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  • Sto AG replaces crude oil with pine oil

    Sto AG replaces crude oil with pine oil

    Sto AG replaces a third of the binding agent in the coatings of its StoTherm AimS facade insulation system with a renewable raw material based on pine oil. This saves around 43 liters of crude oil in a single-family house with a facade area of 200 square meters, according to a press release.

    A complete replacement of crude oil with pine oil was not possible. This would have had a negative effect on quality and durability.

    According to a media release, StoTherm AimS is the only facade insulation system with under and top plasters and a facade paint that is partly based on renewable raw materials. It is certified with the German Blue Angel eco-label. In addition, it is crack and impact-proof and cannot burn. Therefore, it is also suitable for high-rise buildings.

  • Schilliger Holz AG plans a new plant in Perlen

    Schilliger Holz AG plans a new plant in Perlen

    Schilliger Holz AG from Küssnacht is planning to build a new production plant for wood fiber insulation panels in Perlen. According to a media release, this is to be built on the Perlen Papier AG factory site. The CPH Group , to which Perlen Papier AG belongs, will hand over a land area of 20,000 square meters to the wood processing company with building rights.

    Schilliger Holz AG is one of the main suppliers of wood chips to Perlen Papier AG. One of their sawmills is already located right next to the paper mill in Perlen. Thanks to the new plant, the two companies will work even more closely together: Perlen Papier AG will supply the new plant with electricity, process steam, fresh water and fully demineralized water. In addition, it will treat the waste water produced in the company’s own sewage treatment plant.

    “We are pleased to be able to realize synergies in industrial wood processing together with Schilliger Holz AG at the Perlen location. In this way, Perlen will become the center for sustainable recycling of the important resource wood in Switzerland ”, Peter Schildknecht, CEO of the CPH Group, is quoted in a press release from his company.

    According to Schilliger Holz AG, there has been “no more insulation board production in Switzerland for a long time”. With the implementation of the new plant, the company therefore wants to close a “large gap in the Swiss wood processing chain”. Wood fiber insulation boards are used, for example, for the thermal insulation of the outer shell surfaces of buildings.

    The project is currently in the planning phase. Commissioning is scheduled for 2023.

  • TTS Inova wins Schaffhauser innovation award

    TTS Inova wins Schaffhauser innovation award

    Every two years the Industry and Business Association Schaffhausen ( IVS ) and the ITS Industry and Techno Center Schaffhausen host the IVS Innovation Prize of the Schaffhauser Platzbanken . It is awarded to companies from the Schaffhausen economic area for developing and successfully placing an innovative product on the market. Criterion for awarding the prize are, among other things, the profitability and the economic potential of the innovation.

    This year 23 companies competed for the award. Among them, TTS Inova from Thayngen SH won the prize and a prize money of 10,000 francs, the IVS informed in a message. The family company, which specializes in trimmings and technical textiles, was awarded for an elastic geothermal probe. “Our product is food-compliant, so it can also be used in areas where you would otherwise not be able to install a geothermal heat pump,” owner Simon Bernath is quoted in the press release.

    The young company Imnoo from Buchberg SH came second with its artificial intelligence-based application for milled and turned parts. “Calculating technical parts is time-consuming and requires a great deal of specialist knowledge, which usually only a few people in the SME – and not infrequently only the managing director himself – has”, explains Inmo co-founder Jonas Albergatti.

    Savvy Telematic Systems AG took third place with its sensor for rail transport wagons. In the last competition in 2019, the company from the canton capital won first prize for a sensor for automatic flat spot detection in rail transport. The Tanne Schaffhausen restaurant received a special award for its ethical and ecological business model.

  • Recycling of building materials needs more acceptance

    Recycling of building materials needs more acceptance

    This year, the focus of the Blickpunkt conference organized by the arv Baustoffrecycling association was the quality assurance of the recycling and processing of building materials, even in smaller companies, as well as the requirements for the building products created with them. According to a press release , Blickpunkt 2021 took place digitally on Wednesday.

    National Councilor Isabelle Chevalley spoke at the French-speaking digital Blickpunkt, the “Point de Mire”, in a lecture on strengthening the circular economy with regard to building materials. The importance of recycling building materials to conserve natural resources and scarce landfill volumes has meanwhile also been recognized politically and included in the deliberations of parliament. The Commission for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Energy (UREK) is working on measures to promote the recycling of building materials, she is quoted as saying. Still, more efforts are needed, according to Chevalley. Companies should offer building owners such products in a targeted manner. Measures are also necessary in procurement.

    Quality assurance is central here. The lecturing experts provided information about the implementation of in-house production controls as well as the reuse of reclaimed asphalt. The standards for this are currently being revised. Here, the association arv Baustoffrecycling Switzerland is committed to promoting recycling and for greater acceptance by all stakeholders, according to the media release.

  • SVIT Digital Day 2021

    SVIT Digital Day 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Hall plan

    List of exhibitors 2021

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

    Far superior to drones

    New construction projects can be digitally modeled using drone recordings. With the help of software, the planned object is, so to speak, “inserted” into the property and surroundings images received by the drone. This Building Information Modeling (BIM) creates realistic visualizations of a new building project in two or three-dimensional views. Object-strategic statements can thus be made reliably, quickly and cheaply.

    Drones are also used for construction-related work themselves. One of the most recent applications is the computer-controlled use of drones for painting facades. The flying robotic helpers can be controlled very precisely and can fly very close to a wall. So it is possible to paint facades without work preparation and erection of scaffolding. In addition to saving time, this is also a step forward in terms of safety on the construction site.

    Another area of application is that for inspections and damage tests of buildings and structures – for example the use of drones for roof inspections. Due to the high altitudes and good stabilization in flight, drones can also be used in historic buildings, such as churches. But drones can also be used comfortably and safely to check building cracks, glass damage or hard-to-reach areas. Thanks to the high resolution of the images, even the finest damage can be detected and these images can be saved for later documentation purposes.

    You can find impulses around innovations in the real estate and construction industry here: https://hubs.li/H0RQl480

  • SUPSI examines air in schools

    SUPSI examines air in schools

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Model city Baden completes the first project phase

    Model city Baden completes the first project phase

    The results of the first working phase of the model city project were noted and discussed by the representatives of the 13 participating municipalities. According to a media release from the city of Baden , the municipalities' figures and data compiled in four working groups were analyzed and assessed. The further procedure in the 2nd project phase was also decided.

    The 13 municipalities of the model city include Baden, Birmenstorf, Ehrendingen, Ennetbaden, Fislisbach, Gibstorf, Mägenwil, Mellingen, Neuenhof, Oberrohrdorf, Obersiggenthal, Turgi and Wettingen.

    In the discussion on authorities, administration and organization, considerable differences between the municipalities were found, according to the press release. In the area of finance, it was determined, among other things, that the tax income per inhabitant in the model city in 2019 was 14 percent above the Aargau average. It is also assumed that the debt in the model city communities will increase significantly on average in the financial planning period up to 2025 due to high investments.

    In the case of health, society and social affairs, simple and immediate reorganization or reorganization are hardly possible due to the complexity. But cooperation is feasible. The analysis of settlement development, spatial planning and mobility showed that the consolidation of the municipalities would not contribute to a cost reduction overall. Increased efficiency is also possible today.

    For the second phase of the project, it was decided to continue working on three topics from phase 1. In cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW), a “talent pool” is to be developed which enables learners to continue to be employed in one of the 13 model communities after completing their apprenticeship. The other projects are regionalization of tax offices and the development of a joint solution for refugee care. In the second phase, there will be a joint IT infrastructure, model planning for a sub-area of land use planning, and coordination of the development prognoses for the number of pupils as well as school space planning and school buildings.

  • The first Swiss hydrogen hub is being built in the Rhine ports

    The first Swiss hydrogen hub is being built in the Rhine ports

    The first Swiss hydrogen hub is to be built in the port areas of Birsfelden and Muttenz. According to a press release, four partner companies have agreed on this. Swiss Rhine ports , the energy company Varo , the filling station operator AVIA and the Basel energy supplier IWB have signed a joint declaration of intent for the construction of such a hydrogen node. As a green energy carrier, hydrogen will play an important role in the CO2-neutral future, according to the press release.

    The four partners from the energy industry and logistics see the ports of Muttenz and Birsfelden as ideal locations for a hydrogen hub, according to the joint media release published by Varo. The H2-Hub Schweiz project should include the production, distribution and use of hydrogen. The plans envisage not only distributing the hydrogen with the existing infrastructure, but also producing, storing and making available the green energy on site. The tank storage company AVIA AG and the energy company Varo Energy Holding AG are already active in the Rhine ports.

    IWB (Industrielle Werke Basel) produces and sells renewable and CO2-neutral energy as electricity, heating and cooling and for mobility. According to the announcement, IWB founded GreenH2 AG together with the petrol station operator and AVIA member company Fritz Meyer AG. The company is to build hydrogen production plants.

    Applications of hydrogen will soon be tested in the H2 hub Switzerland as a fuel for trucks, trains, other road vehicles and ships.

  • Federal Council advocates abolishing imputed rental value

    Federal Council advocates abolishing imputed rental value

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

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

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

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

  • Lucerne location defies the pandemic

    Lucerne location defies the pandemic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Central Switzerland remains an attractive company location

    Central Switzerland remains an attractive company location

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

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

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

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

  • Empa proposes a plan for building renovation

    Empa proposes a plan for building renovation

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

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

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

  • 3S Solar Plus inaugurates a new production line

    3S Solar Plus inaugurates a new production line

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

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

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

  • Canton of Zurich combats overheating of the settlement area

    Canton of Zurich combats overheating of the settlement area

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

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

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

  • Kompotoi is a finalist in the Swiss Excellence Product Award

    Kompotoi is a finalist in the Swiss Excellence Product Award

    Kompotoi is among the six finalists for the Swiss Excellence Product Award 2021 . Swiss Excellence has now announced this. The Zurich start-up convinced the jury with its mobile and sustainability-focused composting toilets. The award ceremony will take place on September 16 in the Technopark Winterthur. With the Swiss Excellence Product Award, the Swiss Excellence Foundation claims to make a contribution to promoting entrepreneurship and Switzerland as a technology and innovation location.

    Kompotoi says it offers a “beautiful, user-friendly and sustainable alternative” to conventional toilets. They are “absolutely odor-free” and are made from wood “by hand in Switzerland”. You can get by without plastic, chemicals, electricity and flushing water. “We have developed a better solution than the conventional one for the mobile toilet area. It’s simple and obvious. That is why customers are enthusiastic about our product, ”said Kompotoi in his presentation for the Green Business Award , for which the company has also been nominated.

    Instead, the collected residues are converted into stable humus soil using a combined process technology of fermentation and composting. “One kilo of compost stores an average of 0.2 kg of CO2,” said Kompotoi when asked about the environmental benefits of their product. “Kompotoi produced around 100 tons of compost in 2019, that’s around 20,000 kilograms of stored CO2. If all mobile toilets in Switzerland were operated as compost toilets, 13,200 tons of CO2 could be sustainably stored in the soil. “

    Kompotoi rents out its wooden toilets for larger festivals, for example. The company is also planning systems in the public sector or for single and multi-family houses. Kompotoi also sells toilet solutions for garden houses, hunting lodges and alpine huts.

    With Kompotoi, two more start-ups are competing for the Swiss Excellence Product Award: Hivewatch and Smartbreed . Three companies have also been nominated in the SME category: Advanced Osteotomy Tools – AOT AG , Qumea and Rheonics . All start-up finalists are already supported with a three-year coaching from the start-up sponsor genisuisse .

  • Avobis launches real estate platform

    Avobis launches real estate platform

    Avobis is launching a new real estate platform. Property Captain should cover the entire spectrum from the search to financing, insurance and maintenance to the valuation, purchase or sale of properties, the Zurich-based real estate and mortgage service provider informs in a message . The platform uses artificial intelligence for this purpose. “Property Captain is pursuing the vision of matching the four million residential properties with the individual dream homes of the Swiss population and thus improving satisfaction with the living situation”, Avobis Co-CEO Patrick Schmid is quoted in the press release.

    The new Avobis subsidiary is designed as an open platform with an independent network of partners. Around 120 financing partners and 150 brokerage companies were already involved in the launch, Avobis informs. The group was able to win Bank CIC (Schweiz) AG as an innovation partner.

    Avobis will bundle all of its own offers for private customers, in particular the corresponding mortgage services, in the new Property Captain Tech AG, is further explained in the announcement. Myriam Reinle is to take over the management of the Proptech. In the press release, Avobis refers to Reinle’s many years of experience in managing online marketplaces and tech start-ups. The designated head of Property Captain was active in the real estate industry for ImmoStreet and Homegate , a company belonging to the TX Group.

  • Canton of Zurich gets its own top-level domain

    Canton of Zurich gets its own top-level domain

    The canton of Zurich has secured the administration of the top-level domain .zuerich. The Internet extension will be available to companies and organizations based in the canton from August 30, the cantonal office for economy and labor ( AWA ) informs in a message . With .zuerich, “the canton wants to position the largest economic area in Switzerland clearly and unmistakably in the digital space and in international competition between locations,” explains the AWA.

    About .zuerich, companies could “benefit from the excellent reputation of the Zurich brand”, according to thewebsite set up by the canton for the new top-level domain. According to her, the canton of Zurich provides “the greatest economic output and added value in Switzerland”. A .zuerich Internet extension thus strengthens one’s own brand and at the same time indicates that it is anchored in the economic area.

    As the registry operator, the canton is responsible for the quality and security of the top-level domain. Sales and support are the responsibility of a number of accredited domain providers. A list of providers and all other information required for registration is provided on the website set up by the canton.

  • FHNW trains in geodata analysis

    FHNW trains in geodata analysis

    The FHNW University of Architecture, Building and Geomantics will be offering a certificate course in spatial data analytics at its location in Olten from January. This is intended to enable specialists from the fields of data science, transport, logistics, spatial planning as well as natural and environmental sciences to digitally plan the cities of the future and evaluate the data from infrastructures. The university is responding to a need in the construction and planning industry, according to its media release .

    The Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) Spatial Data Analytics is intended to impart the knowledge required to model, process and interpret geodata in a targeted manner in 16 course days and in cooperation with experts from the field. For this purpose, “a balanced mix of lectures, case studies, group work and practical exercises” is planned, according to the FHNW. In addition, time blocks are planned for self-study.

    “The question of where spatially measurable events take place is no longer sufficient,” says Prof. Dr. Pia Bereuter quoted in the communication. “In the future, we also need to understand why these happen. This requires well-founded analysis processes that are integrated into the digitization strategy of companies or organizations. “This expertise represents the basis for decisions with spatial reference” in almost every industry “.

  • Sika sells industrial coatings business in Europe

    Sika sells industrial coatings business in Europe

    According to a press release, Sika has made the strategic decision to sell its European industrial coatings business based in Vaihingen near Stuttgart, Germany. The buyer is the American Sherwin-Williams Company , the world’s leading supplier of industrial paints and coatings. In contrast, this business offers Sika “little potential for synergies” at group level. The division is therefore “a niche business within the Sika Group”.

    The portfolio includes corrosion and fire protection coatings, which are mainly sold in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and Austria. This offers Sherwin-Williams, whose core competencies include industrial coatings, “an important strategic opportunity to promote growth and expand its market position in Europe”.

    It was “very important” for Sika to “find a suitable strategic owner who will continue to invest in the further development of products and the further training of employees”, regional manager EMEA, Ivo Schädler, is quoted in the press release. “Within this organization, the Industrial Coatings division and its employees have the ideal prerequisites to develop their full potential.”

  • Coop expands Marktgass Bern

    Coop expands Marktgass Bern

    The branch of the Coop Group Marktgass Bern has a total sales area of 2100 square meters, informs the retail cooperative from Basel in a message . Since May, customers have been able to use the upper floor with a supermarket, a beauty island, a vinotheque and a beer and beverage world. Now the ground floor of the listed building has also been completely converted. Here Coop has set up a coffee bar with its own roastery, a bakery, a kiosk and various services.

    "The result is a piece of jewelry that leaves nothing to be desired and enriches the shopping offer in the city center," File Gjokaj is quoted in the press release. The managing director of the Marktgass Bern branch also points out the open kitchen area in the coffee bar: “A lot is homemade and prepared right in front of the customer's eyes.” All products are available both to take away and for consumption on site.

    In the future, “in the Coop Marktgass Bern, shopping will also meet movement”, the announcement further explains. A fitness update will be available in the basement in September. Around 1,400 square meters of space are available for this.

  • Valuu extends to personal loans

    Valuu extends to personal loans

    Valuu is now also offering digital comparison options for personal loans, informs the owner of the comparison platform, PostFinance , in a message . The corresponding process was developed together with customers and lenders, it says there. Testing and lending are initially the responsibility of Migros Bank, BANK-now, Cembra Money Bank, eny Finance and good finance.

    "As a pioneer in the Swiss market, Valuu offers its customers an independent direct comparison for personal loans", Thomas Jakob, Chief Business Unit Officer Platform Business at PostFinance, is quoted in the press release. "As is already known from the mortgage business, customers can transparently compare individual offers and then apply for them directly online – thus saving time and money."

    PostFinance will continue to optimize Valuu in the future and incorporate new lenders for mortgages and personal loans, according to the announcement. In the long term, the company is pursuing the goal of developing Valuu "into the leading Swiss comparison and conclusion platform in the areas of finance, insurance and provision".

  • Lumineo installs translucent concrete for Vinci

    Lumineo installs translucent concrete for Vinci

    Lumineo , a young company from the Jura, has been invited to design part of the prestigious entrance hall in the new Vinci headquarters with its innovative material. Lumineo built an 80 square meter wall made of translucent concrete for the largest construction company in Europe and the fifth largest in the world. The material used is called Lumistone. It is an in-house development of the Porrentruy-based company.

    According to a press release , this is the largest wall the Lumineo Group has ever built with this material. Lumistone looks like concrete. Animated images can be projected through this wall using LEDs. The way to the successful development of this translucent material was "as hard as concrete", according to Lumineo on its website. Countless layers of fiberglass would have had to be poured into the concrete "before the recipe was discovered".

    In addition, this is a curved wall, "which means that the structure had to be processed differently," Lumineo CEO and one of the project managers, Aurélie Pezzotta, is quoted as saying. In mid-June she was a guest of the new Femmes Fondatrices series of events in the Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area , Jura location . Pezzotta is happy to have completed this building, because "the nights have been very short in the past few months".

    A wall in the reception area of the world's leading construction company could only be an advantage for the Lumineo Group. “Lots of architects and project managers will come by here,” so it is a great showcase for the company. Now Lumineo wants to develop further on a national level and hire more employees.

  • Aargau wants to attract more companies

    Aargau wants to attract more companies

    The Aargau government council has presented the task and financial plan for the years 2022 to 2025. It also provides for measures to increase the attractiveness of the business location, including the settlement of new companies. According to the government's embassy, Aargau and its advantages should be made better known to companies abroad. "That is why additional measures should be examined and implemented in this area in order to increase the density of companies in Aargau in the long term."

    When it comes to settling in, the canton wants to concentrate primarily on the sectors in which it is already strong today, namely the life sciences and the energy industry. The focus is on industrial companies and industry-related service providers who rely on a highly qualified workforce. The aim is to locate between twelve and 14 companies each year, including six to eight in the two focus industries. In the past year five companies were relocated, three of them in the focus industries. The acquisition strategy is to be developed next year and applied in a selected market from 2023.

    According to the embassy, it will be checked as early as 2022 whether the canton should join an existing cross-cantonal organization of location marketing. The canton was one of the founders of the Greater Zurich Area (GZA) in 1999, but later left it. Today, GZA is the largest location marketing organization with nine German and Italian-speaking member cantons, including the three neighboring cantons of Aargau: Solothurn, Zug and Zurich. Aargau also borders the Basel Area Business & Innovation , to which the two Basel cantons and the Jura belong.

    With Lucerne, Nidwalden and Obwalden, the Aargau is only one of four cantons that do not belong to any cross-cantonal organization of location marketing. Western Switzerland is organized in the Greater Geneva Bern area , the four cantons of Eastern Switzerland in the St.GallenBodenseeArea .

  • ESB promotes conversion to solar heating

    ESB promotes conversion to solar heating

    At the beginning of the month, ESB launched a program to promote newly built solar thermal systems in Biel, the energy company informed in a press release . With this, ESB wants to support the Biel climate strategy, it is said there. In particular, ESB wants to contribute to the city's goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050.

    For new buildings, a combination of gas heating and solar collectors is the standard solution for the requirements of the cantonal energy ordinance, writes ESB. The solar collectors could cover 60 to 70 percent of the hot water preparation and an additional 20 percent of the heating energy, writes ESB. According to the report, the greatest energy consumption in households occurs in these two areas.

    With a thermal solar system, property owners “not only make a valuable contribution to climate protection, but also enjoy numerous advantages,” argues ESB. As such, lower costs for heating materials, tax deductions and subsidies as well as a comparatively low cost of maintaining the system are mentioned in the notification.

    The ESB funding program provides for 250 francs per square meter of collector surface up to a total system size of 50 square meters. Anyone who installs a larger system can submit a request for additional support. ESB provides detailed information on the Internet .

  • Lucerne University of Applied Sciences tests augmented reality for urban planning

    Lucerne University of Applied Sciences tests augmented reality for urban planning

    Together with the City of Lucerne, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts is testing the potential of augmented reality (AR) in urban planning. To this end, the university has developed an AR visualization of possible redesign measures in Bahnhofstrasse and Theaterplatz. For example, the projected second row of trees, the new Velostation and the mobile seating including planting could be experienced visually, according to a press release from the university.

    The research groups Visual Narrative from the Department of Design & Art and Immersive Realities Research Lab from the Department of Computer Science as well as the Civil Engineering Department of the City of Lucerne were involved in the joint project. It has now been presented to the media. Presentations for the general public will follow on three days in September.

    The AR visualization can be used on common tablets. The real environment appears on the display with virtual objects projected over it. Planned structural interventions can be viewed three-dimensionally and spatially. “Users can experience on site how Bahnhofstrasse could be designed and used in the future without any real structural or other interventions being necessary,” project manager Tobias Matter is quoted in the press release.

    This would give all decision-makers from different areas the opportunity to take an uncomplicated and active part in the planning. In contrast, plans, models and specialist vocabulary are not immediately understandable for everyone. “The immersive visualization technology of augmented reality can thus be an effective tool to inform the public more transparently about construction and renovation projects, to encourage their participation in the planning and ultimately to create more acceptance for such projects among all those involved,” said Matter .

  • Halter AG lays the foundation stone for a new quarter

    Halter AG lays the foundation stone for a new quarter

    A new quarter is to create the connection between Suhr Süd and the center. In addition to a twelve-story high-rise, three four- to six-story buildings are being built. Schlieremer Halter AG is responsible for project development and implementation, according to a media release . The foundation stone was laid on Wednesday.

    The quarter is being built on an area formerly used by Ferroflex AG. There will be areas for living, services and commerce. Public open spaces with paths and squares, a children's play area and a barbecue area are planned between the buildings. In the high-rise and in the so-called garden house, 59 apartments with 2.5 to 5.5 rooms will be built as residential property. 143 rental apartments are being built in the other two buildings.

    The development project will be implemented according to the objectives of the 2000 Watt Society. District heating from the Buchs AG waste incineration plant is used to generate heat. Solar systems will provide some of the electrical energy required.

  • Museum Langmatt exhibits winning project

    Museum Langmatt exhibits winning project

    The Langmatt Foundation, together with the city of Baden and the canton of Aargau, launched the Museum Langmatt – general renovation project. A total of 50 architectural offices took part in a competition, six of which were invited to the second round. Their designs show a pavilion in the park and a new entrance area for the museum. They will be exhibited in the museum from August 28th, according to a media release.

    At the center of the exhibition is the winning design by Ernst Niklaus Fausch Partner AG . Their pavilion creates a visual connection to the utility building without actually being connected to it. The pavilion is to be used for vernissages and other events. The new entrance area is being built in the utility building and includes the cash register, a shop or the cloakrooms.

    "We are pleased about the substantial improvements in future use", Langmatt director Markus Stegmann is quoted in the message. “With the new pavilion and entrance area, Langmatt is excellently positioned for the future. With its strong visual presence, the transparent pavilion symbolizes the new Langmatt for everyone. "