immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Immoinvest

  • Aare power plant in Klingnau generates more electricity

    Aare power plant in Klingnau generates more electricity

    The Aare power plant in Klingnau produced a total of 202 million kilowatt hours of electricity last year, according to a media release . This corresponds roughly to the consumption of 45,000 four-person households. Production was higher than in the previous year due to slightly higher discharge volumes. At that time, the power plant had produced 186 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

    The Aare power plant in Klingnau is 60 percent owned by the Baden-based energy company Axpo . The remaining shares belong to AEW Energie AG , based in Aarau. The annual costs borne by the partners in 2020 totaled 9.7 million francs, which is slightly below the costs of the previous year (10 million francs). The production costs were around 4.78 cents per kilowatt hour.

    The Board of Directors of Aarekraftwerk Klingnau AG has approved the annual report and the accounts for the 2019/20 financial year, according to the information, at the beginning of the week for the attention of the General Meeting. This will take place on March 12th.

  • Winners of the Watt d'Or energy award have been announced

    Winners of the Watt d'Or energy award have been announced

    The Federal Office of Energy awarded its Watt d'Or energy prize for the 14th time on January 7th. The award is intended to publicize exceptional achievements in the energy sector. But there is no prize money.

    The prize was awarded in four categories. In the Energy Technologies category, Adaptricity emerged as the winner. The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) is developing software that facilitates the planning and monitoring of distribution networks. In doing so, it helps to make the grids fit for the future of energy.

    In the renewable energies category, ABB and Romande Energie won a power plant in the Alps. On the Lac des Toules reservoir in Valais, Romande Energie operates a hydropower plant that also supplies solar power. The facility is unique for this height. ABB was able to successfully solve the technical challenges encountered during construction.

    In the energy-efficient mobility category, a joint project by the companies Hydrospider , Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, H2 Energy and the H2 Mobility Switzerland association emerged as the winner. The partners want to set up the world's first commercial cycle for renewable hydrogen in Switzerland. This is intended to facilitate the use of hydrogen vehicles.

    There were two winners this year in the building and space category. On the one hand, the Umwelt Arena Schweiz from Spreitenbach AG and René Schmid Architekten AG have won. They convinced with a development in Männedorf ZH. Walter Schmid, energy pioneer and president of the Umwelt Arena Schweiz foundation, and his son, the architect René Schmid from René Schmid Architekten AG, rely on energy self-sufficiency in the association. Specifically, renewable electricity is produced with photovoltaic systems and wind energy systems. Half of this is used by the tenants. The rest is transported to a power-to-gas plant, converted into renewable gas and stored in the natural gas network for electricity and heat production in winter.

    On the other hand, St.Galler Mettiss AG and Beat Kegel won in this category. You have converted an old building into a passive house. In doing so, they relied on a new concept, which enabled the project to be implemented cheaply. The new tenant of the building is the University of St.Gallen .

  • Hypomarket ignores pandemic

    Hypomarket ignores pandemic

    During the first wave of the pandemic, the mortgage market reacted very nervously, writes Comparis in a statement on the current mortgage barometer of the online comparison service. The interest rates for ten-year fixed-rate mortgages rose from 0.98 to just under 1.20 percent towards the end of the first quarter of 2020, it said. The second wave of the pandemic, on the other hand, “has left the mortgage market cold so far,” says Comparis financial expert Frédéric Papp as quoted in the press release.

    According to the Comparis surveys, interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages with a ten-year term were between 1.04 and 1.07 percent in the last quarter of 2020. The interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages with a five- and two-year term remained constant over the quarter under review at 0.90 and 0.86 percent, respectively.

    Specifically negotiated mortgages usually had significantly lower interest rates than these target rates, explains Comparis in the press release. The company HypoPlus, which belongs to the Comparis Group, offers ten-year fixed-rate mortgages from an interest rate of 0.61 percent. In the coming months, "more dynamism can be expected in the mortgage market," predicts Papp. He assumes that competition among providers will intensify in favor of mortgage borrowers.

  • SUSI Partners acquires majority in Genera Group

    SUSI Partners acquires majority in Genera Group

    The Zug-based fund manager SUSI Partners has bought a majority stake in the Italian energy service provider Genera Group through its SUSI Energy Transition Fund. According to a press release from SUSI Partners, this is the first equity investment in the energy efficiency sector. It follows on from a longstanding business relationship between the two parties.

    Genera Holding is headquartered in Rome. It is primarily active in Italy, but is expanding increasingly, also outside of Europe. The participation of SUSI and the associated long-term partnership guarantee financing security for the further expansion of the "already considerable project pipeline".

    The SUSI Energy Transition Fund received capital commitments of 300 million euros in the first closing in July 2020. He invests in sustainable energy infrastructure to finance the energy transition.

  • AST Swiss Life opens two investment groups

    AST Swiss Life opens two investment groups

    Swiss pension funds can invest in high-quality Swiss properties from AST Swiss Life from February 1 to March 31. The investment foundation is planning to open up its two investment groups, Real Estate Switzerland and Commercial Real Estate Switzerland, worth around CHF 500 million. Payment will be made on May 5th.

    According to a press release , the capital is to be used to reduce the debt capital ratio, to purchase further properties, to implement new construction projects and for ongoing investments in the portfolio.

    The focus of the Real Estate Switzerland investment group is on residential properties in Swiss cities and agglomerations. The Swiss Commercial Real Estate investment group invests in commercial properties with stable returns and stable values in central locations. Both also hold shares in the Glatt shopping center in Wallisellen. Since their launch, both have had “an appealing performance” of 5.63 and 5.10 percent per year, respectively. In addition, the occupancy rate of more than 97 percent is above average for both of them.

  • Construction plans in Zurich North Next step for densification in Neu-Oerlikon

    Construction plans in Zurich North Next step for densification in Neu-Oerlikon

    Zurich's plans for Neu-Oerlikon: This is how the space around the train station should be designed. Red are buildings with a height of 80 meters, orange are those with a height of 54 and yellow are those with a height of 45 meters. Image: Master plan 07/10/2018

    More apartments, more jobs, more shops, more culture. North of the Oerlikon train station, “an attractive, urban-planning center is to be created”, says structural engineering supervisor André Odermatt (SP). To this end, the city council approved a partial revision of the Neu-Oerlikon special building regulations from 1998.

    The new regulations are a "huge opportunity" for Oerlikon, says Odermatt. "We are improving the plans from the 1990s and bringing them to a close."

    The partial revision allows a clear consolidation. Two skyscrapers with heights of 80 and 54 meters are planned on Max-Frisch-Platz. A total of 400 to 500 new apartments are to be built between Binzmühlestrasse and Oerlikon train station. In around half of them, non-profit housing construction is possible, according to the Urban Development Office.

    ABB cedes city property

    The city developed the plans together with the three major landowners, the canton of Zurich and the companies ABB Immobilien AG and AXA Leben. The city can claim some of the profit generated by the rezoning.

    The city receives money from the canton and AXA Leben – how much is not yet public. She would like to use the amount to improve the infrastructures in the neighborhood. ABB Immobilien will provide the city with the property on which Hall 550 is located. "In this way we can secure the existence of Hall 550," says Odermatt. This makes an important contribution to the cultural offerings in Oerlikon. The city is also taking over the property south of it. There she is planning charitable apartments.

    The special building regulations guarantee that with Hall 550 and the former ABB brick building 87T, two buildings from the industrial past will remain. In addition, they should create a greener quarter. Max-Frisch-Platz and a pedestrian zone are being enlarged. Shops and restaurants on the ground floors should keep the streets busy.

    Next, the local council will discuss the new building regulations. They will come into force in mid-2022 at the earliest. Then the owners can start planning their properties.

  • Sphery co-founder speaks at GZA Live Talk

    Sphery co-founder speaks at GZA Live Talk

    The location marketing organization GZA regularly introduces personalities from the greater Zurich area in its Live Talk series. In the next episode on January 18, Anna Martin-Niedecken, co-founder and CEO of Sphery , will be a guest on the series. She will talk to Reto Sidler, head of communications at GZA.

    Sphery develops computer games in which players have to perform physical activities. The goal is to combine games with sports. The start-up's games are based on innovative training concepts. During her appearance at the GZA Live Talk, Martin-Niedecken will explain, among other things, how games can revolutionize the fitness and health industry. She will also talk about the greater Zurich area as a location for innovative start-ups in the gaming sector.

    Martin-Niedecken is a sports scientist and, in addition to her work at Sphery, is also a senior researcher at the Zurich University of the Arts . In September she was selected from a list by digitalswitzerland , “BILANZ”, “Handelszeitung” and “Le Temps” among the 100 most important people in Switzerland who are driving digitization in the country.

    Interested who want to follow the sequence Talk GZA live, online can register . Registered participants will also be able to ask questions during the event.

  • Battery project aims to make sea transport more sustainable

    Battery project aims to make sea transport more sustainable

    The Current Direct project aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in maritime transport by up to 482,000 tons of CO2 equivalents annually, explains Blackstone Resources in a press release . The Zug-based battery expert is one of a total of 13 partners who launched the Energy as a Service project. The European Union supports Current Direct through its Horizon 2020 research program.

    Blackstone Resources is contributing lithium-ion battery cells produced using 3D printing to the project. According to the announcement, state-of-the-art materials are used in their production, which reduce the costs of production. In addition, the materials used can be recycled.

    Overall, Current Direct aims to halve the cost of battery-powered ship propulsion systems. The Energy as a Service model also relieves ship owners of their capital costs. Current Direct thus offers “energy companies, institutional investors and state actors a mechanism to participate in the green transformation of the European merchant and passenger fleet,” writes the Zug-based battery expert.

  • Implenia and Hochtief are building tunnels in Hamburg

    Implenia and Hochtief are building tunnels in Hamburg

    Implenia and the Hochtief construction group will jointly build the 2.2-kilometer-long Altona noise protection tunnel. According to a press release from Implenia, the project on the A7 motorway in Hamburg has an order value of around 580 million euros. Allotment gardens as well as green spaces and parks are to be created on the cover of this tunnel. In addition, the two neighboring districts of Othmarschen and Bahrenfeld will be connected to each other again.

    The work between the A7 junctions Othmarschen and Volkspark is expected to begin in April 2021 and be completed by 2028. Implenia will manage the project commercially in a joint venture with Hochtief. Hochtief is the technical lead. Implenia's share of the total order volume is 35 percent.

    As Christian Späth, Head of the Civil Engineering Division at Implenia, explains, his company was able to identify numerous optimization options in the bidding process that has been running since 2019. “Among other things, we brought forward parts of the implementation planning and gradually incorporated the results from more than 30 coordination dates into the calculation. In this way we were able to significantly minimize the project risks for everyone involved. "

  • NeoVac uses the app from eCarUp for charging stations

    NeoVac uses the app from eCarUp for charging stations

    NeoVac now uses the NeoVac my Charge app to bill the consumption-based costs for e-charging stations in apartment buildings and areas. According to a media release , the specialist for building and environmental technology based in Oberriet is reacting to the increasing demand for e-charging stations in buildings.

    The app was developed by eCarUp AG from Zug. The young company offers a comprehensive software solution for setting up charging infrastructure. Its backend enables billing, monitoring, load management and maintenance of e-charging stations.

    With its Switzerland-wide service network, NeoVac prepares the consumption-based energy and water bills for over 400,000 apartments every year. The Rheintaler company has set itself the goal of offering a solution for every billing-relevant measuring point in a building. "The number of new registrations of electric vehicles is increasing significantly and tenants are asking for more and more charging options," says Pascal Welti, Head of Energy Consulting at NeoVac. That's why his company has now launched an app for it.

    It enables drivers of electric cars to activate charging stations and pay for the electricity they use. In addition, the charging data is transferred directly to the NeoVac myEnergy app. There, users receive an overview of their personal consumption and a directly accessible energy cost bill.

    NeoVac also offers complete solutions for e-mobility infrastructure projects with a nationwide sales and service network. In addition, charging stations could "also be controlled depending on the PV system, battery storage or heat pump". This increases self-consumption and the profitability of photovoltaic systems.

  • Meyer Burger receives German funding

    Meyer Burger receives German funding

    Meyer Burger wants to produce heterojunction solar cells at the Bitterfeld-Wolfen site in Saxony-Anhalt, the technology group from Thun informs in a press release . A new facility is to be set up there for this purpose. Saxony-Anhalt and the Federal Republic of Germany support Meyer Burger's plans with grants of up to 22.5 million euros. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems had certified that Meyer Burger's technology had significant environmental benefits.

    "We are pleased about the environmental aid in a significant amount", CEO Gunter Erfurt is quoted in the message. "It proves that our heterojunction technology is not only more efficient, but also more environmentally friendly than conventional solar cell technologies."

    The company was able to receive the positive notifications about the donations as early as the end of 2020, the communication further explains. An annual production capacity of 1.4 gigawatts is stated there as a prerequisite for the payment. The expansion of capacities to the required 1.4 gigawatts is to be financed with borrowed capital and implemented as quickly as possible. Meyer Burger writes that the group is confident that it will be able to meet this requirement.

    Meyer Burger plans to produce 0.4 gigawatts of solar cells in Bitterfeld-Wolfen this year. They are processed into solar modules at the Freiberg site in Saxony.

  • RAD offers new building modules for cancer centers

    RAD offers new building modules for cancer centers

    The portfolio of RAD Technology Medical Systems will be expanded to include three different building configurations for radiation therapy with linear accelerators (Linacs for short) in 2021. According to a media release, this should enable hospitals and cancer centers to set up stations with the latest models for electron and photon irradiation in less than a month.

    The modular design and the patented granulate shielding system of the Florida and Lugano-based company made it possible to assemble the bunker within just a few days. The modules allowed a variety of building configurations, from a temporary additional bunker for radiation therapy to a complete and permanent facility for radiation therapy.

    "We are excited to add this new radiation therapy station to our portfolio, which perfectly installs the latest generation of Linacs on the market," said Kenneth Wright, Vice President of Sales and Business Development. "In 2021 we will use this new type of bunker and cancer center in Europe and the USA for the first time."

  • Edisun Power's largest solar system is on the grid

    Edisun Power's largest solar system is on the grid

    The Edisun Power Group's Modouro photovoltaic system was connected to the electricity grid last week. According to a press release, this so far largest system of the solar power producer in the north-east of Portugal will produce around 80 million kilowatt hours of energy annually on an area of over 65 hectares. This corresponds to the annual requirement of around 20,000 people.

    Mogadouro is Edisun Power's first so-called merchant system: it was built without government subsidies or guarantees. The electricity produced is sold on the market. In order to secure the income in the first few years, a power purchase agreement with fixed-price purchase obligations was agreed with a Portuguese electricity trader.

    With the network connection, the group has reached “a major milestone”, the message continues. Thus, she is on track with regard to the growth strategy announced in 2019. She is also pushing the development of four other Portuguese projects with a total capacity of 150 megawatts “at full speed”.

  • Canton Uri provides 3 million energy-saving renovations

    Canton Uri provides 3 million energy-saving renovations

    The canton of Uri has adopted its Energy Uri 2021 funding program. In the coming year he wants to make a total of 3.1 million francs available for energy-efficient renovations. This means that the funds available are roughly as high as in the current record year 2020.

    The focus of the support program is the renovation of building envelopes, as the canton explains in a press release. These make a major contribution to ensuring that the federal and cantonal energy and climate targets can be achieved. With a subsidy rate of 60 francs per square meter, a high incentive will continue to be set for the renovation of the building envelope, it is said. The canton also offers advice in this area. In addition to the non-binding initial consultation at the Uri Energy Office, more detailed advice is now being launched.

    In addition to the renovation of buildings, the program also supports the replacement of old oil heating systems or solar energy.

  • Empa steel adhesives last 50 years

    Empa steel adhesives last 50 years

    In the large test laboratory of the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) in Dübendorf, a test has been running for 50 years to examine the long-term behavior of bonded steel reinforcement on a concrete beam. In this long-term test, which is unique worldwide, according to the media release , several reinforced concrete girders were reinforced with steel lamellas glued to the underside. One of the girders, which has been subjected to 87 percent of its predetermined breaking value for 50 years, has so far held out without any problems.

    “After 50 years below 87 percent of the average breaking load, the epoxy resin bond shows no weaknesses. This means that bonded steel lamellar reinforcements have passed the long-term test, ”says engineer Christoph Czaderski, who has overseen the test over the past few years.

    According to the announcement, the carrier is one of originally six identical specimens, all of which were subjected to different tests. The five other reinforced beams fell victim to fairly successful static fracture and dynamic fatigue tests that exceeded their load limits. The aim of the tests was to find out how well epoxy resin works as an adhesive for attaching a steel lamella to a concrete beam. According to Czaderski, the long-term test shows "practically no shifts" in the adhesive joint after 50 years.

    What was new territory at the beginning of the test is now state of the art. The process is important because it allows older buildings to be reliably reinforced instead of being torn down and replaced by new buildings.

    Empa's “Engineering Structures” department has been developing and researching new, simple and inexpensive reinforcement methods with modern materials such as epoxy resins, carbon fiber-reinforced plastics and shape memory alloys for many years.

  • Canton Uri increases stake in EWA-energieUri

    Canton Uri increases stake in EWA-energieUri

    As part of its energy strategy, the canton of Uri is aiming for a long-term majority stake in EWA-energieUri , inform the canton, EWA-energieUri and Centralschweizische Kraftwerke AG ( CWK ) in a joint message . In the coming years, the canton's participation in the energy and water supplier is to be expanded from the current 29 to 40 percent. To this end, the canton of Uri wants to take over a stake from CKW.

    A corresponding agreement has already been signed by the three partners, the message goes on to say. It regulates the acquisition of further shares by the canton in the course of awarding water rights concessions.

    Specifically, the canton of Uri is initially to receive a further 5 percent of the shares in EWA-energieUri when the Lucendro shares in Uri are awarded. The license is due to be renewed in 2024. The canton of Uri will transfer its shares in the Lucendro power plant to EWA-energieUri and in return will receive shares in the Uri energy supplier. The allocation of the shares from the Ritom, Wassen and Amsteg power plants to EWA-energieUri is intended to bring in a further 6 percent of the Uri energy supplier for the canton. The shares are assigned to the canton by CWK.

  • Methanology relies on crowd financing

    Methanology relies on crowd financing

    Methanology has developed a process with which methanol can be produced from water, CO2 and renewable electricity, explains Methanology in a press release. With the patented willpower energy technology, excess energy from renewable sources can be stored in the form of methanol. Alcohol, which is toxic to humans, is suitable as fuel for machines or as a substitute for heating oil. The young company from Neuhausen am Rheinfall wants to contribute to the energy transition with its technology.

    A prototype of the willpower energy reactor developed by Methanology can be found as a single system in most basement rooms, the start-up writes in the press release. Its modular and scalable design also enables the production of larger quantities of methanol, such as would be necessary for the operation of a ship, for example. Methanology aims to bring its technology to market maturity within three years. For the appropriate development of the prototypes, the young company now has a campaign for swarm financing launched.

  • The federal government speaks 460 million francs for research institutions

    The federal government speaks 460 million francs for research institutions

    Economy Minister Guy Parmelin has set the funding contributions for research institutions of national importance for the period from 2021 to 2024, informed the Department of Economics, Education and Research ( EAER ) in a statement . 31 research institutions located in different departments are to receive a total of 460 million francs. The institutions funded under the Federal Law on the Promotion of Research and Innovation (FIFG) supplement research at universities and in the ETH domain with their work.

    The funds from the FIFG are available to research infrastructures, research institutions and technology competence centers. In the funding period from 2021 to 2024, 14 research infrastructures are to be supported with a total of 140 million francs. A further CHF 70 million will be distributed to a total of ten research institutions active in highly specialized areas. Seven technology competence centers are to receive a total of 190 million francs.

    The other funds are intended for the financing of special measures, explains the EAER in the communication. In particular, the national funding initiative for personalized medicine is mentioned here. She should receive around 40 million francs.

  • ABB is building off-grid charging stations with AFC

    ABB is building off-grid charging stations with AFC

    ABB and AFC Energy have agreed on a cooperation to bring hydrogen-powered charging of electric vehicles to the global market, according to a media release from AFC, based in Carnleigh, southeast of London. The cooperation with "the world leader in electrification technologies" ABB, so the announcement, found a global market of at least 140 billion dollars by 2030 for the charging of electric vehicles.

    Both companies want to use the hydrogen fuel cell system developed and manufactured by AFC, which supplies clean electricity for on-grid and off-grid applications. Off-grid charging stations for e-vehicles are also possible with such fuel cells and deliver CO2-free electricity. The partners will jointly market the integrated product and jointly develop a communication strategy for branding and use. It should be ready for use in the UK, Europe, the United States and other countries in the second half of 2021, according to the press release.

    Frank Muehlon, head of global e-mobility infrastructure solutions business at ABB, is quoted as saying, “ABB is a leader in e-mobility solutions and is proud to have played a key role in promoting e-vehicles around the world. The partnership with AFC Energy enables us to push the boundaries of e-mobility, especially with regard to off-grid applications, and thus enable a much greater range of e-mobility based on clean energy. ”Adam Bond, CEO of AFC Energy: "Today marks a historic milestone in the commercialization of our proprietary hydrogen fuel cell, as we begin a long-term collaboration with ABB." ABB offers strong and credible access to important customer channels in Europe and overseas.

    According to the announcement, the partnership will focus on the joint use of integrated high-performance EV charging systems in ABB's key markets. These are private users such as logistics companies and urban transport. The systems could also be used to supply power to ships and vertical take-off and landing vehicles (VTOL) because they are not connected to the grid.

  • Demand for condominiums is stronger than before Corona

    Demand for condominiums is stronger than before Corona

    According to a report on the Online Home Market Analysis, the demand for condominiums declined slightly overall from the fourth quarter of 2019 to the end of the third quarter of 2020 in the reporting year, but saw a strong surge in demand in the last quarter. In the analysis carried out by the Swiss Real Estate Institute of the Zurich School of Economics ( HWZ ) and the Swiss Association of the Real Estate Industry ( SVIT ) in collaboration with the digital real estate company homegate.ch , this is based on the shorter advertising period for condominiums offered on the Internet.

    During the entire reporting year, a condominium in Switzerland had to be advertised on an online platform for an average of 86 days. It was 60 days before the Corona crisis. In the third quarter of 2020, however, the advertising time fell to the record low of 52 days, despite an 8 percent increase in the number of advertisements. Condominiums are therefore currently more in demand than ever, the analysis found.

    Supply and demand were analyzed based on the advertisements on the seven major Swiss real estate marketplaces between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020 compared to the previous period. In the reporting period from October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020, around 91,387 condominiums were offered for sale on the Internet across Switzerland, which corresponds to an increase of 19 percent compared to the previous period.

    Professor Peter Ilg, head of the Swiss Real Estate Institute at HWZ, attributes the growth in demand mainly to two factors: “On the one hand, the boom in demand in the third quarter is due to the deferred demand from the previous quarters, but on the other hand it is also due to a change in behavior: More beautiful living is has become even more important to many Swiss after the lockdown, ”Ilg is quoted as saying.

    Jens Paul Berndt, CEO of Homegate AG, is quoted as saying: “We have also noticed a sharp increase in visits and contact inquiries. This is a sign that real estate is a popular investment property even in times of crisis. "

  • Basel Area launches its own podcast

    Basel Area launches its own podcast

    Basel Area Business & Innovation has a new podcast . From now on, the location promotion will present interesting personalities and their view of the location. In the first episode , Hans-Florian Zeilhofer starts.

    The specialist with the titles of Prof. Dr. med. Dr. med. dent. Dr. hc has lived and worked in Basel for 18 years. The Upper Bavarian works as a professor at the University of Basel , as chief physician at the specialist clinic for oral and maxillofacial surgery at the University Hospital Basel and as a senior consultant at the Cantonal Hospital in Aarau . At the same time, he initiated many high-tech research projects and founded various start-ups.

    Among other things, he is one of the founders of the Basel start-up AOT . It created a laser bone cutting robot called Carlo. In this 30-minute podcast, he explains the role played by a leg disk that Zeilhofer bought from a butcher. What he particularly appreciates about the Basel Area is the short distances, the proximity to the border and the dynamic ecosystem: "One of the main advantages of the Basel Area is that all major companies in the life sciences and medtech sectors are on site."

    With this podcast and its interview guests, the makers of the Basel Area want to provide a platform. Their discussions should address what distinguishes the business and innovation location, which innovations could cause a sensation and, for example, whether researchers can be good CEOs. It is available in German and English and can be subscribed to from the popular providers Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcast and Google Play.

  • Investors from Glarus develop the Kartoni district

    Investors from Glarus develop the Kartoni district

    As early as 2013, the municipality of Glarus declared the Kartoni-Areal and Untere Allmeind areas in Glarus to be key development areas as part of their structure planning, the project company Kartoni Quartier AG informed in a message. A mixed living and working area with private, semi-private and public open spaces is to be created here. A footbridge for pedestrians and bicycles across the Linth will connect the quarter directly to the train station and the center of Glarus.

    The project management team at Sutter Projects, in cooperation with the municipality of Glarus, has now been able to win two local investors for the implementation of the project. One of these is the Glarus Pension Fund . It is described in the communication as a guarantor for “a sustainable and far-sighted project that does not allow real estate speculation”.

    On the other hand, Sutter and the community were able to get Trümpi Immobilien AG enthusiastic about the project. The Glarus real estate company is "a local partner who understands project development and construction from the ground up," the press release said.

    Together with Robert Sutter's Immolmpuls AG, the investors have now founded the Kartoni Quartier AG project company. She will take over the implementation of the construction plans on the Kartoni site. According to the announcement, Kartoni Quartier AG has already acquired all the properties in the area from the previous owners.

  • Vantage Data Centers builds data centers in Winterthur

    Vantage Data Centers builds data centers in Winterthur

    Vantage Data Centers is a data center operator based in California. The company is currently expanding in Europe and is investing a total of 2 billion dollars, according to a media release . One of its European locations will be in Winterthur. The company has already started building its campus there.

    The three hectare campus in Winterthur will house a total of four data centers with a total area of 37,000 square meters. It will have an output of 40 megawatts. The shell has already been completed. Vantage Data Centers relies on “highly efficient cooling with integrated free cooling and minimal water consumption,” it says. A photovoltaic facade and charging stations for electric vehicles will also be installed.

    Vantage Data Centers started expanding in Europe this year. To this end, it has taken over the companies Etix Everywhere from Luxembourg and Next Generation Data from Great Britain, among others. The American company built its first campus in Offenbach near Frankfurt. The second European campus is now being built in Winterthur.

    "Winterthur is the first location where we literally started out on the green field", Wolfgang Zepf, Managing Director Vantage Switzerland, is quoted in the press release. "We look forward to welcoming our customers to this highly secure location with the best connectivity in the autumn of next year."

  • Sika invests in Cidra Concrete Systems

    Sika invests in Cidra Concrete Systems

    Sika is expanding its collaboration with Cidra Concrete Systems. According to a press release, the Zug-based construction chemicals company has signed an agreement to finance growth with equity capital. This agreement complements the global partnership that has existed since the beginning of 2019 with the North American expert for monitoring and information systems in concrete mixing vehicles. It was closed for the introduction of this data service in the USA and Canada.

    Cidra Concrete Systems, headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, manufactures high-precision on-board systems that measure concrete quality during transport from the concrete plant to the construction site. Concrete manufacturers can use a cloud-based data portal to call up information on concrete quality such as workability or air volume for every vehicle in their fleet in real time. Now this partnership between the two companies is to be extended to other countries. "We are pleased to be able to offer this offer worldwide thanks to Sika's position as market leader," said Cidra boss Scott Anderson.

    "With this IoT-based technology we can provide our customers in the concrete industry with new digital solutions", Phillippe Jost, Head Construction Sika, is quoted in the press release. “Optimizing the mix design of concrete” enables Sika customers “to improve the performance of their concrete and their profitability by reducing the number of rejected truck loads”.

  • Gilytics convinces with software for the construction of lines

    Gilytics convinces with software for the construction of lines

    Gilytics has raised CHF 1 million as part of a seed financing round, according to a media release . The high-tech start-up fund, the Swiss Startup Group and the Zürcher Kantonalbank have invested.

    Gilytics was able to convince with software that can be used, for example, to plan overhead line and underground cable connections. The software can determine the routes of power lines based on geospatial data. Users can analyze detailed scenarios with 2D, 3D and augmented reality visualization. In addition to laying power lines, the software can also help with the planning of rails or roads.

    "We are impressed by the team's industry knowledge, the proven technology and the commercial traction that has already been generated with leading companies in the industry in Switzerland and across borders," says Fabian Hogrebe, Investment Manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds, quote in the communication.

    Gilytics wants to use the fresh funds to further develop functions to support construction supervision and the operation of solar and wind projects. At the same time, the company wants to expand its operating network.

    Gilytics was spun off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) in 2017 and is based in Zurich.

  • 14Trees is building schools in Africa with 3D printing

    14Trees is building schools in Africa with 3D printing

    14Trees is using 3D printing on a large scale to build affordable residential and school buildings in Africa. Starting in Malawi, such buildings should be realized in record time in this way. The walls of the first school in Salima were printed in just 18 hours, according to a media release . In addition, the CO2 footprint is reduced by up to 70 percent through “optimized use of materials”.

    14Trees is a joint venture between the building materials group LafargeHolcim and the London-based impact investor CDC Group . "I am thrilled with the work our joint venture 14 Trees is doing," said Miljan Gutovic, Head of the Middle East and Africa region and member of the LafargeHolcim Executive Committee, quoted in the press release. "Starting in Malawi, we will use the technology throughout the region and already have projects in the pipeline for Kenya and Zimbabwe."

    Tenbite Ermias, Managing Director Africa of CDC, is convinced that “the broad application of the groundbreaking cutting-edge technology” of 14Trees enables “enormous development effects”. "This is a wonderful example of our investments in companies that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals."

    As the message goes on to say, UNICEF estimates that Malawi is short of 36,000 classrooms. With conventional technology, this would take 70 years. According to 14Trees, this gap could be closed in ten years with 3D printing. In addition, the local projects would create qualified jobs.

  • CKW submits a license application for a hydropower plant

    CKW submits a license application for a hydropower plant

    CKW has submitted the concession and building application for the Waldemme small hydropower plant in Flühli LU to the Canton of Lucerne. In the past few months, the project has been revised with the involvement of environmental protection organizations, as CKW writes in a press release. In contrast to the original plan, the Lammschlucht gorge, among other things, is to remain untouched.

    According to CKW's plans, the power plant is to be completed by 2023. It should have an output of 1.4 megawatts and produce around 6.5 gigawatt hours of electricity per year. According to the information, this will cover the needs of around 1,500 four-person households. CKW expects an investment sum of around 13 million francs.

    With the investment, CKW is "making a contribution to a secure and sustainable energy supply" and "taking care of orders for the Lucerne economy", says CKW CEO Martin Schwab. The major part of the order volume will remain in the canton of Lucerne.

    Government Councilor Fabian Peter (FDP) welcomes the project. “The canton of Lucerne must also make its contribution to the energy transition in 2050 and to achieving the climate targets. There is potential for this in the field of renewable energies that should be used and promoted with suitable framework conditions ”, he is quoted in the communication from CKW.

  • BKW creates competence center for electromobility

    BKW creates competence center for electromobility

    According to a press release, BKW wants to become a full-range supplier in the field of electromobility. A new competence center is to be set up for this purpose. The services of this new center will according to the information include the planning, installation and integration of charging infrastructures. However, BKW will also be responsible for accounting, for example.

    With the competence center, BKW is responding to the increasing demand for electric vehicles. This also leads to increasing interest in integrated e-mobility solutions. According to BKW, vehicle manufacturers, garages and the real estate industry are particularly interested in such offers.

    "Coupling renewable energy production with the transport sector is one of the opportunities to integrate renewable energies into a reliable energy supply system", Suzanne Thoma, CEO of BKW, is quoted in the press release. "With the expansion of our competencies in the field of electromobility, we are supplementing our existing solutions for decentralized, renewable energy and heat production in buildings and thus offer cross-sector, integrated full-service energy solutions", Thoma continues.

  • Investment market for commercial real estate: Switzerland is an exception

    Investment market for commercial real estate: Switzerland is an exception

    Activity in the global real estate investment markets was significantly affected by the Corona crisis in 2020. The total volume of global commercial transactions between January and September 2020 was approximately $ 510 billion, a decrease of 31% from the same period last year. The greater risk aversion of investors and their wait-and-see attitude in view of the further course of the pandemic, the increased fragility of the rental markets and the problems with property inspections are responsible for this.
    Still, there were signs of recovery in the third quarter (+ 23% QOQ) after hitting a ten-year low in the second quarter of 2020. This increase in transaction activity was favored by the gradual relaxation of restrictions on movement and the gradual adjustment of the players to the new market environment.

    American continent hardest hit by the crisis, weaker recovery in Europe
    However, the pace and extent of the upswing show clear geographical differences:

    • In Asia, where health crisis management is often seen as the most effective, investor sentiment improved significantly between the second and third quarters of 2020, allowing trading volume to rise again (+ 39% QOQ).
    • The American double continent, which was harder hit by the pandemic, saw slight growth again this summer, but was unable to compensate for the decline in investment volume of -44% (YOY) that had accrued up to September.
    • Thanks to a record quarter in the first quarter, Europe in the first nine months of 2020 is only slightly below the level of 2019 (-11% YOY). The UK and Spain are among the countries hardest hit by the investment slowdown, while Germany has held up better. On average, however, the upswing in Europe in the third quarter of 2020 was not very pronounced (+ 9% QOQ).

    Swiss investment market defies the crisis
     Switzerland is the only European country that recorded an increase in trading activities in the first three quarters of 2020 (+ 5% compared to the 2015-2020 average). Although trading volumes fell slightly in certain regions during the lockdown in the second quarter, the Swiss market benefited from a catch-up effect in the third quarter. This summer, CBRE was able to process the largest single transaction in the history of the country (also the second largest in Europe this year): the sale of the Glattzentrum in Wallisellen (ZH).

    Like the rental market, the Swiss real estate investment market is increasingly characterized by geographical and sectoral differentiation, which has been reinforced by the pandemic. Investor demand is more concentrated in the core cities and the housing market, while interest in logistics real estate is increasing. Indeed, the fundamentals of these segments have proven to be the strongest since the beginning of the year. In contrast, retail properties and, in some cases, office properties in secondary locations are the subject of greater caution.
    The liquidity and the price structure on the Swiss real estate investment market have remained intact, as institutional investors continue to have high investment pressure. In particular, the dominance of Swiss investors in the local investment market has contributed to the high level of resilience, in contrast to countries such as the United Kingdom or the Netherlands, which are significantly more exposed to international capital flows.
    While the recovery in transaction activity picked up even further at the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2020, there are many indications that the market will continue to be very dynamic in 2021.

  • Replacement modules from several solar technicians form a new system

    Replacement modules from several solar technicians form a new system

    In St.Gallen, several solar technicians have collected the remaining modules from photovoltaic systems that have already been implemented. Now they are jointly producing solar power on the roof of the building called Lattich at the St.Gallen freight yard. The unusual project, about which the city of St.Gallen reported in a media release , provides solar energy for ten four-person households.

    This photovoltaic system is a joint project of the St.Galler Stadtwerke (sgsw) and five solar energy companies that have the Swisssolar quality label Solarprofi: Helion , Etavis Grossenbacher AG , Grob AG Gebäudehüllen, Huber + Monsch AG and solarmotion GmbH . They all delivered the solar modules that were no longer needed. They planned and created the system together with SGSW.

    In return for their contribution to the project, the partners involved receive solar power units on the Lattich roof and thus benefit from a credit on their electricity bills. Solar power units from the St.Gallen Solar Community are still available to the public on the roof of the Lerchenfeld ice rink.