Mobiliar is contributing CHF 450,000 to a climate adaptation and upgrading project in the Breitenrain district of Bern. According to climate measurements by the University of Bern, this neighbourhood is hotter than average. According to a statement by the insurance company, the municipal council has approved a loan of 1.3 million francs for a corresponding redesign of Optingenstrasse. “With Mobiliar’s financial contribution, we can do more on Optingenstrasse than if the city had to finance the project alone,” municipal councillor Marieke Kruit is quoted as saying.
The plan is to plant 20 trees to combat heat accumulation and to unseal street and parking areas so that rainwater can seep away and cool the air through evaporation. To further enhance the neighbourhood, green or marl areas are to be created with bicycle stands or seating. The city is carrying out these climate adaptations as part of the renovation work of the energy supplier Energie Wasser Bern, which is planned for 2024 anyway.
“Our approach to natural hazards is not limited to paying for damage – we are also increasingly involved in prevention,” Thomas Trachsler of Mobiliar is quoted as saying. Belinda Walther Weger, Head of Public Affairs & Sustainability at the insurance company, emphasises that sponge city projects go beyond mere hazard prevention: “They help to ensure that the quality of life in densely populated areas remains high.” For this reason, Mobiliar from the cooperative will participate in further sponge city projects in Swiss cities as part of its support for climate protection projects. “With our commitment, we want to make an important contribution to a sustainable and positive future.”
