof construction, material-saving lightweight floors and an adaptive solar facade are used. During operation, the building technology is to be continuously optimized with the help of machine learning. The unit will officially open on October 6, 2021.

    The two-story “STEP2” unit is also being planned. Business and research partners implement them together in an open innovation approach. After its completion, which is planned for summer 2022, it will serve as an interdisciplinary innovation workshop and office environment. The unit’s central projects include a spiral staircase in the shape of a human spine, a building envelope that adapts to the external conditions, and a floor ceiling made with 3D printing.

  • ConReal wants to digitize interior design

    ConReal wants to digitize interior design

    ConReal Swiss has set itself the goal of breaking up “the old structures of the construction and real estate industry”, explains the proptech start-up from Winterthur in a press release . “We want to make the construction industry fairer, more transparent and more efficient,” said co-founder and board member Christoph Meili. “We would also like to give small and medium-sized companies access to data and digital tools.”

    In order to achieve this, ConReal relies on the networking of actors in the construction and real estate industry. The young company itself offers digital and analog services in the real estate sector. ConReal wants to build a comprehensive marketplace in interior design. In a first step, the company’s current marketplace for the bathroom will be repositioned, the company writes. Habitects is to appear under the ConReal brand.

    The transfer will create a digital marketplace for bathroom remodeling, explains ConReal. Homeowners can choose their style there and have an individual concept drawn up with a target price. As a result, a 3D model of the project is created and a craftsman is entrusted with a feasibility study and a final offer. The desired articles can also be ordered via the marketplace.

    ConReal believes that everyone involved could benefit from the combination of traditional handicrafts and physical products with new digital tools. The start-up plans to expand the platform to other categories. The communication mentions the kitchen and flooring.

  • Construction wages will remain stable

    Construction wages will remain stable

    Despite the pandemic burdening construction activity, wages in the construction industry have remained stable this year compared to 2020, the Swiss Master Builders Association ( SBV ) informs in a message . According to her, the construction industry continues to pay “the best wages for craftsmen”. The pay of building cadres is comparable to that of academics in industry.

    According to surveys by the SBV, the current remuneration for foremen and foremen is currently around 7800 francs a month. The rest of the construction personnel have an average of 13 monthly salaries of 5901 francs each. The monthly wage ranges from 4921 francs for an unskilled worker without qualifications or work experience to 6743 francs per month for a foreman.

    The SBV defines education as central to increasing income in construction. The leap from one wage class to the next is associated with a plus of around 500 francs, explains the association. Anyone who moves up from foreman to foreman earns around 1,000 francs more per month. In contrast, wage increases due to years of work were comparatively small due to the “high minimum wages”.

    Around a third of construction site personnel will retire in the next ten years, the communication further explains. The SBV intends to counter the worsening shortage of skilled workers with “individual wage prospects based on targeted training and further education”. To do this, however, the wage system must be converted from general wage increases to performance-related, individual adjustments, says the association.

  • Smino earns 3.1 million francs

    Smino earns 3.1 million francs

    Smino has won over a number of investors with its platform for digital building planning (Building Information Modeling / BIM). The start-up from the St.GallenBodenseeArea has successfully completed a series A financing round and raised CHF 3.1 million, according to a press release .

    Smino is an offer from BBC Systems AG. The platform acts as a data hub for construction projects. This platform is now to be further developed. “The smino team impressed us and our partners with its comprehensive software solution for construction project management”, Manfred Heid is quoted in the message, managing partner of the investor BitStone Capital. “We are very pleased to support the team together with our co-investors as they expand into new markets and develop into a digital project assistant.”

    BitStone Capital led the financing round. Other investors are EquityPitcher Ventures, Swiss Startup Capital, Session VC, Swiss Immo Lab, AXEPT Business Software AG and Conreal. “Smino has managed to generate rapid growth and become a key player in the construction industry,” says Guy Giuffredi from Swiss Startup Capital. “Now the expansion is pending and we are convinced that the excellently positioned team will master this quickly and successfully.”

    This expansion is to be realized first in Switzerland and Europe. In the future, smino also wants to rely on applications with artificial intelligence, as co-founder Sandor Balogh calls it. “The Series A round enables us to expand our market leadership in Switzerland and expand internationally. A further branch will be set up in Germany specifically for the European region. “

  • Partners want to bring hydrogen into the building sector

    Partners want to bring hydrogen into the building sector

    Romande Energie , GreenGT as well as the Nomads Foundation and the Realstone Group are joining forces to use local hydrogen in the energy supply of the real estate sector. As part of a project called Aurora, the French-speaking partners want to develop the necessary solutions.

    Aurora is intended to cover various aspects of the production, distribution and use of hydrogen, according to a communication . The aim is to introduce integrated solutions such as water electrolysis or fuel cells into existing systems such as photovoltaics and battery storage.

    The joint project should take several years. First the modeling, then the installation of the developed systems in several buildings is planned. After that, the developments are to be marketed.

    The Nomads Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation that promotes multidisciplinary collaboration. GreenGT is active in hydrogen technology and also offers advice. The Realstone Group is a specialist in collective real estate investments. Romande Energie is an energy supplier that relies on renewable energies.

  • Megura gives Birchmeier Group a new look

    Megura gives Birchmeier Group a new look

    The Baden-based communications and advertising agency Megura has revised the Birchmeier Group’s public presentation. According to a media release, the new appearance under the motto Birchmeier enthusiastic is intended to clearly show the company’s development from the small construction company founded in 1940 to today’s large group with over 600 employees. The current range of services includes more than pure construction work. Birchmeier has developed from a pure construction company to a broad-based specialist within the construction world.

    This development should also be made visible and noticeable in the appearance of the brand, according to the announcement. Logo, design, photo style, imagery, tonality as well as information architecture and user experience on the website were rather down-to-earth. Megura introduced an iconic B in the logo in the so-called refresh of the brand, which enthusiastically depicts Birchmeier’s positioning. The new page captivates with a light and reduced design, direct and simple tonality and an authentic world of images.

    The Birchmeier Group presents itself on the redesigned page as a general contractor who takes full responsibility for the turnkey implementation of a construction project. Architects and specialist planners are integrated in the service contract. The customer has only one contact person.

  • Collabo wins further investors

    Collabo wins further investors

    Kollabo has raised a total of 2.4 million francs in a seed financing round, the Zurich start-up informs in a message on startupticker.ch. In addition to the already existing lead investor Wingman Ventures, Kollabo was also able to win PropTech1 Ventures from Berlin as well as other well-known business angels as investors. Roland Brack, Christian Wenger and Stéphane Pictet are named in the communication.

    Kollabo intends to use the established funds to expand the company’s own job platform for temporary work in the construction industry. Craftsmen can create their own profile at Kollabo and have their specialist knowledge certified in an evaluation system. The aim of the young company is to “become the dominant digital ecosystem for qualified craftsmen in the DACH region,” explains Kollabo in an entry on LinkedIn.

    “It is no secret that the shortage of skilled workers is the decisive bottleneck in the timely completion of construction projects”, Anja Rath is quoted in the message on startupticker.ch. The managing partner of PropTech1 Ventures sees the collaboration as “the right solution for this problem”. In addition, Rath points out that Kollabo’s sales are growing threefold every year. “Kollabo’s vision of offering additional products in the future, such as the possibility for craftsmen to book accommodation or insurance for individual orders, also opens up the opportunity for further synergies and growth potential,” says the manager of the young company’s new lead investor.

  • Demand for larger apartments is driving the construction industry

    Demand for larger apartments is driving the construction industry

    The construction industry has proven to be crisis-resistant during the corona pandemic. According to a press release, the economic research and consulting institute BAK Economics expects building construction to grow by 0.4 percent this year. An increase of 0.6 percent is expected for 2022.

    The prospects for construction activity vary between residential construction, commercial construction and infrastructure construction. While residential construction is increasing, commercial and public construction projects are recording slight losses. The demand for larger apartments is growing due to increased home work. In addition, the energetic renovations and the expected turnaround in interest rates are driving growth.

    In contrast, the pandemic-induced decline in the number of public-sector construction projects is having an impact on infrastructure construction. The number of commercial construction projects is also falling, as many companies postpone or stop planned construction projects. Thanks to the current economic upturn, according to BAK Economics, an upturn in both areas can be expected in 2022.

    Positive results in building construction are expected for the years 2023 to 2027. In commercial and infrastructure construction, the medium-term order situation should remain constant.

    There are regional differences in overall construction activity: According to BAK Economics, the regions of Zurich / Aargau, the Lake Geneva region and central Switzerland have the best forecasts. The institute expects the Basel region to stagnate in the medium term.

  • Construction company W. Schmid AG is now called WSG

    Construction company W. Schmid AG is now called WSG

    The construction company W. Schmid AG has carried out a rebranding. The company founded in Glattbrugg by Walter Schmid in 1966 now appears as WSG. According to a message on LinkedIn, this is seen as a milestone for the owner-managed SME. Due to the dynamic change caused by digitization, the business model, competencies and company culture have already been adjusted. Now follow the matching modern dress, it says in the message. In addition to the new WSG logo, the generously designed new logo in light green lettering bears the addition “See what will be.” This is intended to signal the “fresh wind” in the traditional company, according to LinkedIn.

    The development from the original construction company to today’s WSG is described on the company’s website. The company is active in German-speaking Switzerland, with three offices in Glattbrugg, Zug and Basel and employs around 70 people. WSG is active as an innovative real estate developer and is responsible for the construction of more than 10,000 apartments in the past 55 years.

    As a construction company directly at the airport, the airport region around Kloten shaped the orders and customers of W. Schmid AG. Swissair and the hotel chains with their airport hotels are named as regular customers. The company also paid attention to sustainability early on. The first solar facade was built in 1988 and the first apartment building with a Minergie certificate was completed in 1998. In 2016, the world’s first energy self-sufficient apartment building was built by W. Schmid AG.

  • Forster and ConReal Swiss join forces

    Forster and ConReal Swiss join forces

    Forster enters into a strategic partnership with the technology start-up ConReal Swiss AG . For this purpose, the kitchen builder is getting into the start-up company for the digitization of the construction and real estate industry from Winterthur through its investment company e-comm Beteiligungen AG, based in Baar, according to a media release. The companies do not disclose the investment amount.

    The collaboration will initially focus on household appliances. Existing partners from the trade are to be offered new services. In addition, the partnership supports the “ongoing development of the digital marketplace” for interior design.

    “With this partnership, we are able to combine Forster’s competencies and market knowledge with ConReal’s digitization capabilities in order to create a better offer and a unique shopping experience for both tradespeople and end consumers,” said Joachim Wallishauser, Managing Director of e-comm, quoted in the press release.

  • Jaisli-Xamax equips Bern special education school

    Jaisli-Xamax equips Bern special education school

    The Dietiker electrical company Jaisli-Xamax is responsible for the electrical installations for the new building for the special education school in Bern ( HPS). Work began in March and, according to a message on Facebook, should go until January 2023⁠. Jaisli-Xamax therefore provides the following services: high and low voltage installations, building automation and the delivery of switchgear.

    The special education school is a special school for the city and region of Bern. The building of HPS correspond according to the communication of Jaisli-Xamax not today's operational requirements are age-related need of renovation and can werden.⁠ spatially and structurally developed Therefore, arises new school with a gymnasium on a vacant lot on the grounds of elementary schools Bümpliz and Lieutenants.

  • Holcim wants to reduce marine litter

    Holcim wants to reduce marine litter

    Holcim , the subsidiary Geocycle and the German Society for International Cooperation ( GIZ ) want to jointly advance the circular economy in order to reduce pollution of the oceans. For this purpose they have entered into a partnership.

    According to a press release from Holcim, this strategic alliance focuses on reducing plastic and marine litter in India, Mexico, Morocco and the Philippines. Waste management is to be improved in the coastal communities there. It is also planned to set up equipment for material recovery. In addition, the partners want to start awareness campaigns and involve the tourism and hotel industries.

    The participating municipalities are to be involved in the collection of large quantities of plastics for recycling or co-recycling for energy generation. This should give employees access to the legal labor market, better wages and social protection benefits.

    Holcim already worked with GIZ and the Northwestern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences last year. At that time, the organizations jointly revised the guidelines for recycling waste in cement production. In the waste and cement industry, they are considered a reference document for safe and environmentally sound waste management.

  • Holcim sells stores in Brazil

    Holcim sells stores in Brazil

    Holcim is selling its businesses in Brazil. As announced by the company, the company is valued at $ 1.025 billion. It comprises five cement plants, four grinding plants, six plants for aggregates and 19 ready-mixed concrete plants. The buyer is the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional. "This sale is a further step in our transformation into the world's leading provider of innovative and sustainable building solutions," Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch is quoted as saying. "It gives us the flexibility to invest in attractive growth opportunities."

    With this sale, the company's balance sheet will be strengthened and the level of indebtedness will be significantly reduced, according to Holcim. It took place as part of an optimization of the portfolio. The proceeds will be used for investments in the Solutions & Products division. This builds on the acquisition of Firestone Building Products , an American manufacturer of flat roof systems, at the beginning of January. This transaction was valued at $ 3.4 billion. As a first step, Holcim introduced the Firestone GacoFlex line for waterproofing roofs in Mexico.

    Despite the sale of the Brazilian business, Latin America remains a key strategic growth region for Holcim. The group recently invested in an additional clinker plant in Malagueño, Argentina, and in a new grinding plant in Yucatán, Mexico. In addition, the expansion of the company's own retail network in Disensa is ongoing.

  • Implenia sells building construction business in Austria

    Implenia sells building construction business in Austria

    Implenia intends to sell its building construction business in Austria to Zech Bau Austria GmbH , the construction and real estate company from Dietlikon informs in a message . The sale should be completed by the end of October. The two partners have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

    "We are pleased to have found a strategically suitable owner for our building construction activities in Zech Group, who will implement a sustainable growth strategy together with our employees in Austria," explains Jens Vollmar, Head of the Buildings Division at Implenia, in the press release. Implenia intends to take responsibility for completing projects that are already under construction.

    The sale of the building construction business in Austria is part of Implenia's strategy of concentrating on the company's core portfolio. The group wants to "focus on integrated construction and real estate services in Switzerland and Germany as well as tunnel construction and related infrastructure projects in other markets", it says in the announcement. At the end of 2020, Implenia had already sold Tüchler Aufbau GmbH in Austria. The company for interior and dry construction was taken over by HK-A Aufbau Holding GmbH.

  • SUPSI starts a series of lectures on climate and environmental crises

    SUPSI starts a series of lectures on climate and environmental crises

    The Department of Environment, Building and Design of SUPSI starts its high-profile public lecture series on the climate and environmental crisis on September 22nd. According to a press release, this reflects “the challenges facing our entire knowledge”. It is entitled “Earth Emergency – Live, Build, Think a Sustainable Future”. A total of four events are planned in this context on the SUPSI campus in Mendrisio. They are not only aimed at students, but also for all citizens. Participation is free in each case, but registrations are required.

    Thomas Stocker from the University of Bern will play the first evening. In its announcement, SUPSI introduces him as “one of the most important protagonists of international climate research”. The professor for climate and environmental physics has been working on the climate for 30 years and was instrumental in drafting the UN reports on climate change. On September 22nd at 6:30 pm he will give a lecture entitled “Climate Crisis – Is There a Vaccine?”.

    On October 27, the geophysicist and former President of the Roman Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology , Domenico Giardini, will give a lecture on the subject of “On the way to Mars”. On December 9th, Telmo Pievani, Professor of the First Chair in Italy for Philosophy of Biological Sciences at the Faculty of Biology at the University of Padua, will give a lecture entitled “We are changing the world and the world is changing: An evolutionary look at the environmental crisis”.

    Finally, Francesca Bria, President of the National Innovation Fund of Italy and Honorary Professor at the Institute for Innovation and Public Affairs at London’s Global University , will speak on February 23, 2022 on “The Revolution of the City: Data Democracy, Participation and Ecological Change”.

  • The foundation stone for the Rieter Campus has been laid

    The foundation stone for the Rieter Campus has been laid

    With its construction project for the Rieter Campus, Rieter is committed to the Winterthur location and to Switzerland as a business location, according to a press release from the textile machine manufacturer. The foundation stone for the new customer and technology center as well as the administration building was laid on Wednesday. The company, which has been based in Winterthur for 225 years, is investing around 80 million francs in this

    From 2024, the Rieter campus is to offer space for around 700 workplaces on a floor area of over 30,000 square meters. To this end, the company developed an open room concept with a specialist in office architecture. With heat generation via geothermal probes and a 1,300 square meter photovoltaic system, Rieter is relying on renewable energies. “The entrepreneurial focus on sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for yarn production is thus reflected in the overall concept of the campus,” CEO Norbert Klapper is quoted as saying.

    In the course of its company history, Rieter has helped shape the city of Winterthur, said Chairman of the Board of Directors Bernhard Jucker. “Now, with the new campus, the foundation is being laid for the future as a leading technology company.”

  • BKW Building Solutions is strengthening itself with takeovers

    BKW Building Solutions is strengthening itself with takeovers

    BKW Building Solutions AG buys Aerovent Crissier SA and Aerovent Service SA. With the takeover, the subsidiary of the BKW Group is expanding its competencies in the areas of ventilation, air conditioning and service in western Switzerland, according to a media release .

    Aerovent Crissier SA is based in Crissier VD. Aerovent Service SA is based in Villars-Ste-Croix VD. With around 40 employees, they work in the fields of building and house technology. The owner of both companies, José del Castillo, as well as co-owner and co-manager Pascal Baudois will remain with the companies.

    “Thanks to their extensive know-how of building technology solutions for smaller conversions through to large administrative, industrial, commercial and school complexes, the two companies have great potential for further development – especially in the service area,” says in the press release.

    In addition to engineering and infrastructure services, BKW Building Solutions is one of three service groups of the energy services company BKW. BKW Building Solutions offers building technology, automation and IT services across the country.

  • Holcim wants to strengthen water resources and biodiversity

    Holcim wants to strengthen water resources and biodiversity

    According to its own statements, Holcim is the first company in the construction industry to commit itself to measurable positive effects on biodiversity and more ecological water management. At the same time, the group wants to bring more nature into the cities.

    According to a press release , Holcim aims to reduce the water intensity in all product lines by 2030. A reduction of 33 percent is to be achieved in the production of cement. It should be 20 percent for aggregates and 15 percent for ready-mixed concrete. The building materials company promises to replenish fresh water in water-endangered areas by 2030: 75 percent of the locations should be “water-positive” by then. In addition, Holcim intends to equip 100 percent of all locations with water recycling systems during the same period.

    Holcim also wants to achieve measurable positive effects on biodiversity. The group wants to orient itself on the reporting system for biodiversity indicators (Biodiversity Indicator and Reporting System, BIRS ) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN . Rehabilitation plans should be available for all quarries by around 2022. The BIRS principles for all cultivated areas should be fulfilled by 2024. In addition, the use of solutions such as the water-permeable Holcim concrete Hydromedia and green roof systems for more livable cities is to be accelerated.

    Eva Zabey, Executive Director at Business for Nature , praises Holcim for these ambitious goals. They could “lead to scalable changes both in the building materials sector and in industry as a whole.” All ecosystems and societies are dependent on such measures and obligations from companies.

  • Managing Director Audergon leaves arv Baustoffrecycling

    Managing Director Audergon leaves arv Baustoffrecycling

    After five years at the helm of the arv building materials recycling association, Laurent Audergon is leaving. He wants to face a new professional challenge, it says in a letter from association president Adrian Amstutz and the two vice presidents Stefan Eberhard and Laurent Steidle to all members and partners of the association arv Baustoffrecycling Schweiz.

    The board of directors agreed on an immediate end of work with Audergon. However, the departing managing director is available to arv for an orderly handover, according to the letter. The association is therefore looking for a new managing director.

    In the meantime, the deputy managing director Gregor Schguanin will take over the management of the association with the support of the board. He has extensive and longstanding expertise in the areas of inspectorate and environmental protection as well as in-depth experience in project and team management. Schguanin studied cultural engineering and surveying at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) and is a graduate engineer and certified consultant for organizational development.

    Audergon is a graduate chemist and civil engineer at the ETH. In his five years as managing director he had a decisive influence on the repositioning and continuous development of arv, the presidents state in their letter. He led the association with great commitment.

    The association arv Baustoffrecycling Schweiz is based in Schlieren.