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  • Swiss train stations perform moderately

    Swiss train stations perform moderately

    Of 50 train stations in Europe that were examined, the train stations in Bern and Zurich performed moderately to poorly in terms of passenger-friendliness. According to a press release, Bern train station landed in 40th place in the European Railway Index 2021, while Zurich train station was in 21st place.

    The consumer protection group Consumer Choice Center , based in Washington, has examined in its index, among other things, the shopping experience, the accessibility, the WLAN network, the number of national and international destinations as well as the choice of travel providers.

    The main train station in Bern, for example, has toilets for wheelchair users, but with six shops and eight restaurants only a very limited range of options for eating and shopping. The Zurich main station offers more than 53 shops and 39 restaurants, but does not provide barrier-free toilets for wheelchair users.

    Leipzig Central Station performed best in front of Vienna Central Station and St. Pancras in London. According to a media release, the train station in the German state of Saxony offers most domestic destinations, many shops and restaurants, and several railway companies.

  • Steiner celebrates the topping-out ceremony in the new industrial park in Basel

    Steiner celebrates the topping-out ceremony in the new industrial park in Basel

    The new Werkarena business park in Basel celebrated topping-out on Friday. After construction began in autumn 2019, Steiner AG was able to complete the shell of the building complex, according to a media release.

    The first tenants should be able to move in from autumn. The Werkarena is designed for different types of companies. The lower floors offer a ramp system for small vans especially for the storage and logistics industry. Tenants can also use the existing office, meeting and conference rooms jointly.

    The upper floors offer a marketplace, a forum and rooms for new business models. They are primarily intended to address startups and small and medium-sized companies that are expanding their network and looking for a place for inspiration and exchange. The trade association Basel-Stadt and the Business Parc Reinach operate part of the commercial and business park, which particularly want to promote start-ups.

    The Werkarena is being built near the border with Germany, the A3 motorway and the EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse airport. It is an initiative of the trade association Basel-Stadt , Immobilien Basel-Stadt , Business Parc Reinach , Steiner AG, smeyers AG and Picard Angst AG as well as other large companies.

  • Basic report on the merger of Baden and Turgi is available

    Basic report on the merger of Baden and Turgi is available

    The basic and financial report on the opportunities and risks of a community merger , drawn up by seven working groups with representatives from Baden and Turgi, is now publicly available. According to a media release from the city of Baden, it can now be viewed publicly on the project website under Reports.

    According to the press release, the seven working groups from Baden and Turgi examined topics such as authorities, administration, spatial planning, schooling, the local community, forest, factories, and the fire brigade. An independent auditing company analyzed the financial situation and the prospects for the merger.

    In addition to the publication on the project website, several information events are planned. On April 7, the two ammen Markus Schneider and Adrian Schoop and the two women vice-men Regula Dell'Anno-Doppler and Astrid Barben will be discussing the knowledge gained in the first phase of the project in a live broadcast. After completing the basic work, those responsible for the project came to the conclusion that the chances of a merger outweigh the above.

    On May 6th, a Thursday, and on May 22nd, a Saturday, representatives of the working groups will be available for talks at market stalls on Baden's Schlossbergplatz. On May 7th, the information stand will be set up in Bahnhofstrasse in Turgi.

    On June 13, 2021, the citizens of both municipalities will vote on whether they want to commission the Baden City Council and the Turgi City Council to draw up a merger agreement in a second project phase. According to the media release, if both municipalities are yes, the merger agreement would come before the residents' council and the municipal assembly in autumn 2022. The second referendum would take place in March 2023. The merger would take place on January 1, 2024.

    If only one of the municipalities voted no on June 13, 2021, the project would end.

  • Graubünden pension fund receives investment award

    Graubünden pension fund receives investment award

    The Graubünden Pension Fund ( PKGR ) has received an IAZI Real Estate Investment Award 2021. It received an award in the “Best Pension Fund Portfolio” category. IAZI awards a total of nine awards. The basis for the selection of the winners is an assessment based on eight key figures from the Swiss Property Benchmark of the consulting and service company IAZI for the Swiss real estate sector. According to a press release by the PKGR, this is the most representative benchmark for Swiss direct real estate investments.

    PKGR's real estate portfolio claims to have a market value of CHF 654 million. As stated in the announcement, the pension fund understands this award as “confirmation of its real estate strategy, its successful implementation in the facilities and management as well as the further development of the portfolio”.

  • Rental deposit insurance is expensive

    Rental deposit insurance is expensive

    Rent deposit insurance is only advisable in the event of short-term financial bottlenecks. The online comparison service Comparis points this out. In contrast to a rent deposit payment, the premium payments are lost in any case. With a ten-year contract, they can amount to more than half of the deposit amount. In a press release , Comparis calculates this on the basis of a ten-year contract and a deposit of 6,000 francs.

    A good 20 percent of the Swiss population will have to make the right decision in the next twelve months. This is shown by a representative survey by Comparis on moving behavior in Switzerland .

    Rent deposit insurances give new residents the required amount of mostly three months' rent. In return, they ask for an annual premium. The cheapest and the most expensive would be 40 percent apart. "Rent deposit insurance should only be considered to bridge short-term financial bottlenecks," is the recommendation of Comparis expert Frédéric Papp.

    The definitely cheaper solution is to transfer the entire rental deposit to a rental deposit account. “You should pay attention to the choice of bank.” There are still banks that pay interest on deposits and others that charge opening fees of up to 150 francs or netting fees of up to 100 francs. Basically, the banking relationship can be negotiated.

  • Intelligent lighting convinces investors

    Intelligent lighting convinces investors

    LEDCity has secured 2 million francs in fresh capital as part of a financing round. A customer of the start-up and a group of business angels have invested, according to a media release. In addition to the financing by the investors, the company has also received a guarantee from the technology fund of the Federal Office for the Environment .

    LEDCity has developed a lighting solution that aims to reduce electricity consumption by up to 80 percent. The development is intended to replace classic motion detectors in commercial buildings. It uses up to 50 times more sensors on the same area. Algorithms also ensure that the lighting intensity is controlled automatically.

    With the fresh funds, LEDCity wants to enlarge its sales team in western Switzerland and at the same time expand to Germany. The start-up also wants to further develop its algorithms.

  • Bern is testing street lamps as charging stations

    Bern is testing street lamps as charging stations

    The municipal energy supplier Energie Wasser Bern (ewb) wants to convert street lamps in two Bern quarters into charging stations for electric vehicles. At the end of March, according to a press release, ewb will put two upgraded lanterns into operation at Thormannstrasse 62 and 64 and at Huberstrasse 16. The two masts will be equipped with type 2 sockets, the European standard for charging e-cars.

    ewb is responding to the growing demand for e-cars and thus also for charging points in Bern. The test stations are located on residential parking areas marked blue. According to the press release, this makes them particularly suitable for residents of Thormannstrasse and Huberstrasse who have an e-car and a resident parking card.

    ewb wants to expand the e-charging stations specifically in the blue zones, because this is where most people from Bern park. The energy supplier is technically supported for the project by Siemens and ubitricity as well as MOVE as an e-mobility service provider. The City of Bern and EnergieSchweiz are also involved.

    For owners of diesel and gasoline cars as well as e-vehicles that are not supposed to be charged, the areas will no longer be available until the end of the pilot phase in spring 2022. They should be able to recognize this from the corresponding signs. At the end of the test phase, ewb and its project partners want to evaluate the data and decide whether to introduce such charging lanterns across the board.

  • AEW takes a stake in the Aargau energy start-up

    AEW takes a stake in the Aargau energy start-up

    AEW Energie AG has entered into a strategic partnership with Virtual Global Trading , according to a media release . It will gradually acquire a stake of up to 35 percent in the start-up company based in Aarau.

    With eNet, Virtual Global Trading has developed a digital trading platform for the energy sector. It offers customers of energy suppliers various business models. For example, companies can present offers for battery storage or solar systems on the platform. These can then be used by private individuals – the customers of energy suppliers.

    The platform uses the daily updated data from the network operator's intelligent meters. The traded and processed energy data are automatically compared with the systems of the distribution network operator. When the platform registers a new smart meter, it creates a one-time token. Thanks to this token system developed and patented by Virtual Global Trading, the proof of origin of the energy is provided. Overall, the platform also enables all participants to react quickly to market developments.

    Together with the Liechtenstein power plants ( LKW ), the start-up is already implementing its system in Liechtenstein. The use of the platform there is also intended to serve as a model for other regions. The goal now is to roll out eNet continuously in Switzerland and Europe.

    “With our involvement in the start-up company, we are securing market experience from neighboring countries, where the regulation and liberalization of the electricity market are well advanced. We want to use this experience for our preparation for the complete liberalization of the electricity market ”, said Marc Ritter, Head of the Energy Business Unit at AEW, in an AEW announcement . Together with the start-up, AEW also wants to develop new market models for Switzerland.

  • Fritschi Fensterbau joins the Spycher Group

    Fritschi Fensterbau joins the Spycher Group

    In the future, Fritschi Fensterbau AG will operate under the umbrella of Spycher Group Holding AG from Vechingen BE, the two companies inform in a message . With the takeover, the holding company, which has subsidiaries and investments in various economic sectors, wants to strengthen its business in the construction industry.

    "Fritschi Fensterbau AG fits perfectly into our group, which already includes several other companies active in the construction ancillary trade", Matthias Spycher, owner and CEO of Spycher Group Holding AG, is quoted in the announcement. "We are also proud to be able to take over a prosperous company with excellent people."

    The previous owner and managing director of Fritschi Fensterbau AG will leave the company at the end of March. The previous project manager of Fritschi Fensterbau, Thomas Gisy, is to lead the fate of the window manufacturer from the Zürcher Unterland under the umbrella of the holding company. "In Thomas Gisy we have found an ideal internal successor for Sven Spitzli," explains Spycher. The management of the sales department at Fritschi Fensterbau will be taken over by Thomas Gisy's son and longstanding employee of the company, Tobias Gisy.

  • Basler Quartier will soon have climate-neutral heating

    Basler Quartier will soon have climate-neutral heating

    Work on the construction of a heating network is allowed to start around Lehenmattstrasse from July. According to a press release , the Lehenmatt Birs AG (WVLB AG) heating network, which was founded specifically for this purpose, has now received permission from the government council of the canton of Basel-Stadt.

    In the first expansion step, the client is laying 1.2 kilometers of new heat pipes. Up to 2900 households can be connected to it, the first probably from spring 2022. The heat that WVLB AG supplies should be up to 80 percent CO2-neutral. According to a press release, it is a by-product of the treatment processes in the nearby Birs wastewater treatment plant.

    The first owners have already expressed their interest. "In the last few months we have already been able to conclude numerous heat supply contracts with large heat consumers in the Lehenmatt district," WVLB managing director Urs Hodel is quoted in the media release. WVLB AG is a joint venture between Industrielle Werke Basel ( IWB ) and the energy cooperative ADEV .

  • Switzerland is looking for sustainable tourism projects

    Switzerland is looking for sustainable tourism projects

    The innovation generator 2.0 is intended to help ensure that the upcoming change in Swiss tourism is sustainable. The Innotour project, supported by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs ( SECO ), aims to trigger sustainable innovations for the tourism industry. Together with the project sponsors, the best ideas should be financed, professionally supported and further developed until they are ready for implementation. The sponsors include various tourism associations as well as the tourism institutes of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Western Switzerland University of Applied Sciences .

    According to a media release from one of the project sponsors, the Swiss Tourism Association, interested parties can benefit from various support offers. The two universities will be offering two workshops each from May 2021. Ideas should be concretized and the project input prepared in the innovation generator. In addition, individual coaching is offered by experienced specialists.

    The first deadline for submission on the innovation generator's website is July 15th. A jury of experts then selects the most original and sustainable ideas. In the subsequent second project phase, implementation steps are planned, including a cost and financing plan. At the end, the jury will vote for the most promising project plans.

  • Andermatt Reuss continues to grow

    Andermatt Reuss continues to grow

    Andermatt Swiss Alps AG notes a sustained high demand for residential property in the mountains. The company plans, builds and develops the year-round destination Andermatt. The new district of Andermatt Reuss will be built according to a master plan by 30 international architectural offices, it says on their website.

    Six apartment houses are currently under construction, according to Andermatt Swiss Alps AG in a media release. 36 of the 46 apartments are already reserved. After the snow melts, the construction of two more houses will begin. In the past few months, several houses around the Piazza Gottardo have grown in height. Some of them were already sold out in the shell construction phase or only had a few apartments left.

    In the coming months, the infrastructure base, known as the podium, on which the new buildings are located, will be expanded further. The next expansion will cover around 19,000 square meters and offer space for 16 houses. In addition, it is planned to start preparatory work for the third hotel in the summer.

  • Portal documents the development of charging stations

    Portal documents the development of charging stations

    More than a third of energy consumption occurs in traffic, writes the Federal Office of Energy ( SFOE ) in a press release . The increased use of electric cars is intended to increase efficiency here. The communication names the expansion of the corresponding charging infrastructure as an important factor in promoting e-mobility.

    In order to be able to document the development of the charging infrastructure, providers of charging stations and the SFOE have set up a joint data infrastructure, the SFOE explains further in the communication. With their help, the availability of public charging stations in Switzerland is displayed in real time on the www.ich-tanke-strom.ch portal. This data is used by the SFOE to generate key figures for the public charging infrastructure. They are made available on the portal as data visualization. The SFOE makes the underlying data available as open data on the opendata.swiss portal.

    20 providers are now taking part in the project to document the development of the public charging infrastructure, including the largest charging networks in Switzerland, evpass, MOVE, swisscharge and Plug'n Roll. Interested providers of public charging stations are invited to join the project.

  • Dietikons Bahnhofsplatz is being redesigned with the SBB

    Dietikons Bahnhofsplatz is being redesigned with the SBB

    The planned competition program for the redesign of the Dietikon station area can now be started. The Dietiker city council has approved a loan of 56,000 francs for the preparation of the "Bushof / Bahnhofplatz competition program" and the necessary clarifications, according to a message from the city chancellery. The contract for procedural support had been awarded to the Zurich consulting firm Eckhaus AG. In addition to upgrading the public space with quality of stay and a wheelchair accessible hub for public transport, an attractive location for living and working is to be created on the SBB site, according to the city of Dietikon about the project .

    The city of Dietikon and the SBB jointly awarded an urban planning study contract for the Dietikon station area in 2019. The "in-depth study of the Dietikon station area" was exhibited in plans and models in November and December 2020 on the window front of the Dietikon town hall. The results report was also available on the Internet.

    According to the plans of the city of Dietikon, the bus station is to be redesigned around two islands. This creates a largely traffic-calmed space in front of the train station, which is to be landscaped and planted with trees to create a lingering zone. According to the announcement, the SBB wants to develop a lively district from its parcels west of the track field. The station building is to be extended. Two construction sites for an office building and a complex with 200 apartments are planned on the parking lot.

  • There are plans for the Rorschacher Feldmühle site

    There are plans for the Rorschacher Feldmühle site

    The Zurich-based project developer as well as total and general contractor Steiner is planning, together with the Steiner Investment Foundation , to develop the largely fallow land of the Feldmühle site in Rorschach. A sub-zone and a design plan, which was drawn up together with the city of Rorschach, will be available to the public from Monday until April 21 at the Office for Building and Urban Development. They can also be viewed on the city's website. An identical press release from Steiner and the city provides information on this.

    On the 27,500 square meter inner-city area near the train station, 40 percent residential buildings for 760 people are planned, a total of 142 condominiums and 162 rental apartments. Commercial space is to be 20 percent or 9,000 square meters.

    An underground car park, e-parking spaces and a car sharing provider are also planned. Individual, historically valuable and identity-creating buildings are retained and placed in context with new buildings. The original character of the former industrial plant should remain noticeable. Completion of the project is planned for 2025 if everything goes smoothly.

  • Implenia is building tunnels on the Gotthard

    Implenia is building tunnels on the Gotthard

    The Federal Roads Office has awarded the ARGE secondo tubo (in German: second tube) the contract for the construction of a four kilometer long access tunnel to the second Gotthard tube. According to its press release , Implenia is in charge of this working group. It has a 40 percent stake in it, as does Webuild Group / csc . Frutiger holds a further 20 percent.

    According to the information, ARGE secondo tubo was able to prevail against four other offers and two additional variants in the tender with the highest number of points from the evaluation of all award criteria. The award is still subject to a 20-day complaint period. Construction work is scheduled to begin this spring and last two and a half years.

    "The Gotthard road tunnel is a central infrastructure project for Switzerland, to which Implenia, as the largest Swiss construction service provider with a lot of experience and concentrated specialist know-how, can make an important contribution," said the head of Implenia's Civil Engineering Division, Christian Late, quoted in the communication.

    Implenia had already been awarded the contract to relocate the north safety tunnel in November 2020. This is the current lot for the construction of the second tube in the Gotthard road tunnel. This award precedes the publication of the invitation to tender for the two larger lots by a few months, the announcement said. In 2001 and 2014, Implenia was already heavily involved in the construction of the Gotthard Base Tunnel for the railways. At that time, the total order volume was 2.84 billion Swiss francs.

  • Procimmo realizes capital increase

    Procimmo realizes capital increase

    Procimmo SA has raised around 64 million francs on the capital market for its real estate fund Procimmo Swiss Commercial Fund II, the asset manager of collective real estate investments informs in a message . According to her, the capital increase was significantly oversubscribed. The company sees this as "a clear vote of confidence on the part of investors in the fund," says the press release.

    On the one hand, the 64 million francs brought in are intended to reduce the fund's debt financing ratio. On the other hand, Procimmo wants to use the new capital for the continuation of existing construction projects, is explained in the communication. The company is also planning further property acquisitions.

    The Procimmo Swiss Commercial Fund II is scheduled to be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange on March 24th. A total of 33 properties are currently held in the fund in the cantons of Aargau, Basel-Landschaft, Bern, Freiburg, Graubünden, Lucerne, Solothurn and Zurich. The report puts the fund's assets at around 557 million francs.

  • Schächen power plant supplies 3,600 households

    Schächen power plant supplies 3,600 households

    In its first, not quite full year of operation, the Schächen hydropower plant produced 14.8 million kilowatt hours of electricity to supply around 3,300 households. In full operation there will be 3,600 households. The new power plant will thus make an important contribution to the CO2-free supply of electricity from renewable sources, emphasized Werner Jauch, Chairman of the Board of Directors, at the general meeting of KW Schächen AG .

    According to a press release, he also highlighted that two of the three machine groups of the power plant commissioned in November 2019 started work six weeks ahead of schedule. This was not a matter of course, especially in Corona times. "This enabled us to make optimal use of the good water supply in winter and spring 2020."

    In general, the construction work in the middle of the lively Uri basin was “a great challenge”, says Jauch: “The project experienced many ups and downs in a planning and approval marathon of around eight years, and the construction phase was also very demanding.” It turned out to be very demanding however, "definitely worth it to accept and successfully master all challenges up to and including the corona pandemic at KW Schächen".

  • The best sustainable house is in Switzerland

    The best sustainable house is in Switzerland

    This year's Häuser Award had the motto The best sustainable houses, explains the magazine “Häuser” in a message . In addition to new buildings, conversions and extensions were expressly included. With regard to the properties, the jury of the houses award primarily examined the handling of the land, the energy concept, the choice of materials, the construction methods and the technologies used.

    The small house in Jonschwil designed by Lukas Lehnherr was able to qualify as the winner. "With the renovation of a coach house, the architect Lenherr succeeded in squaring the circle," the message quoted from the jury's reasoning for the decision. “An amazingly spacious house was built on a tiny area that fits perfectly into the townscape.” Architect Lehnherr from Quinten SG can look forward to the prize money of 7,000 euros associated with the award. The builders will receive a further 1000 euros from the cooperation partner of the award, the Association of Private Builders eV

    The jury awarded second prize to the extension of a Munich town house by architect Anton Mang. The third prize went to the Binnewies house in Münsterland. The expansion of a farm in the Taunus was honored with the award for outstanding interior design. The Green Dwelling near Hanover won the readers' award in 2021 decided by the magazine's readers.

  • Hächler rebuilds Spreitenbacher Waldhütte

    Hächler rebuilds Spreitenbacher Waldhütte

    Hächler AG from Wettingen has rebuilt the forest hut belonging to the municipality of Spreitenbach, which had become dilapidated due to subsidence. From spring onwards, the forest hut will again be available to citizens for festive occasions with 40 seats, according to the press release . There is a new hall with a fitted kitchen and an open fireplace both inside and outside.

    The new building in the middle of the forest on Heitersberg became necessary because of subsidence. The forest hut was built in 1968 and renovated in 1990. According to the Hächler Group, the municipality of Spreitenbach decided to rebuild the popular forest hut due to the subsidence of the ground by around 20 centimeters. In May 2020, the timber construction department at Hächler AG was awarded the contract to build the new forest hut.

    According to a report submitted by Günter Ebner, Head of Timber Construction at Hächler, the replacement building in timber element construction in the Neuenhof workshop was prefabricated in the same dimensions as the old hut. The finished wall elements with built-in electrical preparation and cutting of the roof components were produced in just three weeks. The shell assembly in the forest on the Heitersberg was carried out with millimeter precision using the company's own truck crane. The inner wall surfaces made of multi-layer panels in spruce and fir were protected from moisture during assembly. According to the Hächler report, only ecological and sustainable building materials were used.

    The materials are technically state-of-the-art and enable a comfortable room climate as well as heat, cold and noise protection. The combination of vapor-permeable and multi-layer materials with good soundproofing properties would have made this concept of the forest hut a really great project, construction manager Ebner is quoted as saying.

    21 cubic meters of domestic spruce wood, 45 cubic meters of mineral insulation and 450 square meters of multilayer wood panels were used for the supporting structure.

  • Coop turns a Basel department store into a luxury hotel

    Coop turns a Basel department store into a luxury hotel

    The BâleHotels group, which belongs to Coop, is opening a 4-star boutique hotel in the middle of Basel's old town. The Hotel Märthof will open its doors on July 28, 2021. The renovation of the historic building began in 2019. Its neo-baroque facade will be preserved and will be combined with generous window fronts, according to a message from Coop . From 1983 a department store was housed in the complex.

    In the Märthof there will be space for 68 high-quality rooms as well as the Bohemia restaurant with a spacious bar and a terrace directly on the market square. The hotel also has a fitness and wellness area, a banquet room and a roof terrace.

    The BâleHotels Group is thus continuing to invest in the Basel location, according to Coop. The BâleHotels Group operates five hotels in Basel, Muttenz BL and Bern.

  • Renovation of the Mandarin Oriental Palace Lucerne is making progress

    Renovation of the Mandarin Oriental Palace Lucerne is making progress

    The Hotel Palace Luzern is currently being extensively renovated. It is to be reopened next spring as the Mandarin Oriental Palace Lucerne.

    The modernization is progressing, according to a press release . Invita Hospitality Projects, which belongs to Bündner Baulink AG , has now been commissioned to handle FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment) and SOE (Small Operating Equipment).

    Specifically, Invita will be responsible for purchasing loose furnishings for the 146 rooms and suites and redesigning the public areas. In the spa and fitness area, the Baulink subsidiary even received the entire specialist coordination contract. She also coordinates the redesign of the public areas, which include the catering area as well as conference and meeting rooms.

    The interior design is meanwhile taken over by the London office Jestico & Whiles. Architecturally, the project is being accompanied by Iwan Bühler Architects from Lucerne.

    The hotel is located in the middle of the city of Lucerne, directly on the shores of Lake Lucerne.

  • AXA Switzerland launches real estate funds for pension funds

    AXA Switzerland launches real estate funds for pension funds

    According to a message from AXA Switzerland , the company has launched a new, actively managed real estate fund. The AXA pension fund real estate Switzerland contains a high proportion of residential properties in central locations in Swiss metropolitan areas, explains AXA Switzerland in the press release. The fund should only be open to "certain qualified tax-exempt investors in Switzerland".

    "The capital market interest rates in Switzerland are currently at historic lows, and a significant change in the interest rate environment is not in sight", Daniel Gussmann, Chief Investment Officer of AXA Switzerland, is quoted in the press release. "Real estate investments are therefore becoming increasingly important in the investment of pension funds, not least thanks to positive cash inflows from rental income." The new fund from AXA Switzerland currently has a volume of CHF 1.7 billion.

  • SHL Medical is building a sustainable new location

    SHL Medical is building a sustainable new location

    SHL Medical invests in a new location on the Tech Cluster Zug . This will consist of a 10,500 square meter production area and a 5,000 square meter office space. The manufacturer of injection systems plans to employ around 400 people there.

    Several architectural offices have developed concepts for the new location as part of a competition. The project by the architects Penzel Valier AG has now prevailed, according to a media release . In addition to SHL Medical, the jury also included the city of Zug, Metall Zug and experts from various disciplines.

    The project by the architects Penzel Valier relies on the use of wood as the main alternative material. The energy is supplied via a building-integrated solar energy system. Sea water is used for heating and cooling. The excess heat and energy is recovered for further use. Overall, according to the information, this enables zero CO2 emissions production.

    According to the announcement, the building application is planned for the end of 2021. Because the SHL Group is aiming for continuous growth in the coming years, the expansion of the location is planned in two construction phases and in four expansion stages. The commissioning of the four expansion stages is to take place in several stages.

    "The building architecture should provide an environment that optimally supports the activities of our employees and operations," Ulrich Faessler, CEO SHL Medical, is quoted in a separate press release. "As we at SHL are striving for continuous growth and in order to consolidate our pioneering role within the industry, we will further strengthen our global presence and our activities through global production," he adds.

    SHL Medical relocated its headquarters to Zug in Switzerland in 2018. One of his goals was to further strengthen the global partnership with his pharmaceutical customers. In addition to Switzerland, SHL Medical also has locations in Taiwan, Sweden and the USA.

    The Tech Cluster Zug is being built on the headquarters of V-ZUG AG in the city of Zug. V-ZUG wants to concentrate its production in the north of the area. Industrial companies, technology-related services, start-ups as well as research and educational institutions are to be located on the remaining parts of the area.

  • Fundamenta Real Estate posts record profit

    Fundamenta Real Estate posts record profit

    According to a release from Fundamenta Real Estate AG , the Zug-based real estate company generated net rental income of CHF 33.47 million in the 2020 financial year. In a year-on-year comparison, this corresponds to growth of 13.4 percent. The announcement mentions the purchase of two new properties and the completion of three of its own projects as growth drivers. In addition, the company was able to reduce its vacancy rate year-on-year by 0.2 percentage points to 3.5 percent.

    A new record of CHF 26.69 million was reported as net profit in the 2020 reporting year. In the previous year, a net profit of CHF 22.51 million was realized. In the year under review, a slightly lower revaluation effect than in the previous year was more than offset by “an excellent operating result” and the sale of three properties, explains the real estate company.

    "The stability of our real estate portfolio, which is dominated by residential space, has also been shown in this special year," Andreas Spahni, President and Delegate of the Board of Directors, is quoted in the press release. "The corona crisis only had a marginal effect on the result."

    The balance sheet value of Fundamenta Real Estate's real estate portfolio rose from CHF 908.91 million to CHF 991.94 million in the course of the year under review. In February of this year, the company acquired another residential property. In addition, the “further repositioning of two existing properties in Zurich and one property in Bern” has started, according to the announcement. Fundamenta Real Estate plans to carry out a capital increase this year to finance ongoing projects. Details are to be communicated after the General Assembly on April 8th.

  • Geneva expands network for the use of lake water

    Geneva expands network for the use of lake water

    The Geneva public utility company SIG is laying new district heating pipes in the La Jonction district. 90 buildings are to be connected to the Genilac district heating network by 2025, the SIG wrote in a press release . Of these, 30 buildings are used by the city and the canton of Geneva. Genilac fully supplies the connected buildings with heating and cooling from Lake Geneva. The extension in La Jonction saves 10,600 tons of CO2.

    In total, Genilac is expected to deliver around 1150 gigawatt hours of cooling and 150 gigawatt hours of heat per year by 2030. By 2050, Genilac should help to reduce CO2 emissions in the canton by 70,000 tons. "Genilac is an important infrastructure with which CO2 emissions in the canton of Geneva are to be reduced and global warming is to be tackled", SIG General Director Christian Brunier is quoted in the press release.

  • Electromobility needs new goals

    Electromobility needs new goals

    Federal Councilor Simonetta Sommaruga discussed with those involved in electromobility what would be beneficial for its rapid expansion. At a top meeting with high-ranking representatives from the automotive, electricity, real estate and vehicle fleet sectors as well as the cantons, cities and municipalities, new objectives were outlined.

    They should join in with the goals that were set for the year 2022. According to a joint media release by the Federal Department for the Environment, Energy and Communication and the Federal Offices for Energy and Roads , they had already been reached in February 2021, with electric vehicles accounting for 15.1 percent.

    One of the proposals provides information and advice as well as more attractive and attractively priced services relating to the purchase of plug-in vehicles. In addition, the number of public charging stations should increase faster. This requires suitable measures to accelerate planning and construction. In addition, use and billing systems should become simpler and more transparent. Ultimately, it is important to create more charging options in the parking lot in front of the house or in the underground car park of apartment buildings.

    The actors in the Electromobility Roadmap would work out these goals in the coming months and derive suitable measures from them. Implementation should begin quickly. "The success in electromobility shows that the population wants to live in a climate-friendly way and be clean on the road," said Sommaruga. "Together we make it possible."

  • Porsche supports start-ups in Zurich

    Porsche supports start-ups in Zurich

    Porsche supports innovative start- ups through its Forward31 program. Now the German carmaker has also included the Zurich start-up The Embassies in this program, according to a media release .

    The Embassies is developing a new solution for living in old age. This consists of a digital platform and habitable rooms. The company wants to build a network with around 30 locations worldwide. She wants to focus on big cities like Zurich, London, New York or Berlin. The first location is scheduled to open in Europe in 2022.

    At the locations – so-called embassies – of The Embassies, residents and visitors should have publicly accessible catering and leisure facilities available. The goal is to encourage social interaction. Traveling by older people is also supported. This also gives residents and members access to other The Embassies locations around the world.

    "We created our offer for people who want to lead a self-determined, fulfilled and healthy life for as long as possible," says Jan Garde, founder of The Embassies, in the press release.

    Forward31 will now continue to develop the business model together with the founding team of The Embassies and support the company as a strategic partner in the future.

  • Implenia relies on virtual reality for Lokstadt-Areal

    Implenia relies on virtual reality for Lokstadt-Areal

    Implenia uses the advantages of virtual reality (VR) at the Lokstadt site in Winterthur. This is made possible thanks to a solution from the Zurich start-up Hegias . Right from the start, users were able to immerse themselves in the virtual plaster model of the area and walk through it from different perspectives.

    Thanks to the solution, concerns of monument conservationists could also be quickly dispelled, writes Hegias in a press release. They initially had reservations about a new hotel, which should have shipping containers as a room. When the concept could be experienced virtually, they were convinced that the “valuable building fabric” would be preserved and that the halls would not be crammed full.

    In addition, the VR solution is also useful for marketing real estate, according to the announcement. The spatial understanding and the experience of the residential property are essential drivers in the purchase decision. Implenia has already bought a license for the Hegias software. Now she wants to expand the use of the software.

    "What was missing so far for the breakthrough of VR was user-friendly software that users can use anywhere without installation and without relevant programming knowledge," Anita Eckardt, head of the Specialties Division at Implenia and member of the management board, is quoted in the press release. "The start-up Hegias made this possible with the intuitively operable solution for VR applications – a real quantum leap."

  • Implenia wins five orders in Germany

    Implenia wins five orders in Germany

    According to an announcement from Implenia , the construction and real estate company was able to acquire five building construction contracts in Germany. Specifically, Implenia is to implement office, hotel and apartment projects for various clients in the Karlsruhe area, in Berlin and in Jena. The order volume is put at a total of 140 million euros in the announcement.

    In Karlsruhe, Implenia is building a new office and hotel building for [glossary_exclude] Qcoon Real Estate GmbH [/ glossary_exclude] and FORTOON Development GmbH. Construction work is scheduled to begin this quarter. In Bruchsal, Implenia was entrusted with the construction of a residential and commercial quarter by Grundwerte Verwaltungs GmbH. The start of construction is planned for autumn.

    Implenia will build an office and commercial building for Investa Real Estate in Berlin. Certification according to the environmental standard DGNB Gold is being sought for the building, explains the company in the announcement. Implenia has been entrusted with the implementation of two high-rise buildings in Jena.

    On the one hand, the company in Jena will build an inclusion center for people in need of care and multi-generation shared apartments on behalf of the Wandlungswelten Foundation. On the other hand, Implenia was entrusted with the construction of a new office building by a private investor not named in the notification. Both projects in Jena are already under construction and will be handed over to their clients in the coming year.