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Tag: Immoinvest

  • Pandemic cuts profits at Zug Estates

    Pandemic cuts profits at Zug Estates

    According to a statement from the Zug Estates Group , the real estate company was able to increase its property income in 2020 by 6.1 percent year-on-year to 57.8 million francs. In the accommodation business, income from the effects of the pandemic was reduced by 57.8 percent to 7.0 million francs. In 2020, income of 72.5 million francs was generated from the sale of properties. In the previous year, 45.6 million francs were posted here.

    In 2020, income would have been offset by 15.6 percent higher expenses of 9.0 million francs year-on-year, writes Zug Estates. As a result, the operating result before depreciation and revaluation fell by CHF 3.8 million to CHF 49.6 million. The reported operating result (EBIT) was CHF 43.7 million, 38.0 percent below the 2019 figure. Consolidated earnings excluding revaluation and special effects fell from CHF 31.4 million to CHF 25.9 million.

    The value of its own portfolio of real estate increased by 1.5 percent to 1.65 billion francs in the year under review, explains Zug Estates. In addition, in 2020 the company was able to renew leases with a total volume of over CHF 2.6 million per year. For the current year, Zug Estates anticipates increasing rental income and lower property costs compared to the year under review.

  • City of Zurich gives its own tenants a subscription for Mobility

    City of Zurich gives its own tenants a subscription for Mobility

    The city of Zurich wants to promote environmentally friendly mobility. To this end, it is now providing the tenants of their apartments with an annual subscription to the Mobility auto parts service free of charge, the city and Mobility write in a joint message . Anyone who lives in one of the 9,200 city apartments and has a category B ticket has been able to take advantage of such an annual subscription since March. Users then only have to pay for the duration or range of use of the Mobility vehicles.

    The city pays Mobility a flat rate of CHF 12,000 for this. The issue has no impact on rents or taxpayers, she writes in her communication.

  • Baden Cantonal Hospital installs solar power system

    Baden Cantonal Hospital installs solar power system

    The Kantonsspital Baden (KSB) relies on renewable energy and has therefore had solar power systems installed for self-sufficiency. On an area of 2000 square meters, solar panels have been installed on the roofs of the parking garage and the heating center and also on the facade of the heating building. According to a media release from KSB, the new solar power generators have a total output of 375 megawatt hours of electricity. This corresponds to 3 percent of KSB's electricity requirements. The new solar systems are to be connected to the power supply network for the canton hospital at the end of this month.

    Cristoffel Schwarz, the chief manager (COO) of KSB, is quoted as saying: “The areas on the P2 multi-storey car park and the heating plant are predestined for the production of solar power. That is why we decided to make this investment. The KSB will thus become a small power plant itself. "

  • Parcel system should reduce delivery traffic

    Parcel system should reduce delivery traffic

    In the pandemic, the already growing online trade continued to grow, write the construction and transport department of the canton of Basel-Stadt , the association Pro Innenstadt Basel and the logistics cluster Region Basel in a joint message . The provider-neutral parcel systems they have developed are intended to remedy this. As part of a pilot project, the first of the so-called Smart Boxes has already been set up on Claraplatz.

    Another smart box is to be set up at St. They want to test the acceptance and effectiveness of the parcel systems by February 2023. "The current pilot project is intended to show how much the offer is being used and how much the daily traffic volume can be reduced with it," said Deborah Strub, chairwoman of the Basel region logistics cluster, quoted in the press release.

    The project is financed by the Office for Mobility of the Canton of Basel-Stadt and the Pro Innenstadt Basel association. “Residents of Basel can conveniently have the parcels they have ordered delivered to the Smart Box Basel, where they can pick them up around the clock,” explains the managing director of the association Mathias F. Böhm. The package systems are manufactured and operated by Huber AG . She has also developed a digital application for using the Smart Boxes.

  • Swiss photovoltaics will record record expansion in 2020

    Swiss photovoltaics will record record expansion in 2020

    Photovoltaics in Switzerland was expanded significantly in the past year 2020. According to a press release, according to the Swiss Association for Solar Energy, this was not enough to achieve the climate targets. The professional association Swissolar represents the interests of 740 association members with around 6000 jobs in the solar energy industry. In the announcement from Swissolar, the additional photovoltaic capacity installed in 2020 is estimated at an output of 430 to 460 megawatts. The final annual figures will not be available until the middle of the year.

    The new installations correspond to a growth of 30 to 39 percent compared to 2019. According to Swissolar, the number of registrations at the Pronovo certification and funding agency suggests that the growth not only occurred in small systems, but also in those with an output of over 100 kilowatts.

    From the point of view of the association, however, more needs to be done. "In order to replace the nuclear power that is no longer available and to cover the additional electricity demand for the electrification of traffic and heating, the annual expansion must be increased to around 1500 megawatts over the next few years – almost four times as much as last year," said Swissolar CEO David Stickelberger quoted. This is also provided for in the recently published Energy Perspectives 2050+ by the Federal Office of Energy.

    From the perspective of the solar industry, a number of political measures are required to achieve this. Greater support for systems without self-consumption is therefore necessary. This requires state incentives so that the roofs of stables, warehouses, parking lot canopies, noise barriers and other infrastructures are equipped with solar systems. Often this is not the case because the electricity cannot be consumed on the spot. Further measures are the obligation to generate electricity for new buildings, the removal of hurdles in the construction of open-space systems, which often only get a building permit with difficulty.

    From Swissolar's point of view, there is also a need for federal and cantonal funding for solar thermal systems. The contribution of solar heating to the energy transition is still underestimated.

  • Implenia sees itself in a good position

    Implenia sees itself in a good position

    According to a message from Implenia , the construction and real estate company from Dietlikon generated sales totaling CHF 2.99 billion in 2020. In the previous year, sales of 4.43 billion Swiss francs were posted. The operating result at EBIT level fell year-on-year from CHF 63.5 million to CHF -146.8 million. A loss of 132.1 million francs was reported as the consolidated result; in 2019, a profit of 33.9 million francs had been realized.

    The order backlog remained at a high level at CHF 6.39 billion and is also well distributed across business areas and markets, Implenia writes in the press release. More than 80 percent of the sales targeted for the current year are already secured. In the current year, the company intends to be back in the black.

    The return to the profit zone should be achieved through restructuring in the portfolio and measures for profitable growth. Implenia writes that the company has already started to reduce business areas that are not part of its core business or that are unprofitable. For profitable growth, "an effective management of opportunities and risks was introduced".

    Implenia wants to report an EBIT of at least 100 million francs in the current year. At the corresponding rate, the target is 2.8 percent. In the medium term, an EBIT margin of 4.5 percent should be achieved.

  • Asking rents continue to rise

    Asking rents continue to rise

    The monthly rent index compiled by the digital real estate marketplace homegate.ch from TX Group in cooperation with Zürcher Kantonalbank closed at 115.6 points in February. Compared to the previous month, the prices for advertised rents have risen by an average of 0.17 percent, explains homegate.ch in a corresponding message. At the beginning of the year, too, prices had risen by an average of 0.17 percent. An increase in rental prices of 0.96 percent has been observed over the past twelve months.

    In a monthly comparison, rents have risen in most cantons, writes homegate.ch. The sharpest increase in asking rents was registered in February in the canton of Schaffhausen, at 1.37 percent. In Zug and Glarus, asking rents also increased at an above-average rate of 0.84 and 0.69 percent, respectively. On the other hand, declines were measured in the cantons of Graubünden, Geneva and Ticino with values between -0.48 percent and -0.19 percent.

    Homegate.ch makes different developments in the cities. The biggest increase was measured in a month-on-month comparison with 0.78 percent in Lugano. The asking rents in Lucerne and St.Gallen each increased by 0.20 percent compared to January. In Lausanne, Geneva and Bern, however, rents fell between 1.18 and 0.49 percent.

    In the quality-adjusted recording of rental price changes for the rental index, the rental prices are corrected for the different quality, location and size of the apartments. This makes it possible to record the actual rental price development, it says in the message.

  • GuestReady teams up with Airhosted

    GuestReady teams up with Airhosted

    In the past four years, GuestReady has established itself as a specialist in six countries with its services for providers of short-term rentals, explains a report on Startupticker.ch. Despite severe setbacks during the coronavirus pandemic, the start-up from Appenzell Ausserrhoden managed to raise “fresh funds” through a swarm financing campaign at the end of 2020. She wants to use GuestReady for the development of the Swiss market. "Switzerland has become even more exciting for us due to Corona and the effects on travel behavior," Alexander Limpert, co-founder of GuestReady, is quoted in the report.

    To realize the plans, GuestReady is working with the Zug start-up company Airhosted . The company manages short-term rentals in a total of 18 cities in Switzerland and aims to bring this specialist knowledge to bear in the partnership. GuestReady, in turn, will equip the partner “with the necessary technology” and the specialist knowledge to also win real estate companies and other corporate customers.

    The two partners want to be able to look after 500 properties in Switzerland by the end of next year. "Thanks to more local guests, classic destinations in the mountains in particular are already showing higher occupancy rates again," explains Limpert in the article. "In addition, the number of vacation rental owners who want a professional rental service is increasing."

  • Excellent designs adorn the photovoltaic facade of the NEST

    Excellent designs adorn the photovoltaic facade of the NEST

    Students at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences have made design objects out of photovoltaic modules. They are to be installed on the facade of the NEST research and innovation building on the campus of the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) in Dübendorf. In a competition, students from the two university departments of Design and Art as well as Technology and Architecture at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU ) were invited to present their designs. The works of art were created as part of a two-week interdisciplinary block event, according to an Empa media release.

    A six-member jury selected the design entitled "Crystal Clear" by Lynn Balli as the winner. Her eight motifs can be seen on the modules that will be installed on the facade of NEST in summer 2021. The design convinced the jury with "the elegant emphasis on the dynamics of glass and the successful implementation with eight individual works of art".

    The jury was made up of executives from Empa, HSLU and Zug Estates . The audience award was won by Florence Schöb's “Vernetzt” project.

    NEST is the joint research and innovation building of Empa and the water research institute Eawag . Construction and energy technologies and materials are tested in the modular building. This is intended to promote the sustainable use of resources and energy.

  • Swisstopo data can now be accessed free of charge

    Swisstopo data can now be accessed free of charge

    All digital standard products from swisstopo are now available free of charge. The Federal Office for Topography wants to enable digital maps, aerial photographs, landscape models and geological vector data to be "used, distributed and reused". This also includes commercial uses, as swisstopo announced in a press release .

    These data were made generally accessible following a Federal Council resolution. The Federal Council is thus pursuing the goal of an even wider use of geospatial information. In addition, this opening is part of the "Strategy for Open Administrative Data in Switzerland 2019-2023".

    This data should be of particular interest to engineers, architects, programmers and planners. Access to official geospatial data will also be easier for research and science, the press release said.

    In this way, swisstopo could make an active contribution to innovation and economic growth and at the same time support the digital transformation in Switzerland. The files are available in machine-readable form and can easily be integrated into digital processes.

  • Locatee expands to New York

    Locatee expands to New York

    The Zurich-based company Locatee now has a second headquarters in New York. The team working there is intended to support American companies with immediate effect in planning their actual office space requirements. Because the office landscape will look completely different after the pandemic than before, it is necessary to get a clear picture of the actual occupancy and occupancy, according to a media release .

    This expansion in the US is another step towards becoming the global leader in workplace analysis. This analysis leverages the existing wired and wireless networks on site to determine exactly how effectively a company's office space is being used. This makes it possible to enlarge or reduce as needed.

    “We know that large companies often have difficulty identifying exactly how their real estate portfolio is being used,” says Locatee CEO Thomas Kessler. “And this leads to enormous costs in the form of wasted space. We want to help companies manage their real estate portfolio effectively. "

    Locatee was founded in 2014. In 2016, Swiss Post was the first company to use Locatee in all properties. Today, according to Locatee, its platform is used by companies such as Deloitte , Swiss Re and other of the world's 1000 most valuable companies in more than 60 countries.

  • Visionapartments offers 500 new apartments

    Visionapartments offers 500 new apartments

    Visionapartments will open three new buildings this year and next, according to a media release . The opening for the project in Basel is planned for July 2021. In a central location behind the Basel SBB train station, 125 studios in five different furnishing styles will then be available. A gym, restaurant, communal office and swimming pool will also be set up in the building.

    The projects in Glattbrugg and Lugano will follow in the coming year. 316 new apartments are being built in Glattbrugg alone. These are located in the immediate vicinity of Zurich Airport. In addition to the new apartments, a restaurant, a communal kitchen and a fitness and wellness area will also be built there. The property in Lugano will also open next year, on the shores of Lake Lugano. 55 new apartments are being built there. "Despite the current global crisis, we are following our mission to expand further," said Anja Graf, CEO and chairwoman of Visionapartments, in the press release. "We are proud of our growth and look forward to the completion of these real estate projects," she says of the projects in Glattbrugg and Lugano.

    Visionapartments was founded in Switzerland in 1999 and specializes in the rental of furnished temporary apartments. The company offers corresponding properties at 850 international locations.

  • The reference mortgage rate remains at 1.25 percent

    The reference mortgage rate remains at 1.25 percent

    The Federal Housing Office (BWO) has left the mortgage reference rate for tenancies unchanged at 1.25 percent. In a press release by the BWO, it is pointed out that this rate, which applies to rent structuring throughout Switzerland, has not been changed since March 3, 2020.

    The reference interest rate is determined on the basis of the quarterly average interest rate for domestic mortgage claims. This was determined on December 31, 2020. According to the BWO, the rate fell from 1.30 percent to 1.28 percent in the previous quarter. The reference interest rate applicable under rental law remains at 1.25 percent and remains at this level until the average interest rate falls below 1.13 percent or rises above 1.37 percent, explains the BWO. The rate is always given with a quarter percent accuracy.

    Since the rate remains unchanged, according to the BWO, there is no new lower or higher claim. If a rent in the individual contractual relationship is not based on the current reference interest rate of 1.25 percent, there is a right to a reduction. Changes in costs, for example in the case of maintenance costs, could also lead to an adjustment claim.

  • The old spinning mill in Turgi becomes a commercial and industrial center

    The old spinning mill in Turgi becomes a commercial and industrial center

    Limmatkraftwerke AG wants to turn the listed old cotton mill in the center of Turgi into a modern commercial complex by leasing 7000 square meters of space for offices, studios, production or storage in the central and western parts of the building. The premises can be rented from April 1st. In a media release from the owner Limmatkraftwerke AG, a subsidiary of Regionalwerke AG Baden , it is said that the tenants could design and expand the rooms according to their needs, as far as this is possible on site.

    "We would like to see a lively and inspiring mix of various commercial and industrial sectors in the Turgi spinning mill," said Martin Schoop, Chairman of the Board of Directors, who lives in Turgi himself. He wants to promote the character of a modern economic center in Turgi by transferring part of the income for the promotion of Turgi. Schoop: "Part of the rent is used to feed a fund that is supposed to promote this sense of community."

    The spinning mill, which was built in 1826 and was the largest spinning company in Switzerland until 1858, is located in the center of Turgi and is easily accessible. According to the announcement, there are enough parking spaces available and the spinning mill is within walking distance of Turgi train station.

    The redesign also pays attention to sustainability. two parking spaces are to be equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles. The building is to be supplied with district heating from the KVA Turgi and in future it will again draw electricity from the neighboring hydropower plant operated by Limmatkraftwerke AG.

    Limmatkraftwerke AG see the purchase as a strategic decision. Schoop: “We operate one of our power plants right next to the spinning mill building. Thanks to the purchase of the spinning mill, we can also ensure the operation of this power plant in the long term. ”As the owner, the use of the building can be optimally coordinated with the operation of the power plant.

  • The digitization of the co-owner assemblies

    The digitization of the co-owner assemblies

    Regardless of the Corona situation, the following difficulties must be addressed and overcome, especially at STWE meetings:

    • Fair communication with all stakeholders
    • Compliance with legal provisions and deadlines
    • High administrative effort
    • Compliance with deadlines
    • Creation and assignment of tasks
    • Logging of the entire meeting

    Digitization has also given a huge boost to solutions in this area. Accordingly, various providers are active in the market who are trying to move the analogue process into the digital world, but not all of them succeed in this with the same simplicity and slightly broad solution approach. The preselection and quality check are all the more important here. The solution from our product portfolio can be understood as plug & play due to its compatibility with various ERP formats and IT infrastructures. Due to the one-time setup and the relatively small effort, the efficiency advantages stand out even more. As soon as everything has been installed and put in place, entire processes can be digitized and comprehensively dealt with.
    Hybrid, partially digitized processes are also not a problem for the solution, which is very important in view of the different willingness / IT skills of the meeting participants. In this way, all of the above difficulties can be addressed and resolved using one and the same software.

    The bottom line is that, with the support of the simple solution, flexible STWE meetings can be carried out physically and / or digitally, thereby significantly increasing the efficiency of the implementation as well as of the preparation and follow-up work. This means that the focus can be put back on the work steps where specialist and social skills are needed. In addition to the digitization of management, other digital solutions have come into focus, which can be seen at PropTechMarket.net.

    You can find out more about this at: https://proptechmarket.net/solutions

  • Swiss Prime Site defies the pandemic

    Swiss Prime Site defies the pandemic

    According to a message from Swiss Prime Site , the Solothurn-based real estate company generated total income of CHF 792.9 million in the 2020 financial year. In the previous year, 1.26 billion Swiss francs had been booked. Swiss Prime Site attributes the decline primarily to the sale of its subsidiary Tertianum, which was completed in February 2020.

    The profit from the sale was also reflected in a strong increase in the operating result (EBIT). In the year under review, 762.3 million francs were posted here, compared to 628.3 million in the previous year. Net profit increased year-on-year from 608.5 million to 610.4 million francs. Without taking into account revaluations and deferred taxes, the profit increased from 315.7 million to 476.6 million, writes Swiss Prime Site.

    In 2020, the core real estate business generated a total of 431.0 million francs in rental income, 1.4 percent less than in 2019. The operating result fell year-on-year from 572.9 million to 555.0 million francs. At the same time, the value of the real estate portfolio increased by 4.7 percent to CHF 12.3 billion. Swiss Prime Site intends to make its real estate portfolio climate-neutral by 2040, explains the real estate company in the press release.

    In the same announcement, the company announces a change in the group management. CFO Markus Meier decided to leave Swiss Prime Site for personal reasons, writes the real estate company. Marcel Kucher, who is currently CFO of the Peach Property Group, is to be his successor at the beginning of July. "With his broad wealth of experience in the areas of capital markets and digitization", Kucher will "optimally complement and further strengthen the management team of our group", Board member Barbara Frei-Spreiter is quoted in the announcement.

  • Young Zurich architects win prizes

    Young Zurich architects win prizes

    The canton of Zurich attracts good young architects. All three podium places of the Foundation Awards 2021 went to offices in the canton, and almost all of the award winners came from outside the country.

    The Comte / Meuwly office in Zurich received first prize. The two Romands Adrien Comte and Adrien Meuwly were more interested in everyday life and nameless architecture than in building icons, the jury wrote in its reasoning . The work of the office included an extension of a prefabricated wooden house in Geneva as well as a canopy over an old building door and sails for a buvette. "At a time when many are looking for historical references and lovely colors, this minimalist hardness and lightness is surprising and fresh," said the jury.

    Angel Solanellas Terés, Camiel Van Noten and Marianne Meister met at a workshop in Antwerp and are now working together in Zurich. You won over the jury with your projects for the Brigerberg residence in Ried-Brig VS and for the Köbö studio in Zurich.

    Saikal Zhunushova from the Oekofacta office in Winterthur impressed with her gentle renovation of a Flarzhaus from 1832 in the Zurich Oberland. She also involved the family of the house in the work. The architect trained in Kyrgyzstan combines suggestions from her old and new homeland in her work. She brings the Kyrgyz yurt as a garden pavilion to Switzerland and energy-saving construction projects from Switzerland to Kyrgyzstan.

    The Foundation Award has been honoring young Swiss architecture firms since 2010. The award is sponsored, among others, by the cultural television art-tv.ch , the architecture magazine “Hochparterre ”, the Swiss Architecture Museum in Basel and Swissbau.

  • LafargeHolcim is on course for recovery

    LafargeHolcim is on course for recovery

    According to a release from LafargeHolcim , the Zug-based building materials group generated total sales of CHF 23.14 billion in the 2020 financial year. In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to a decrease of 13.4 percent. The recurring operating profit at EBIT level was 3.68 billion Swiss francs, 10.4 percent below the previous year's figure. Consolidated profit fell by 7.5 percent compared to 2019 to 1.90 billion Swiss francs.

    "2020 was an extraordinary year for everyone, which we have not yet experienced in this form", Jan Jenisch is quoted in the communication. According to the CEO, LafargeHolcim has proven its resilience during the crisis. In the fourth quarter of 2020 the company "returned to the growth path". Specifically, sales and recurring operating profit increased by 1.5 and 14.1 percent on a comparable basis compared to the previous year.

    For the current year, LafargeHolcim is aiming for a growth in recurring operating income of at least 7 percent on a comparable basis. The takeover of the American manufacturer of roof systems and building envelopes, Firestone Building Products , which was announced in January, should contribute to this. As part of the acquisition, LafargeHolcim is creating a new position for global management of the Solutions & Products segment. She will be taken over by the current CEO of US Cement, Jamie Gentoso.

    In order to streamline the group organization, LafargeHolcim is also merging the regions Europe and the Middle East and Africa into one region EMEA, is further explained in the press release. The current head of Middle East and Africa, Miljan Gutovic, will take over the management of EMEA. The previous head of Europe, Marcel Cobuz, has decided to leave the group, writes LafargeHolcim.

  • Madaster realizes circular building

    Madaster realizes circular building

    BIM Facility , GS1 and ZPF Ingenieure are the first three partners to sign an agreement with Madaster, the Swiss cadastre for materials in the built environment. "Your expertise and our platform make material data usable over the entire life cycle of buildings", managing director Marloes Fischer is quoted in a press release. "Together we can implement circular building."

    BIM Facility wants to contribute to this with its modeling of building data. The Zurich-based company uses drones to create digital twins of buildings. The digital twin can be transferred directly to Madaster and a material pass can be issued.

    Together with Madaster users, the non-profit organization GS1 wants to develop and implement solutions for the availability of reliable and precise data over the entire life cycle of a building, explains Uwe Rüdel, Sector Manager Technical Industries at GS1 Switzerland.

    ZPF engineers from Zurich support builders and property owners in carrying out circular construction planning. They also analyze existing buildings on the basis of a material pass. According to executive board member Jaqueline Pauli, this should save raw materials.

    Madaster's platform offers digital tools such as material passports and indexes on the economic and circular value of buildings. "Our job is to make materials available forever by giving them an identity on our platform," says Madaster's website. “If materials have an identity, they become a resource for reuse.” Every building is understood as a raw material store with a certain value.

  • Canton sets design plan for ZHAW campus

    Canton sets design plan for ZHAW campus

    The Technikumstrasse campus of the ZHAW in Winterthur will be comprehensively renewed within 15 years, explains the building department of the Canton of Zurich in a message . New buildings and more open space are to be created in four stages. At the same time, the Eulach will be renatured in the area of the technical center. In the first phase, two new laboratory buildings are to be built and a public park is to be set up on the Eulach.

    The corresponding design plan was published from April 6 to June 8, 2020. 31 objections were received against him, mainly in questions of urban integration, the scope, development and nature conservation, informs the building management. Another 18 objections related to the renaturation of the Eulach and the definition of the water area.

    The design plan and the water area have been revised based on the objections and have now been set, the message continues. Both documents and the reports on the objections have been publicly available for 30 days since February 26 and can be viewed on the Internet . If no legal remedies are taken, they will come into force at the end of March this year. Then the city of Winterthur could issue the building permit for the first stage.

  • Allreal is on course despite the Corona crisis

    Allreal is on course despite the Corona crisis

    Allreal achieved rental income of CHF 200.4 million last year, according to a statement . The company was thus able to maintain the level from the previous year despite the Corona crisis. In 2019, it had received 203.1 million francs from rents.

    In the spring, Allreal stated that it was able to agree on rent waivers in connection with the lockdown with all affected tenants. In total, the company has granted rent leases amounting to 1.5 million francs.

    The cumulative vacancy rate has meanwhile fallen by 0.8 percentage points to 1.4 percent despite the crisis. According to the information, it is at the lowest level that Allreal has ever reached.

    The company result including the revaluation effect is 167.2 million francs after 243.2 million francs in the previous year. Excluding the revaluation effect, the company result is 124.7 million francs after 142 million francs in the previous year. Allreal explains the decline primarily with one-off effects from the sale of development properties.

    According to the announcement, Allreal is satisfied with its annual result and expects overall “stable business development” in the long term. The Board of Directors is therefore proposing to the General Meeting of Shareholders a stable distribution at the previous year's level of 6.75 francs per share.

    Allreal is based in Glattpark in Opfikon. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.

  • Siemens technology makes The Circle sustainable

    Siemens technology makes The Circle sustainable

    The Circle building complex at Zurich Airport, which was inaugurated in November last year, is not only Minergie-certified, but also meets the LEED PLATINUM standard of the US Green Building Council, Siemens Switzerland informs in a press release . At the highest standard of the organization, seven areas are checked for sustainability, it says there. Products for building and energy technology from Siemens have made an active contribution to the sustainability of The Circle.

    In total, over 30,000 Siemens components have been installed in the Circle, the company writes in the press release. "We are present with our products in every room", Felix von Rotz, Head of Building Products Switzerland, is quoted there. For the implementation of the order, Siemens Switzerland had "designed a unique logistics concept, with a warehouse at our Steinhausen location and a transport vehicle that is only on the road for The Circle," explains von Rotz.

    When it comes to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, Siemens products create a healthy and optimal room climate. Other components regulate the communication of the controls of these systems with blinds and lights. All buildings can be fully automated using the KNX communication standard.

    A further 7,000 Siemens components were installed in the power engineering systems. There are also voice alarm systems in private and public areas of the complex.

  • PSP Swiss Property defies the pandemic

    PSP Swiss Property defies the pandemic

    According to a statement from PSP Swiss Property , the Zug-based real estate company generated real estate income totaling CHF 296.27 million in the 2020 financial year. Compared to the previous year, this corresponds to a growth of 2.0 percent. The operating result (EBITDA) excluding real estate successes and valuation differences amounted to CHF 271.06 million in 2020, 5.8 percent more than in 2019.

    The net profit in the year under review was CHF 292.1 million, compared to CHF 453.4 million in the previous year. PSP Swiss Property attributes the decline to one-time effects. In the previous year, for example, a tax effect and the sale of two investment properties had a positive impact. In addition, the portfolio revaluation in 2019 brought in a total of CHF 244.2 million. In the year under review, the corresponding figure was 101.6 million francs.

    The balance sheet value of the PSP Swiss Property portfolio as of the end of 2020 was CHF 8.577 billion. As of the 2019 reporting date, the value was 7.982 billion francs. The vacancy rate was reduced from 3.5 to 3.0 percent within a year. The real estate company provides details of the portfolio change in the notification.

    For the current financial year, PSP Swiss Property is aiming for an EBITDA excluding real estate gains of around CHF 275 million. The vacancy rate is expected to increase to 4.5 percent.

  • Trusttechnology equips Turin with pavilions

    Trusttechnology equips Turin with pavilions

    Turin, the capital of Piedmont, has ordered 50 of its pavilions from the Ticino start-up Trusttechnology. The aim is to equip the bars and restaurants in the so-called Murazzi buildings along the banks of the Po. A report on startupticker.ch provides information on this.

    These transparent protective structures fold up automatically when required, powered by batteries, and then only take up about one square meter of space. This corresponds to the city's flood protocol: when the water level rises in the arcades and boathouses on the west bank of the Po, they can be quickly stowed away by the staff present. Their installation is planned as soon as the catering industry is allowed to reopen after the corona lockdown.

    According to the announcement, the entrepreneurial journey of the now 47-year-old owner Tiziano Pili led from an advanced semester at the University of Applied Sciences South Switzerland and the Venturelab via the Tecnopolo of the Agire Foundation in Manno TI, where he founded his company. In 2014, Pili received an international patent and then the Swiss Made certification. As a finalist in the StartCup Ticino competition, he was finally accepted into the USI Startup Center of the University of Italian Switzerland .

    "I believe that the solution I have designed will radically change the market for temporary protective structures outdoors," says Pili. "The ink on the contract is not dry yet, as I am already finalizing the contract negotiations with a large company near Asti that would also like to invest in this solution."

  • Pension funds are putting banks under pressure

    Pension funds are putting banks under pressure

    In the past year, mortgage holders reached new records for possible savings, writes MoneyPark in a press release . With this statement, the Zurich-based fintech relies on the analysis of fixed-rate mortgages concluded via its own platform. According to her, when taking out a ten-year mortgage, mortgage borrowers were able to save an average of 22 percent, or 26 basis points, compared to the benchmark rate of 1.17 percent. With a borrowing of 750,000 francs, this would save a total of 19,500 francs over the entire term, explains MoneyPark.

    According to the fintech company, the high savings are related to the competition that alternative capital providers are making for traditional banks. Pension funds in particular are increasingly entering the mortgage business, writes MoneyPark. They offered an average of 46 basis points discount on ten-year mortgages last year. Insurance companies and banks were well behind with an average discount of 29 and 20 basis points, respectively, from the target rate.

    Towards the end of the year, the competition has eased somewhat, is further explained in the announcement. "On the one hand, this can be explained by the fact that the providers no longer fought for every deal at the end of the year and, on the other hand, capital market rates rose, making alternative investments significantly better returns than they were at the beginning of 2020," said Stefan Heitmann, founder and CEO of MoneyPark, quoted there. "But we see clear signs that the competition among the providers will intensify again."

  • Edelweiss windows are now producing in Münchwilen

    Edelweiss windows are now producing in Münchwilen

    The new production hall of Edelweiss Fenster AG in Münchwilen has been in operation since January 2021. According to a press release, it houses one of the most modern and fastest production facilities for plastic windows in Switzerland. Their energy concept enables an environmentally and climate-friendly production process.

    Contrary to the trend of relocating production to low-wage countries, the company in Switzerland has invested in this 100-meter-long and 25-meter-wide production hall. “Thanks to the latest technology and a clear strategy, this new building will help us to strengthen our position as a quality window manufacturer,” CEO Walter Koller is quoted on the window manufacturer's website from the St.GallenBodenseeArea. Despite the high level of automation in the new system, six new jobs have been created.

    "Plastic windows are in great demand in Switzerland," Koller is quoted in the press release. “And many customers want a window that is produced here. With our new building we can serve our customers and resellers even better and more individually. "

  • Romande Energie wants to accelerate renovations

    Romande Energie wants to accelerate renovations

    In Switzerland, less than 1 percent of the building stock is energetically renovated every year. Romande Energie wants to increase this share in the canton of Vaud. For this he launched, according to a release , the program commune Renove . As part of the program, the energy supplier accompanies the individual renovation projects step by step. He acts as a contact person for all parties involved, for the owners and administrations as well as for the craftsmen and the authorities.

    The program builds on the experiences of the Onex-Rénove project. The Geneva municipality Onex started this program in 2014 and was able to use it to sevenfold the renovation rate.

    For its program, Romande Energie works with the Center de Recherches Energétiques et Municipale in Martigny VS, with the building energy specialist Signa-Terra in Geneva and with Pierre Olivier. The energy project consultant was one of the leaders of Onex-Rénove. "The renovation of the building stock is one of the levers for reducing CO2 emissions", Christian Petit, General Manager of Romande Energie, is quoted in his company's announcement.

    The federal government and the canton of Vaud support the Commune Rénove program. Two municipalities have already decided to participate.

  • Thomas Hasler is to lead Sika

    Thomas Hasler is to lead Sika

    According to a statement from Sika , the globally active Zug-based building materials group was able to post new record values for operating profit and consolidated profit in the 2020 financial year. Specifically, the operating result at EBIT level rose by 7.1 percent year-on-year to 1.13 billion Swiss francs. At the same time, consolidated profit increased by 8.8 percent to 825.1 million francs. Sales grew by 3.4 percent in local currencies to 7.88 billion Swiss francs.

    "In 2020, the distribution business and our refurbishment business in particular proved to be particularly resistant to crises," Paul Schuler is quoted in the press release. In the opinion of the Sika CEO, the group will benefit from the growing demand for environmentally friendly products in the future. "A large part of our sales is already generated with technologies that provide customers, the environment and society with sustainable benefits," explains Schuler. For the current year, Sika is aiming for sales growth of between 6 and 8 percent in local currencies.

    Schuler will hand over his position to Thomas Hasler at the beginning of May. The current head of Global Business and Industry at Sika has been with the Zug-based building materials group for 32 years, the press release explains. Hasler joined Sika as a research chemist for industrial adhesives and in 2011 took over as head of automotive worldwide. The designated CEO has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2014. The current CEO, Paul Schuler, will be proposed for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting in April.

  • Limmat Verwaltungs AG gets a new name

    Limmat Verwaltungs AG gets a new name

    Limmat Verwaltungs AG has become Elicere Real Estate Management AG. Limmat Verwaltungs AG, founded in Schlieren in 1967, has been taken over by Elicere AG in Zug, according to a press release in 2019. The company was renamed from Limmat Bau-, Treuhand- und Verwaltungs AG to Limmat Verwaltungs AG.

    The administration is now to be continued under the new name, which refers to the new owner. The new company Elicere Real Estate Management AG is naturally based in Schlieren on Schulstrasse, at the previous address of the Limmat administration.

    Before the start with the new name, a comprehensive restructuring and especially digitization had been carried out, it says in the message. In addition to the management and valuation services already offered, there is now also the assumption of construction management.

    The new company, which was founded in December, is managed by Rikard Memaj and Roger Priester. Both are members of the Board of Directors. Its President Roger Priester is quoted as saying: "We are convinced that with the transparent and structured set-up in the company, we can lead our customers into a sustainable future with the most modern tools and motivated employees."

  • Swiss Finance & Property can act as a securities house

    Swiss Finance & Property can act as a securities house

    The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA) has issued Swiss Finance & Property AG with a license to operate as a securities firm. This enables the company to support, for example, Swiss real estate funds, real estate stock corporations and selected stock corporations with issues and capital increases. Swiss Finance & Property can act as a bank-independent lead or co-lead manager.

    "The securities house license is also a further step towards professionalization and makes us even more competitive overall," said Adrian Murer, CEO of the Swiss Finance & Property Group, in a press release .

    Swiss Finance & Property will also add market making to its range of services. "With market making, Swiss Finance & Property AG can provide the necessary liquidity even in volatile markets," explains Florian Lemberger, Head of Corporate Finance & Banking at Swiss Finance & Property AG. The company wants to set up an in-house trading team that will provide the off-exchange block capacities.

    The approval will lead to changes in the organizational structure, it is said. For example, the management of direct and indirect real estate investments is clearly separated.