Tag: immoNews

  • Laying of the foundation stone for the Osiris eco-quarter in Echallens

    Laying of the foundation stone for the Osiris eco-quarter in Echallens

    The eco quarter was developed as a joint project by Realtim, Equitim and ODS Investhome. The aim is to achieve Minergie-P-Eco certification, which includes the integration of environmental aspects in the construction process. That is why Steiner is using more than 50 percent recycled concrete in this project. In addition, strict criteria for reducing gray energy and labeling materials such as wood must be adhered to. The Steiner teams also pay close attention to effective waste and wastewater treatment on site.
    The general contractor is aware of the importance of short transport routes and works with local subcontractors as far as possible on all projects. Currently, 75% of those involved in the project come from a radius of less than 50 kilometers around the Osiris construction site.

    At the same time close to nature and in the city center
    The planned eco-quarter comprises 15 buildings with a total of 410 apartments. It offers a natural, spacious outdoor area and foot and bike paths. Both the heating (heat pumps with geothermal probes) and the electricity (photovoltaic modules) rely on renewable energies. Another ecological advantage: the reversible heating system is used for surface cooling in summer (free cooling). Located not far from the center of Echallens, the eco-district has the ideal conditions for non-motorized traffic; the site will be equipped with paths and bicycle garages accessible for bicycles.

    After the client had completed the earthworks, Steiner began building the shell in the summer of 2021. As the project was divided into several areas, the different areas are in different construction phases. The buildings in the first area are at an advanced stage, while the basement and first above-ground floors of the other two areas are currently only being built. The building handover of the Osiris project will take place in spring 2023.

  • The Livit laundry room is going digital

    The Livit laundry room is going digital

    Tenants and landlords have personal access to an online portal. After logging in, the tenants can see whether the washing machine and / or dryer are free, select the devices and book them. Offsetting is also carried out via the system, in which the tenant purchases a credit (online or via a payment slip). There is no longer any need to collect coins or manage washing cards by the caretaker. And when the laundry or the dryer is ready, the tenant receives a message on the cell phone – a great advantage especially when he or she has to climb several floors.

    Tenants, administration and owners benefit equally
    The advantage for tenants is obvious – they benefit from the convenience that the new system offers them. Livit and the owners benefit by being able to preset washing times or block the devices for repairs and maintenance. The administrative effort is reduced and a dashboard provides an overview of usage at a glance. Livit is one of the first companies in Switzerland to completely digitalize billing in communal laundry rooms. For the implementation, Livit has chosen the company ELEKTRON AG as its partner, which has decades of experience in simple and cashless billing in communal laundry rooms. The fully automated, manufacturer-independent billing solutions offer tenants maximum flexibility and minimum administration effort. “On the one hand, it was crucial that the solution was independent of the manufacturers of the devices. On the other hand, there is also the flexibility and real Swissness that ELEKTRON embodies, ”says Adrian von Burg, Head of Business Solutions at Livit.

  • Supporting the science-based 1.5-degree goal

    Supporting the science-based 1.5-degree goal

    In 2021, Pictet’s investment experts developed the Group’s own “Climate Investment Beliefs” as part of a comprehensive process. This initiative is based on two beliefs: Climate change has a significant impact on asset prices. Given its leadership position in the investment industry, it is important for the bank to understand these implications to support performance. As a manager and owner of assets with your investment activities influence on the consequences of climate change. It is therefore the responsibility of the company to find out how it can promote positive effects and mitigate negative ones.

    Dealing with the great ecological and social challenges of our time will require more cooperation and transparency. Joining the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative and the SBTi’s commitment to the “Business Ambition for 1.5 ° C” reflect these convictions.

    The company is aware that achieving these goals is tantamount to a Herculean task and that efforts can only be successful if all financial actors pull along. It requires fundamental change, as well as long-term commitment and persistence and the contribution of all economic actors. Pictet wants to publish a climate action plan with concrete targets for 2030 in 2022.

    The group looks back on over two hundred years of history, based on a long-term and responsible approach to its own business and the management of its clients’ assets. In doing so, the company not only takes into account the interests of today’s, but also those of future generations. This is the core of responsible thinking and the most effective contribution we can make to a sustainable future on our planet.

  • Swiss Casinos is building in Pfäffikon

    Swiss Casinos is building in Pfäffikon

    Swiss Casinos Pfäffikon is moving. However, the company will continue to “rely on the community on upper Lake Zurich”, writes the Zurich-based Swiss Casinos Group in a press release . Specifically, Swiss Casinos is planning a building with a casino next to the business center on Schindellegistrasse in Pfäffikon.

    “The new location offers everything a modern casino needs,” Thomas Cavelti, director of the Pfäffikon casino, is quoted in the message. “With the new location we will be able to meet all demands in the next 20 years.”

    Sager und Partner Architektur und Immobilien GmbH from Freienbach was commissioned with the construction of the casino building. The opening of the new location is planned for the beginning of 2023 at the latest. Until then, the existing casino in Seedamm Plaza will remain open.

    “We have always been very satisfied with the previous location and the cooperation with the Seedamm Plaza,” explains Marc Baumann, CEO of Swiss Casinos, in the press release. “We still had to take the chance of our own casino building.”

  • Walo Bertschinger renovates the Bad Ragaz thermal baths

    Walo Bertschinger renovates the Bad Ragaz thermal baths

    As part of a renovation work in the Bad Ragaz SG thermal baths, the Dietiker construction company Walo Bertschinger renewed the floor coverings. According to a message from Walo on Facebook, the Walo bedding Haypanol D was laid with a special system constellation.

    According to the company announcement, high demands were placed on slip resistance, UV resistance and optics in the thermal baths. In the system constellation used by Walo, these conditions of the client Grand Resort Bad Ragaz were met. The multi-layer structure of the covering and its technical properties also showed high chemical resistance, so that various cleaning agents, greases, other deposits and chemical solutions cannot harm the covering.

    According to Walo, the architecture of the famous thermal baths with its special appearance corresponds to the snow-white surface.

  • Baloise presents its ecosystem for innovations

    Baloise presents its ecosystem for innovations

    The Baloise Group has been modernizing and expanding its core business as part of its Simply Safe strategy since 2017. According to a statement from the insurer, working methods have been modernized internally, scope for design expanded and hierarchies dismantled, thereby increasing employee satisfaction overall.

    At the same time, an ecosystem of innovations was built up. To this end, 7,500 ideas and start-ups were tested in the Baloise Open Innovation Funnel. The Basler Insurance Group has invested a total of 50 million francs annually in the most promising initiatives. Around 30 investments are in the scaling phase. As the largest investment, FRIDAY is already one of the most popular digital insurers in Germany and was able to expand to France in 2021. FRIDAY sales are likely to rise to over 50 million francs this year, with a target of 150 million francs in 2025.

    In the home sector, Baloise has invested in eight initiatives, five in Switzerland and three in Belgium. The total turnover is over 10 million francs, the aim for 2025 is 100 million francs. In the area of mobility, the nine initiatives should generate a total of up to CHF 10 million in sales in 2021. In 2025, sales are also expected to rise to 100 million.

    Gert De Winter is now initiating the second phase of Simply Safe. “Our ambition is to have our investment measures valued at CHF 1 billion by 2025 and to secure a business volume contribution of CHF 350 million through the new initiatives,” the CEO of Baloise is quoted as saying in the press release.

    At the same time, progress in the area of innovation should be made more visible. The innovations are presented narrative on the newly launched “ Baloise Innovation – Connecting the Dots ” website.

  • Schwarm finances IWB's second solar system

    Schwarm finances IWB's second solar system

    Tenants without their own roof helped finance IWB ‘s second solar system. You have acquired an individual share in the planned solar system on the Spittelmatthof near Riehen BS through the participation model Sonnenbox Crowd. In return, they will receive an electricity credit of 100 kilowatt hours per invested square meter over a period of 20 years.

    This second system is 350 square meters and will have an output of 72 kilowatts. That corresponds roughly to the electricity needs of 25 to 30 households. As stated in a press release , it only took a few weeks to fully finance them.

    The preparations for its construction were already under way. It should be completed by the middle of next year. The installation of the first swarm-financed system is also imminent. It is being erected on a roof by IWB in Basel’s Gundeli district. “The great demand spurs us on to offer the people of Basel more solar systems soon,” Martin Albrecht, product manager of the Sonnenbox Crowd, is quoted as saying. “We are looking for other suitable roofs for this.”

  • Schlieren relies on a sustainable real estate strategy

    Schlieren relies on a sustainable real estate strategy

    The city council of Schlieren has adopted a new real estate strategy for 2035 . According to a press release , it serves as a binding basic document for the management of urban properties. The focus is on efficiency and sustainability.

    With the real estate strategy 2035, a modern real estate management should be introduced, which puts the active space management in the foreground, it says in the announcement of the city. The revision is necessary due to the strong population growth in recent years. As a result, the space requirements of the city of Schlieren, in particular for schools and childcare as well as administration, are constantly increasing. The focus was therefore more on the development of construction projects than on inventory management.

    The real estate master plan will be introduced as part of the real estate strategy 2035. It is intended to enable long-term investment planning for the real estate portfolio. In the master plan, renovation, expansion and demolition measures are to be planned, property acquisitions and disposals are to be coordinated and the investment needs to be assessed. The city is relying on the simplification of processes and increased efficiency through digitization.

    In order to maintain the real estate portfolio, it means that buildings owned by the city should be maintained according to the principles of future viability, energy efficiency, functionality and sustainability.

    As an energy city with the European Energy Award Gold, Schlieren is committed to sustainable development and the reduction of CO2 emissions. The city council included this in its real estate strategy. This also includes building with wood. The city pledges itself as a role model to promote the use of sustainably produced wood in its own buildings and facilities.

    A flyer from the city explains the sustainable real estate strategy concisely and clearly.

  • Property owners expect stable prices

    Property owners expect stable prices

    Private sole and co-owners of investment properties in Switzerland expect stable price development in the next year, writes Crowdhouse in a communication on its new real estate barometer. According to the Zurich fintech, this is “the only data collection in Switzerland that focuses on the expectations of private owners of Swiss investment properties”. For the current edition of the barometer, Crowdhouse interviewed around 180 people.

    Only a minority of 6 percent expect real estate prices to fall in the next year, the press release explains. Most of those surveyed consider the market for investment property to be safe and not very risky. However, it is also considered overrated, explains Crowdhouse. An excessively high rating and vacancies were named by those surveyed as the two greatest current risks.

    In addition, the respondents have spoken out in favor of greater digitization of the market, writes the fintech company. Crowdhouse provides detailed information on the property barometer on the Internet .

  • Milestone for sustainable building is being created in Zug

    Milestone for sustainable building is being created in Zug

    The construction project for V-ZUG ‘s new production and assembly building called Zephyr Ost in the Zug Tech Cluster is the largest to date in which CO2-enriched concrete has been used. It is made from recycled concrete from the building materials group Holcim , which is enriched with CO2 using a neustark process. According to a press release , the construction work started on Wednesday. The building is scheduled to go into service in 2023.

    For this climate-friendly concrete, CO2 from Switzerland is being used for the first time. The start-up based in Bern and spun off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) in 2019, neustark extracts the CO2 from the wastewater treatment plant of the ara region Bern AG .

    The recycled granulate for concrete production is processed by the recycling processing plant Arge EvoREC in Oberdorf NW. This is a joint venture between Holcim Kies und Beton AG and Zimmermann Umweltlogistik AG . The granulate is then carbonated by neustark using the dry process. The technology has been tested in the past few months and is now being used commercially.

    With the use of 4,200 cubic meters of recycled concrete and the binding of CO2, a total saving of 71 tons of CO2 is achieved compared to conventional construction. That corresponds roughly to the annual CO2 uptake of 3500 Swiss firs.

    “We are pleased to be able to come one step closer to our vision of climate-neutral and circular concrete production with the help of the innovative neustark process,” said Giovanni Barbarani, Head of Concrete Performance at Holcim Switzerland. “This project is a milestone on the way to sustainable building in Switzerland, also thanks to its regionality and short transport routes.”

    The Metall Zug Group wants to create “a new piece of the city for an industrial ecosystem” in the Zug Tech Cluster. Other industrial companies, start-ups, technology-related service providers, training institutions and apartments are also to be located there.

  • Implenia receives another order for the Brenner tunnel

    Implenia receives another order for the Brenner tunnel

    The construction consortium of Implenia and Webuild Group has been awarded the contract for lot H41 for the construction of the Brenner Base Tunnel, the construction and real estate company from Opfikon informs in a message . The two partner companies each hold 50 percent of the joint venture. The value of the contract on the Austrian side of the Brennero tunnel is put at 690 million francs. Implenia Austria will take over the technical management of the project.

    When awarding the contract, particular attention was paid to environmental aspects and sustainability, the communication further explains. Here, “the high environmental standards” of the two partner companies contributed to the good rating. Specifically, the call for tenders required measures to reduce environmental pollution and the use of green electricity.

    The contract to build the main tunnel from the Ahrental access tunnel north to Innsbruck and south to Pfons is already the second order that Implenia has won for the construction of the base tunnel. Together with the Webuild Group, Implenia is also working on the construction of the high-performance Franzenfeste-Waidbruck line at the southern connection of the tunnel.

    “The Brenner Base Tunnel is an important part of the Scandinavian-Mediterranean Corridor of the Trans-European Network (TEN-T), which improves rail connections across the continent,” Erwin Scherer, Global Head of Tunneling at Implenia, is quoted as saying in the press release. “We are pleased that we can bring our many years of experience and our proven expertise in tunneling to this large and complex tunneling project.”

  • Andermatt Swiss Alps AG sells a third more apartments

    Andermatt Swiss Alps AG sells a third more apartments

    Andermatt Swiss Alps AG continues to see high demand for holiday apartments in the new Andermatt Reuss part of the village. The Andermatt-based company has completed a total of 420 units since construction began in 2007. 408 of them have been sold, 100 of them in the current year alone, according to a press release . That is another increase in sales of more than a third compared to 2020.

    In the coming months, the company will hand over 130 new apartments around Piazza Gottardo to the owners. The place is on an infrastructure base called a podium. This is to be expanded to 20,000 square meters in order to be able to build more houses.

    “This is one of the largest construction projects in the Alps and enables us to expand the Andermatt Reuss part of the village by a further 16 apartment buildings and two shopping streets with retail and gastronomy offers,” CEO Raphael Krucker is quoted as saying in the media release.

    Two houses will go on sale this winter. Haus Elva will accommodate eleven apartments, each with up to four bedrooms. 18 apartments with one and two bedrooms are being built in Haus Mira.

    Andermatt Swiss Alps AG plans, builds and develops the year-round destination Andermatt in the Alps. At the end of the day, the project should encompass a total of 2000 residential units with up to 10,000 beds in apartment buildings, hotels and chalets.

  • Steiner AG is redeveloping the industrial area in Breitenbach

    Steiner AG is redeveloping the industrial area in Breitenbach

    The Steiner Investment Foundation wants to convert the Isola area not far from the center of Breitenbach into a residential and commercial area. The owner of the eleven hectare site has commissioned the construction service provider Steiner AG with this, according to a media release . The residents of Breitenbach are to be included in the development process from next year.

    The project developer also wants to open up the Isola area, which is located directly on the Lüssel, to the public. “This can look forward to new, attractive meeting and green areas, which will be created in place of the existing company roads and storage areas”, Stefan Gabriel, team leader for real estate development at Steiner AG, is quoted in the media release.

    The new quarter is not intended to compete with the village center, but rather to complement it. An intensive exchange is currently taking place with the Breitenbach municipal administration about the respective ideas and expectations. As a basis for a common understanding of the spatial development of the area, an urban development and open space planning test planning process will also be carried out, according to the media release. Renowned architectural offices and landscape architects would be invited to come up with suggestions.

    Construction on the first stage is expected to start in 2029. During the planning phase, however, the company wants to enable interim uses and, if necessary, bring forward individual conversion projects in existing buildings.

    The Steiner Invest Foundation, a Zurich-based asset management company for Swiss pension funds and an investment foundation of Steiner AG, acquired the 114,280 square meter area with its largely empty industrial and warehouse buildings in spring 2021.

  • Prices on the Aargau property market are soaring

    Prices on the Aargau property market are soaring

    The Aargau Real Estate Barometer published by the Aargauische Kantonalbank (AKB) shows a sustained strong increase in cantonal real estate prices. The report on developments over the past twelve months names low interest rates and scarce building land reserves as the main drivers behind this development. Together with the robust economic development in the aftermath of the Corona crisis, this led to the “boom” in prices.

    The AKB real estate barometer shows the development of the residential property market and also provides information on rents, vacancies and yields. The entire document can be downloaded from the AKB website.

    Regarding regional development, the barometer says that price growth on the Aargau property market cannot be “slowed down”. In the past few months, the development has even picked up speed significantly. Single-family houses would be selling 5.4 percent higher than a year ago. The increase in condominiums is also 4.7 percent within a year.

    Considering all 243 communities in the market area, according to the barometer, the purchase of a typical property with 140 square meters of living space, 450 square meters of land and garage space can be expected to cost between CHF 800,000 and CHF 900,000. However, the range of prices is considerable. In coveted locations such as Baden, Rheinfelden and Aarau, the same property is sometimes traded for well over a million francs.

    Apartment rents throughout Switzerland remained unchanged within a year, as the evaluation of the published advertisements showed. In the same period, landlords in the Northwestern Switzerland region increased their asking prices slightly by 1.4 percent.

  • Subsidies result in record expansion at solar

    Subsidies result in record expansion at solar

    According to a media release by the Federal Office of Energy (SFOE), the federal funds for photovoltaic systems are having an effect: The record construction of photovoltaic systems from 2020 will probably be exceeded this year.

    According to the information, more than 18,000 photovoltaic systems with a total output of 360 megawatts were registered for one-off remuneration from January to the end of October 2021. That is around 25 percent more than in the same period last year. In the third quarter, their number even increased by 40 percent.

    All system operators who have submitted their complete application to Pronovo AG on time could expect a payment. A total of CHF 150 million would be paid out as a one-off payment for 26,000 small photovoltaic systems. 500 applications have been received for large photovoltaic systems. As confirmed by the SFOE, the planned funding amounts could be paid out to all applicants who correctly submit their application by the respective deadline in the coming year.

    No further systems were added to the feed-in tariff system in 2021. After completion, 19 photovoltaic, 79 hydropower, 422 wind energy and 42 biomass projects would have received funding approval.

    The investment contributions made available for small and large hydropower plants were only partially called up in 2021. New requests could be processed immediately without a waiting list.

    No applications have been received for an investment contribution in favor of electricity-producing sewage gas and waste incineration plants, wood power plants or geothermal projects. New ones could be processed immediately.

  • Optisol inaugurates new company headquarters

    Optisol inaugurates new company headquarters

    Optisol has created the largest wooden structure in Valais and recently inaugurated it. The new building of the company headquarters for the company of the Migros subsidiary Micarna had become necessary because the manufacturer of high-quality organic and organic-mineral fertilizers had to relocate from the floodplain of the Rhone correction. According to a media release , the building at the new location in Vétroz reflects Migros’ strong commitment to sustainability.

    Its facade is made of Valais larch wood. The latest technologies are designed to clean the air from dust, odors and ammonia, among other things, before it is released into the atmosphere. In this way, the standards of the Clean Air Act would be met. The dryer for the litter from the poultry farming is supplied by the wood-fired thermal power station installed on the neighboring property. This district heating system also reduces CO2 emissions.

    In addition, Micarna leases the roof area to the Oiken Group. She will operate a photovoltaic system there. Nests for swifts and falcons have been built under the roof.

  • Real estate in Zurich is becoming more attractive

    Real estate in Zurich is becoming more attractive

    As the only Swiss city, Zurich is becoming more attractive for real estate investments. In the current study “Emerging Trends in Real Estate Europe 2022 ” by the business consultancy PwC , it climbed from 20th place in the previous year to 14th place. In the rents and capital values category, the respondents put Zurich in sixth place. The report reflects the views of 844 real estate professionals.

    The ranking is now headed by London. The British capital and Berlin have swapped the first two places from the previous year. This is followed by Paris, Frankfurt and Munich.

    As stated in a press release on this study, it recorded the highest business confidence since 2014. It also shows that the positive outlook has doubled since last year.

    The main concerns of the European real estate industry relate to high construction costs and scarce resources (88 percent of those surveyed), the availability of land and assets (66 percent) and the requirements for sustainability and decarbonization (61 percent).

    There is no consensus on office space. Some of the respondents opted for flexible and high-quality properties, while others assumed an inevitable decline in overall demand. 85 percent believe that home office time will increase. 82 percent think that a representative office building is still important for communicating the corporate culture and for recruiting staff.

  • AKB is launching another sustainable bond

    AKB is launching another sustainable bond

    The Aargauische Kantonalbank has issued a green bond for the second time. According to a press release , it has a volume of CHF 100 million. AKB’s first green bond was issued in June 2020. Since then, according to a statement from the Kantonalbank, the AKB Green mortgage amounting to 110.4 million francs has been used to build or renovate homes according to climate-friendly criteria. 119.2 million francs have been pledged for further projects.

    The Aargauische Kantonalbank takes stock of the CO2 savings achieved every year through the sustainable construction activities it finances. In cooperation with the real estate consultancy IAZI , it publishes so-called impact reporting every year. According to the press release, the projections have shown that after just six months in 2020, the total annual savings in CO2 emissions will be around 232 tonnes. The 232 tonnes of CO2 savings in the projections of the IAZI test report correspond to the annual emissions of around 190 new, commercially available passenger cars, according to the report. The next impact reporting will be created on December 31, 2021.

    Green mortgages are financed from the green bond for ecological construction or renovation. In addition to new buildings, according to the AKB, individual energy measures or comprehensive overall renovations to increase energy efficiency or the use of renewable energies are also supported. The bank cites the installation of photovoltaic systems or panels for the preparation of hot water as examples.

  • Baden regional works want to add to the administrative building

    Baden regional works want to add to the administrative building

    The administrative building of Regionalwerke Baden AG , classified as a municipal monument, is to be enlarged. According to a media release , the planning provides for an increase in the workshop wing and the expansion of the underground car park at the company’s location on Haselstrasse in the center of Baden. The expansion of the office space is in line with the strategic development of Regionalwerke AG Baden and will secure the location in the future.

    The administration building was built in 1934 by the architects Robert Lang and Hans Loepfe in the “new building” style. The building was renovated from 1987 to 1988. The concrete facade was awarded the Heimatschutzpreis in 1987. The original urban context of the building changed from 1999 to 2005 with the erection of the nave and the north house. The planned extension takes up the urban development and respects the existing building fabric. Several variants were discussed in detail with representatives from the preservation of historical monuments, homeland security and the cityscape commission.

    Next, Regionalwerke AG Baden will clarify essential building law framework conditions as part of a preliminary decision, according to the media release. The construction project is planned for 2024.

    The Regionalwerke AG Baden with 135 employees supplies the city and partly the region with energy and drinking water.

  • Raiffeisen does not see any corona city escape

    Raiffeisen does not see any corona city escape

    Raiffeisen considers the “often rumored thesis of the great Corona city flight” to be insubstantial. “The city remains an extremely attractive residential area. But that literally has its price, ”Raiffeisen chief economist Martin Neff is quoted in a press release on his bank’s current transaction price index. “People are turning their backs on her only because of the high housing costs.”

    As the figures for the third quarter of 2021 show, every minute of commuting time around Zurich costs 21,000 francs for a single-family home and 15,500 francs for a condominium. On average, condominiums were traded 2.0 percent more expensive than in the previous year. According to the information, the prices for single-family houses rose by 4.4 percent, the faster than ever since the launch of the Raiffeisen transaction price index.

    Compared to agglomeration communities, urban locations have lost their attractiveness. But despite the recent increase in the vacancy rate in the cities, the vacancy rates in the centers are still very low. Overall, Raiffeisen sees a “soft landing” for the rental housing market.

    Scarce land is being built on more and more densely. While in 2000 43 percent of new residential units were built in single-family houses, in 2020 it was only just under 11 percent. The proportion of apartments that have been newly created through additions, extensions and other renovations has almost doubled within ten years from 7 to 13 percent.

    In the countryside and in tourist regions, AirBnB remains good business despite the pandemic. “Compared to the regular rental housing market, some extremely attractive returns could be achieved there,” says Neff. “In the big centers, however, the business is usually not worthwhile after deducting all costs.”

  • Bühler builds center for positive energy and innovations

    Bühler builds center for positive energy and innovations

    Bühler AG has officially broken ground for its new Energy & Manufacturing Technology Center in Uzwil. The building in the immediate vicinity of the Cubic Innovationscampus, which was inaugurated in 2018, underlines the technology company’s long-term renewal strategy, according to a media release. Completion should be in the second quarter of 2023.

    On the one hand, the building consists of an energy center. The center for “good, positive energy” is to become the center for vocational and advanced training as well as for health prevention. Young men and women are trained there in the areas of plant engineering, polymechanics, automation and IT. This center should also be accessible to external partners.

    “We are clearly committed to the success model of our vocational training and lifelong learning. We are also expanding our health expertise much more and making a further contribution to keeping Uzwil as an attractive business location, ”said Christof Oswald, Head of Human Resources at Bühler, in the media release. Overall, the Energy Center aims to make Bühler more attractive as an employer.

    The second part of the building, the Manufacturing Technology Center, will house the areas of innovation and prototype construction. “Here we will manufacture innovations for our customers as pilot projects that we will later introduce in other production plants around the world,” said Andreas Schachtner, Head of Business Development in Manufacturing, Logistics & Supply Chain, in the media release.

  • Baumag construction machinery fair invites you to Lucerne

    Baumag construction machinery fair invites you to Lucerne

    Specialists from the main and ancillary construction trades can meet from January 13 to 16, 2022 at the 21st Baumag construction machinery trade fair in Lucerne. In the coming year it will be the only specialized trade fair in this sector in Switzerland, according to a press release .

    After a three-year break, the exhibition space is already well booked. “This shows that Baumag is an important Swiss presentation platform for the industry,” Exhibition Director Andreas Hauenstein is quoted in the press release.

    The exhibitor Baukader Schweiz takes part in a large part of the program. The management organization in the construction industry offers a keynote speech on every day of the fair, including topics such as machine control, sustainability, safety and ecology. In addition to the presentations, there should be a practical part.

    The visitors expected a “well-functioning trade fair operation in a familiar environment”. Wearing masks is not necessary thanks to an obligation to show a certificate of vaccination against the coronavirus. Gastronomy offers could be used without restriction and exhibitors serve their visitors at their stands.

    The fair takes place regularly every two years. This year, the already fully booked Baumag was canceled due to the corona pandemic.

  • AMAG Winterthur puts new solar system into operation

    AMAG Winterthur puts new solar system into operation

    The AMAG Group has put a new photovoltaic system into operation at its Winterthur location, informs the automotive trading group for all brands of the Volkswagen Group in a message . The system built by Helion with an output of around 157 kilowatts peak was installed on the roof of the AMAG building for Volkswagen and VW commercial vehicles. The group intends to use around 60 to 65 percent of the approximately 158 megawatt hours of solar power expected annually.

    “With the solar energy obtained from the photovoltaic system, we can cover around 60 percent of our electricity requirements at the Zürcherstrasse 312 location in Winterthur,” Martin Zgraggen, Managing Director of AMAG Winterthur, is quoted in the press release. “The increasing number of electric vehicles means that more electricity is required, which the new solar system supplies us.”

    The AMAG buildings for the Audi and Skoda brands in Winterthur were equipped with a solar system back in 2013, the press release explains. The group had the first photovoltaic system installed on the roof of its central spare parts warehouse in Buchs ZH in 2008. In the current year, in addition to the new system in Winterthur, two further solar systems were installed in Wettswil am Albis ZH and in Basel.

    The automobile trading group with its headquarters in Cham ZG wants to be completely climate-neutral by 2025. To this end, solar systems are to be installed on an area of around 50,000 square meters by 2024. The group is looking into a deployment for a further 100,000 square meters of space at AMAG locations.

  • The groundbreaking ceremony for QUBO has taken place

    The groundbreaking ceremony for QUBO has taken place

    The foundation stone for the QUBO in Sarnen was laid on Monday. The construction work for two interconnected buildings began. On the one hand, Eberli AG is modernizing and expanding its existing headquarters there. On the other hand, the Obwaldner Kantonalbank ( OKB ) is building a new building. Above all, the Startup Pilatus association should find space there. It promotes the settlement of start-ups in Obwalden. Both buildings are to merge into one unit through a central entrance, according to a press release by OKB.

    “The QUBO will create a new, lively workplace in Sarnen,” the CEO of OKB, Bruno Thürig, is quoted as saying. “It creates space for new concepts and ideas in which the digital world of work and New Work can be lived.”

    Accordingly, coworking workplaces, open spaces and various meeting rooms would also be offered in the new building. The OKB itself will set up a room as a creative lab. The room should also be available to external companies.

    The redesign of the office space also enables Eberli AG to “work in a contemporary and efficient manner”, says CEO Alain Grossenbacher. In addition to Eberli AG, the future co-owner of the building, Orfida Treuhand + Revisions AG, and werkunion ag will also settle there. Architekturwerk ag, which is responsible for the architecture of the QUBO, belongs to it.

  • Smart new (real) world

    Smart new (real) world

    So what are the areas of competence in which we should operate safely in the future?
    A lot can be subsumed under the term tech knowledge : The increasingly software-based solutions require, among other things, to deal with interface adaptation and web integration. Mastering programming languages could become an individual competitive advantage. No more targeted marketing campaigns without data analytics know-how. And it is certainly not wrong to deal with blockchain technology and terms like DeFi and NFT …

    However, it is not just about technological knowledge itself, but also about the correct use of technology and the new digital possibilities. Cloud-based application programs and virtual team applications are springing up like mushrooms – without conscious effort and targeted handling, these helpers can quickly become time wasters and burnout accelerators. “Ordinary employees” will also have to deal more and more with the topic of cyber security.

    Last but not least, a new understanding of leadership and collaboration is also required. The often traditional hierarchical thinking in the group certainly does not have the potential of a modern leadership model. However, the pure startup peer-to-peer culture without procedural rules is not the golden way either. Above all, it requires mindfulness and participation, sensible autonomy and personal responsibility as well as a new culture of error. Plans and activities must be able to be adapted quickly and flexibly – from this point of view, agile methods are therefore a must in (project) management in the future.

    You can find more impulses here: https://proptechmarket.net/impulse

  • Construction of the InnoQube Swiss has started

    Construction of the InnoQube Swiss has started

    The latest innovation center in the Alpine region is currently being built in Graubünden. The groundbreaking ceremony for the InnoQube Swiss was celebrated on Friday in the Rossboden area of Chur. According to a notification , the project will be fully financed by the Liechtenstein- based ITW group of companies . It specifies the total investment at around CHF 25 million.

    The CEO of the investor and project developer, Dr. Martin Meyer, is convinced that this will create “a place of innovation, inspiration and progress that will become known far beyond the Swiss borders”. The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the operating company InnoQube Swiss AG, Franco Quinter, emphasizes that the InnoQube Swiss is viewed as a temporary or permanent “base camp for innovations”. The offer is aimed “specifically at start-ups, spin-offs and companies from research, development and digitization”. “The key issues of health and performance would play a decisive role”.

    Completion is planned for the end of 2023. From 2024 research and work will be carried out in the four-story InnoQube on a total area of 11,200 square meters. It offers flexible office space for around 300 workplaces, various co-working and meeting rooms, an event arena, a restaurant and a daycare center.

  • The Circle draws its first annual balance

    The Circle draws its first annual balance

    Since the opening on November 5, 2020, a number of new tenants have moved into The Circle , writes Flughafen Zürich AG in a message . She realized the quarter at Zurich Airport together with Swiss Life . One year after the opening, the co-owner company is “largely satisfied” with the development of the quarter, writes the company.

    “It is a great pleasure to see how the Circle is getting livelier”, Stefan Feldmann, Head of The Circle, Flughafen Zürich AG, is quoted in the press release. According to her, 85 percent of the space is now occupied “with an exciting mix of well-known companies from the technology, pharmaceutical, finance and consulting sectors”. The alleys of the quarter are also livened up by restaurants, exhibition rooms, the Hyatt Regency Zurich Airport The Circle Hotel, the coworking space Spaces and the branch of the University Hospital Zurich. At the end of the year, the day care center in the Circle is also due to be inaugurated. “We are aware that everything is not yet perfect, but we are on the right track and are working on it every day,” says Feldmann.

    In September 2021, the first district festival was also celebrated in the Circle. The new winter festival Zauberpark will start on November 25th. Live open air concerts and children’s shows are planned here every day for 18 days. Finally, on December 15th, the second Hyatt Hotel, the Hyatt Place Zurich Airport The Circle, will open its doors.

  • Schlieren expands planning for Zelgli school complex

    Schlieren expands planning for Zelgli school complex

    The city council of Schlieren has initiated an extended strategic plan for the Zelgli school complex. According to the city council news, the increasing number of students makes new planning necessary. In order to optimally determine the future development of the Zelgli school complex, the city council approved a loan for a feasibility study in July 2019. In April 2020, based on the current figures, two to four additional classrooms, two additional kindergartens and a triple after-school care center were planned. As early as September 2020, the latest figures showed that four new classrooms, two kindergartens and a quadruple day-care center are needed, according to the city council news.

    Structural adjustments are therefore necessary, such as enlarging the teachers’ room or installing additional sanitary facilities. Due to the changed order volume, a loan is now required for strategic planning. The city council has now approved it with 80,000 francs.

    According to the detailed message about the city council resolutions available on the website of the city of Schlieren, the school space requirements are calculated and planned twice a year based on the currently known data. The first order for spatial planning and open space planning with a volume of around 39,000 francs has already been placed with Metron Architektur AG in Brugg AG.

  • SimplyNano wins award for promoting young talent

    SimplyNano wins award for promoting young talent

    This year’s Building Awards for outstanding engineering achievements in construction were presented on November 2nd in Lucerne. In the category promotion of young talent in the field of technology, the jury selected the SimplyNano project as the winner, the innovation society informed in a message . The company, which was founded in 2005 as a spin-off from the University of St.Gallen , developed SimplyNano. The project is carried out by the SimplySience Foundation and supported by a number of other foundations and companies as well as the public sector.

    The award recognizes the concept, high-quality didactic content and broad support from SimplyNano, according to the announcement. “Upper school children are motivated to deal with the nanoscale – just at the moment of choosing a career,” jury member Clementine Hegner-van Rooden is quoted as saying. “On a didactic, but very concrete level, this awakens a sensitivity for an area that is so far little known at this level and hopefully creates creative specialists for our professional world.”

    SimplyNano pursues “an integrative approach in promoting young talent on three levels”, is further explained in the communication. Schools are provided with an experiment kit with 40 ready-to-teach experiments and materials. Further training courses are offered for teaching staff. They take place at partner companies and thus also make it possible to network teachers and trainees.

    The engineering offices WaltGalmarini AG and COWI A / S have prevailed as the overall winner of the Building Awards with their project Second Hinterrheinbrücke. They were also victorious in the infrastructure category. Other awards went to Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG and WaltGalmarini in the building construction category, to Kegel Klimasysteme in the energy and building technology category and to Alain Escher, eicher + pauli Bern AG in the young professionals category.

  • sfb continues training on building informatics

    sfb continues training on building informatics

    The sfb Higher Technical College for Technology and Management has responded to the increasing demand for specialists in building networking. As the first higher technical school, it has therefore introduced the course technician HF building technology with a specialization in building informatics. After a successful start in August this year, the sfb will continue to offer the course. New courses will start on August 18, 2022 at the Dietikon, Emmenbrücke LU and Zollikofen BE locations.

    The new courses also last six semesters. At all three locations, lessons are held on the entire Monday and Thursday evening. In Zollikofen there is also the possibility to attend classes on Thursday evenings and all of Saturday. Participants have the opportunity to qualify for the next step in their careers in the “largest growth market in the construction industry”, as sfb director Dorothea Tiefenauer puts it. “The technician HF building technology course at sfb focuses on building information technology and is geared towards the needs of the economy. Professionals with this training are in great demand on the job market, ”she adds.

    The sfb has a total of eight locations and, with more than 1200 students and 500 teachers, is one of the largest higher technical schools in Switzerland. It is supported by social partners in the machine, electrical and metal industries.