From September the first high-alpine solar project in Bergell will deliver natural electricity. As the operator Elektrizitätswerke der Stadt Zürich ( ewz ) announced in a press release , most of the more than 1200 photovoltaic (PV) panels have now been installed on the Albigna dam.
For the assembly work, a so-called bridge inspection device was transported to the dam wall with the Albigna cable car. Most of the construction work was carried out by ewz employees from Bergell.
Citizens from Zurich and Graubünden have the opportunity to purchase half, one, three or five square meters of the PV area and thus make a contribution to environmental and climate protection. The public participation model ewz.solarzüri provides that ewz customers are credited 180 kilowatt hours of solar power per square meter per year on their electricity bill. The term is 20 years. The one-off costs per square meter are CHF 560.
From August 14, interested parties can find out more and order panel space on the websites ewz.ch/solargrischun and ewz.ch/solar-für-alle . Until then, these links lead to the current page of ewz.solarzüri.
The construction service provider Implenia has received new building construction contracts in Germany. According to a press release , the order is worth around 108 million francs.
Implenia will construct three buildings with an area of around 25,000 square meters for Landmarken AG in an industrial park in Bochum-Laer. Construction is scheduled to start this fall.
As a European pilot project, the new construction of an innovative sports and leisure facility on an industrial wasteland in the Ruhr area "which is being built for the first time in continental Europe" is intended. The 60 systems of this type that already exist worldwide serve as a model. They should offer a mixture of entertainment, sport, music, gastronomy and events. Further systems are to follow, it says in the message. Construction will start in October and handover is planned for February 2022.
Prior exclusive partnership phases were decisive for the commissioning of both projects. Implenia worked with the customers and their planning teams to develop economic and technical suggestions for optimizing the project. "The result is cost and deadline security for the client as well as for Implenia."
In addition to these two projects in the Ruhr area, Implenia will build a residential complex in Mannheim-Waldhof and the expanded shell “for a well-known hotel chain” in Munich near the train station.
Previs Vorsorge is responsible for the new development in St.Gallen, according to a media release from the pension fund. The wooden superstructure will consist of two buildings with space for 110 rental apartments. The focus is on future viability and sustainability.
Certified wood and recycled concrete are used as building materials. Since the components are prefabricated, the construction time can also be reduced. It will be possible to move in as early as autumn 2021. There are numerous different apartment sizes available to those interested, from studios to 5.5 rooms.
A roof system contributes solar power, in principle the apartments are supplied with 75 percent renewable energy via district heating. There is a car sharing service available to residents, and they can also charge their electric cars in underground parking spaces. In addition, they can read their personal electricity consumption in real time via a so-called smart home system. A green space will be created between the two buildings, which will contribute to biodiversity with birdhouses and insect hotels.
Interested parties already have the opportunity to view the apartments in advance using VR (virtual reality) glasses.
So soll der Aussenbereich des Grand Hôtel & Centre Thermal nach dem Umbau aussehen.
Ein Projektbild des geplanten Neubaus.
Seit Herbst 2019 wird das historische Hotel mit 116 Zimmern und Suiten während drei Jahren umgebaut. Das Gesamtbudget von rund 32 Millionen Franken enthält die Kosten für die vollständige Renovierung der Innenräume und des Aussenbereiches sowie des Thermalbades und des Grand Hôtels. Im Grand Hôtel werden die Zimmer und Bäder, die Küche und der Aussenbereich inklusive Schwimmbad renoviert. Der Eingang zu den Thermalbädern wird neu ausgestaltet und mit Geschäftsflächen und Restaurants erweitert. Die Umkleidekabinen werden renoviert.
Ein neues Café wird nur von den Bädern aus zugänglich sein. Die Zone um die Aussenschwimmbecken wird mit einem 350 m2 grossen Wellnessbereich mit Hamam und Sauna ergänzt. Der Fitnessbereich umfasst neu 700 m2. Während der gesamten Bauzeit wird das Thermalbad den normalen Betrieb aufrechterhalten. BCO SA, eine Tochter der BOAS-Gruppe, leitet die Bauarbeiten; das Architekturbüro Richter Dahl Rocha mit Sitz in Lausanne hat das Projekt ausgearbeitet.
Das Thermalbad von Yverdon-les-Bains besteht aktuell aus verschiedenen, zum Teil dreistöckigen Gebäuden, die untereinander verbunden sind. Im Aussenbereich stehen zwei grosse Schwimmbecken zur Verfügung. Das 4-Sterne-Superior-Hotel liegt inmitten eines prächtigen Parks mit altem Baumbestand. Aufgrund seiner langjährigen Geschichte strahlen die verschiedenen Räumlichkeiten des Grand Hôtels jeweils ihren eigenen, ganz besonderen Charme aus. So zum Beispiel die sogenannte Rotunde (kreisförmiger Bauteil), in der sich das Restaurant und die Lounge-Bar befinden oder der vor kurzem renovierte «Belle Epoque»-Saal und insbesondere auch das zum Hotel gehörende Schloss. Über einen Glastunnel ist das Hotel mit den Thermalbädern verbunden.
Neues Seedorf und neue Einrichtungen Der erste Schritt des gross angelegten Renovationsprojektes ist der Bau des Seedorfes im Park vor dem Hotel – am Ufer eines neu angelegten Weihers. Drei Holzbrücken führen die Besucher übers Wasser zu den Häusern, die verschiedene Wellnessbereiche wie Hamam, Sauna und Ruheräume beherbergen. Ein Barfussweg wird ebenfalls entstehen. Die bereits heute für die Physiotherapie und Arztpraxen genutzten Räumlichkeiten werden durch zwei Einheiten ergänzt: Entstehen soll ein Zentrum für Sportmedizin mit einem separaten Eingang. Weiter ist vorgesehen, die medizinischen Infrastrukturen räumlich zu konzentrieren, sodass die Patienten über eine grössere Privatsphäre verfügen. Durch die Verlegung des Thermalbadeingangs entsteht ein attraktiver, lebendiger Raum, durch den der Gast vom Hotel direkt zur Bäderzone gelangt.
Dieser Bereich umfasst 900 m2 und umfasst eine Empfangshalle, eine Boutique, ein Restaurant und ein Café. Der bislang für den Übergang genutzte, wenig ansprechende Glastunnel wird abgebaut. Renoviert werden zudem Küche und Restaurationsbereich. Die Fassaden und Dächer der Thermalbad-Gebäude werden abgerissen. Stattdessen wird einer äusseren Einfassung Platz gemacht, die den ganzen Komplex umfasst und vereinheitlicht. Die gesamte Fläche wird um eine Etage aufgestockt. Damit entsteht Raum für moderne, besser durchdachte, architektonisch homogen und stilvoll integrierte Inf- rastrukturen. Auch die Infrastruktur des Thermalzentrums wird optimiert: Das Hallenbad wird komplett renoviert und um ein neues Schwimmbad mit Spielbereich erweitert.
Infrastruktur des Neubaus in der Übersicht: Erdgeschoss Neuer Eingang, 600 m2 Boutiquen, Café / Restaurant, 360 m2 Bäder-Restaurant Bereich Physiotherapie (960 m2) mit unabhängigem Rehabilitationsbecken Neue Umkleideräume und Duschen Neues Innen-Schwimmbecken (Unterricht und Erholung) Inneres Becken vollständig renoviert Zwei Aussen-Schwimmbecken
Erste Etage Fitness-Raum, 700 m2 Schönheitspflege, 340 m2 Sportmedizinisches Zentrum (1160 m2) mit Anbindung an den Physiotherapiebereich und neuem separatem Eingang
Über BOAS Swiss Hotels Boas Swiss Hotels ist eine private Hotelgruppe mit Sitz in Crissier / Lausanne. Zur Gruppe gehören zehn Beherbergungsbetriebe in den Kantonen Wallis, Waadt und Genf. Die Hotels gehören mehrheitlich zur Kategorie der 3- und 4-Sterne-Superior-Betriebe. ■
At the beginning of the year, the Grand Hotel Geneva changed operators: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, one of the luxury brands from the Accor Group, is taking over from the Kempinski Group. At the same time, the owner, Le Palace Genève SA, announced the extensive renovation of the hotel.
The Geneva 5-star hotel directly on the lake with a view of Mont Blanc is being remodeled by the French star architect Jean Nouvel. With his architecture office, he secured the contract in the context of an international architecture competition. Brigitte Jucker-Diserens' Geneva partner office is coordinating the project. The KKL Luzern, the Lyon Opera, the Galerie Lafayette in Berlin and the national museum in Doha all came from Nouvel's hands. He was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 2008 and has so far created over 200 structures.
Targeting the highest energy efficiency standards The renovation work should begin at the end of 2020 / beginning of 2021, once all permits have been received. One focus of the renovation is on the facade. It should be perfectly integrated into the environment and should be based on the design and materials of the other houses in the bay. The inner courtyard, the public areas and the restaurants are also being renovated. In addition, the hotel should meet the highest energy efficiency standards after the renovation. It is currently being clarified whether a thermal heating solution can be implemented. Then the hotel would be heated and cooled with water from Lake Geneva. This focus on sustainability is in line with the philosophy of the Fairmont brand.
The hotel has 412 rooms, including 33 suites and 14 apartments; three restaurants, a lounge and bar with a view of the lake, a heated indoor pool and a spa and fitness center. The number of rooms will be unchanged after the renovation, as the press officer at Fairmont Hotels & Resort, Philippe Eberhard, announced. The centrally located hotel will remain open during the renovation. According to Eberhard, the costs are likely to amount to tens of millions of francs.
Fairmont's portfolio currently includes 77 hotels in 29 countries, including the GrandHotel Geneva. The Fairmont Le Montreux Palace is also located on Lake Geneva. ■
The renovation work has been underway since September 2016: In St. Moritz, the former Hotel La Margna on Via Serlas is becoming the Grace Hotel. The owner is the internationally active Grace Hotel Group. She has the building carefully renovated and expanded with an annex. The opening was originally planned for 2017, was then postponed to autumn 2019 and is now to take place in 2022. The reason for the delay: the project was modified and expanded again after construction began. The number of hotel rooms was increased by a third to 56, as a correspondingly high demand is expected.
Upon completion, the hotel will include the historic “La Margna Wing” and the modern, newly built “Grace Wing”. In the "Grace Wing" an underground car park, a spa area as well as hotel rooms and suites are being built. In the “La Margna Wing”, the rooms on the upper floors are being completely renovated. The rooms on the lower floors are being restored so that the historical building fabric is preserved. Here guests will discover vaults, arches and other architectural features of Art Nouveau.
Art Nouveau meets modernity The former Hotel Margna was built in 1906 and 1907 according to plans by the architect Nicolaus Hartmann in the Engadin style. In 1911 the east wing was increased by three storeys. After that, renovations and renovations took place again and again, but the external appearance was never significantly changed. The striking facade is to be retained even after the current renovation.
The drafts for the project come from the pen of the architect Nikolas Travasaros from Divercity Architects. For him, the main challenge was to freshen up the original architecture and at the same time create a modern extension for additional rooms and a spa. In addition to taking into account the strict building regulations and the given restrictions due to the sloping terrain, Travasaros had to plan hotel rooms that can also be converted into long-term apartments.
His plans combine old and new by expanding the base of the existing building. The extension follows the natural gradient and fits seamlessly into the landscape. The new wing is deliberately kept discreet and does not overshadow the traditional architecture and the breathtaking alpine surroundings. Panoramic windows and adaptable, open interiors create a feeling of light and space.
Blarer & Reber Architects in Samedan are responsible for the planning and implementation on site. The preservation of monuments in Graubünden was included in the project development so that the greatest possible preservation of the historically valuable building fabric is guaranteed. The STW AG for spatial planning based in Chur was also included in the project team.
All rooms and suites of the boutique hotel Grace St. Moritz will offer lake or panoramic views. Three restaurants and a spacious spa area with swimming pool as well as a fitness center on over 800 square meters are planned. The hotel has a private car park and is just a 2-minute walk from the train station and the bus stop. A ski shop and ski room are also planned. Serviced apartments are also to be offered for sale in both wings. ■
Only photovoltaics can show Switzerland the way to a CO2-free future, writes the Deputy Director of the Federal Materials Testing and Research Institute ( Empa ), Peter Richner, in an article for Avenir Suisse . It is based on the so-called Kaya identity, which the Japanese scientist Yoichi Kaya used in 1993 to describe the total amount of anthropogenic CO2 emissions as a function of four factors. The fourth alone, a reduction in the CO2 footprint, has enough potential, according to Richner, to achieve Switzerland's climate goals – through massive expansion of photovoltaics.
If only 50 percent of all Swiss roofs were equipped with solar modules, electricity production from nuclear power plants would be superfluous. Richner demonstrates this in terms of electricity supply and demand for 2015. However, if all roofs and increasingly also building facades were equipped with solar panels, the output gap in winter could also be compensated for. At the same time, however, solutions would have to be found in order to be able to utilize the largest possible proportion of the electricity surplus in summer, both on a daily basis and at other times of the year.
For increased flexibility of use, day storage systems could shift loads, for example through batteries or hydrogen. Digitization offers opportunities for the necessary creation of flexibility in consumption and production. Excess electricity could be converted into hydrogen in summer and possibly, together with CO2 from the air, into methane or liquid synthetic hydrocarbons. These chemical energy carriers can be stored easily and used in a variety of ways. And finally, seasonal heat storage systems could be charged with excess electricity in order to reduce energy requirements in winter.
The potential of energy efficiency, another influenceable factor of the Kaya identity, is far from being exhausted, says Richner. However, achievements in this area would be compensated for by higher electricity demand, fossil electricity imports from abroad in winter or increased electricity consumption.
In order to achieve a climate-neutral Switzerland, one of the four factors in the Kaya identity must be zero or the remaining product is offset with CO2-negative technologies such as the separation of CO2 from the air and its storage. Politicians must provide a decisive framework for this, as long as the nuclear power plants are still running.
A team of researchers from the Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt ( Empa ) has developed a new technology. This enables concrete to be produced and used more sustainably. For this purpose, the materials used in the manufacture of self-prestressed concrete elements are reduced.
With conventional prestressing, steel tendons are usually anchored on both sides of the concrete element, put under tension and then removed again. Because the steel is susceptible to rust, “the concrete layer around the prestressing steel must have a certain minimum thickness”, according to Empa in a press release . Researchers have therefore been working on replacing steel with carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) since the 1990s. However, this process is very expensive and also significantly more complicated than the prestressing process with steel.
Empa has now completely solved these problems. Thanks to her method, she can dispense with anchoring on the sides of the element. Instead, its recipe enables the concrete to expand as it cures. "As a result of this expansion, the concrete puts the CFRP rods inside under tension and thereby automatically pretensions them."
"Our technology opens up completely new possibilities in lightweight construction," said Mateusz Wyrzykowski, who heads the Empa team together with Giovanni Terrasi and Pietro Lura. "Not only can we build more stable, but we also need considerably less material."
The team recently received patents in Europe and the United States for its technology. It is now developing new applications together with industrial partner BASF.
Mr. Allemann, there has been a structural change in the Swiss hotel industry for a long time, with a trend towards larger hotels. Nevertheless, almost 90 percent of the hotels have fewer than 55 beds. How are these companies responding to this change?
The biggest problem are businesses with ten to twenty rooms and 15 to 30 beds. These houses are struggling to be profitable. Many small businesses, however, have a very large share of the catering industry, some of which generate over eighty percent of sales. The hotel industry is not part of the main business there.
Hotel guests are becoming more and more demanding. How can the aging hotels keep up with this trend?
This is actually a problem. We have many plants in Switzerland that were built at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. These often have fewer than thirty rooms and are very entertaining. If you are in destinations that are no longer as attractive today, such as transit routes, this is an aggravating circumstance. Missing frequencies then automatically lead to profitability problems and pent-up maintenance.
Does the operation of a hotel require high investments?
Yes, because the hotel industry is very investment-intensive. A hotel should be completely renovated after thirty to forty years. Depending on how trend-oriented or traditionally timeless a hotel is architecturally positioned with its furnishings in the market, shorter renewal cycles are necessary, especially for the rooms.
Do the hotels generally have the necessary financial resources to carry out the necessary renovations and refurbishments?
In principle, investments should be financed from cash flow. In recent decades this has become increasingly difficult for many companies, also because of the various crises. At the moment, of course, especially because of the Corona crisis. In the luxury sector, there are often patrons who have either fallen in love with the house or with the region and are ready to invest in hotel properties. They see the motivation of their investments not only in economic terms, but as an «A-fonds-perdu-contribution. In this way, their hotel operations achieve their extraordinary positioning in the market. I see the critical segment in the middle-class hotels, which because of insufficient occupancy or insufficient positioning are unable to make the necessary investments or can only generate them through borrowing.
Does your association financially support the renovation of hotels?
No, this is not the association's task; we would not have the resources to do so either. The association has the competence to offer and supports its members to be competitive. We have built up a network of specialized consulting firms that can support our members in a wide variety of subject areas. We also work very closely with the Swiss Hotel Association (SGH), which has the specific financing expertise.
This means?
The SGH is a federal instrument to promote the accommodation industry. Subordinate to the banks and subsidiary to private donors, it can grant loans for investment projects to hotels in tourist areas and health resorts.
What other challenges need to be tackled?
Succession arrangements are particularly difficult for companies with an investment backlog and / or over-indebtedness. This is practically impossible within the family or cannot be expected of the children. Since the second home initiative was adopted, it is practically no longer possible to convert hotel properties. Demolition is not an option, especially for listed properties. Complete renovations or partial re-use are also very costly due to the requirements of monument protection. So there is still hope of finding a patron. Unfortunately, these are not just in front of the door. If the substance of the house is still intact and there is potential for demand in the destination, I see the merger of several companies as an alternative to cross-company cooperation as an opportunity out of this dilemma. For example, by bundling purchasing, costs can be saved and more sales can be achieved with joint marketing activities.
What advice would you give a hotelier: renovate, demolish or try to get a loan?
Look, one criterion is the existing building fabric, especially for hotels from the turn of the century. However, if only the shell is historical, this hotel hardly offers guests any incentives to stay here. Keeping a house steeped in history alive takes a lot of personal commitment. First of all, it is important to deal with the era of hotel construction. This requires a certain affinity with the history of the hotel. This also has to be told. So you need someone who is willing to renovate the establishment of the company gently and with great sensitivity and to bring it up to the state of today's guest needs. ■
Wall coverings in Patina – color WR06, floor coverings in Legno + Color medium WR02.
Wall coverings in Cementoresina Wall – color WR09, floor coverings in Legno + Color small WR09.
Wall coverings in cement crudo Wall – color WR06, floor coverings in Cementocrudo – color WR06.
Emilio Stecher AG has opened a new, innovative exhibition for interior design. In addition to their well-known domestic and foreign natural stones, they also show ceramic and artificial stones today. What particularly fascinates me, however, are the seamless mineral coverings, which are particularly eye-catching in the homely atmosphere with their warm colors. To show such a new product is rather unusual for a traditional natural stone company. How did that happen?
My son Emilio junior, the fourth generation of our company, completed a stage in the construction chemicals company Kerakoll in Sassuolo, Italy. This company distinguishes itself with its Green Label especially for ecological products. Its CEO and owner in the person of Gianluca Sghedoni has already been entrepreneur of the year in Italy twice. Emilio then enthusiastically told me about “Kerakoll Design House”.
Why did you agree to your son and turn the finished plans for your exhibition completely upside down?
Actually, it is not a classic stone. I then drove to Modena with my project manager Luigi Gioiello, who was in charge of this exhibition, to visit this fascinating exhibition in particular. Mr. Gioiello designed the exhibition based on his vast experience, precisely with the architect's wishes, which he advises on a daily basis. The people in charge at Kerakoll explained the philosophy and the entire 10-year development period to us: The atmosphere of the Warm Collection is the result of exclusive and sophisticated research into textures, surfaces and colors in the unmistakable style of the star architect and designer Piero Lissoni. Mr Gioiello was delighted. It was the icing on the cake, which was actually still missing in his finished concept. He was happy to redraw everything and integrated this excellent product in perfect harmony with our traditional stones.
But I also see structures and various surface treatments. How about that?
It is correct, it is also from smooth layers like silk to irregular, naturally grained surfaces. And finally, it is also a guaranteed visual experience: from the mineral grains to the refinement of the classic "handmade" by the processor to the reaction effects of the light, which creates a fascinating and elegant atmosphere.
Can “Kerakoll Design House” be used anywhere, in wet and dry areas for new buildings and renovations?
It is a classic product for exclusive interior design. Since it applies 2-3.5 mm depending on the product, it is the ideal solution in the field of renovations. Existing healthy surfaces can be coated with it. Especially for buildings from the 60s or 70s, which were often equipped with panels, which were made with asbestos containing construction adhesives have been added, there is no need for laborious picking out and disposal with special contamination. The thin application and the subsequent seamless appearance create completely new rooms in a state-of-the-art outfit. It is ingenious that wet rooms can also be equipped. The dream of every architect to design rooms or bathrooms without joints can be realized here. "Kerakoll Design House" is a product that also integrates our natural stones and can therefore be combined in an innovative way. A new interior design style is born.
Is the processing demanding and expensive and which craftsmen do it?
In fact, it is not a product that is sold based on price. In general, the product is used by experienced stucco workers, plasterers or specially trained painters.
After around four years, what kind of assessment can you draw of successfully completed properties? What do your customers, architects and users say about it? Was your concept of the integrated exhibition understood? Are the only 10 colors of the "Kerakoll Design House" sufficient for the high demands of today's discerning customers?
We have received a very good response from our customers and visitors. Our excellent advice, which is really also competent, also contributes to this, and this is very much appreciated by the visitors. The 10 warm and appealing colors are a comprehensive design project, which can also be combined with various surface treatments. The various products such as “Cementoresina”, “Cementoex”, “Cementocrudo”, additional continuous Microresina wall surfaces, which Wallcrete, Wallpaper and Microresina Wall and, thanks to the individual handwriting of the user, have special notes, make the product never seem boring. On the contrary, the additional decorative coatings such as paint, patina, decor up to the Invisible skirting allow huge combination options, which are perfectly coordinated in the “Warm Collection” color palette. This just leads to a total work of art, which the signature of Pie- ro Lissoni and from the very experienced stucco dear Mr. Antonio Pungitore (who has many years of experience in restoration and plastering Work can look back) has been implemented excellently by our customers. Nevertheless, each object is individual and could always be combined to suit the customer's taste. ■
Im ersten Halbjahr 2021 soll im historischen Gebäude des Märthofs in Basel das Boutique-Hotel Märthof eröffnen. Die Eigentümerin, die Coop Immobilien AG, hat das Architekturbüro Burckhardt + Partner mit der umfassenden Renovation beauftragt. Geführt wird das Hotel nach der Eröffnung von der zu Coop gehörenden Bâle Hotelgruppe. Sie betreibt bereits die Hotels Pullman Basel Europa an der Clarastrasse sowie das Victoria am Centralbahnplatz und das Hotel Baslertor in Basel-Muttenz.
Das Gebäude des Märthofs entstammt dem 19. Jahrhundert und bestand ursprünglich aus fünf einzelnen Häusern, die 1981 zu einem Gebäudekomplex zusammengeführt wurden. Die freiwillige Denkmalpflege Basel wehrte sich Anfang der 70er-Jahre gegen den geplanten Warenhaus-Neubau, der anstelle des alten Gebäudes vorgesehen war. Der Abbruch wurde 1976 in einer Volksabstimmung abgelehnt. Nun soll ein Hotel der oberen 4-Sterne-Kategorie entstehen, wobei die Fassade mit einem neuen Anstrich in ihrer jetzigen Form erhalten bleibt. Das Mauerwerk selber bleibt unverändert – auch die Natursteinpartien werden nur gereinigt.
Laut Coop-Mediensprecherin Rebecca Veiga sollen im neuen Boutique-Hotel die Stilepochen der ehemals fünf bestehenden Gebäude unverkrampft und spielerisch vermischt werden. «Verspielte Motive des Neubarocks und die funktionale Gestaltung der Geschäftsfassade aus dem Jahre 1927 treffen im Inneren des Gebäudes auf die lineare 80er-Jahre-Struktur», sagt Veiga.
Offene Übergänge und eine freundliche Atmosphäre Auf die insgesamt 68 geplanten Zimmer, davon acht Suiten und acht Juniorsuiten, werden Stehleuchten, Wandleuchten, Sessel und weiteres Mobiliar individuell verteilt – kein Zimmer wird exakt wie das andere aussehen. Die Zimmer erhalten unterschiedliche Farbschemen und widerspiegeln die Geschichte vom jeweiligen Gebäudeteil, in dem sie sich befinden. Die Farben sind abwechslungsreich und sollen nicht polarisieren – sodass sie das ganze Jahr hindurch auf die Gäste angenehm wirken.
Des Weiteren sind ein Fitnessraum, eine Bibliothek, ein Res- taurant sowie eine Bar auf der Dachterrasse im 6. Stock mit 55 Sitzplätzen vorgesehen – und eine weitere im Erdgeschoss. Alle funktionalen Räumlichkeiten sind analog einer starken Wirbelsäule um den Erschliessungskern des Hauses angeordnet und stossen von innen nach allen drei Aussenseiten. Die Übergänge der unterschiedlichen Nutzungsflächen im Erdgeschoss sind offen gestaltet, sodass es als Fläche ohne Unterbrüche wahrgenommen wird.
Eine helle und freundliche Atmosphäre empfängt den Gast im Standardzimmer. Der Raum wird mit Ausnahme der abgeschlossenen Dusche und einem separaten WC grosszügig offen gestaltet. Nebst der eingebauten Schrankzeile im Eingang sind alle Möbelstücke freistehend. Sanfte Rundungen gemäss dem Gesamtkonzept des Hauses werden auch im Zimmer durchdekliniert. Die Aussenbestuhlung und die grossen Fenster verbinden das Gebäude mit dem Marktplatz. «Die einmalige Lage und das lebendige Geschehen am Marktplatz soll nach innen spielen und umgekehrt», sagt Veiga. Das Boutique-Hotel will internationale wie auch lokale Gäste ansprechen und durch Restaurant und Bar entlang der Eisengasse als Treffpunkt für die lokale Bevölkerung und die Hotelgäste dienen. ■
As a result of the corona pandemic, an escape from the cities to the countryside or to rural residential areas was expected in the real estate sector because of the supposedly lower risk of infection there compared to overcrowded cities. That has not happened so far. On the contrary, according to the press release on the half-year report prepared by homegate.ch in collaboration with Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ), cities in particular continue to be very attractive.
Throughout Switzerland, asking rents have risen by 0.4 percent since the beginning of the year. The slight downward trend of previous years has thus ended and was already broken in mid-2019. The higher rents are particularly evident in the cantons of Geneva with a plus of 4.5 percent, Jura with 1.7 and Uri with 1.5 percent. This trend can also be seen in most of the other cantons, with a few exceptions such as in the cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden with minus 0.5 percent each, Graubünden and Basel-Land (-0.4 percent) and Ticino (-0.3 percent ). They are still suffering from the weakness in rent trends over the past few years. Vacancies are recorded in many rural cantons and municipalities.
The half-yearly balance points to the robust rental price development in the cities of Geneva (+3.8 percent) and Zurich (+1.4 percent). This contradicts the expectations regarding the effects of the Corona crisis. However, the report points out, the rental situation could change for another reason, but one caused by Corona. The influx from abroad is likely to decrease and this can lead to downward pressure on rental prices in the case of vacancies, especially in many rental apartment projects that have been started due to the high influx of people to date.
According to a communication from Energiedienst Holding AG , the Swiss-German Energiedienst group achieved operating income of 532 million euros in the first half of 2020. In the same period of the previous year, 49 million euros less had been generated. The company attributes the growth primarily to higher prices in the sales business and increased electricity trading volumes.
Negative effects on the capital market, however, would have reduced the operating result (EBIT) year-on-year by 1 million euros to 12 million, said Energiedienst in the press release. Adjusted for non-operating effects, however, EBIT rose by 8 million to 24 million euros. "Operationally, the Energiedienst Group is doing better in the first half of 2020 than in the same period of the previous year", Jörg Reichert, CEO of Energiedienst Holding AG, is quoted in the announcement. "But the pandemic is not leaving the Energiedienst Group unaffected." The group expects that it will not be able to achieve its originally targeted operating result of 41 million euros for the year as a whole.
In terms of profit for the period, a year-on-year decline of 6 million to 8 million euros had to be accepted. According to the announcement, the background to this is a negative performance of the company's securities. It reduced the financial result year-on-year by 5 million euros to a loss of 3 million euros.
"The Energiedienst Group has been one of the first integrated energy companies in Germany and Switzerland to be climate-neutral since January 2020," explains Reichert. This climate neutrality is "the foundation of their business activities", it says in the announcement. According to her, the group was able to win several large business customers in the six months under review “thanks to its climate neutrality”.
PriceHubble takes over 100 percent of the shares in Checkmyplace GmbH , according to a media release . According to co-founder Markus Stadler, the company wants to strengthen its position in the German-speaking area. "We can now also offer multinational real estate companies in the DACH region additional added value," he says.
PriceHubble makes it possible to gain useful knowledge for the valuation of real estate from large amounts of data. For example, it includes data on the location, the neighborhood or noise pollution in the assessment. The data is evaluated and clearly presented with the help of big data analytics and artificial intelligence. PriceHubble is aimed at all parties in the real estate value chain, such as real estate portals, banks, asset managers, insurance companies, real estate investors and private individuals.
Checkmyplace delivers services and products based on various data and supports professional users in the real estate industry in working more efficiently. After completion of the takeover, the company will appear under the name PriceHubble Austria.
PriceHubble was founded in 2016. The Zurich-based company already has locations in Paris, Berlin and now also in Vienna. As a result of the takeover, over 70 employees work for the company.
The University of Applied Sciences of Graubünden has examined how the added value of luxury residences that are often vacant can be improved. In this context, the Institute for Tourism and Leisure ( ITF ) investigated the question of how their owners can become convinced renters. In Graubünden they have been “neglected”, writes the FH in a press release . However, because the trend is moving from overnight stays in a hotel to one's own holiday home, this clientele should not be neglected.
However, the existing data is too thin for a needs analysis. Therefore, in their study, the researchers examined the willingness to rent similar prestige properties. In the global yacht charter market, they identified high administrative hurdles as well as psychological motives as an obstacle to renting out. These include encroachments on privacy and limited flexibility in personal use.
The most important finding from this needs analysis, however, is "that both the rental of superyachts and luxury residences are a matter of trust". So that the potential of the often vacant luxury properties in the high-priced Alpine destinations can be used, "all tasks that arise must be managed by a coordinator role". It is your job to guarantee that all service participants work together as smoothly as possible. “The rest then comes naturally, because satisfied landlords generate satisfied tenants,” says the message.
In a joint guest commentary for the “Tages-Anzeiger”, two leading representatives of the Swiss energy industry take a hard line against the Federal Council's plans to implement the Energy Strategy 2050. “Switzerland has the wrong instruments for promoting renewable energies. We have a suggestion on how this can be changed, ”write Thomas Sieber, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the energy company Axpo , and Gianni Operto, President of AEE Suisse , the umbrella organization for renewable energies and energy efficiency.
The proposal can be summarized in two words: Moving market premium. The Federal Council proposes a model with investment contributions for the energy law revision. The amounts are fixed in advance. From the authors' point of view, the problem is that it will hardly be possible to determine the most economically efficient contribution amount. Either there is unnecessary over-funding or too little funds are budgeted, which leads to the shutdown of plants that are no longer profitable. The sliding market premium, for which a “broad alliance of the Swiss energy industry” advocates, is already being used successfully in other countries. Production capacities would be put out to tender in a competition. "Those interested with the lowest offers are guaranteed a minimum remuneration for the electricity produced over a certain period of time – but only if the market price does not cover this." The sliding market premium supports precisely and only as much as necessary. It is therefore not a subsidy, but a fair price tag for a central service.
Since the expansion of renewable capacities in Switzerland is currently not profitable for electricity suppliers, Swiss energy suppliers and institutional investors invested abroad. At the end of 2019, the expansion of renewable capacities financed in this way had increased to 11.5 terawatt hours, almost a fifth of the total annual production in Switzerland.
The cantonal administrative court is withdrawing the legal basis for the planned construction of the Zurich Innovation Park. As the court wrote in a statement on Tuesday, with a ruling on July 8th, it revoked the cantonal building department's ruling on the cantonal design plan for the innovation park.
Such a design plan is only possible for specific individual buildings or individual systems. The design plan for the innovation park with its perimeter of 36 hectares and a total usable area of up to 410,000 square meters does not fall below that. The “special purpose of promoting innovation” does not change anything. "Due to its dimensions and the intended uses, the design plan does not create a project-related, but a general construction zone," says the message.
The canton has thus exceeded its competencies: Only the municipalities are responsible for defining general building zones. “That is why the cantonal design plan is not available for the intended planning.” In addition, the judges believe that the design plan violates the cantonal framework plan because most of the site is in the cantonal agricultural zone.
The building management set the design plan on August 9, 2017. Two residents appealed to the cantonal building course court, but were rejected. Its decision is now also overturned by the administrative court. An appeal can now be made to the Federal Supreme Court against the judgment of the Administrative Court.
The idea of an innovation park in Zurich on the site of the Dübendorf military airfield was the inspiration behind the creation of the Switzerland Innovation Parks . While such parks in Aargau, in the greater Basel area, in Biel, in western and central Switzerland are already making good progress, the idea generator is now in danger of failing. The Zurich government had already applied for a loan of CHF 217.6 million in 2018 for the construction, development and support of the innovation park in Dübendorf.
Overall, the construction industry barely moved in 2019. According to the provisional figures from the Federal Statistical Office ( BFS ), an increase in construction investments in civil engineering of 3.9 percent offset a decline in building construction of 0.9 percent.
There was a change from new buildings to renovations and expansions. Investments in new civil engineering buildings fell by 6.9 percent, while investments in conversions and expansions rose by 13.2 percent. In building construction, too, investments in renovations and extensions rose by 1.6 percent, while investments in new buildings fell by 2.0 percent.
This switch to renovations was particularly pronounced among public clients: Last year they invested 8.8 percent more in renovations and extensions and 7.2 percent less in new buildings. Private clients invested 2.2 percent more in conversions and expansions than in 2018, but 1.4 percent less in new buildings.
"Ecological and sustainable action by the organizations has long since ceased to be desirable, but is expected," said the St.Gallen cantonal police in introducing a report on the authority's latest achievement. Specifically, the canton police now want to meet their responsibility for the environment by using a hydrogen car. So far, a total of 20 electric vehicles have been used by the St.Gallen canton police.
The new Hyundai Nexo, like electric cars, does not emit any harmful emissions, the press release said. Fast refueling and a range of 600 kilometers per tank are named as further advantages of the hydrogen car.
However, there are currently hardly any hydrogen filling stations in the region, explains the canton police. She identified Osterwalder St.Gallen AG as currently the only operator of a hydrogen filling station in Eastern Switzerland. The newly acquired Hyundai Nexo is therefore to be assigned to the traffic instruction stationed in St.Gallen.
Axpo has placed a so-called green bond via the digital capital market platform of the Zurich fintech Loanboox , according to a media release . The fixed-interest bond of CHF 133 million has a term of seven years.
Axpo intends to use the net proceeds from the bond to invest in renewable energies. The company highlights wind energy and photovoltaic projects. Overall, Axpo wants to use the Green Bond to “strengthen its position as the largest Swiss producer of renewable energies” and expand its group of investors, it is said.
According to Loanboox, Axpo is the first issuer to place a green bond entirely digitally via the debt capital market platform. "This first bond is proof that our digital process creates added value for all market participants," says Philippe Cayrol, CEO of Loanboox. "We are proud and happy to work with innovative customers and partners to create new standards in terms of transparency, pricing and allocation in the primary market – in Switzerland and Europe," he adds.
The idea for the Home-E-Fair was born out of necessity, according to a media release. Because the real estate trade fair season has so far completely fallen into the water due to the Covid 19 crisis. Georges Luks, CEO and Delegate of the Board of Directors of Zurich Sotheby's International Realty , explains how the idea came about to replace trade fairs with a physical presence with a virtual one: “In the home office, it became clear to us that such a trade fair could actually be virtual without any problems can take place. With Crowdhouse we were able to set up this pilot project in a short time. We believe that this model will also be relevant in the future and are motivated to set up further virtual trade fairs on an even larger scale. "
At the five-day virtual trade fair from July 22nd, interested parties can log into the trade fair platform from home, study real estate offers, and exchange ideas with consultants via live or video chat. In addition, as at every real estate fair, a number of roundtables and lectures are offered.
At the fair, the partners Zurich Sotheby's International Realty and Crowdhouse complement each other in real estate, from condominiums to multi-family houses, in which Crowdhouse specializes. Ardian Gjeloshi, founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Crowdhouse: "Both Zurich Sotheby's International Realty and Crowdhouse speak to the same target group – but from different perspectives: living and investing."
As part of the new order, 18 SBB locomotives of the latest generation will be modernized with traction converters from ABB, according to a press release. The Zurich-based and internationally active technology group has its Swiss headquarters in Baden and manufactures traction converters in its plant in Turgi AG. In 2014, ABB received an order from SBB to modernize locomotives with traction converters. With the follow-up order now received, ABB will modernize the entire Re 460 fleet. These are the locomotives of most intercity trains.
SBB is implementing a modernization program for the fleet, which will extend its service life by 20 years. The new traction converters and additional technical measures can save around 30 gigawatt hours of energy annually, "that's five gigawatt hours more than originally expected," says ABB. According to the report, these energy savings correspond to the “average electricity consumption of 10,000 Swiss households”. For this purpose, the power electronics based on the technology of the 90s are being replaced by energy-efficient, water-cooled IGBT traction converters (insulated-gate bipolar transistor). This retrofit and cooling systems operated with water instead of oil can reduce energy consumption.
"We are pleased that we are a partner in this major modernization project in the Swiss home market with our drive solution and that we are working closely with SBB to ensure that the vehicles continue to be operated in an energy-efficient manner," said Robert Itschner, Country Managing Director at ABB Switzerland.
UBS joins forces with iptiQ , a subsidiary of reinsurer Swiss Re . Together they are testing a new insurance solution specially designed for UBS's mortgage customers in Switzerland. The offer is accessible via the iptiQ digital platform, according to a communication . Initially, it will be tested for around six months from July 15. Then it should be optimized based on feedback.
"Protecting yourself against unforeseen events is of central importance for every homeowner," says UBS Switzerland boss Axel Lehmann. "We are pleased to be able to offer our mortgage customers, in cooperation with the Swiss Re subsidiary iptiQ, an innovative offer with which they can cover personal risks quickly and easily."
Cooperations between banks and insurance companies are already successful in many countries, UBS states in its announcement. In Switzerland, the bank still sees untapped potential in this area.
Swiss Prime Site Solutions is developing a new “living space” for the Swiss Prime Investment Foundation, as stated in a press release by Swiss Prime Site Solutions . The foundation stone for the Riverside project was laid on July 10, 2020. The development is under the motto "Urban living – surrounded by nature". Construction work will begin in the northwest, where the area is located directly on the Aare and closest to the city of Solothurn. From there, the new quarter will develop in further construction stages to the south and east.
"Anyone who lives and works in the Riverside has, in addition to a chic apartment or a modern workplace with modern infrastructure, a multi-faceted quarter including local recreation on the Aare that meets the highest demands," explains Anastasius Tschopp, CEO of Swiss Prime Site Solutions. He speaks of a "lighthouse project for our client Swiss Prime Investment Foundation (SPA) and at the same time important for the entire Solothurn region".
Initially, 140 rental apartments are to be built directly on the banks of the Aare. The first tenants should be able to move in in winter 2021. More than 280 Swiss pension funds are both financiers and investors in the SPA. "We are currently carrying out the sixth emission for the SPA," said Tschopp. The subscription period lasts until July 22, 2020. The development program of the customer SPA currently amounts to around CHF 600 million and includes projects and real estate across Switzerland.
The new Porta Samedan shopping center is being realized by Migros Ostschweiz and Pfister Immobilien AG . During these days, the concreting of the floors of the new building is taking place, according to a media release . When it comes to building materials, the partners rely on the circular economy. Recycled products are used for both concrete and cement.
The one main component in concrete is cement. This comes by train from the Holcim plant in Untervaz GR to the Upper Engadin, where Montebello produces the recycled concrete on site. The Holcim product Susteno is used. According to the information, this is the only resource-saving cement in Europe in which the fine proportion of mixed granulate from demolished buildings is used as an additive, which cannot be used in concrete production. Holcim can completely close the building material cycle with Susteno, as this material would otherwise have to be dumped.
The other main component in concrete are the aggregates. "Here we rely on recycling: instead of natural gravel, we use demolition material from the region," explains Flurin Wieser from the Engadin construction company Montebello.
"The Porta Samedan development shows that the building materials industry, with innovative products and solutions, is playing an increasingly important role in the transition to the circular economy and is making a significant contribution to a sustainably built future," said Philippe Rey, Head of Cement Sales German-speaking Switzerland at Holcim Switzerland.
Porta Samedan is scheduled for completion in 2021. Among other things, it will house the first Migros supermarket in the Engadine.
Many jobs have already been destroyed throughout Switzerland by the Corona crisis, others are in danger. The Swiss Energy Foundation ( SES ) sees the increased use of renewable energies, especially solar power, as a means of counteracting this. The SES has commissioned a study on this at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ( ZHAW ) in Wädenswil ZH. According to the press release on this, a “courageous solar offensive” can create thousands of new jobs in a short period of time. Jürg Rohrer, author of the study and head of the Renewable Energy Research Group at the ZHAW, states: "If we equip the most easily usable areas with solar systems, we need around 14,000 additional jobs." A total of 12,000 of them would be in the Installation of photovoltaic systems, which employees can carry out after only a short training period. In 2000, specialist planners required more specialist knowledge, for which, depending on their previous education, they would need around six months of further training.
The package of measures of the Energy Strategy 2050, which was adopted in a referendum in May 2017, provides for more energy efficiency and renewable energies to be used in the future energy supply. However, the implementation has so far only got off to a slow start. The SES proposal, which should also be included in the consultation on the revision of the Energy Act, should help to compensate for this deficit. Felix Nipkow, Head of Renewable Energies at SES, mentions a threefold benefit of the initiative: “Investing in solar energy now helps to achieve the climate goals, creates new jobs and strengthens the security of supply in the electricity sector.” The new Energy Act will only be able to come into force in a few years. A solar offensive would trigger investments today and create new jobs quickly. In this way, photovoltaics will become a job engine.
Around 10 percent of the electricity consumption of the metal goods factory Hans Eberle AG has come from in-house production since this summer. According to the company's media release, the heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting of the new company building, which was also completed this summer, are powered by clean energy from the newly installed hydropower screw in Ortsbach. The Francis turbine that was used earlier "got out" in 2014 after more than 100 years of operation, as the company reports. With this investment, Hans Eberle AG wants to underline its commitment to the sustainable use of resources and make a contribution to climate protection.
Hans Eberle AG, together with other members of the cooperative, uses the Ennendaner Ortsbach to produce its own electricity. The water is led from the Linth into the Ortsbach and has a constant flow of three cubic meters of water per second, which is quite sufficient for electricity production. The use of water power from the Ortsbach has a long tradition in Ennenda; it used to be used in the textile industry for weaving fabrics.
Four electric buses will be operating on RVBW Line 5 from March 2021. They will transport passengers between Baldegg via Baden train station to Ennetbaden. The new buses are equipped with innovative technology from ABB Switzerland. The canton of Aargau announced this in a media release as the customer for the public transport services.
The project will be carried out in close cooperation with ABB. The Federal Office of Energy has classified it as a flagship project worth supporting. The drive technology is developed at the ABB site in Turgi. The charging station is also from ABB. The batteries are produced in Baden.
A charging station will be installed at each of the two terminal stops. There buses can be charged in up to six minutes. The canton is contributing almost 1.5 million francs to the investment costs for the charging infrastructure.
RVBW line 8 between Neuenhof and Wettingen has been operated with an electric bus on a trial basis for two years since mid-December 2019. On these two lines, the RVBW wants to gain initial operational experience with the use of e-buses. In the future, RVBW intends to operate all city bus routes electrically. The switch from internal combustion to electric motors is to take place gradually.
As part of the focus on the company's core areas, Migros is giving up real estate management. The association has now sold its Glatt shopping center in Wallisellen to Swiss Life . The buyer will take over the Glattzentrum “as part of its asset management activities for third-party customers”, explains Migros in a corresponding communication . According to her, the partners have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Swiss Life will take over the shopping center with unchanged rental contracts and will continue to develop it in the long term, the announcement further explains. The Glattzentrum is "one of the pioneers in Switzerland when it comes to the combination of shopping, adventure and meeting point," Stefan Mächler, Head of Investments at Swiss Life, is quoted there as saying. "We want to strengthen this market position in the future and we are convinced that the Glattzentrum is a very attractive investment property in the medium to long term." The Migros stores located in the Glattzentrum are to be continued unchanged and with long-term rental agreements.
The canton of Schaffhausen wants to take over the Rhine power station near Neuhausen itself in ten years. The concession for the power plant, which was built in 1948 and commissioned in 1950, expires at the end of 2030. Rheinkraftwerk Neuhausen AG (RKN) has applied for the extension of the water rights concession granted 80 years ago by the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zurich. However, the Schaffhausen government council, in coordination with the canton of Zurich, does not want to extend this, but rather declare the so-called reversal for the plant at the Rhine Falls and take over the plant itself. According to the canton's media release , this must be communicated to the previous operator ten years in advance, specifically by December 27, 2020.
District President and Energy Director Martin Kessler explains the procedure: “At the end of the concession, the canton will have the unique opportunity to take over the power plant. The economic and energy-political potential of the power plant is very interesting for the canton of Schaffhausen and offers considerable opportunities. Incidentally, the continuation of the hydropower plant corresponds to the energy strategy of the federal government and the canton and also makes sense from a climate policy perspective. "
This means that the added value resulting from the power plant remains in the canton. The RKN currently uses 29.9 cubic meters per second and produces around 45 gigawatt hours of energy per year. The energy production costs are extremely cheap at 2.9 cents.
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