immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Bauwesen

  • Conspark and madaster provide training in circular construction management

    Conspark and madaster provide training in circular construction management

    Conspark, a consultancy firm for sustainable construction, and madaster switzerland, a platform for the circular economy in property, are joining forces to transform the construction industry into a circular one. To this end, the two partner companies are offering target group-specific training courses for manufacturers of construction products, architecture and planning offices as well as building owners and the public sector. The first course is aimed at manufacturers of construction products and will be offered for the first time on 16 April. The first courses for architecture and planning offices and building owners and the public sector are scheduled for 16 May and 6 June. After the launch, the three courses will be offered on an ongoing basis.

    “The cooperation between conspark and madaster is a perfect match,” said Florian Robineck, Managing Director and founder of conspark, in a press release issued by his company. “While conspark contributes its expertise in the circular economy, madaster offers the technological tool for implementation.” This interaction is intended to provide participants with practical skills to integrate circularity into practice in their own context.

    For manufacturers of construction products, the course will answer the question of how they can position themselves in the circular economy and utilise this as a market advantage. Architecture and planning offices will receive assistance in integrating circularity into their own designs. Building owners and the public sector, on the other hand, will learn how to create a circular property strategy with which they can increase the attractiveness of their portfolio.

  • Graubünden Building Authority submits planning application for university of applied sciences

    Graubünden Building Authority submits planning application for university of applied sciences

    The Graubünden University of Applied Sciences is to receive a new university of applied sciences centre at the Pulvermühle site in Chur. The cantonal building construction office submitted the digital building application to the city of Chur on 12 March, exactly one year after the project was approved by the Grisons electorate. “By submitting the building application for the university of applied sciences centre, we have taken another important step,” said cantonal architect Andreas Kohne in a government statement.

    The building construction office expects a decision from the city in the course of the summer. Demolition work on the site will begin in spring. The official ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for late autumn 2024. If everything goes as planned, the University of Applied Sciences Centre will start operations in 2028.

    The UAS centre will provide space for 2,000 students and 300 employees. Today, the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden teaches in nine buildings at five locations. A total of 178 million Swiss francs will be invested in the project.

    The new building will be constructed by the Partenaris general planning team under the direction of Zurich-based Giuliani Hönger Architekten, who won the project competition in 2021. Local timber will also be used for the construction. The timber has already been felled in a total of 34 Grisons municipalities and is now being processed in eight sawmills in the canton.

  • Prix SVC Eastern Switzerland 2024 goes to Zindel United

    Prix SVC Eastern Switzerland 2024 goes to Zindel United

    Zindel United from Maienfeld has won this year’s Prix SVC Ostschweiz, the Swiss Venture Club(SVC) announced in a press release. The prize honours innovative companies in the region for outstanding achievements that enable sustainable economic success to be realised. “Zindel United realises its vision – developing complete solutions from ideas for future generations, inspiring people and protecting the environment in the process – in an exemplary and pioneering manner,” said jury president Andrea Fanzun in the press release, quoting from his laudatory speech.

    Zindel United specialises in construction-related services. The family-run company, now in its eighth generation, is committed to the circular economy in the construction industry. To this end, Zindel United relies on local raw materials and, according to the company, “is making a relevant contribution to achieving the 2050 climate targets with Switzerland’s first demonstrably CO2-neutral concrete”.

    Märchenhotel AG from Braunwald GL and Huber Fenster AG from Herisau AR were awarded the silver and bronze medals in the competition. The multi-award-winning Märchenhotel for families with children has developed into one of the largest tourist employers in the canton of Glarus since it was founded in 1977. Huber Fenster AG, now in its fifth generation, specialises in custom-made windows and façade elements that meet the architect’s specifications.

  • Hilti Switzerland develops support system for new KSB building

    Hilti Switzerland develops support system for new KSB building

    According to a press release,Hilti Switzerland has “developed a coordinated, cross-trade fastening technology specifically for the new hospital in collaboration with the Baden Cantonal Hospital(KSB) and the planners, engineers and contractors involved, which all companies were able to work with right from the start”.

    It represents progress in the construction industry and could be used in other highly complex construction projects in the future, which also have to fulfil high technical requirements in terms of earthquake safety and fire protection. “We are not only achieving a technically and economically sophisticated solution, but also the safest and therefore most sustainable one,” says Marco Lüthi, project engineer for hospital construction at the Swiss representative of Hilti AG in Schaan, based in Adliswil.

    The new concept is intended for multi-storey buildings. The pioneering achievement consists of a holistic approach, they say. The joint solution puts an end to a common practice whereby each company designed and installed its own fixings and substructures. The isolated approach had made the processes inefficient.

    Thanks to the multiple bracket developed by Hilti, the heating, plumbing, ventilation, air conditioning and electrical trades were able to work together from the outset. This resulted in 60 per cent fewer fixing points (drill holes) and 50 per cent fewer cuts and items. Prefabrication and the elimination of separate brackets meant that the building services companies needed almost 50 per cent less time for installation. The use of lifting platforms, ladders and scaffolding was also reduced, thus minimising the risk of injury for construction workers. Sustainability has also benefited: In comparison with conventional fastening systems, 50 per cent of CO2 was saved.

    The new KSB building is expected to cost 580 million and is scheduled to go into operation in autumn 2024.

  • Zehnder Group takes over Caladair completely

    Zehnder Group takes over Caladair completely

    Zehnder is buying the French company Caladair International SAS in its entirety. After acquiring 75 per cent in October 2021, the Aargau-based ventilation and radiator expert will now purchase the remaining 25 per cent of the shares, Zehnder announced in a press release. The purchase price and further details of the transaction will not be disclosed.

    Zehnder intends to strengthen its business in the ventilation segment with the complete takeover of Caladair. The Mâcon-based company specialises in energy-efficient ventilation and thermodynamic systems for commercial buildings. Last year, Caladair generated sales of around 15 million euros. This means that the company has developed positively in the two years under the Zehnder umbrella, according to the press release. In the last financial year before the takeover, Caladair generated sales of around 10 million euros.

  • Walo brings flooring to suissetec grischun

    Walo brings flooring to suissetec grischun

    The Dietiker construction company Walo Bertschinger is installing a new floor covering on the construction site of suissetec grischun, the Graubünden trade association, in Chur. According to a Walo message on Facebook, a workshop for apprentices in the heating and plumbing trades is being built there.

    According to this information, 450 square metres of FAMA hardwood flooring will be installed. Walo’s hardwood flooring is characterised by outstanding properties, from thermal insulation and sweat resistance to high mechanical resistance and easy maintenance.

    The flooring is perfect for workshops, production areas, warehouses, laboratories and technical rooms. With purely natural raw materials and no plastic content or artificial colour pigments, the FAMA hardwood flooring is not only ecological, but also extremely practical, according to the Walo press release. The floor covering in the training workshop is warm to the feet, environmentally friendly and non-slip.

    The suissetec grischun website states that suissetec is the leading contractors’ and industry association for the plumbing, building envelope, sanitary, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration sectors. Under its umbrella, it brings together contractors, planning companies, manufacturers and suppliers. One of the main tasks of suissetec grischun is to protect the interests of its members at regional level, for example by commenting on consultations or in direct contact with those responsible. According to the self-description, suissetec grischun also takes on important issues in apprentice training and operates a training centre for prospective professionals in the building technology sector in Chur.

  • HKG remodels traditional Aarau garage

    HKG remodels traditional Aarau garage

    The engineering and consulting firm Herzog Kull Group Holding AG (HKG) is converting the Aarhof Garage in Aarau into a modern office building and will also use it itself, according to a press release. The garage was built in 1950 and will meet modern building standards following the renovation, according to the HKG press release. 45 office workstations are to be created on the ground floor. The project is being realised by HKG together with the Aarau architectural firm Schneider & Schneider. In addition to the offices, there will also be meeting rooms, a break room and a kitchen.

    In its press release, HKG refers to a report in the “Aargauer Zeitung” newspaper, according to which the costs will amount to CHF 3.2 million. Work on the conversion is scheduled to begin in 2024, probably in late summer. The refurbishment, conversions and new buildings on the upper floor should be completed by mid-September 2025.

    According to HKG, three two-and-a-half-room loft flats with high ceilings will be built on the upper floor. As the area around the Traditionsgarage was traditionally a green spot in Aarau, a green space is to be created again in memory of the historic gardens, according to the press release.

    Founded in Aarau in 1978, HKG specialises in innovative building technology ranging from electricity planning to building automation. HKG also specialises in renewable energies such as photovoltaics.

    In addition to its headquarters in Aarau, HKG has offices in Schlieren ZH, Baden, Bern, Chur GR, Crissier VD, Lucerne, Olten SO, Pratteln BL, Rotkreuz ZG, St.Gallen and Vilters SG. HKG employs around 200 permanent staff, including 89 with higher technical qualifications, 65 with technical qualifications, 23 commercial and administrative staff and 23 apprentices.

  • Dormakaba increases profitability

    Dormakaba increases profitability

    Dormakaba generated global sales totalling 1.38 billion Swiss francs in the first half of the 2023/24 financial year, which ended on 31 December 2023. This corresponds to a year-on-year decline of 3.0 per cent, dormakaba announced in a press release. The Rümlang-based locking technology company attributes this to a “significant negative currency effect of 95.2 million Swiss francs”.

    Excluding this effect, organic sales growth amounted to 3.9 per cent, explains dormakaba. The adjusted operating result at EBITDA level increased by 8.7 per cent year-on-year to CHF 200.7 million. The corresponding margin improved by 1.6 percentage points to 14.6 per cent. At 48.5 million francs, however, Group profit in the half-year under review was 5.8 million francs lower than in the same period of the previous year.

    “Our results clearly show how everyone at dormakaba is contributing to the effective implementation of our transformation programme as planned,” said dormakaba CEO Till Reuter in the press release. “The significant increase in our margins shows that the expected positive financial effects are bearing fruit and that we have made progress on our path to sustainable growth and profitability.”

    For the second half of the 2023/24 financial year, dormakaba is sticking to its targets for the year as a whole. The aim is to achieve organic sales growth of between 3 and 5 percent. In terms of profitability, dormakaba is aiming for an improvement in the EBITDA margin compared to the previous year’s 13.5 per cent.

  • Implenia wins orders worth CHF 240 million

    Implenia wins orders worth CHF 240 million

    Implenia has been awarded a total of four new building construction and civil engineering contracts for projects in Switzerland, Germany and Sweden, the construction and property company based in the Glattpark district of Opfikon announced in a press release. The total order volume there is estimated at over 240 million Swiss francs. The new orders are in line with the Group’s “strategic focus on large and complex projects, specialised expertise and sustainability”, writes Implenia.

    Two of the four projects are in Switzerland. Firstly, Implenia will build two further high-performance data centres for Green on the Metro Campus in Dielsdorf near Zurich. The Opfikon-based construction and real estate company has already built the first data centre for the data centre provider in Dielsdorf and is currently constructing the associated office building there.

    The second project in Switzerland concerns a residential complex in the canton of Zurich. Implenia has been commissioned by a pension fund as total contractor. Construction work is due to start in April and is expected to be completed in summer 2027.

    In Germany, Implenia will realise a sustainable commercial building in Karlsruhe on behalf of Naxos Grundbesitz KG. The Midstad Karlsruhe project is scheduled for completion in 2026. The new building is aiming for DGNB Platinum certification and DGNB deconstruction certification.

    The contract in Sweden concerns the planning and construction of a 1.6-kilometre tunnel between Fäboberget and Ersmarksberget. The Esmark Tunnel project includes a service tunnel, various concrete structures, a water and wastewater system and drainage mats. The tunnel is part of the 270 kilometre Norrbotnia railway line.

  • Nüssli celebrates topping-out ceremony for eight-court sports hall

    Nüssli celebrates topping-out ceremony for eight-court sports hall

    Nüssli Schweiz AG, based in the St.GallenBodenseeArea, has celebrated the topping-out ceremony for the first eight-court sports hall built in Europe in the German town of Monheim am Rhein. According to a press release, the topping-out crown was erected on 26 February 2024. Nüssli was awarded the general contract for the construction of the sports centre in November 2022. construction began in 2023 and the building, which has two levels with four gyms each, is due to be handed over to sports operations after the 2024 summer holidays.

    “The pace is impressive. In fact, we are still so close to the schedule for this major construction project, which was ambitious from the outset, that we will probably be able to put the hall into operation as early as October,” Daniel Zimmermann, Mayor of Monheim, is quoted as saying in the press release. “You won’t even be able to tell from the outside that Europe’s largest sports hall is being built here, because we’re also going inside the site for the construction.”

    According to the company, the new sports facility in Monheim will have over 4,400 square metres of pure sports space in the eight halls on the basement and ground floor. Additional gymnastics rooms will be built on the upper floors. Changing rooms, technical facilities and utility rooms will be built on a further 3000 square metres. The individual halls on each floor can also be combined into large halls if required. Retractable grandstands can accommodate 500 spectators in the basement and 100 spectators on the ground floor.

    An innovative steel construction and the use of prefabricated components enabled a short construction time. In addition, the high-quality building materials used – including timber components for 600 wall, ceiling, roof and façade parts – ensure a long service life, according to the press release.

  • Strabag completes renaturalisation of the Reuss

    Strabag completes renaturalisation of the Reuss

    According to a press release, the Schlieren-based construction company Strabag is carrying out a project on behalf of the canton of Uri to renaturalise areas that were separated from access to the river Reuss by dams in the past. A former alluvial forest near Erstfeld is to be revitalised and reconnected with the Reuss through various construction measures. The revitalisation project started in September 2023 and is expected to be completed by the end of April 2024, according to Strabag AG. Up to five specialists will carry out the renaturalisation work with the help of two or three excavators.

    The canton of Uri wants to use the project to improve the diversity and structure of the Reuss and its floodplain habitats. The aim is to include both alternating wet and damp areas as well as drier locations in order to promote a wide range of flora and fauna that is suited to the local conditions. The project also serves to protect against flooding near Erstfeld.

    According to Strabag, the existing dam on the left bank will be moved back and a side channel created behind the floodplain forest in order to allow the remaining floodplain to flood better and thus return it to the natural dynamics of the Reuss. In order to promote targeted flooding areas during flood events within the floodplain area, breakthroughs will be made in the existing dam and targeted ecological bank stabilisation measures will be installed in the side arm as well as flow-directing elements such as a guiding island and sandbanks in the main stream.

    To ensure that the guiding island is not washed away, wooden logs with root plates were installed in the stream bed and covered with boulders and bed load material, according to Strabag.

  • Holcim posts record result

    Holcim posts record result

    Holcim generated sales of 27.01 billion Swiss francs in the 2023 financial year, the globally active Zug-based building materials group announced in a press release. This corresponds to a year-on-year decline of 7.5 percent. On an organic basis, however, growth of 6.1 per cent was achieved.

    Holcim reported a record recurring operating result at EBIT level of 4.76 billion Swiss francs in the year under review. The corresponding margin rose from 16.3 percent to an “industry-leading” 17.6 percent, writes Holcim. At 3.09 billion Swiss francs, net profit before impairments and disposals was 39.3 percent higher than in 2022. “With record results in 2023, Holcim is stronger today than ever before,” said Jan Jenisch, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Holcim, in the press release. “We were able to implement our Strategy 2025 two years earlier than planned.”

    Holcim can also point to successes in terms of sustainability. For example, CO2 emissions in relation to sales were 20 per cent lower in the reporting year than in the previous year. At 8.4 million tonnes, 24 percent more construction and demolition material was recycled than in the previous year. Six Holcim projects for carbon capture, utilisation and storage are now registered for funding from the European Union’s Innovation Fund. In addition, Holcim’s low-emission cement ECOPlanet already accounted for 19 percent of Group-wide cement sales in 2023. In the previous year, the share was still 7 percent. At the same time, the share of low-emission concrete ECOPact in ready-mix concrete sales rose from 13 to 19 percent.

  • Implenia posts record profit

    Implenia posts record profit

    Implenia posted a record profit of 141.8 million Swiss francs in the 2023 financial year, the Opfikon-based real estate company announced in a press release. In the previous year, a profit of 106.0 million Swiss francs was posted. Implenia cites a strong operating performance and the capitalisation of deferred tax assets on loss carryforwards as the reason for the new record figure.

    At CHF 3.60 billion, however, sales were slightly below the previous year’s figure. At CHF 122.6 million, the operating result at EBIT level was CHF 16.3 million lower than in 2022. The corresponding margin fell from 3.9 to 3.4 per cent.

    Implenia attributes the lower operating result to above-average earnings in the Real Estate division in the previous year. In the reporting year, a value adjustment of CHF -4.2 million from Implenia’s investment in Ina Invest also had to be recognised here. The market value of Implenia’s property portfolio rose by CHF 8 million to CHF 149 million compared to the end of 2022.

    Implenia generated growth in operating profit in the other three divisions. EBIT in the Buildings Division increased by CHF 7.4 million to CHF 42.8 million. The Civil Engineering business achieved an operating result of CHF 37.7 million, an increase of CHF 1.9 million. At CHF 7.6 million, EBIT in the Specialities division was CHF 3.2 million better than in 2022. Implenia is aiming for an operating result of around CHF 130 million for the current financial year. The aim is to increase the margin to more than 4.5 per cent in the medium term.

  • Bern University of Applied Sciences reorganizes the Department of Architecture

    Bern University of Applied Sciences reorganizes the Department of Architecture

    According to a press release, Bern University of Applied Sciences(BFH) wants to ensure that sustainable construction becomes a matter of course. To this end, it is giving its Department of Architecture, Wood and Construction a new structure. Five new institutes will focus on a holistic view of the planning and construction industry.

    The Institute for Infrastructure and Environment will operate at regional level. The Institute for Settlement, Architecture and Construction and the Institute for Timber Construction will focus on districts and buildings. Finally, an Institute for Building Materials and Bio-based Materials will be established, as will the Institute for the Digital Construction and Timber Industry.

    These newly founded institutes will be active in education, further education and applied research. “The education and research landscape will play a central role in achieving the global sustainability goals,” said Professor Peter Staub, Director of the Department of Architecture, Wood and Construction at BFH. “We are taking responsibility and consistently focusing on this with a view to future generations.”

    Among other things, BFH is currently researching wood-based materials with mineral binders that can be reused and a more environmentally friendly concrete for geotechnical applications underground. In addition, a team is currently focusing on the question of how brownfield sites can be used in a recyclable way so that this use brings life to the vacant spaces.

  • Guidelines to strengthen the circularity of construction projects

    Guidelines to strengthen the circularity of construction projects

    The Madaster Switzerland association and partners from politics, business and science have developed a guideline that can be used to measure the circularity of construction projects in terms of their material mass, Circular Hub reports in a press release. The knowledge and network platform for circular construction in Switzerland acts as the coordination centre for the project Making circularity measurable. The guide “Making circularity measurable: a Swiss circularity indicator” is primarily aimed at planners of construction projects.

    “This guide marks a historic moment for the construction and property industry in Switzerland,” said Patrick Eberhard, President of the Madaster Switzerland association, in the press release. “For the first time, it offers the possibility of making the circularity of buildings measurable and thus supports the vision of transforming the Swiss building stock into a circular material store.” The guidelines can be used for the planning of new buildings as well as for building renovations. In addition to European standards, the specific conditions of the Swiss construction industry are also taken into account.

    The guidelines provide clients, architects and planning offices with assistance in integrating quantified specifications into the tendering process. At a political level, the guidelines should make it possible to quantify specifications for the circular economy in the construction sector.

    A complete list of the companies and organisations involved in the project can be found in the press release. The guidelines have already undergone initial practical testing in pilot projects. The Madaster platform is being used to calculate circularity and analyse specific property data.

  • Benetics presents strong growth

    Benetics presents strong growth

    Benetics has developed software that can be used to efficiently coordinate work on construction sites. Since entering the market in October 2023, the Zurich-based proptech has recorded strong growth. According to an article on startupticker.ch, 25 companies, mainly from the electrical industry, are already using Benetics’ digital application. Most of these are companies with 10 to 15 employees, while the largest customer has over 100 employees using the software.

    “Our app-based tool hardly needs any time for onboarding, makes construction plans digitally usable and, in addition to other functions, has photo documentation of the work done and an integrated intelligent translation service,” Benetics co-founder and CEO Ferdinand Metzler is quoted as saying in the article. Users can enter texts and voice messages in their native language. They are then automatically translated into the languages used by the other participants.

    Benetics is currently run by 13 people, nine of whom come from the development industry. Many of them, including the two other co-founders Aaron Shon and Johan Tibell, previously worked at Google, according to the article. “With our development team, we are quick to implement customer input,” says Metzler. The company also has extensive expertise in big data and artificial intelligence.

  • Indoor pool renovation in Geroldswil must be rescheduled

    Indoor pool renovation in Geroldswil must be rescheduled

    The construction work at the indoor swimming pool in Geroldswil cannot be realised as planned because the renovation concept could not be implemented on schedule. In order to ensure the safety of pool visitors, the municipal council is now working on a new renovation plan, according to a press release.

    The refurbishment concerns the supporting structure of the indoor pool roof. The original plan was to replace the old support heads with new ones. In the course of this construction measure, the cavity beams were opened up. Corrosion was found to be so severe in some of them that the existing renovation plan could not be realised. The renovation measures are now being re-planned.

    It is currently not clear whether a completely new roof will have to be built. Further clarifications and investigations are needed first. “The municipal council is giving itself the necessary time to consider all eventualities, which could take until the end of March 2024,” it says. Swimming operations in the indoor pool have been suspended since 19 June 2023 due to renovation work.

  • Museum invites you to the Day of the Empty Langmatt

    Museum invites you to the Day of the Empty Langmatt

    The two-year renovation of the Langmatt Museum in Baden begins on 1 March. The museum is inviting the public to visit on Sunday, 25 February, on Empty Langmatt Day. The public can circulate freely with free admission and view all the rooms, including those that were previously not open to the public, according to a press release. The Empty Langmatt Day offers spectacular insights from the cellar to the attic, it continues.

    Director Markus Stegmann and assistant curator Daniela Minneboo will guide visitors on a 40-minute tour of the empty Langmatt at 2 pm, 3 pm, 4 pm and 5 pm. Children aged five and over can go on a 15-minute discovery tour of the house with art and culture mediator Vera Horat at 3 pm, 4 pm and 5 pm.

    For the complete renovation, around 2,500 historical objects and paintings as well as countless everyday items had to be carefully packed and transported to an external storage facility, from Renoir’s famous “plait” to the last coffee spoon. All the rooms had to be emptied, even the historic libraries, curtains and crystal chandeliers had to leave their original places.

    The ground-breaking ceremony for the renovation will take place on Friday, 1 March. Under the direction of Zurich architects Ernst Niklaus Fausch Partner AG, the Langmatt, including the park, will be transformed into a building site. During the two-year renovation, occasional public tours of the construction site and themed workshops for school classes are planned.

    Before all the objects return to the newly renovated Langmatt in spring 2026, a day at the empty “new” Langmatt will give the public the opportunity to compare the differences to the “old” Langmatt, according to the museum’s press release.

  • Griesser protects passive house in Barcelona from the sun

    Griesser protects passive house in Barcelona from the sun

    According to a press release, Griesser, the sun shading manufacturer based in the St.GallenBodenseeArea, has supplied and installed the sun shading solution for an older terraced house in Barcelona that has been converted into a CO2-neutral passive house. The planning and consultancy firm Energiehaus Arquitectos in Barcelona, which specialises in the renovation of energy-efficient buildings, renovated the building to create a completely CO2-neutral property. The building is called “ShowPass“, where “Pass” stands for passive house. According to Griesser, it is the first CO2-neutral building renovated in Barcelona to receive certification from Ecómetro in Madrid and EnerPHit certification from the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt, a standard for the modernisation of old buildings with passive house components.

    For the external solar shading, the Spanish architectural firm opted for Metalunic Sinus slat blinds from Griesser. According to the press release, the Swiss sun shading specialist is thus making a key contribution to the CO2 neutrality of the building.

    Micheel Wassouf, CEO of Energiehaus Arquitectos, is quoted as saying that sun protection is not only a functional benefit but also a creative design tool. The design of the Griesser slat blinds makes a significant contribution to the aesthetics of the building. They harmonise perfectly with the larch wood façade. “Sun protection should be seen as a creative design tool and not as a dry fulfilment of duty,” continues Wassouf.

    Griesser AG, headquartered in Aadorf, produces in its own factories in Switzerland, Austria and France and sells its products in over 20 countries.

  • Sika grows profitably

    Sika grows profitably

    Sika closed the 2023 financial year with record figures for sales, operating free cash flow and adjusted operating profit, the globally active speciality chemicals group for construction and industry announced in a press release. Specifically, sales increased by 7.1 per cent year-on-year to 11.24 billion Swiss francs. Adjusted for one-off acquisition effects, the operating result at EBIT level rose by 12.7 per cent to CHF 1.68 billion. Operating free cash flow improved by 58.7 per cent to CHF 1.37 billion.

    “We are proud of the fact that, in addition to finalising the MBCC acquisition, we also mastered the challenges of a demanding macroeconomic and geopolitical environment well in the past financial year,” Thomas Hasler is quoted as saying in the press release. The Sika CEO also anticipates challenging market conditions for the current year. “However, we are seeing good momentum in all regions for major construction and infrastructure projects that are either in the planning phase or about to be realised.” Hasler expects Sika to benefit here.

    In the year under review, the Group also adopted its new Strategy 2028 entitled Beyond the Expected. According to this strategy, Sika’s innovative strength and market position are to be used to generate profitable annual sales growth of 6 to 9 per cent in local currencies. The strategy, which is based on the pillars of market penetration, innovation & sustainability, acquisitions and people & culture, represents “a balanced combination of financial and non-financial targets”, writes Sika.

  • Spreitenbach presents the winner of the competition for the Boostock footbridge

    Spreitenbach presents the winner of the competition for the Boostock footbridge

    The Boostocksteg in Spreitenbach is part of a comprehensive project for the urban and open space development of the municipality. A competition was organised for the new building, the results of which have now been presented by the municipality. The winning project team was Timbatec Holzbauingenieure Schweiz AG, Atelier Soto Freiraum & Landschaft and Winfried Schneider Produktdesign.

    The Spreitenbach Spatial Development Strategy (RES 2030) emphasises the importance of the Boostocksteg as a connecting element between the historic village centre and the supra-regional Shoppi Tivoli, according to a press release from the municipality. The surrounding high-rise buildings dominate the townscape, while the planned central park is intended to act as a green link between residential areas, the village centre and the shopping centre.

    The new suspension footbridge with pylon will cross Bahnhofstrasse and act as a prelude and gateway to the future park. The planned park will serve as a meeting point and recreational space for the local population and contribute to ecological connectivity, biodiversity and a sustainable water balance, the report continues. The innovative concept of the footbridge aims to offer pedestrians and cyclists a direct and attractive connection through the centre of Spreitenbach.

    The construction of the boardwalk uses wood as the main building material, which not only reduces the carbon footprint, but also contributes to less disruption to the surrounding area during the construction phase due to the speed of assembly.

    The municipal council will now compile the basis for credit approval at the next municipal assembly, according to the press release.

  • Strabag completes model-based construction site

    Strabag completes model-based construction site

    Schlieren-based construction company Strabag has successfully completed its first paperless construction site, according to a press release. The special and civil engineering work for an apartment block in Zurich Oerlikon was carried out on a model-based basis, it added. The first BIM construction site for Strabag Spezialtiefbau has thus been completed. BIM stands for Building Information Modelling.

    According to Strabag, in Zurich Oerlikon a total of six employees from the small and large drilling teams installed 100 tonnes of steel beams and tensioned 1,600 metres of strand anchors in around five months. Rühlwand girders are driven into the ground, vibrated into place or placed in boreholes. For the first time, a foreman from Strabag’s Specialised Civil Engineering department managed the construction site using a tablet and digital plans.

    Near Zurich Oerlikon railway station, Strabag worked with Kuster Rückbau AG from Rümlang ZH to create the excavation pit for 52 rental flats that will be built here in the coming months. One challenge was the varying terrain heights when drilling the holes for the vault wall beams. The 80 beams were installed between 10 and 16 metres deep, according to Strabag’s report on the project.

    “Thanks to the good cooperation within the teams and the efficient construction method, civil engineering and specialised civil engineering handed over the construction site on time, so that building construction was able to start work on schedule. Specialised civil engineering will continue to rely on BIM in the future,” reads the Strabag press release. “The collaboration between the contractors, the site management and the engineers was very cooperative and good,” construction manager Heshuan Kanskane is quoted as saying.

  • MeduSoil secures 5.2 million Swiss francs

    MeduSoil secures 5.2 million Swiss francs

    MeduSoil has raised 5.2 million Swiss francs in a post-seed financing round. According to a press release, this round was supported by existing investors.

    Founded in 2018, the start-up is a pioneer of innovative and sustainable binders for the building materials sector. They are based on biomineralisation. MeduSoil claims to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 55 per cent. At the same time, structural performance is guaranteed without compromise. Applications include earthworks, special foundations and protective measures that increase the resistance of the built environment to natural hazards.

    According to the press release, this financing round represents an important milestone, as MeduSoil has been included in the Technology Fund ‘s portfolio. Dr Dimitrios Terzis, CEO and co-founder of MeduSoil, describes this as “a strong confirmation of our vision and the innovative progress we are making in the field of sustainable construction”.

    The start-up has also received funding from the Innosuisse innovation projects programme. With this programme, the Swiss Innovation Agency supports young companies in the realisation of science-based innovation projects with significant innovation potential before they enter the market.

  • Innosuisse supports smartwindows

    Innosuisse supports smartwindows

    Innosuisse, the Swiss Agency for Innovation Promotion, is supporting smartwindows, a window construction company based in the St.GallenBodenseeArea. According to a press release, the development of the classico vinyl window, which was the first window in Switzerland to be awarded the eco1 certificate and was developed as part of an Innovation Booster, was recognised in particular.

    smartwindows intends to use the new investment to implement its Window 4 Zero Emission programme. If the proportion of recycled window profiles can be increased to 80 percent, CO2 emissions from residential buildings can be reduced by 10,000 tonnes per year. 60,000 tonnes of so-called grey emissions will be prevented and the circular economy established in the Swiss window market, according to the company’s press release.

    The advantages of the certified smartwindows-classico include its high proportion of 70 per cent recycled materials. Furthermore, the raw material is reused up to eight times. The window fulfils the high requirements of ecobau and Minergie-Eco and meets the first priority of ecoBKP and ecoDevis.

  • Holcim takes over roof greening company ZinCo

    Holcim takes over roof greening company ZinCo

    Building materials trader Holcim hasacquired ZinCo, according to a press release. The company specialises in advanced green roof systems. ZinCo is headquartered in Nürtingen, Germany, and has branches worldwide in Europe, Asia and North and South America. With its integrated green roof and solar systems, ZinCo expands Holcim’s approach to specification sales, according to the press release.

    “ZinCo’s expertise in roofing, from urban agriculture to stormwater management and biodiversity, is an excellent complement to Holcim’s existing roofing business and its overall mission to lead the transition to sustainable construction,” Jamie Gentoso, responsible for global solutions and products at Holcim, is quoted as saying.

    ZinCo, which will retain its brand name after the acquisition, has provided sustainable roofing solutions for a variety of projects, including the High Line in New York City and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Athens, Gentoso added.

    With this acquisition, Holcim aims to increase the Solutions and Products division’s share of Group sales to 30 per cent by 2025 and to enter the most attractive segments of the construction industry, from roofing systems to insulation and renovation, according to the company statement.

    Headquartered in Zug, Holcim is one of the world’s largest producers of building materials. The company produces concrete, gravel and cement at 55 locations throughout Switzerland and turns demolition materials into resource-saving products.

  • Neustark achieves triple-digit growth

    Neustark achieves triple-digit growth

    Neustark generated sales totalling USD 10 million in the 2023 financial year, the Bern-based company specialising in the permanent storage of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide Removal, CDR) announced in a press release. This corresponds to year-on-year growth of 250 per cent. “In 2023, we successfully rolled out our innovative technology in Switzerland and abroad,” said Valentin Gutknecht, co-CEO and co-founder of Neustark, in the press release. “We were thus one of the first CDR providers to demonstrate that our business model of permanent CO₂ removal works both commercially and ecologically.”

    Neustark opened its first storage site in Germany in the past financial year. In the current financial year, ClimateTech plans to open a further 20 locations, including in Austria. Neustark currently has 14 capture and storage sites with a total annual capacity of 5,000 tonnes of CO2. This week, the company reached a new milestone, according to the press release: “The 1000th tonne of CO2 has been permanently removed.”

    The company, which was founded in 2019, aims to increase its total capacity to 1 million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030. Neustark is also investing in new technologies to achieve this. The press release mentions the development of mobile plants that can be used more easily by construction material recyclers.

  • Titlis Bergbahnen relies on Schindler

    Titlis Bergbahnen relies on Schindler

    The Titlis is to receive a new railway line, a new observation tower and a new mountain station by 2028. Schindler is involved in the project, the globally active Lucerne-based specialist for lifts, escalators and moving walks announced in a press release. Specifically, Titlis Bergbahnen has commissioned Schindler to supply eight lifts and seven escalators.

    “We took great care to involve local and regional companies from Central Switzerland in the project,” said Norbert Patt, CEO of Titlis Bergbahnen, in the press release. Escalators and lifts were awarded to Schindler. “The experience, many years of collaboration and the offer convinced us.”

    In the press release, the Lucerne-based lift manufacturer emphasises the challenges of a construction site on a mountain. “The experience of our employees in such demanding projects is a decisive factor,” explains Schindler project manager Jonas Wyrsch. It is not only the work that is more difficult due to the weather and altitude. The logistics also have to be considered more carefully, as missing parts or tools have to be brought up the mountain in a time-consuming process. “The planning has to be perfect and every move has to be right,” says Wyrsch.

  • Implenia wins new orders in Switzerland and Germany

    Implenia wins new orders in Switzerland and Germany

    Implenia has acquired new civil engineering and building construction contracts in Switzerland and Germany, the construction and property company based in the Glattpark district of Opfikon announced in a press release. The order volume there is estimated at around 110 million Swiss francs. “The orders are in line with the Group’s strategic focus on large, complex projects,” writes Implenia.

    In Switzerland, Implenia will act as part of a consortium in two civil engineering projects for the Federal Roads Office(FEDRO). The Niesen consortium has been commissioned by FEDRO with the complete renewal of the N06 motorway section between Thun South and Spiez. Implenia holds a 25 per cent stake in ARGE Niesen. ARGE Rose, led by Implenia, has been awarded the contract by FEDRO for the overall renovation of the section of the urban motorway between St.Gallen West and East. Implenia’s share of the two FEDRO civil engineering projects, worth a total of CHF 200 million, amounts to CHF 53 million.

    In Germany, Implenia will realise three building construction projects for clients with whom it already has long-standing customer relationships. The first project involves the refurbishment of two listed properties in Munich. In Ingelheim, Implenia will realise two extended shell buildings for new production facilities for Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma. The third project is the turnkey construction of a new canteen kitchen for the Evangelische Heimstiftung in Neuenstadt am Kocher.

  • Dormakaba launches new key system

    Dormakaba launches new key system

    Dormakaba launches the pextra Q serrated key system. The new system is equipped with various elements to protect keys and lock cylinders, explains the internationally active locking technology company from Glattal in a press release. The market launch of pextra Q is planned for April this year.

    To increase copy protection, the serrated keys are equipped with a patented high-precision undercut in the key profile. The overlapping key profile makes it difficult to pick the lock. An optional active element is also available to prevent the use of illegal key copies. The locking cylinder is protected against drilling by hardened steel components.

    Each key is given its own code and can be assigned to a specific lock or locking system. Pextra Q is designed for use in series locking systems and simple to complex locking systems. The serrated key system can also be combined with electronic systems. For special requirements, dormakaba offers an extensive range of special functions and different cylinder shapes.

  • Swiss market allows Lista Office to grow

    Swiss market allows Lista Office to grow

    The Lista Office Group can look back on a continuation of its six-year positive trend: in the 2023 financial year, the internationally active office outfitter from the St.Gallen-Lake Constance area increased its turnover by around 14 per cent to 137 million Swiss francs, Lista Office announced in a press release. This growth was primarily generated in the Swiss market.

    Lista Office also cites the company’s “strategic orientation” as the reason for this pleasing development. The press release cites customer proximity, holistic support for projects and active consulting in all aspects of new ways of working as its main focus. In its business with customers from the education sector, Lista Office has tapped into new customer segments through diversification.

    Among the highlights of the past financial year, Lista Office highlights the receipt of an innovation award at the Worlddidac Awards 2023. It was awarded to the company for the fusion between its lightweight LO Edge desks and LO Move screens using Click & Meet. The Worlddidac Awards are organised by the Wolfwil SO-based global trade association for the educational resources industry, Worlddidac Association.