immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: immobilien

  • 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.

  • Smaller rental apartments save resources

    Smaller rental apartments save resources

    According to a press release , three scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ) have tried to find out what is behind the ever increasing space requirements of tenants. The background to this is that residential construction is not only the second largest source of energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Switzerland, right after traffic.

    The researchers at the Laboratory on Human-Environment Relations in Urban Systems ( HERUS ) at EPFL have therefore launched a survey among tenants. In Switzerland they make up 60 percent of the apartment occupancy. The responses from 968 tenants showed, among other things, that 40 percent of them moved into a larger apartment, although their household size had decreased. Only 25 percent would be willing to downsize under the same circumstances.

    The researchers summarized the following main obstacles to downsizing: the large living space serves as a status symbol, the bond with the current apartment and the neighborhood as well as the fear of loss of privacy.

    They propose several solutions: financial incentives to move and a sufficient supply of small apartments in city centers. In addition, there should be apartments of different sizes in the same building so that tenants can move without losing contact with friends and neighbors.

    They also recommend giving tenants who want to downsize, priority over other potential tenants. In addition, the current approach to privacy in the entire building should be reconsidered, says Anna Pagani from HERUS, for example "by providing workshops and music rooms that can be used by tenants".

  • Fewer apartments are empty

    Fewer apartments are empty

    As of June 1, 2021, Switzerland had a total of 71,365 vacant apartments, including single-family houses, according to the Federal Statistical Office ( FSO ) in a message . Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to a decrease of 9.5 percent. The corresponding vacancy rate fell in the same period by 0.18 percentage points to 1.54 percent. It fell for the first time in twelve years, according to the announcement.

    The FSO analysts observed a decline in vacant apartments in six of the seven major regions. Only in the greater Ticino area did the vacancy rate rise by 0.12 percentage points to 2.83 percent. Within the cantons, the analysts found the lowest vacancy rates in Zug (0.34 percent), Geneva (0.51 percent) and Zurich (0.72 percent). The highest vacancy rates were observed in the cantons of Solothurn (3.15 percent), Ticino (2.83 percent) and Appenzell Innerrhoden (2.59 percent).

    The analysts have noted a particularly high decline in vacancies for new apartments and single-family homes. As of the reporting date, 7,066 vacant properties were offered for long-term rent or for sale across Switzerland, 24.2 percent fewer than in the previous year. The number of vacant single-family houses offered for long-term rent or purchase decreased by 18.8 percent to 5940 properties in the same period.

  • Regional 2025 celebrates halftime

    Regional 2025 celebrates halftime

    The Regionale 2025 celebrated its fifth anniversary with a celebration on the banks of the Limmat in Neuenhof AG. According to the announcement, the Regionale 2025 association was founded in 2015 and is supported by 16 Limmattal municipalities and cities as well as the cantons of Aargau and Zurich. It is intended to strengthen the identity of the Limmat Valley. To this end, 29 different projects are to be implemented by 2025.

    More than 100 invited guests took part in the celebration with an aperitif and a musical performance from the water. The focus of the celebration on September 9, the fifth anniversary of the association's start-up, was the exchange of all those involved across borders. For the previous president Brigitta Johner it was a farewell. She resigns from office after six years. "For a livable and lovable Limmat valley" was the motto of the FDP politician, it says in the message. The former canton councilor was bid farewell with speeches of thanks by Roland Kuster, Wettinger mayor and former vice-president of the Regionale 2025, the managing director Peter Wolf, the mayor of the host community, Martin Uebelhart, as well as two digital greetings from the two cantons. They came from government councilors Markus Dieth (Aargau) and Martin Neukom (Zurich).

    Halfway through, the next five years were also looked at. First there will be an interim show from May to October 2022. The projects nominated for the final project show will be presented there. Further projects will then be completed by 2025. The conclusion of the work of the Regionale 2025 culminates in a large project show at which all projects and processes in the region are presented to the public.

  • 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.

  • Hofer municipal management expands board of directors

    Hofer municipal management expands board of directors

    Hofer Kommunalmanagement AG in Riniken presents three new board members. According to a press release , Otto Müller, mayor of Dietikon until 2018, the former CVP National Councilor Melchior Ehrler and the Limmattal network manager Jürg Hässig are new members of the board of directors. Bruno Hofer, founder of the agency for location promotion, which has also been active in the Limmattal since 2007, becomes Chairman of the Board of Directors.

    Hofer is setting a new focus in location development advice, according to the press release. For this purpose, the newly developed method for community management, the systemic community management SysKom, which is now under trademark protection, is being marketed throughout Switzerland. A market analysis has shown that the need for location promotion in Swiss municipalities exists and is growing, Hofer is quoted as saying: "The competition between locations virtually forces us to carry out impact-oriented location promotion."

    The methodological approach created by Hofer and his employees in Riniken is described in the media release as a handy method that is intended to help cities, municipalities and regions to experience an upgrade for their location in a simple process, which can also be reflected in rankings. According to Hofer municipal management, the method comprises eight steps from determining the location to spatial planning and location communication. According to the announcement, the end point is location marketing.

  • Real estate platform immo-invest.ch now online in four languages

    Real estate platform immo-invest.ch now online in four languages

    The Swiss platform for locations and real estate www.immo-invest.ch has been online since April 2020. Since this Monday you can also read all Immo-News and Immo-Projects in English, French and Italian. The digitization of the established real estate magazine “immo! Nvest” is now entering the next phase. Click your way through.

  • Major merger of Homegate, Ricardo, anibis.ch and Scout24

    Major merger of Homegate, Ricardo, anibis.ch and Scout24

    With the merger of the marketplaces, a monopoly arises in the categories of real estate, cars and classified ads. It’s going to be tight, very tight for the competition.

    The TX Group, the Ringier Verlag as well as the insurance company Mobiliar and General Atlantic, which supports the group with its international expertise in the field of digital marketplaces, are entering into a web joint venture.

    There is a lot involved in real estate. Because homegate.ch owns the marketplaces home.ch , alle-immobilien.ch ,immostreet.ch and now acheter-louer.ch . The immoscout24.ch network includes comparis.ch, HEV Switzerland, Zentralhome.ch, NZZdomizil.ch, osthome.ch and many more. The offer will certainly also be placed on the newspaper portals of various national newspapers. This is how you create a competitive Swiss marketplace offering and can act as a pioneer in the Swiss market. As a spokeswoman for TX announced, all 1000 jobs will remain.

    The TX-Group now holds 31 percent of the shares, Ringier and Mobiliar 29.5 each, and General Atlantic 10 percent. The four shareholders each have 25 percent of the voting rights and are pursuing the medium-term goal of an IPO.

    The CEO is to be Scout24 CEO Gilles Despas, the board of directors is to consist of Mobiliar boss Michèle Rodoni, Pietro Suppino, Mark Walder and Jörn Nikolay.

  • 7. Real Estate Summit at Samsung Hall

    7. Real Estate Summit at Samsung Hall

    At the beginning, FRZ President André Ingold gave an overview of the organization. The network continues to grow: 730 members are now part of the FRZ Zurich Airport Region – Business Network & Location Development.

    Ingold also gave an overview of the largest development projects. It is forecast that the airport region will grow by 20 percent in terms of both population and jobs by 2030. He specifically mentions the Dübendorf Innovation Park, which is intended to increase the attractiveness of the location considerably. The same applies to the Digital Health Center Bülach.

    There were numerous opportunities for small talk and informal discussions in the spacious rooms. The 320 targeted “meet & match” discussions with Internet support were actively used.

    Claudio Saputelli , UBS Switzerland AG, said he did not see a turnaround in the real estate market. In the lecture entitled: “Home office as a game changer in the real estate market?” The upward trend in prices on the housing market continues and the office market remains under pressure. Incidentally, working from home had already been identified as a megatrend 50 years ago, at that time under the term “teleworking”.

    Patrick Eberhard , Eberhard Enterprises, pleaded for sustainability in the lecture “Off to the circular age”. An important element of this is recycling with the help of robots.

    Marloes Fischer , Madaster Services AG, CEO Madaster Switzerland – “Madaster – giving materials an identity” sees considerable savings potential if the materials used in construction are inventoried.

    Marc Walder , CEO Ringier AG & Founder digitalswitzerland, spoke about digitization as an opportunity for business and society. The media company, founded in 1833, decided in 2007 to transform itself into a digital company. In the meantime, Ringier has invested over two billion francs in the digital transformation and increased the digital operating profit from 0 to 65 percent. His maxims include: Constantly improving, thinking long-term and with a clear focus.

    “Creativity is the new currency – Startup and Corporate / SME Collaboration”. That was the title of Eva Wimmers , CEO ISS Facility Services Germany. She pointed out the different perspectives of startups and established companies. The environment brought her to the denominator VUCA: Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. Anders Indset, economic philosopher, spoke about «The infected thinking – why we have to free ourselves from our old self-evident things». He amazed the guests with remarkable thoughts: Err dich happily. We need chaos and order. The art of being wrong. We should tell new stories. Anyone who is interested becomes interesting.

  • Fundamenta Real Estate is growing at double digits

    Fundamenta Real Estate is growing at double digits

    According to a statement from Fundamenta Real Estate AG , the Zug-based real estate company generated net rental income totaling 17.9 million francs in the first half of 2021. In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 10.6 percent. The communication cites the completion of projects and the purchase of new properties as growth drivers. In addition, the company was able to reduce its vacancy rate year-on-year by 0.8 percentage points to 2.7 percent.

    The net profit in the reporting semester was 12.0 million francs, 36.7 percent more than in the first half of 2020. "The strong profit growth" is mainly due to the good operational development and a revaluation success of 5.3 million francs, writes Fundamenta Real estate. The company also points to a “disproportionate increase in operating expenses”.

    The balance sheet value of Fundamenta Real Estate's real estate portfolio exceeded the billion mark for the first time on June 30, 2021. Compared to the end of 2020, the value increased from CHF 991.9 million to a good CHF 1.06 billion. The company acquired three properties in the reporting semester and transferred two projects to the portfolio after completion. As of the reporting date, the portfolio comprised a total of 66 existing properties and two development projects. In July, Fundamenta Real Estate acquired another residential property with 13 residential units in Richterswil ZH.

  • open2work receives award from the travel industry

    open2work receives award from the travel industry

    The travel industry regularly honors the most interesting start-ups. Four young Swiss companies presented themselves at the fourth Travel Start-up Night organized by the Association of Internet Travel Sales (VIR) and the Travel Industry Club. According to a VIR announcement, open2work was able to convince the analog and digital participants. The Zurich start-up will be able to present itself to representatives of the travel industry in German-speaking countries in Frankfurt in December.

    The open2work platform enables companies with surplus office space to offer these interested parties for hourly or daily use. According to co-founder and CEO Lionel Ebener, the company, which was founded in 2020, already has 27 locations in Switzerland. There is also interest on the demand side. The platform recorded 30 bookings in the first week of September. "Our customers can now see that we are something special."

    The start-up is now looking for funding in the mid six-figure range. “We want to build a professional infrastructure and now make all steps scalable,” says Ebener. open2work wants to become the Airbnb for offices.

  • The renovation of the Baden district building is about to be completed

    The renovation of the Baden district building is about to be completed

    The district building in Baden has been refurbished since March with ongoing operations. According to the media release, all natural stone and artificial stone components are being restored and the facade base plaster partially replaced. The construction work will be completed in October 2021. Under the project management of the real estate department of the city of Baden as the client, the work is strictly based on the historical model. The construction project is being accompanied by Heiko Dobler, building consultant for the cantonal monument preservation department.

    The model for the renovation of the former schoolhouse, which was built in 1856/57, is the facade of the renovated Ochsen branch in the spa district. In the course of the renovation work, the existing plastic-contaminated plaster was completely milled off and a new lime plaster was applied based on the historical model. The facade was then given a new coat of paint and all 108 wooden windows were replaced. Both the planned construction time and the budget can presumably be adhered to, according to the statement from the city of Baden.

    During the renovation work, two special factors had to be taken into account. On the one hand, there are nesting sites for the protected swifts and alpine swifts. The upper part of the scaffolding was designed accordingly by mid-April. "This meant that suitable nesting sites were available to the birds returning from the south in good time," the city councilor in charge Philippe Ramseier is quoted as saying.

    Furthermore, special security requirements of the canton police and the district prison as tenants of the district building had to be met. For example, a three-meter-high board wall and a barbed wire at the end were installed.

  • Swissolar wants more sun in standard electricity

    Swissolar wants more sun in standard electricity

    Around 5 percent of annual electricity consumption in Switzerland is currently covered by domestically produced solar electricity, explains Swissolar in a press release . In the standard electricity products of the energy suppliers, however, the proportion of solar electricity is only 1.85 percent on average. The Association of the Swiss Solar Energy Industry is working together with the power comparison service myNewEnergy to increase the solar proportion of standard products to this 5 percent in a first step.

    “This value should be increased annually by at least the amount of additional construction in question,” Swissolar managing director David Stickelberger is quoted in the announcement. “Around 1 percent would correspond to the necessary expansion of photovoltaic systems.”

    The majority of households do not choose a special electricity product and therefore receive the standard offer from the respective energy supplier, explains Swissolar in the press release. If the proportion of solar power in the standard product is increased to the proportion of power consumption, the comparatively expensive power is divided among a large number of consumers, argues Swissolar. This keeps the product price low and opens up new sales markets for providers of solar power who have been “sitting on their clean electricity” up to now.

    “It is important that these certificates come exclusively from Swiss solar systems, because only such certificates make an effective contribution to a safe and clean power supply in our country,” explains Stickelberger. “To replace the nuclear power plant alone, we need 20 terawatt hours of solar power.”

  • Verena Rohrer will head Aargau Services

    Verena Rohrer will head Aargau Services

    The Aargau government council has appointed Verena Rohrer as the new head of the cantonal location promotion agency Aargau Services . She is the successor to Annelise Alig Anderhalden, who accepted a new challenge in the spring. Rohrer will take up her new position on January 1, 2022.

    According to a statement from the government council, Rohrer is very well anchored in the canton of Aargau. From 2011 to 2017 she was in charge of the regional Brugg Regio location promotion. In addition, the 40-year-old also has several years of experience in the private sector. For example, she is a member of the executive board of the wholesaler Bio Partner Switzerland based in Seon AG. Rohrer has been Head of Central Services at Caritas Aargau since 2019.

    “Due to her knowledge of location promotion, her networking in the canton and her professional experience, Verena Rohrer has the best prerequisites to decisively further develop the location promotion of the canton of Aargau together with the experienced employees of Aargau Services,” said government councilor Dieter Egli (SP), head of the department Economics and Home Affairs, quoted in the communication.

    The Aargau Services location promotion contributes to the continuous improvement of the business environment in Aargau. It also supports foreign companies wishing to settle in the canton. As part of the implementation of the new cantonal development model, Aargau Services will, according to its own information, also take on important tasks. The development model envisages further strengthening the business location and linking living and working in the canton more closely.

  • 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.”

  • ImmoScout24 reports record price for condominiums

    ImmoScout24 reports record price for condominiums

    The prices for condominiums in Switzerland rose by 1.8 percent in August compared to the previous month. The prices for single-family houses have risen by only 0.1 percent. This is shown by the current Swiss Real Estate Offer Index , which is collected by ImmoScout24 in cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI AG.

    The market for condominiums is becoming more and more expensive , according to the press release. At the end of August, 7916 francs were charged per square meter, 1.8 percent more than a month earlier. A typical apartment with 100 square meters is advertised for an average of around 790,000 francs in Switzerland. That is a new record.

    The prices for single-family houses rose by only 0.1 percent in August, but according to ImmoScout24 they are “at a dizzying height”. The square meter price is 7048 francs. For a typical Swiss single-family home with around 160 square meters of living space, the average asking price is over 1.1 million francs. The prices can be significantly higher in better locations.

    The supply is scarce, the market has dried up. Martin Waeber, COO of Scout24 is quoted as saying that sellers were waiting in view of the rising prices. “Only a strong increase in construction activity or a decline in demand, for example due to rising mortgage interest rates, could reduce the price pressure on the residential property market,” Waeber continued. However, neither is currently foreseeable.

    According to the index, asking prices for rental apartments fell by an average of 0.5 percent in August, with significant regional differences.

  • Residential locations in the countryside are becoming more attractive

    Residential locations in the countryside are becoming more attractive

    Swiss people rarely move. And when they do, in half of all relocations the new place of residence is only five kilometers away from the old one. The average distance is 13 kilometers. This is shown by a representative survey of the house and living situation in Switzerland by Swiss Life .

    As the life insurance group explains in a press release , almost 60 percent of homeowners and 25 percent of tenants have been living in their current home for ten years or more. At the same time, however, for around 30 percent of those surveyed, the desire to live in the countryside or at least with a terrace increased during the pandemic.

    Around two thirds of homeowners have felt more quality of life and more self-determination since buying their own home. 37 percent said that they were completely satisfied with their current living situation, especially those who owned their own home. 15 percent are moderately or not at all satisfied. Most of them lack space or a garden, or they are bothered by noise and environmental pollution.

    Over 60 percent of those who can imagine buying their own home in the next five years expect that this would improve their quality of life. But only 21 percent of them are actively looking for a home of their own.

    Requirements for the ideal place to live in terms of costs, equipment and security vary depending on the language region. In addition, a garden is central in the country, and there is a connection to local public transport in the city. If this is perceived as good, the willingness of commuters to move decreases.

  • Helbing models room air

    Helbing models room air

    The engineering and consulting company Helbling uses innovative technologies to design ventilation systems for interiors, among other things to increase the air quality at workplaces. Last but not least, the COVID19 pandemic has put the reliable quality of indoor air at the top of the agenda of companies and institutions. According to a specialist article by Helbling, ventilation systems are also becoming more important because more and more buildings are being built according to the energy-saving Minergie standard. Improved thermal insulation and less fresh air supply help to save energy. However, sources of foreign matter such as building materials in the interior also influence the air quality.

    The aim of well-designed ventilation systems is to eliminate gaseous substances such as odors as well as irritating substances and particles such as dust or viruses from the ambient air. This also includes carbon dioxide from human respiration and tiny liquid droplets, so-called aerosols. In the technical article, the authors Reto Wäger and Christian Seiler emphasize that the transport properties of aerosols are used for an efficient analysis. Since aerosols move with the expelled air, the concentration and distribution of carbon dioxide in the room can be measured and analyzed using sensors. If real measured values already flow into the planning phase, for example for workplaces or factories, “a certain air quality at the workplace can be achieved right from the start with targeted measures”, says the article.

    To do this, the company uses flow simulations, for example. They are created using suitable software tools such as Ansys or COMSOL. Typical movement scenarios are also taken into account during planning. In addition, according to Helbling, other innovative systems can be used to optimize the room air, such as UV photocatalysis or plasma cleaning.

  • Mountain cantons insist on imputed rental value

    Mountain cantons insist on imputed rental value

    The intergovernmental conference of the mountain cantons of Uri, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Glarus, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Graubünden, Ticino and Valais (RKGK) is against the Federal Council’s plan to abolish imputed rental value for second homes as well. It would result in a loss of income of around CHF 200 million a year, explains the RKGK in a press release. On the other hand, the RKGK has no objections to the planned abolition of the imputed rental value for main apartments.

    The mountain cantons have already been hit by the Second Home Act of decisive economic effects, writes the RKGK. In contrast to the Federal Council, the mountain cantons see further need for action here. Specifically, provisions are to be changed, “the application of which leads to objectively negative results or leaves insufficient scope for innovative solutions”.

    The RKGK is also calling for improvements to the message passed by the Federal Council on electricity supply with renewable energies. Among other things, the mountain cantons want to have extended the current maximum water rate. With electricity prices rising as a result of climate policy, the electricity companies are still “in a position to pay today’s water rates without any problems,” argues the RKGK.

    Furthermore, the RKGK criticizes the approach to the Postal Organization Act: Here the Federal Council has pushed ahead with a message without waiting for the results of an expert commission it has set up itself. However, the responsible commission in the Council of States has postponed its deliberations until the results have been presented. “Against this background, it cannot be tolerated in any way if Swiss Post continues to dismantle its services in the run-up to the political discussion,” says the RKGK.

  • Betterhomes Switzerland has over 22,000 referrals

    Betterhomes Switzerland has over 22,000 referrals

    In the first ten years of its existence until 2016, Betterhomes Switzerland brokered 10,000 properties. Now the brokerage company from Zurich, which is active in Switzerland, Germany and Austria, has cracked the 22,000 mark in Switzerland, informed Betterhomes in a message. This means that the number of referrals has more than doubled within five years.

    The company attributes this success to its hybrid business model. “When it comes to real estate brokerage, we at Betterhomes have been a pioneer in combining state-of-the-art technology and local expertise,” CEO Cyrill Lanz is quoted in the press release. Specifically, the company uses self-developed software and an interest database as well as access to all relevant real estate portals. This is supplemented by a network of local brokerage firms.

    In addition, Betterhomes does not charge a fixed price, but a success commission. Fixed-price models often contain hidden costs, explains Lanz. “Often, for example, visits are not included in these fixed prices and have to be paid for separately.” In addition, the company boss points out the function of technology as a supporting element. The focus of real estate brokerage by Betterhomes would continue to be “the human factor or sales competence”.

  • SVIT Digital Day 2021

    SVIT Digital Day 2021

    When it was first held in 2020, many interested members of the Swiss Real Estate Association (SVIT) and other visitors flocked to the popular event location on “Europaallee Zurich”. "Digitization has been a major topic in the real estate industry for many years," says Pascal Stutz, CEO of SVIT Zurich. “But a lot of smaller companies find it difficult to deal with the subject. We have been telling our members for a long time that digitization will simply come – regardless of whether they participate or not. " On the one hand there is the digital compass to check the digital fitness of a company. Trying out, watching, but also personal contact is in the foreground at the SVIT Digital Day.

    Meet & Greet
    Also this year, providers, users and interested parties can exchange ideas at the symposium and seek direct contact with various software developers for the digital offerings. The latest software applications for the real estate industry will be presented by around 40 exhibitors. In addition, the “SVIT Digital” commission is launching a “Meet and Greet” for all visitors on this day. Specific digital concerns and questions can be discussed intensively directly with proven professionals on site and other users in order to develop efficient solutions. The practice-oriented specialist presentations are an additional highlight on the “SVIT Digital Day”. And the best part: access to the symposium and the presentations is free for everyone.

    Date: Friday, September 17, 2021
    Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
    Announcement Flyer Location: KOSMOS, Lagerstrasse 104, 8004 Zurich Arrival plan KOSMOS
    Admission is free for visitors.

    Subject presentations 2021
    1 2.00 a.m.
    Global Real Estate Run
    Mario Facchinetti, initiator

    12.00 p.m.
    Global Real Estate Run
    Mario Facchinetti, initiator

    1 p.m.
    Electronic signature in real estate practice
    Dr. Boris Grell, LL.M., lawyer; LAW FIRM GRELL

    Hall plan

    List of exhibitors 2021

    Stand Exhibitors
    number 1
    No. 2 Conreal Swiss AG
    No. 3 Schwyter Digital AG
    No. 4 FLOWFACT Schweiz AG
    No. 5 casavi GmbH
    No. 6 casavi GmbH
    No. 7
    No. 8 onOffice Swiss AG
    No. 9 Flatfox AG
    No. 10 GARAIO REM AG
    No. 11 Huperty AG
    No. 12 SVIT Digital
    No. 13
    No. 14 QualiCasa AG
    No. 15
    No. 16
    No. 17 immo! nvest
    No. 18 CreditTrust
    No. 19
    No. 20 Ormera AG
    No. 21 W&W Immo Informatik AG
    No. 22 WOONIG
    No. 23 WOONIG
    No. 24 goCaution AG
    No. 25 READY DATA
    No. 26 CreditTrust
    No. 27 NeoVac ATA AG
    No. 28 NeoVac ATA AG
    No. 29 Processfux AG
    No. 30
    No. 31 DesignRaum GmbH
    No. 32
    No. 33 Aandarta AG
    No. 34 Aandarta AG
    No. 35 ImmoScout24
    No. 36 eMonitor AG
    No. 37 eMonitor AG
    No. 38 ImmoScout24
    No. 39 immotrailer.ch – immotraffic.ch
  • SUPSI examines air in schools

    SUPSI examines air in schools

    The research project called Quality of Air in School Buildings ( QAES ) aims to find concrete technological solutions to improve air quality in schools. The Institute for Applied Sustainability in the Built Environment of SUPSI is involved, as is the Logistics Section of the Ticino Finance and Economics Department, the Minergie Association and the communities of Bellinzona and Mendrisio. As part of an Interreg project of the European Regional Development Fund , Ticino research, industry and public institutions are working together with South Tyrolean partners.

    According to a press release , the aim of this study is to measure air quality in classrooms and to provide tools to improve it, which reduce pollution. The starting point was a study by the Federal Office of Public Health . Samples in 200 classrooms showed that the limit of 2000 ppm (parts per million) CO2 in the room air was exceeded in two thirds.

    This study showed that the concentration is lower in Minergie-certified buildings with systematic air exchange. During the measurements, cases were also found in which volatile organic and microbial compounds exceeded the safety limit or were very close to it. The recommendations of the study authors range from air monitoring systems in classrooms to the use of air purifiers and the replacement of windows and doors.

    On September 15 and 16, SUPSI is holding a further training course on the subject for specialists from the construction sector. Registration is required for this. There will also be a public conference on the subject on September 16.

  • Swiss Prime Site can look back on a successful half-year

    Swiss Prime Site can look back on a successful half-year

    According to a message from Swiss Prime Site , the Olten real estate company generated income totaling 362.8 million francs in the first half of 2021. Adjusted for the sale of the subsidiary Tertianum, which was completed in February of last year, this corresponds to growth of 6.3 percent, explains Swiss Prime Site. All of the real estate company’s divisions contributed to the “pleasing growth”.

    In the core real estate segment, the pandemic led to a drop in income of 5.5 million francs, the announcement further explains. In contrast, rental income adjusted for Tertianum effects increased by 2.2 percent to CHF 213.4 million. The income from investment management for third parties increased by 56 percent to CHF 7.5 million.

    In the half-year under review, Swiss Prime Site reported operating profit before interest and taxes to be CHF 355.6 million. Excluding revaluations and the Tertianum effects, the result rose by 36.6 percent to CHF 211.0 million, the company writes. The EBIT margin increased year-on-year from 45.3 percent to 58.2 percent. The net profit was 257.1 million francs, compared to 269.7 million francs in the first half of 2020. Without the sales proceeds for Tertianum, however, the profit in the previous semester would have been only 64.4 million francs.

    For the entire current year, Swiss Prime Site expects an increase in rental income and income in the area of services. In terms of services, the company is also striving to improve margins.

  • Federal Council advocates abolishing imputed rental value

    Federal Council advocates abolishing imputed rental value

    The Federal Council is in favor of abolishing the imputed rental value. He recommends Parliament to respond to a corresponding submission by the Commission for Economy and Taxes of the Council of States ( WAK-S ), informs the Federal Council in a communication . At the same time, however, the Federal Council advocates three changes to the bill.

    According to the Council of States commission, the imputed rental value should only be abolished for owner-occupied residential property at the place of residence. In return, expenses and in particular mortgage interest for real estate should no longer be tax-deductible.

    The Federal Council, on the other hand, also wants to abolish the imputed rental value on second properties. Expenses and debt interest should continue to be tax deductible if they are used on real estate used to generate income, such as renting. In addition, the Federal Council proposes that tax incentives for energy-efficient renovations be retained until 2050. In the proposal, this is linked to the CO2 law, which was rejected by the electorate.

    The Swiss Homeowners Association (HEV) agrees with two of the three demands of the Federal Council. He was “delighted” that the Federal Council “confirmed the urgent need for trade to abolish imputed rental value taxation,” writes the umbrella association of homeowners and landlords in a message . Like the Federal Council, the HEV is in favor of partially maintaining the debt interest deduction and linking the promotion of energy-efficient renovation to the 2050 climate target. However, the abolition of the imputed rental value of second properties has already met with strong rejection from the “tourism cantons” in the past, writes the HEV.

  • The federal government wants to strengthen Switzerland as a location for start-ups

    The federal government wants to strengthen Switzerland as a location for start-ups

    In the opinion of the Federal Council, Switzerland as a start-up location is generally well positioned. In some areas, however, there is still room for improvement. The Federal Departments of Economic Affairs, Education and Research and of Justice and Police are now to examine measures on behalf of the Federal Council with which the location could be further strengthened.

    According to a communication , the Federal Council sees potential for improvement in the areas of technology transfer, internationalization, access to skilled workers and financing. He also emphasizes that “numerous states have launched extensive programs to support start-ups in recent years”. He therefore also wants to have the advantages and disadvantages of a Swiss innovation fund examined comprehensively. In particular, it should be made clear to what extent such a fund could expand the risk capital market in Switzerland and thus improve the growth opportunities of innovative companies.

  • Lucerne location defies the pandemic

    Lucerne location defies the pandemic

    The canton of Lucerne was also able to attract new companies in the 2020 pandemic. According to a report by the Lucerne Economic Development Agency, a total of 19 companies have settled in the canton. Eight settlements came from abroad. The five immigrants from Great Britain stand out in particular. The other three foreign companies came from Germany, Poland and Slovakia. Overall, they want to create 329 jobs in the canton in the next three to five years, it is said.

    Even founders were not intimidated by the pandemic. If the whole of Switzerland is taken into account, the number of start-ups even rose to a record level in 2020. In the canton of Lucerne, too, the number of start-ups increased by 11.1 percent compared to the previous year, as the report shows. The Lucerne Economic Development Agency supports you in the initial phase, for example with start-up courses.

    Ivan Buck, Director of the Lucerne Economic Development Agency, speaks of an overall “challenging, but nevertheless successful” year. He is also pleased with the results of a satisfaction survey. This was carried out at over 200 companies as well as cantons and municipalities. Compared to the last survey three years ago, satisfaction could be increased at all levels. "A new record of 175 network partners rounds off this wonderful result," said Buck.

  • Central Switzerland remains an attractive company location

    Central Switzerland remains an attractive company location

    The cantons of central Switzerland also attracted many new companies during the pandemic, according to an article in the “Luzerner Zeitung”. Uri has helped 16 companies set up in the canton. As Stefan Büeler, Head of the Office for Economics and Public Transport at the canton of Uri, explains in the article, he sees the canton on track to be able to achieve a similar number again in 2021. The canton benefits from major projects such as the Altdorf cantonal railway station, the cantonal hospital, the construction of the second Gotthard tube and the tourist development in Andermatt.

    Meanwhile, the canton of Schwyz recorded a record number of start-ups last year. Urs Durrer, head of the office for economy of the canton Schwyz, attributes this in the article to successful settlements. The establishment of the American software company Palantir was a great success. Overall, there are currently more settlement projects to be managed than before the pandemic, said Durrer.

    The canton of Lucerne settled 19 companies last year. The canton of Zug sees itself back at pre-crisis level when it comes to settling in. The canton of Nidwalden did not experience any slump during the pandemic.

    During the pandemic, numerous settlement projects could be prepared, which are now being implemented, as several business promoters emphasize in the article. For example, many international companies had their settlement projects that they had to postpone due to the pandemic implemented in the first half of 2021, says Reto Sidler, media spokesman for the Greater Zurich Area . The location marketing organization and its member cantons – Schwyz, Zug, Uri and six other cantons – were able to relocate 55 companies from abroad last year.

  • Empa proposes a plan for building renovation

    Empa proposes a plan for building renovation

    The Dübendorfer Urban Energy Systems Laboratory of the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) has developed measures to reduce the greenhouse gases of the 1.8 million buildings in the country. The laboratory wants to show what the appropriate steps are and in which order they should be taken, it says in a message . The goal is a decisive reduction in CO2 emissions for heating and cooling in order to achieve Switzerland's net zero target by 2050. If the ecological renovation of the building stock progressed at the current pace, it would take another 100 years, Empa calculates.

    Led by Kristine Orehounig, the researchers used data mining to divide all residential and commercial buildings in Switzerland into over 100 archetypes, depending on the year of construction, heating type, location and number of users. Then all of them were checked for their suitability for photovoltaics and connection to a heating network.

    According to Empa, this sorting work has shown that it is worthwhile to start renovating the roofs and windows of older buildings particularly quickly. This should be followed by the renovation of heating systems in almost all house types. It is important to replace fossil fuels as quickly as possible with photovoltaics on roofs and facades. The research team recommends generating heat using heat pumps and biomass heating. "If the proposed measures are taken," believes Kristine Orehounig, "the greenhouse emissions in Switzerland's existing building stock can be reduced by 60 to 80 percent".

  • 3S Solar Plus inaugurates a new production line

    3S Solar Plus inaugurates a new production line

    3S Solar Plus AG opened a new production line at its location in Thun on August 20th. Several guests from business and politics attended the celebration – among them the Mayor of Thun, Raphael Lanz.

    "With the ultra-modern line we are increasing our capacity and flexibility many times over", Patrick Hofer-Noser, owner and managing director of 3S Solar Plus, is quoted in a media release. The expansion is intended in particular to increase the delivery capability of various products for building-integrated photovoltaics. These are delivered to customers in Switzerland and other European countries.

    3S Solar Plus specializes in the manufacture of building products that generate energy thanks to integrated solar technology. The company separated from the solar company Meyer Burger in 2018. Since then it has more than doubled the number of its employees.

  • Canton of Zurich combats overheating of the settlement area

    Canton of Zurich combats overheating of the settlement area

    The canton of Zurich wants to reduce the heat load in the canton’s settlement areas. To this end, the canton is making a new website called Heat in the settlement area available, informs the canton administration in a message . The site offers an interactive tool with which the current climate situation for any area can be analyzed. The website also has recommendations and specific measures against overheating for any further development of the selected area.

    In addition, examples of climate-adapted settlement development are presented on the new website. 18 possible measures are shown with which the climatic situation in urban planning, buildings and open spaces can be improved.

    The canton also provides a digital application that can be used to examine and visualize measurement data on the air temperature from around 50 locations in the canton, explains the cantonal administration. For this purpose, the application is based on a measuring network operated by the cantonal office for waste, water, energy and air for two years. The digital tool is intended to contribute to a better analysis of heat waves and the effect of urban development measures on heat reduction.