immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: immoNews

  • House prices keep rising

    House prices keep rising

    At least with the tenants, July is showing its mercy, ImmoScout24 introduces a report on the current Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. It is created monthly by the real estate platform and the real estate consultancy IAZI AG . According to the latest surveys, the rental prices advertised in July fell by an average of 0.6 percent compared to June. The analysts write that the average rental price has fallen to roughly the level at the beginning of the year.

    However, you have observed different developments depending on the region. In central Switzerland and the Lake Geneva region, rents were 0.3 percent lower than in the previous month. In the canton of Zurich and the Central Plateau, no major change compared to June was registered in July. In eastern Switzerland, north-western Switzerland and Ticino, however, rents rose by between 0.3 and 2.3 percent compared to June.

    The prices for single-family houses rose by another 1.5 percent in July compared to June, the press release explains. "Over the past twelve months, the advertised values for single-family houses have even risen by 9.4 percent and are almost reaching the double-digit growth rate," Martin Waeber, COO of Scout24, is quoted there. "Anyone who wants to buy their own home needs an increasingly thick financial cushion – and due to the scarce supply, a good dose of luck."

    The Scout24 group belongs to the insurance group Mobiliar and the media group Ringier . In addition to the real estate platform ImmoScout24, the network of online marketplaces operates the platforms AutoScout24, FinanceScout24, MotoScout24, the classified ads platform Anibis and the marketer Scout24 Advertising.

  • Cantonal banks join emonitor

    Cantonal banks join emonitor

    St.Galler Kantonalbank ( SGKB ), Graubündner Kantonalbank ( GKB ) and Luzerner Kantonalbank AG ( LUKB ) are the new majority shareholders of Proptech emonitor AG . The investment takes place through the company BES Holding AG, which was founded by the three banks.

    Proptech emonitor, based in St.Gallen, digitizes rental and sales processes for real estate. According to a joint press release by the three banks, the aim of all those involved is to establish close cooperation between emonitor AG and the real estate portal newhome.ch . In doing so, they want to gradually expand the network around real estate and living.

    Together with 14 other cantonal banks and other important players in the Swiss real estate industry, SGKB, GKB and LUKB are the owners of newhome.ch, which was founded in 2013. According to the information, they intend to win additional cantonal banks to participate in emonitor in the coming months.

    The cooperation with the cantonal banks enables emonitor to further expand the ecosystem around the issues of housing and real estate in Switzerland, says co-founder and CEO Daniel Baur: "The cantonal banks are the ideal partners for us because they have a high level of trust in the population and enjoy in the real estate market. "

    Enrico Lardelli, member of the management of GKB and new board of directors of emonitor AG, also emphasizes the importance of this strategic partnership for the living ecosystem. Accordingly, the participation of his bank has a "long-term, strategic character".

  • The trend is towards longer-term mortgages

    The trend is towards longer-term mortgages

    The Swiss are increasingly tending towards longer-term mortgages. Ten years ago the five-year fixed-rate mortgage was the first choice, but now more and more people are opting for ten-year loan agreements to build or buy a property. This is the conclusion of the comparison and mediation service MoneyPark, according to a press release .

    A total of 55 percent of the brokered mortgage volume was concluded for ten years in 2020. A further 24 percent of the brokered contracts have been fixed for an even longer term, reports the company based in Freienbach. The proportion of these long-term mortgage products has doubled since 2016. The interest rate averaged a “record low” 0.92 percent.

    The reason for the trend towards longer terms are better options for comparing the products for external financing of a property. The market is also becoming more transparent and more competitive because professional intermediaries such as MoneyPark, in addition to banks, are giving new providers such as insurance companies and pension funds access. "In the past, banks preferred to sell shorter terms, also because, in relative terms, the 'risk-return ratio' is better than with longer terms", Stefan Heitmann, CEO and founder of MoneyPark, is quoted in the press release.

    Furthermore, the current low interest rate environment favors the choice of a long-term fixed-rate mortgage, as the interest rate differences between the terms are small.

  • Emmi uses solar energy from Amstutz

    Emmi uses solar energy from Amstutz

    Emmi and Amstutz Holzenergie AG are expanding their cooperation. According to a press release from Emmi, the products manufactured at Emmi's Emmen location, such as Aktifit or Lucerne cream cheese, will in future be produced using solar power from the roofs of the neighboring Amstutz AG. For twelve years now, 80 percent of the process energy required by Emmi has come from a wood chip plant on the Amstutz site. It feeds hot steam into the Emmi pipes via a pipeline.

    Amstutz's 1,440 photovoltaic modules produce around 500,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Amstutz uses around 200,000 kilowatt hours itself, while 300,000 are given to Emmi. "We are pleased that our neighbor Emmi has been relying on environmentally friendly 'wood steam' from our company for twelve years and that we can now use solar energy from our roofs to strengthen the partnership for a sustainable energy future", CEO Albert Amstutz is quoted as saying.

    As the announcement goes on to say, the 25 or so Emmi operations in Switzerland are supplied with 100 percent electricity from European hydropower. In the future, the company wants to "significantly" increase the production of its own renewable electricity in the coming years. The roof of the new cheese dairy currently under construction in Emmen will also be equipped with photovoltaic elements.

  • Holcim achieves record results

    Holcim achieves record results

    Holcim AG posted record results in the first half of 2021. The building materials manufacturer from Zug achieved an operating profit of 1.98 billion Swiss francs. That is 66 percent more than in the same period last year, according to a press release .

    Net sales of CHF 12.55 billion were also 17.4 percent, well above the previous year. Holcim had to accept major losses in the Corona crisis. “Around this time last year, I said that Holcim would emerge stronger from this crisis. These half-year results prove it ”, CEO Jan Jenisch is quoted in the media release.

    The acquisitions of seven companies by Holcim also contributed to the good result. The most recent takeover of roof and pond waterproofing system manufacturer Firestone Building Products saw a 21 percent increase in volume in demand. Due to this positive business development, the company is adjusting its expectations for adjusted operating profit in the current year to 18 percent.

  • Damage to houses is CHF 650 million

    Damage to houses is CHF 650 million

    Damage to buildings amounting to CHF 650 million has arisen due to the strong thunderstorms and rainfall in recent weeks. The Association of Cantonal Building Insurance Companies draws this first balance as of July 27, according to a media release . The association points out that in 19 of the 26 cantons the cantonal building insurance covers the repair costs.

    It also informs that homeowners in those cantons in which cantonal building insurance (KGV) is mandatory are automatically insured against natural hazards such as flooding. "The KGV insurance coverage is fully guaranteed even in the event of major events such as those of the last few weeks."

    The association also provides building owners with online maps on which they can see how endangered their location is, for example from hail, floods and surface runoff. Accordingly, they could take these natural hazards into account when renovating and building new ones.

    Local heavy rain had led to flooding in early July. Parts of southwest Germany and Belgium were particularly hard hit, with numerous fatalities and destroyed houses and streets. In Switzerland there was only property damage. However, the building insurance of the Canton of Zurich asks its customers to be patient on its website, due to an "extraordinarily large number of incoming damage reports".

  • Meyer Burger wants to move solar roof tiles out of their niche

    Meyer Burger wants to move solar roof tiles out of their niche

    The solar company Meyer Burger wants to expand its product portfolio with innovative solar roof tiles. To do this, it acquires an already approved and certified solution from a German engineering service provider. With the purchase, all intellectual property and extensive specialist knowledge will become the property of Meyer Burger. No information is given on the purchase price.

    With the acquisition, Meyer Burger does not only want to secure its own sustainable business development. Another goal is to increase the market demand for innovative roof tiles. "Integrated solar roof systems still represent a market niche today. With our innovative solar tile solution, we are planning to move roof-integrated solutions out of the niche into a larger market," explains Gunter Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger, in a press release .

    Meyer Burger plans to launch its new solar roof in the second half of 2022. The solar tiles should be used, for example, in private roof systems with complete new or replacement roofing, objects in redevelopment and monument protection areas, houses with a limited roof load and aesthetically particularly demanding roof installations.

    The group wants to present its solar roof at the Intersolar trade fair in Munich even before it is launched.

  • Holcim launches CO2-reduced cement

    Holcim launches CO2-reduced cement

    With ECOPlanet, Holcim is bringing a green cement onto the market. According to a press release by the company, this causes 30 percent less CO2 emissions than conventional products. According to CEO Jan Jenisch, this will be the world's first cement that consists of 20 percent recycled construction and demolition waste. In addition to the use of low-emission raw materials, the CO2 reduction is achieved, among other things, by decarbonising the production process.

    ECOPlanet is already available in Switzerland as well as in Germany, Romania, Canada, Spain, France and Italy. In the current year, the product is to be launched in a total of 15 European countries. Holcim plans to double its market presence with ECOPlanet by the end of 2022.

    "In view of the increasing world population and rapid urbanization, solutions like ECOPlanet are of crucial importance to create greener cities and smarter infrastructure and to build more with less effort," Jenisch is quoted in the press release.

  • Nidwalden receives facility for recycling building materials

    Nidwalden receives facility for recycling building materials

    ARGE EvoREC has put a new recycling processing plant for building materials into operation in Oberdorf. This is to transform concrete and mixed demolition from the region into high-quality new building materials, according to a media release . Specifically, for example, concrete and mixed granules are to be created in different grain sizes, rock compositions and with different properties.

    ARGE EvoREC, a subsidiary of the Zurich based Holcim Kies und Beton AG and the Nidwaldner Zimmermann Umweltlogistik AG , wants to use the system to promote the circular economy in the construction sector. A large part of the recycled aggregate is used directly on site at the Holcim plant in Aennerberg for the production of recycled concrete. This closes the material cycle.

    According to Reto Zimmermann, CEO of Zimmermann Umweltlogistik AG, the new facility is not only a commitment to sustainability, but also to the region. "We receive concrete and mixed demolition from the Nidwalden market and process it into granulate for the local production of concrete – which in turn can be used to create new, sustainable structures in the region," he is quoted in the press release.

  • Federal Roads Office uses mobile bridge

    Federal Roads Office uses mobile bridge

    The Federal Roads Office ( FEDRO ) has launched the FEDRO Bridge pilot project. According to a press release , this is a mobile bridge for use in maintenance work on motorways. The traffic is slowed down at 60 kilometers per hour over the almost 240 meter long bridge. Underneath there is a space of around 100 meters where work can be carried out undisturbed by road traffic. When the construction phase is finished, the mobile bridge is pushed a hundred meters further and the work continues.

    This eliminates the barriers and shutdowns of sections of the roadway that are otherwise necessary for occupational safety. You can also work unhindered during the day. With today's traffic volume on many sections of the motorway, it has not been possible to reduce lanes for maintenance work during the day for a long time, according to the statement from the Federal Office. Accordingly, more and more construction work on the national highways has to be carried out at night. ASTRA believes that lane reduction without traffic jams on the main axes such as A1 and A2 is only possible after 11 p.m. Because of the lower noise limits, some work such as noisy demolition is not possible at night.

    The Federal Office therefore decided to develop and build the ASTRA Bridge. In the fact sheet for the mobile bridge, the length is specified as exactly 236 meters, the width as 7.30 meters and the height as 4.32 meters. Underneath, it is possible to work on a hundred meters at a width of 5.2 meters and a height of 3.10 meters.

    The ASTRA Bridge is equipped with a landing gear. Raised hydraulically by 10 centimeters, it can travel lengthways and crossways. Once the work under the bridge has been completed, it will continue to drive 100 meters by remote control for the next construction phase, according to the fact sheet. To assemble the bridge before use, 18 low-loaders are required for transport and four cranes are required for assembly.

    According to the Federal Office, the individual elements for the ASTRA Bridge are currently being built and then transported to the bridge's storage area in Rothrist TG. The bridge is to be assembled and tested for the first time in late autumn. If these tests are satisfactory, the ASTRA Bridge will be used in spring 2022 as a pilot project for paving renovations on the A1 section between Recherswil SO and Kriegstetten SO. According to the press release, the ASTRA Bridge prototype will cost around CHF 20 million. After completion of a construction project and a maintenance phase, it can be used again for the next construction project.

  • Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    The city of Winterthur originally intended to acquire the Ob dem See holiday home in Davos Wolfgang from the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and then to sell it together with an adjacent, city-owned playground, the city administration of Winterthur informed in a message . In the context of an invitation to tender, however, a buyer could be found who would purchase both pieces of land individually and who would complete the purchase in the land registry immediately after the public notarization. The holiday colony Sonnenschein AG, founded especially for the purchase, wants to continue operating the property as a holiday colony.

    The company from Freienbach was able to prevail against two competitors in the corresponding tender, the message also states. The purchase price mentioned there is 2.54 million francs for the holiday home property belonging to the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and 1.16 million francs for the adjacent playground.

    The holiday colony association will donate around 1 million francs to the city of Winterthur from its sales proceeds. The city administration explains that the donation is earmarked and will be used by the city of Winterthur for a newly established children and youth fund. The funds of the fund are intended for children and young people living in the city of Winterthur.

  • Karsten Hell is leaving the Steiner Group

    Karsten Hell is leaving the Steiner Group

    Steiner AG initiated a company transformation in spring 2021, the Zurich-based general and general contractor explains in a press release . The business model was geared towards the further expansion of the company's own project portfolio and the addition of participation models and investment vehicles such as the Steiner Investment Foundation. In addition, Steiner wants to launch digital products for the real estate market in the future.

    As part of the company's transformation, Karsten Hell offered the board of directors his resignation as CEO, Steiner informs. Hell joined Steiner in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and has headed the company as CEO since July 2018. The outgoing CEO will remain with the company as an advisor to the board of directors, writes Steiner.

    Hell's successor will be Ajay Sirohi with immediate effect. The graduate economist and mathematician joined the Steiner Group in 2011 as Chief Financial Officer. Sirohi previously held the same position for various multinational companies.

    With Michael Schiltknecht , Sirohi will also join Steiner AG's previous Head of Real Estate Development as Co-CEO. Schiltknecht joined Steiner in 2007 as head of real estate development. The two new company directors should “continue to pursue the specified strategy and ensure the sustainable development of the company”, says the announcement.

  • Partners Group acquires Australian Travelodge hotels

    Partners Group acquires Australian Travelodge hotels

    The Partners Group creates a hospitality mainstay in Australia. In partnership with the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC and the Australian hotel operator Salter Brothers , it is acquiring the Travelodge hotel portfolio. According to a press release from Partners Group, it is the largest portfolio of its kind in Australia and is spread across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It offers a good starting point for further expansion.

    "This portfolio represents an excellent opportunity to acquire well-located investments" and at the same time benefit from the price discounts caused by the pandemic, says Rahul Ghai, Managing Director Private Real Estate of the Partners Group. "We particularly like this portfolio because it offers initial returns with the potential for further returns through transformative value creation strategies."

    On the one hand, the portfolio will benefit from a nationwide campaign launched this year to stimulate domestic tourism. On the other hand, the new partners are working on a plan that is supposed to improve the occupancy of the hotels through a new brand image and selective upgrading. In addition, the owners are thinking of expanding visibility by expanding loyalty and reward programs through a wider sales channel.

    Partners Group executive Euan Kennedy sees "some signs of steady economic recovery" in Australia. Rising vaccination rates are “a good omen for increasing room occupancy by domestic and foreign travelers in the course of our investment. We look forward to working with our experienced business and capital partners on this exciting opportunity. "

  • Construction activity is declining

    Construction activity is declining

    According to the real estate barometer of Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ) for the second quarter of 2021, the number of projected apartments in planning applications has decreased by 23 percent compared to 2018. According to the ZKB analysts, this is related to high vacancy rates in peripheral regions, to which investors would have reacted accordingly. In urban centers with low vacancy rates, construction activity is picking up again in some cases, according to the barometer.

    Lausanne and Zurich are cited as examples. In the cantons of Geneva and Basel-Stadt, however, the analysts have observed a decline in construction activity. They attribute this to the high regulatory hurdles typical of urban areas and the scarcity of building land. Overall, however, the analysts state that “new apartments are increasingly being planned where the demand for living space is high”.

    In the canton of Zurich, the desire for one's own four walls, which has been intensified by the pandemic, is further explained in the barometer. According to him, house prices have increased by 5.5 percent over the previous year and 2.9 percent over the previous quarter. At the same time, the analysts see a shrinking of the offers advertised on real estate portals. They explain this with the fact that many properties are marketed by regional brokers or are already sold before construction begins. For this year and the following, the analysts are assuming excess demand in the residential property market across Switzerland.

  • Sika is growing at a double-digit rate

    Sika is growing at a double-digit rate

    According to a message from Sika , the Zug-based building materials group closed the first half of 2021 with new record values. In concrete terms, sales grew by 23.1 percent to 4.45 billion Swiss francs. The operating result at EBIT level rose by 67.2 percent year-on-year to 685.9 million francs. The EBIT margin reached a new record at 15.4 percent.

    "We asserted ourselves again in a market environment that remained challenging and achieved very good business results in the first half of 2021", Thomas Hasler is quoted in the press release. "COVID-19 will continue to challenge us," says the CEO. "But we are well positioned and have proven our resistance to crises under difficult economic conditions and created new growth platforms."

    All of Sika's business regions contributed to the positive development in the first half of 2021 with double-digit sales growth rates. In the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Africa), a year-on-year increase in sales of 25.2 percent to 2.04 billion Swiss francs was achieved. The Americas region grew by 15.8 percent to 1.10 billion Swiss francs. In the Asia / Pacific region, sales increased by 26.4 percent to 960.8 million francs. Business with the automotive industry (Global Business) grew by 26.4 percent to CHF 351.0 million.

    For the year as a whole, Sika expects sales growth of between 13 and 17 percent in local currencies. The operating result is to be increased disproportionately. Sika expects the EBIT margin to be at least 15.0 percent despite rising raw material prices.

  • Baloise increases capital for real estate funds

    Baloise increases capital for real estate funds

    Baloise Asset Management AG will carry out a capital increase for its Baloise Swiss Property Fund from August 10th to 19th, announced the asset management company of the Baloise Group in a message . A maximum of 1.24 million new shares with a total value of around 135 million are to be issued on a commission basis.

    The issue price including issuing commission is stated in the notification at 110.70 francs per unit. According to her, every 19 subscription rights entitle the holder to purchase five new shares. Any shares that have not been subscribed will not be issued, Baloise informs.

    The funds raised are to be used for the acquisition of a real estate portfolio consisting of 15 residential properties, one commercial property and one mixed-use property. Baloise announced the planned purchase of this property, which is spread across ten cantons, last month.

    The property portfolio with a market value of around 185.2 million francs is currently held by Basler Versicherung AG and Basler Leben AG, which are part of the Baloise Group. The Swiss financial supervisory authority has already granted the fund management company the necessary exemption from the ban on takeovers by related parties, explains Baloise. To finance the purchase, Baloise intends to raise around 50 million francs in outside capital in addition to the capital increase.

  • Jaisli-Xamax is working on the Vechigen school complex

    Jaisli-Xamax is working on the Vechigen school complex

    The electrical company Jaisli-Xamax from Dietikon carries out all electrical installations for the overall renovation and expansion of the Stämpbach school complex in Vechigen. According to a report in the employee newspaper Brilli's News , the work will be carried out during the three implementation phases while the school is still running. “One of the challenges was to carry out the work while the school was still in operation,” the construction fitter Adrian Thürig is quoted as saying. Nevertheless, it was possible to "produce a clean performance".

    The work will be carried out in three stages. According to Jaisli-Xamax, the new construction of the kindergarten, the day school, the special wing and the intermediate wing as well as the renovation of the two gyms were realized in the first construction phase. The renovation of the east class wing and the expansion of the group rooms were implemented in the second construction phase. The work on the third construction phase is still ongoing. The West class wing will be renovated.

    According to project manager Luciano Matturro from Jaisli-Xamax, the cooperation with everyone involved in the construction and with the school went smoothly. Matturro was quoted as saying that he was proud that the on-site team did its job well while the school was in operation. Matturro: “We are now on the final spurt to successfully complete the third construction phase.” Two apprentices from Jaisli-Xamax also worked on the project in the canton of Bern.

  • Julius Baer expands real estate business

    Julius Baer expands real estate business

    Julius Baer's portfolio of real estate services has so far focused on mortgage financing. Now the banking group wants to expand its offering in "this important asset class", announced Julius Baer in a press release . In the future, advice, brokerage, financing and structuring as well as related services for investment management, valuation and management of real estate are to be offered.

    The banking group wants to implement these plans with partners and in cooperation with third-party providers. In a first step, Julius Baer will acquire 83 percent of the Zurich real estate service provider KMP , explains the banking group in the announcement. The current majority owner and CEO of KMP, Dominik Weber, is to set up a new real estate unit for the banking group under the umbrella of Julius Baer. As a future minority owner, Weber will also remain Chairman of the Board of Directors of KMP, writes Julius Baer.

    In a further announcement , the banking group is communicating its key figures for the first half of 2021. According to this, Julius Baer was able to increase net profit by 23 percent year-on-year to 606 million francs. The group’s assets under management increased by 12 percent to CHF 486 billion compared to the end of 2020.

    "We have successfully shifted our focus to sustainable profit growth and continuously strengthened the attractiveness of our performance promise for existing and new customers", Julius Baer CEO Philipp Rickenbacher is quoted in the press release. According to her, the net profit is the highest half-year profit in the company's history.

  • Sika takes over the market leader for green roofs in the USA

    Sika takes over the market leader for green roofs in the USA

    Sika is developing into number one for green roofs in North America: The producer of construction chemical product systems and industrial sealants and adhesives takes over the Chicago-based American Hydrotech Inc. and its Canadian subsidiary Hydrotech Membrane Corporation , based in Ville d'Anjou in the province of Quebec.

    According to a press release from Sika, the company is the “clear market leader” for green roofs as an “established and recognized manufacturer of liquid membranes”. Hydrotech also has a strong market position when it comes to waterproofing the roofs and foundations of shopping centers. In 2020, the company achieved sales of CHF 83 million.

    “With the takeover, we will become the clear market leader in the rapidly growing application areas of green roofs and building waterproofing,” says Christoph Ganz, Sika's regional manager for the Americas. The fact that Hydrotech offers long-lasting products made with 40 percent recyclates “fits perfectly with Sika's sustainability strategy and strengthens our position in large cities, where green roofs are becoming increasingly important”.

  • SV Hotel is planning two concepts in a new building in Hamburg

    SV Hotel is planning two concepts in a new building in Hamburg

    SV Hotel is continuing its growth strategy in one of the most important and strongest hotel markets in Germany. In the Hamburg city center, directly on the famous Mönckebergstrasse, SV Hotel will implement two concepts in a new building. "It is a unique project that we were able to develop in this prominent location with our partner Redevco," Beat Kuhn, Managing Director of SV Hotel, is quoted in a press release.

    The real estate investment manager Redevco is replacing the current C&A building with a climate-neutral new building with mixed use for hotels, retail and catering. It was designed by the renowned London architecture firm Sergison Bates . It had won the architecture competition announced by Redevco and the city of Hamburg.

    On eight floors, the building combines a Hyatt Centric boutique hotel with the so-called Stay KooooK extended stay concept developed by SV Hotel itself. The Hyatt Centric's 185 elegant rooms and suites will occupy the second through eighth floors. The roof terrace and hotel bar offer a view of the harbor. To this end, SV Hotel becomes the new franchisee of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation . Beat Kuhn sees this as an “ideal addition” to the SV Hotel portfolio: “We share common values with Hyatt and the understanding that good hospitality can be experienced through the quality of design and service.”

    The 85 studios of the Stay KoooK concept are located on the fifth to eighth floors. Long-term guests as well as business and leisure travelers will find a sharing solution with the service of a good hotel, including a roof terrace with a view of the town hall and the Inner Alster.

    According to Volker Thamm, Director Business Development SV Hotel, the cooperation with all those involved was so “professional and efficient” that SV Hotel could “very well” imagine “developing further projects together”.

  • Swiss Life Asset Managers purchases in Oslo

    Swiss Life Asset Managers purchases in Oslo

    Swiss Life Asset Managers has taken over the real estate business of the Oslo-based investment company Ness, Risan & Partners ( NRP ). The acquired business area for commercial real estate and real estate funds with its 39 employees will in future operate under the Swiss Life Asset Managers brand.

    "With one of the leading providers of logistics real estate in the Nordic countries, we can strengthen our geographical presence in line with our strategy and further expand our position as a leading real estate manager in Europe", Stefan Mächler, CIO of the Swiss Life Group, is quoted in a press release. Nothing was known about the financial details of this transaction. It is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter.

    NRP has a strong network and knowledge of the Nordic commercial real estate market. Founded in 2000, the company manages a diverse portfolio of office, retail and industrial properties. At the end of 2020, NRP managed and managed assets worth the equivalent of 1.2 billion Swiss francs. In addition to the real estate industry, NRP is also active in the shipping and offshore sectors.

    Christian Ness, founder and managing partner of NRP, is certain to have found “the perfect partner for NRP”, “who has a strategic approach, financial strength, know-how and a network that makes this relationship more valuable than the sum total of the individual parts. "

  • 5 good reasons for a tech check

    5 good reasons for a tech check

    There are several reasons why it is worthwhile for a company in the real estate business to embrace new technologies.

    Attractiveness for employees: High potentials and well-trained employees want to work in companies that are agile and digital. In order to be able to keep up with the future “war for talents”, digital company DNA is almost a “hygiene factor”.

    Creation of efficiency and transparency: With new solutions – for example in the field of artificial intelligence and data analytics – resources can be bundled correctly, investment decisions can be made well-founded, and rental and sales processes can be processed faster and more cost-effectively.

    Minimizing risks: Through the targeted use of technologies, data can be generated, structured and analyzed in order to improve the basis for decision-making and thus minimize risks.

    New options for monetization: Disruptive new technologies such as blockchain technology are “business enablers” and promote the development of new business models, ecosystems and collaborations.

    Improvement of the user experience: New technologies such as virtual or augmented reality enable a completely new user experience. This type of convenience will become standard in the future and customers will probably no longer want to do without it.

    You can find an overview of new technologies and PropTech solutions here: https://hubs.li/H0RQjYL0

  • Concrete 3D printed bridge unveiled in Venice

    Concrete 3D printed bridge unveiled in Venice

    The Striatus arch bridge was unveiled on Monday at the Venice Architecture Biennale. It was designed by the Block Research Group at the Institute for Technology in Architecture of the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich ( ETH ), the Zaha Hadid Architecs Computation and Design Group and the Innsbruck specialists for additive manufacturing with concrete, incremetal3D . It was made possible by the building materials manufacturer Holcim Switzerland .

    Striatus is part of the “ Time Space Existence ” exhibition. It will be shown by the European Cultural Center as part of the Biennale. Its name (Latin: ribbed, grooved, striped) reflects the structural logic and the manufacturing process of the bridge, said Philippe Block from ETH in a press release from Holcim. “In arched and vaulted structures, the material is placed in such a way that the forces can be transferred to the supports in pure compression. The strength is generated by the geometry, whereby only a fraction of the materials are used that are used in conventional beams. ”This opens up a multitude of possibilities for building with lower strength and environmentally friendly.

    "Striatus stands on the shoulders of giants," says Shajay Bhooshan of Zaha Hadid Architects. “It revives ancient techniques of the past.” Its “tactile quality, aesthetics and strength” reflected the vision “that beauty is a promise of performance”. The joint work makes the striatus bridge "greater than the sum of its individual parts", says Johannes Megens, co-founder of incremental3D. According to Holcim CEO Jan Jenisch, the digital and circular design of the bridge uses "concrete at its best, with minimal use of materials and blocks that can be reassembled and reused infinitely".

    Holcim claims to be working on a range of 3D printing applications, from complex infrastructure to affordable housing for Africa. In Malawi, Holcim has put the world's first school made of 3D concrete printing into operation. The construction of the walls took only 18 hours and consumed 70 percent less material than with conventional construction methods.

  • UZH wants to generate electricity on a green roof

    UZH wants to generate electricity on a green roof

    The University of Zurich is to have a new teaching and learning center, the FORUM UZH, by 2028. According to a message on Monday, the cantonal building construction department submitted the building pre-submission. Afterwards, the seven-story building designed by the Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron will be erected as a wood hybrid construction with a concrete structure. The use of wood is supposed to save as much CO2 as is needed to build 77 single-family houses.

    The roof is to be greened intensively, thereby improving cooling in summer and thermal insulation in winter. At the same time, the roof will have a photovoltaic system. This should generate around 150 megawatt hours per year, enough electricity for 50 households.

    Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024. In the future, the building will have 700 workplaces for students and work space for 6000 members of the university.

  • University of Zurich relies on Winterthur water flow

    University of Zurich relies on Winterthur water flow

    Stadtwerk Winterthur has won the University of Zurich ( UZH ) as a new customer. In the corresponding tender, the UZH assumed electricity from renewable energies and opted for water electricity from the European Union, explains the city administration of Winterthur in a message . The municipal company will supply UZH with 69 gigawatt hours of electricity from hydropower annually from 2024 to 2028.

    In addition, Stadtwerk Winterthur was able to win two more tenders from existing customers, the communication further explains. According to this, on the one hand, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ) will also receive sustainable water power from the Winterthur municipal utility in the years 2024 to 2028. Of the 110 gigawatt hours contractually agreed annually, 4 gigawatt hours should meet the strict ecological guidelines of naturemade star.

    On the other hand, the Cantonal Hospital Winterthur will continue to receive electricity from hydropower from Stadtwerk Winterthur between 2024 and 2026. The corresponding contractual agreement includes the delivery of around 24 gigawatt hours of electricity annually, writes the city administration of Winterthur.

  • Dormakaba takes over Solus Security Systems in India

    Dormakaba takes over Solus Security Systems in India

    Dormakaba International Holding AG has taken over Solus Security Systems Pvt Ltd. closed. The company for access and security solutions expects the transaction to make a contribution to earnings per share at group level and to the EBITDA margin from day one, according to a media release . Solus achieved sales in the single-digit million range in the 2020/2021 financial year as of the end of March 2021. No further financial information was given on the transaction.

    Solus is the market leader in India for integrated solutions in the field of electronic access control, time and attendance recording, access management for visitors, access control and security as well as the associated services. The company has a total of 200 employees in Bangalore and other locations, including 130 service technicians. They serve system integrators and medium-sized end customers in various industries throughout India.

    "We are expanding our electronic access & data business in India with a broad product portfolio, additional sales channels and a large customer base – Solus offers us excellent growth opportunities," said Jim-Heng Lee, COO AS APAC at dormakaba, in the press release quoted.

    For Solus, too, there are “synergies from the expanded product portfolio and the greater market presence, which increases the additional benefit for our customers in terms of better solutions and services,” said Narasimha Swamy, owner and managing director of Solus, quoted in the media release.

  • PriceHubble raises $ 34 million

    PriceHubble raises $ 34 million

    Zurich-based PriceHubble AG has successfully completed a Series B financing round. The proptech was able to raise $ 34 million from new and existing investors, according to a media release . It focuses on real estate valuations and property insights on the basis of big data analytics and artificial intelligence. This round was led by Digital + Partners . The internationally growing company received "significant investments" from Latitude Ventures , TX Ventures and Business Angels. It also met with great demand from existing investors, including Swiss Life and btov / Helvetia Venture Fund .

    This is one of the largest B rounds in the European proptech scene, said Dr. Stefan Heitmann, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of PriceHubble. CEO Julien Schillewaert considers it an "important milestone on the way to realizing our vision of becoming the undisputed market leader for data-driven digital solutions for the real estate and financial industries in Europe and Asia".

    For this, PriceHubble “with the combination of an excellent team, a mature technology-driven organization and a best-in-class UX, PriceHubbel is ideally equipped to continue to drive growth, to attract additional top talent and the go-to-market organization to scale internationally ”, says Patrick Beitel, co-founder and managing director at Digital + Partners.

    The company, which was founded in Zurich in 2016, is now active in nine markets: Switzerland, France, Germany, Austria, Japan, the Netherlands, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The B2B customer base has tripled in the past twelve months. It now consists of 800 companies.

  • New place and drinking fountain inaugurated at JED

    New place and drinking fountain inaugurated at JED

    The new place at the JED in Schlieren has been inaugurated. According to Gianfranco Basso from Swiss Prime Site Immobilien AG , after a three-year, intensive construction phase and a staggered commissioning of the new center, the essential work on the surrounding area has been completed. The construction fences have disappeared and the converted former printing center of the NZZ has now become an open area and thus part of the public space.

    The new square was officially opened on Thursday and the drinking fountain was inaugurated. The opening began with a speech from Basso. This was followed by a greeting from Stefano Kunz, City Councilor and Head of Construction and Planning. Then it was called “water march” for the drinking fountain and there was an aperitif at the fountain. This was followed by a joint lunch for representatives from politics, authorities, those involved in the project and those responsible for JED in the restaurant eve’s kitchen, right on the square.

    The owner Swiss Prime Site found the name JED for the old printing center that has been converted for today’s use. It stands for join. Explore. Dare – connect, discover, dare. The JED has good connections just outside Zurich. With a direct connection to the Limmattalbahn and 500 meters from Schlieren train station, the location is well connected to the public transport network.

  • Holzernte hat 2020 zugenommen

    Holzernte hat 2020 zugenommen

    Mit 4,8 Millionen Kubikmetern wurden 2020 insgesamt 4 Prozent mehr Holz geschlagen als im Vorjahr. Vergleicht man diese Menge mit dem Durchschnitt der Jahre 2016 bis 2019, so resultierte ein Plus von 1 Prozent. Der seit 2016 steigende Trend zu mehr geerntetem Nadelholz setzte sich auch im vergangenen Jahr fort: Dessen Ernte stieg um 8 Prozent auf 3,4 Millionen Kubikmeter.

    Wie das Statistische Bundesamt in der Schweizerischen Forststatistik 2020 weiter dokumentiert, setzte sich dagegen der Rückgang der Laubholzernte weiter fort. Mit 1,4 Millionen Kubikmeter wurden 3 Prozent weniger geschlagen als im Vorjahr. Gleichzeitig werden wegen der Klimaveränderung und des zunehmenden Aufwands bei der Bekämpfung des Borkenkäfers immer mehr Laubbäume neu gepflanzt, vor allem im Mittelland. 563’000 Bäume markierten dort gegenüber 2019 ein Plus von 9 Prozent. Gleichzeitig gingen die Nadelholzpflanzungen mit 430’000 Bäumen um 8 Prozent zurück.

    Ein weiterer Trend ist seit 2016 ungebrochen: In der Schweiz wird immer mehr Hackholz verwendet. 2020 waren es mit 1,2 Millionen Kubikmetern rund 5 Prozent mehr Holz als Hackschnitzel. Dagegen sinkt die Ernte von Energiestückholz stetig: von 0,75 Millionen Kubikmetern im Jahr 2016 auf 0,70 Kubikmeter im Jahr 2020. Das meistgeerntete Holz bleibt Stammholz. Dieses Segment wuchs nach einem starken Rückgang im Vorjahr wieder um 5 Prozent.

    Die Einnahmen der 660 Schweizer Forstbetriebe sanken 2020 um 2 Prozent auf 525 Millionen Franken. Deren Ausgaben nahmen um 1 Prozent auf 569 Millionen Franken ab. Daraus resultierte eine Unterdeckung von rund 44 Millionen Franken. Das sind 5 Prozent mehr als 2019 und 13 Prozent mehr als im Durchschnitt der Jahre 2016 bis 2019.

    Bei den 160 Betrieben aus dem forstwirtschaftlichen Testbetriebsnetz der Schweiz, die eine Vollkostenrechnung führen, verschlechterte sich die Situation im Vergleich zum Vorjahr. Durch erhöhte Kosten und tiefere Erlöse hat sich deren Defizit pro Hektare produktive Waldfläche um 6 Franken auf 66 Franken vergrössert.

  • Hälg Group eröffnet neuen Standort in Freiburg

    Hälg Group eröffnet neuen Standort in Freiburg

    Die Gebäudeautomation der Hälg Group mit Sitz in St.Gallen eröffnet in Freiburg-Givisiez einen neuen Standort und baut damit ihr Netzwerk in diesem Geschäftsfeld aus. Laut Medienmitteilung ist Freiburg der siebte Standort. Bisher war die Hälg Gebäudeautomation mit eigenen Standorten in St.Gallen, Luzern, Zürich, Basel, Chur und Genf vertreten.

    Vom neuen Standort aus soll der Anlagenbau in der Region Freiburg, Neuenburg und Lausanne betrieben werden. Zusammen mit dem bisherigen Standort Genf sei damit die Hälg Gebäudeautomation in der ganzen Westschweiz vertreten. Ab dem 1. September sei ein vierköpfiges Team vor Ort. Der erste Mitarbeitende habe bereits jetzt seine Arbeit aufgenommen.

    Hälg hebt in der Medienmitteilung hervor, dass das Team in Freiburg-Givisiez in das Netz der Gebäudeautomation Schweiz eingebettet sei. Die Mitarbeitenden in den einzelnen Standorten tauschten sich aus. Damit könne die Hälg & Co. AG Gebäudeautomation neben dem Team vor Ort auch auf das schweizweite Team der Gebäudeautomation zurückgreifen.

    Das Familienunternehmen Hälg werde in vierter Generation durch die Inhaber geführt, heisst es in der Mitteilung. Unternehmensziel sei, die Hälg Group zum führenden Schweizer Dienstleistungsunternehmen für Gebäudetechnik im Bereich Heizung, Lüftung, Klima, Kälte und Sanitär über den ganzen Lebenszyklus einer Anlage zu machen.

    Die Unternehmensgruppe beschäftigt nach eigenen Angaben an 22 Standorten in der Schweiz 1125 Mitarbeitende und erzielte 2020 einen Umsatz von 312 Millionen Franken.