immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Informationen

  • Swiss data ecosystem

    Swiss data ecosystem

    Data is a key resource for economic development, research and social progress. To prevent data from remaining in isolated silos, the federal government is focussing on a national data ecosystem. This comprises topic-specific data spaces in which companies, universities, authorities and organisations can exchange data in a secure and controlled manner.

    The Federal Council has instructed the Federal Chancellery to create a central contact point to coordinate these data rooms. The Swiss Data Ecosystem Focal Point, which began operations on 15 January 2025, is operated by the Federal Chancellery in collaboration with the Federal Office of Communications, the Federal Statistical Office and the Directorate of International Law.

    Coordination, advice and international networking
    The main task of the contact point is to create the basis for an interoperable data ecosystem. This includes regulations, technical standards and organisational structures. At the same time, it supports ongoing data room projects with conceptual, organisational and legal advice.

    A central element is the networking of the relevant players. Experts can exchange knowledge and experience in so-called communities of practice in order to accelerate the development of joint data solutions. In addition, the contact point works with international partners such as the Fraunhofer Institute to ensure the compatibility of Swiss data spaces with European and global initiatives.

    Making data usable for business, research and society
    Several data room projects are already under development, for example in the areas of health (“DigiSanté”), tourism (“National Data Infrastructure for Tourism”) and agriculture (“agridata.ch”). Another example is the planned mobility data space, in which players from public transport, logistics and the authorities exchange mobility data. This will enable more efficient traffic management, optimised route planning for freight forwarders and faster response times for emergency services.

    With the new contact point, Switzerland is taking an important step towards utilising the potential of data sustainably and promoting digital innovations across industry and administrative boundaries.

  • New pipeline cadastre portal creates transparency and added value in the construction industry

    New pipeline cadastre portal creates transparency and added value in the construction industry

    Zurich has introduced a new, advanced system for visualising infrastructure networks. The canton of Zurich’s pipeline register provides a complete visualisation of all above-ground and underground pipelines responsible for water, wastewater, electricity, district heating, gas and communications. Centralising this data in a single information system makes it much easier to access relevant information for planning, construction and maintenance work.

    Simplified access to information
    Previously, interested parties had to obtain information on pipelines individually from the respective owners or operators – a time-consuming process. With the new pipeline cadastre portal, the canton of Zurich now offers a central point of contact that enables users to access this important data quickly and easily. Over 500 works operating in the canton regularly update their data in this system, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the information.

    Wide range of applications
    The portal serves a wide range of users, including public administrations, construction companies, rescue and security services and private individuals. The precise information on the type and location of pipelines improves planning reliability for construction projects and facilitates the maintenance and expansion of existing infrastructure. Although the portal is not intended to be used for the direct planning of excavation work, it helps to significantly reduce the risk of damage by providing clear documentation of pipe routes.

    Simple operation and access to data
    The pipe cadastre portal is designed to be user-friendly. Users can search by municipality, parcel or street and select the medium of interest. The corresponding pipes are then displayed on the digital map. The data is easily accessible and available in standard formats. Additional information such as ownership and contact details of the relevant works are also provided.

    The portal can be accessed at: https://leitungskataster.zh.ch. Prior registration is required to use the portal.

  • Lack of understanding of project data

    Lack of understanding of project data

    The CDE is the starting point for consistent data management. It is in the interest of the property owner to have access to the current project information at all times, to avoid incompatibilities and to be able to change access rights. It is all the more surprising that the value of data is still not fully understood. Too often, they are viewed solely from an IT perspective and reduced to their function as measuring instruments.

    Themarket is changing rapidly
    The market for CDE solutions is fast-moving and diverse. Overall, there is a trend towards specialisation, which requires a high level of integration. Independent tools are often bought up by large technology providers or built into existing solutions. This leads to problems when taking over projects that have already been completed. To ensure a smooth exchange of data, it is recommended to use a platform as consistently as possible.

    Rapid innovation unsettles users
    Competition among providers is fierce. New tools are constantly entering the market and functionalities are constantly being developed. The result is a great deal of uncertainty among many building owners and operators, both in terms of selection and application. The rather slow construction and real estate industry meets the short innovation cycles of the technology sector here. Use cases, process flows and responsibilities must therefore be clearly defined before the system is selected in order to avoid disappointment.

    And who owns the data?
    The question of data sovereignty is central: Who owns the data in the CDE and who is entitled to it when the construction project is finished and the building is handed over for operation? Current practice shows that this question is often neglected. It is therefore essential that the building owner specifies the set-up, orders the CDE according to his own ideas and regulates the ownership of the data at an early stage.

    User-friendliness leaves a lot to be desired
    The project CDE solutions examined by pom+ can be roughly divided into two groups: Either they are expert tools with extensive functions or simple applications with limited possibilities. Common to both groups is a lack of usability. Almost 45 per cent of the tools examined were rated three or less on the five-point scale. The problem here is that CDEs are not only used by technology-savvy people – they have to address the whole team. Manufacturers should pay more attention to this in their further development. Joachim Baldegger, head of the study and Head of Service Unit Future Lab, summarises: “Modern construction means thinking about operations already in the construction project and ordering the right data. Common Data Environments play a central role in this. However, there is still a long way to go, because many tools have gaps in their functional scope and can only deal with data to a limited extent or record it in a structured way. Only when this is ensured can data from the project be efficiently transferred to the target systems of the property owners and added value generated.”

  • Real estate: maximize sales proceeds with the right broker

    Real estate: maximize sales proceeds with the right broker

    The home ownership platform Liiva supports homeowners in a simple and transparent way in recognizing risks and making the right decisions – from the acquisition to the maintenance to the sale of the apartment or house. When maintaining a property, you can use the modernization assistant (MoA), for example, to find out what measures you need to take to maintain the value of your property – and what needs to be done to increase it.

    The innovative MoA determines the current market value of a property and creates an object analysis as well as a concrete renovation plan. In addition, Liiva indicates the energy consumption of the property, provides general information on energy-related renovation and determines the specific potential of the property for energy improvement.

    Selling price is more important than brokerage fee
    The sale of a property also has far-reaching financial consequences and must therefore be well prepared. For the sale of residential property, Liiva complements its digital services with physical presence and the know-how of experienced brokers. Agents normally charge 2 to 3 percent of the sales price achieved, which is around 30,000 to 45,000 francs for a property with a market value of 1.5 million francs. Agents not only help to find a buyer through their network, optimize the sale price, draft contracts and complete the sale, but also offer other valuable local know-how.

    But what criteria do I use to select a suitable broker? The brokerage fee should only have a secondary influence on the decision. When selling a property, the aim is usually to maximize the sales proceeds – and because the sales price can vary by 100,000 to 200,000 francs and more, optimizing the proceeds is more important than the brokerage fee, which is 10,000 to 20,000 francs lower or can be higher. The involvement of an experienced broker is therefore of the utmost importance.

    Choose the best broker
    A professional broker selection is independent and based on transparent criteria. That means, for example, are there currently numerous similar properties in the brokerage firm's sales portfolio, were such properties recently sold, how quickly were they sold, and at what price? In addition, the selection should be made from a sufficiently broad pool of brokers.

    Thanks to Liiva's partnership with the independent real estate platform Bestag, which specializes in finding the most suitable brokers, several competent local brokers can be suggested to customers throughout Switzerland; the final choice is made by the sellers. There is no exclusivity and no special placements for selected brokers – and the quality of the broker's sales work is constantly checked. Liiva personally accompanies the seller through all steps of the sales process.

    Transparent incentive system
    Specifically, three local brokers are suggested to the customers, from whom they each receive a market value estimate of their property. In addition, Liiva provides two neutral hedonic estimates that give customers a good idea of where the current fair price is. The remuneration of the selected brokers is based on a bonus-malus system that ensures that the broker makes the best possible effort with the sale: If the broker exceeds the target price, he or she earns a higher percentage.

    For the sellers there are no additional costs for this brokerage, since the expenses incurred by Liiva are covered by a small part of the brokerage commission. These commissions vary depending on the location, but are always shown transparently. The customer can thus decide for himself in advance whether he agrees with the broker's suggestions and the corresponding conditions, and there are no unpleasant surprises.

    The mix of digital and physical services when selling real estate enables the best result to be achieved.