Tag: News

Zurich adapts real estate strategy to growth

Liegenschaften Stadt Zürich (LSZ) acts as the owner, investor and manager of buildings in the city that are rented to third parties. Now LSZ has redefined its strategy to take the city's growth into account. “This growth is gratifying and confirms the policy of the city council. At the same time, however, it also poses a challenge, for example in relation to the increasing need for space for urban infrastructure and non-profit living, ”City Councilor Daniel Leupi is quoted in a communication from the City of Zurich , head of the finance department.

In the context of the fields of action residential, commercial / special real estate and land reserves / building rights, priorities are to be set in the future. This includes the preservation of small businesses, the transparent leasing of both residential and commercial space, digitization and ecological sustainability.

In addition, land reserves, which will not be finalized until the next few years, are to be opened for temporary use. This would create free spaces, "which are also used very actively culturally and not commercially and thus contribute to a colorful and diverse city," says von Leupi.

January 2021
IWB takes a stake in Agro Energie Schwyz

IWB continues to grow with renewable energies. According to its own information, it joins the heating network of Agro Energie Schwyz AG ( AES ). Since 2006, it has built a modern network of over 100 kilometers in the Schwyz valley basin with state-of-the-art production facilities. A wood-fired thermal power station , an ORC system and a biogas system supply around 1,500 customers. The aim of AES is to build and operate a regional, independent and CO2-neutral energy supply in the region. The operator also attaches great importance to local added value.

IWB takes over shares from the largest shareholder, the Profond pension fund. Profond was looking for an investor with proven expertise in heat supply and a credible ecological focus. With this investment, IWB is following its strategy of decarbonising the heat supply, also outside the canton of Basel-Stadt.

"Agro Energie Schwyz is an innovative, rapidly growing company with a clear focus on renewable energy supply," explains IWB CEO Dr. Claus Schmidt choosing his company. "As the operator of the largest Swiss district heating network, IWB can contribute its vast experience in the heating network and at the same time expand its leading position in renewable heating."

January 2021
Siemens frees the Monte Rosa Hut from lead

The 2883 meter high Monte Rosa Hut in the Valais Alps has been equipped by Siemens Switzerland with new batteries to store the self-generated solar power. The new hut, which was inaugurated in 2010 and replaced the old one from 1895, with its modern building services – also from Siemens – is a so-called high-tech hut. In the campaign that has now ended, the 48 old lead batteries with a total weight of 8.6 tons, which had reached the end of their useful life, were replaced by 14 lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP) with a capacity of 215 kilowatt hours , according to a media release. Installation and removal took place in cooperation with Air Zermatt AG .

The Monte Rosa Hut is largely energy self-sufficient. A photovoltaic system is built into the south side of the hut. There are also thermal solar collectors. All data on building performance such as the solar power generated or the battery power have been fed into the Siemens building navigator since 2010. Because all technical systems are digitized, they can also be controlled remotely.

The energy self-sufficiency of the hut is to be increased with the new battery solution, according to the Siemens announcement. The generator set for bad weather will also be relieved. With the new system, the energy supply of the Monte Rosa hut should be secured at any time of day and in any weather condition.

January 2021
Schlieren will be electric in the future

The city of Schlieren has purchased its first electric garbage truck. One of the three refuse vehicles in Schlieren has reached its useful life and needs to be replaced, according to a message . Since the city has been relying on e-mobility when purchasing new vehicles for reasons of sustainability since 2020, an electric model was also selected for the new refuse vehicle. This is being built by Designwerk Products AG in Winterthur.

At its meeting on January 13, the city council approved the expenditure of 775,000 francs. The municipal parliament approved the budget for the procurement of the refuse vehicle on December 16, 2020.

According to the announcement, the first electric refuse vehicle in Schlieren offers several advantages in operation. On the one hand there is the CO2 reduction. But the operating costs also pay off. Because the energy costs for electricity are much cheaper compared to diesel. The maintenance and repair costs are also less expensive than with diesel, because there are fewer wearing parts with electric motors than with burn-out motors. In addition, there were no HVF charges – the heavy vehicle charge – or road traffic charges. With a service life of ten years, the electric vehicle is therefore much cheaper than a diesel-powered vehicle, according to the city council's justification.

January 2021
BKW renews substations in Oberaargau

BKW is renewing its aging substations in the Bernese communities of Huttwil, Niederbipp and Bannwil, the energy service provider informed in a message . The reason given there is the increasing energy demand in Oberaargau. Various companies are planning to expand their capacities here, writes BKW.

BKW plans to invest around CHF 11 million in the renewal of the three substations. The work will be carried out jointly with the subsidiaries AEK and onyx , as the systems also supply the areas of these subsidiaries, according to the announcement. The areas around Niederbipp, Densingen, Bannwil, Herzogenbuchsee and Huttwil are to be equipped with “state-of-the-art network technology” by 2023, writes BKW.

The work in Huttwil is about to be completed, the energy service provider continues in the message. Here the 50 kilovolt system was renewed and housed in a new building. Work in Niederbipp has been going on since August last year. The old 16 kilovolt system will be replaced by a more powerful new one. A new 50 kilovolt switchgear is to be installed in Bannwil.

January 2021
Ludicious Zurich Game Festival ceases operations

The city of Zurich and the Pro Helvetia cultural foundation will no longer continue the Ludicious Zurich Game Festival, according to a media release . The event was considered to be one of the largest gaming festivals in German-speaking countries. It consisted of a combination of presentations, panel discussions, seminars and awards ceremonies. The event last took place digitally in July 2020 due to the corona pandemic.

The city of Zurich intends to support Swiss game developers in the future in other formats, according to the announcement. Meanwhile, Pro Helvetia wants to get involved in the presentation of Swiss developers at international conferences.

“I am very sad to see Ludicious disappear after years of growth. At the same time, we are aware that we have helped to bring the Swiss game developers together and to support them, ”said Ludicious President Chris Bergstresser as quoted in the press release.

January 2021
ETH model paves the way for the energy transition

At the Energy Science Center ( ESC ) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ( ETH ), an interdisciplinary research group is working on the Nexus-e platform. It is intended to help answer the fundamental questions that the energy transition that has been adopted will raise for politics, business, science and society now and in the years to come. The project is supported by the Federal Office for Energy .

As a video from ETH shows, Nexus-e is supposed to map the entire complex Swiss electricity system. “In order to find solutions for the future, you need more flexibility,” project manager Marius Schwarz is quoted in an article by the ETH. "With Nexus-e we want to provide a platform with which we can model different scenarios and thus facilitate the transformation of the energy sector in the coming decades."

This transparent platform is supposed to be a kind of toolbox. Its flexible modules are intended to represent the Swiss economy as a whole and the electricity market as well as the electricity market, investments in decentralized and centralized energy systems, network security and network expansion.

It also serves as a modeling infrastructure that is continuously used in research and teaching. This will make it a modeling platform for interdisciplinary research within the university. But it should also be used outside as a test environment and further developed. "We are therefore open to new collaborations in the academic field, but also with political decision-makers or representatives from industry," said ESC director Christian Schaffner.

January 2021
Lidl is planning branches for the future

Lidl Switzerland had already committed itself in 2014 to make the operation of its branches more sustainable, informs the retail company in a message . After all, the energy consumption of 150 Swiss Lidl branches corresponds to that of a medium-sized city in the country. The savings potential is correspondingly large.

New branches are to be implemented as early as this year with the help of an innovative energy concept, the communication further explains. "It is very important to us that our future locations are future-proof and sustainable with regard to building materials, energy consumption and technology", Reto Ruch, Chief Real Estate Officer of Lidl Switzerland, is quoted there. Lidl Switzerland is working with Empa to develop this energy concept.

In a first step, the two partners will analyze the energy consumption of the existing branches. As a result, optimization measures should then be derived from this. At the same time, Empa and Lidl want to test alternative energy systems with the help of computer simulations. "Our goal is to help Lidl Switzerland with our research work to further improve sustainability, continue to reduce emissions in the future and optimize energy management," explains Empa researcher Curdin Derungs in the press release.

January 2021
Poenina takes over Kälte 3000 AG

Bündner Kälte 3000 AG will belong to Poenina Holding as of March 31, 2021, the building services group from the Zurich economic area informed in a message . According to her, the relevant contract was signed on January 15th. The notification does not provide any information about the purchase price.

"With the acquisition of Kälte 3000 AG, we are continuing our growth strategy in the core competence areas of heating and cooling," said Jean Claude Bregy, CEO of the Poenina Group, in the press release. The new acquisition, which specializes in services for refrigeration technology, has, in addition to its headquarters in Landquart, branches in Samedan GR, Untereggen SG and Regensdorf ZH. The company's annual turnover is estimated at around 15 million francs.

The previous directors Ronny Berry, Robert Gadient and Pius Gruber will also manage Kälte 3000 AG under the Poenina umbrella. The company will also continue to operate under its old name, informs Poenina in the announcement.

January 2021
Dietikon chooses architecture project for school expansion

The winner in the architecture competition for the expansion of the Wolfsmatt school complex in Dietikon has been determined. The Zurich architectural office Bünzli Courvoisier was awarded the contract by the Dietiker city council. On the one hand, according to the media release, the design “In the green” was convincing by retaining the basic idea of a pavilion school with arcades between the units and a structurally enclosed playground. On the other hand, the offer was also among the cheapest, it is said.

The school house expansion has become necessary because of the increasing number of students. The Wolfsmatt facility was built in 1962 and has become too small. Today, according to the announcement, it has to be expanded to include two more primary class trains, group, daycare and multi-purpose rooms as well as a gym. The extensions will be built to the south of the existing facility. This should also create a new access. From a landscape point of view, the current figure of pavilion buildings and surrounding open spaces will be preserved and logically supplemented, according to the announcement.

The contract for the general planning team under the leadership of Bünzli Courvoisier Architekten AG is to be awarded in a referendum in 2022. If approved, construction is to begin in 2024. The model for the project can be viewed in the foyer of the town hall from now until February 12th.

January 2021
BKW takes over German engineering company

The BKW Group has strengthened its engineering network in Germany with the takeover of R&P Ruffert GmbH , the energy service provider from Bern informs in a message . The company, which was founded in Limburg in 1976, has additional locations in Erfurt, Halle, Düsseldorf and Hamburg. In addition, the engineering company specializing in structural engineering has project offices in Berlin, Koblenz, Frankfurt, Leipzig and Nuremberg.

The annual turnover of R&P Ruffert GmbH is put at a “lower double-digit million amount”. No information is given there about the purchase price. The approval of the takeover by the German antitrust authorities is currently pending.

After the takeover, R&P Ruffert GmbH is to be incorporated into the BKW subsidiary BKW Engineering . BKW informs that the management will remain with the previous owners and managing directors. With the takeover, she wants to "expand the competencies of her network and strengthen her position in the competition with multidisciplinary market leaders", says the press release.

January 2021
Plug'n Roll builds e-charging network for the canton of Zurich

Following a public tender, the canton of Zurich decided in favor of the e-mobility provider from Repower as the installer and later operator of the charging infrastructure on the canton's own property. According to a media release , the vehicle fleet in the canton of Zurich is to be converted to non-fossil vehicles by 2030.

Plug'n Roll of Repower has signed with the Canton of a framework agreement. Because it has not yet been established exactly how many charging stations will have to be built for electric vehicles. The partners expect 880 charging stations to be required by 2025. According to the announcement, a total of 765 of these are to be set up with a charging capacity of three to 22 kilowatts. There are also 115 fast charging stations with a charging capacity of 22 to 150 kilowatts. In the canton of Zurich, a total of 1,000 to 1,450 charging stations are expected to be required by 2030.

Plug'n Roll should not just build up the charging network. The Zurich government council has awarded the contract for the procurement and management of the charging stations. The overall order, which is to be fulfilled by 2025, includes delivery, assembly, commissioning, operation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the stations as well as the administration of the energy billing, according to the message from Repower.

January 2021
ABB supplies electric propulsion for luxury yachts

ABB and Oceanco have decided to collaborate in the field of sustainable marine propulsion. Initially, ABB will supply two 2.5 megwatt Azipod units as well as drive and control units for a super yacht from Oceanco, according to a media release .

According to the company, the Azipod system from ABB is based "on a controllable drive system, the electric drive of which is installed in a nacelle below the ship's hull". It can reduce fuel consumption by up to 20 percent compared to conventional shaft drives.

This first delivery is the start of a more intensive cooperation with Oceanco, as ABB writes in its press release. The company expects the sustainable electric powertrain market to grow to more than $ 10 billion by 2025.

“We are very pleased to have signed this first contract with Oceanco and look forward to future cooperation. As an important basis of our relationship, our two companies are united by the claim to sustainably develop our business, ”said Thomas Hackman from ABB Marine & Ports.

January 2021
MoneyPark opens its real estate platform

MoneyPark's real estate platform is "consistently built on big data technology", explains the Zurich-based fintech company in a press release . According to her, MoneyPark has now activated theplatform for the general public. Originally what their use was reserved for MoneyPark customers.

Potential buyers or sellers as well as owners of a property can access detailed information about the desired property via the platform, is explained further in the communication. Buyers and sellers also have the opportunity to seek advice from MoneyPark's mortgage and real estate specialists. "The new platform is not only a milestone in MoneyPark's still young company history, but above all a huge gain in transparency for every property seeker, owner and seller", Stefan Heitmann, founder and CEO of MoneyPark, is quoted in the press release.

With its real estate platform, MoneyPark wants to bring "more movement into the Swiss real estate market, which has been static for decades and has not been very innovative," according to the announcement. The company started in 2012 with the aim of facilitating access to the real estate market. “With our new platform offering, we can reach out to our customers much sooner and much longer and help them to fulfill their dream of owning a home,” says Heitmann.

January 2021
PriceHubble expands in the Netherlands

PriceHubble is now also present in the Netherlands. At the same time as opening its new presence in Amsterdam, the Zurich-based property valuation specialist is starting a strategic partnership with Yellowtail Conclusion, according to a press release. PriceHubble supports players in the real estate sector with their investment decisions using innovative technologies such as machine learning and big data analytics.

Thomas Berghaus heads the new company PriceHubble Netherlands BV "The real estate market in the Netherlands has been growing for years and the strong influx will further reinforce this trend, especially in the area of residential property development," Berghaus is quoted in the press release. “That is why this location is one of the most attractive in all of Europe. "Our digital product solutions help Dutch brokers, intermediaries and banks to successfully open up the market and create transparency."

PriceHubble and Yellowtail want to jointly develop new service concepts for mortgage advice with the help of digital real estate valuation. "We are therefore proud", says Yellowtail Managing Director Matthijs Mons, "that we can support PriceHubble in entering the Dutch market".

January 2021
Visualization solutions – welcome helpers in the pandemic

In order to master the challenges, digital visualization solutions can be welcome tools. A simple application as well as a quick and uncomplicated implementation are decisive for the selection. With overcrowded appointments, it is certainly not an easy task to give yourself the necessary time for this. In addition, there is an almost unmanageable number of solution providers , which make a well-founded selection difficult. From virtual inspections, to digital live tours with or without robots, to interactive 3D tours or digital twins, there are a variety of PropTech solutions that allow companies to break new ground and adapt to changing needs. If you choose the right provider , this not only leads to a new customer experience and benefits, but also brings significant increases in efficiency as well as cost and CO2 savings.
Even if the pandemic brings with it great challenges, it also offers an opportunity to go on a discovery tour and explore new ways. Find out which path will lead you into the future and get an overview of quality-tested visualization solutions for the real estate and construction industry .
Overview of visualization solutions: https://proptechmarket.net/visualisierung

January 2021
Biomass plant produces electricity and gas

A team of researchers from the Group of Energy Materials ( GEM ) in Sion, which is part of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne ( EPFL ), conducted a two-year study on the optimal configuration of biomass systems. As EPFL is now reporting , they have developed a method by means of which local biomass flows can be integrated into power grids and gas pipelines.

Your system can be used to generate and store electricity and natural gas. It can be particularly useful in conjunction with other local but weather-dependent renewable energy systems such as solar panels and wind farms by closing any gaps in electricity production. Their models were calculated on the basis of a Danish and an Italian case study.

“Our goal was to develop an effective approach to grid balancing that relies more on renewable energies,” explains study leader Maria Perez Fortes. “Electricity is consumed when the supply is high (to store it as gas) and generated when the supply is low.” This is why the team decided to use reversible solid oxide cells, “the only technology that seamlessly between Can switch electricity and gas generation ".

The GEM scientists specialize in this technology, which can both store electricity as methane (Power2Gas) and convert the methane back into electricity – with high yields in both directions. As stated in the communication, their method could optimize electricity and gas distribution networks and their coupling, ensure a continuous power supply and enable utilities to manage their systems more efficiently.

January 2021
Frauenfeld gets wood power plant

The energy and mobility service provider Energie 360 ° from Zurich and the Swiss company Zucker AG are jointly building a wood-fired thermal power station in Frauenfeld. From June 2022, it will supply electricity for around 8,000 households as well as heat for the sugar factory and the Frauenfeld West heating network. For this purpose, the two companies will found Bioenergie Frauenfeld AG. In a press release of the same name, they emphasize that this wood-fired thermal power station is "climate-positive".

Wood gas is obtained from wood in a thermochemical process. This gas drives engines that produce renewable electricity from it. This thermochemical process produces recyclable biochar. This means that around 9,000 tons of CO2 stored in the wood would not be released each year, but instead permanently withdrawn from the atmosphere.

The heart of the power plant will be supplied and installed by the Tyrolean company Syncraft. According to the press release, their proprietary and patented technology is one of the most efficient in the industry.

"On the one hand, our company wants to diversify," says Guido Stäger, CEO of Schweizer Zucker AG, "on the other hand, we are making our production processes more sustainable. From 2022, the wood-fired power station will contribute to both goals. "

January 2021
HSLU erklärt neues Modell für Wohneigentum

In der Schweiz lebt der Grossteil der Bevölkerung in Mietwohnungen. Nur 40 Prozent besitzen Immobilien. Laut einer Medienmitteilung der HSLU ist dieser Anteil niedriger als in jedem anderen Land in Westeuropa. Der Grund seien die fehlenden Eigenmittel und die hohen Baukosten.

Die HSLU stellt nun ein neues Eigentumsmodell vor. Dabei wird eine Immobilie nur für eine festgelegte Zeit gekauft. Wenn von einer Lebensdauer der Immobilie von 100 Jahren ausgegangen wird und das Wohneigentum auf eine Zeit von 30 Jahren beschränkt ist, zahlt die Käuferin oder der Käufer nur 30 Prozent des totalen Wertes der Immobilie. Wegen der verkürzten Nutzungsdauer werden entsprechende Wohnobjekte auch mit einer tieferen Hypothek belegt. Laut der HSLU fallen die Kosten für Wohneigentum auf Zeit insgesamt um rund 15 Prozent tiefer aus als die Kosten der Miete über den selben Zeitraum. Nach Ansicht der Hochschule hat das Modell auch für Investoren Vorteile. Wenn das Wohnobjekt nach Ablauf der festgelegten Zeitdauer zurück zum Investor geht, kann er die Immobilie marktfähig sanieren.

Insgesamt stösst das Modell laut HSLU sowohl bei Investoren als auch bei bei potenziellen Bewohnerinnen und Bewohnern auf hohe Akzeptanz. Dennoch gibt es bisher in Europa nur ein Objekt, bei dem Wohnungen mit dem Wohneigentum-auf-Zeit-Modell erworben werden können – dieses befindet sich in Bern. Die HSLU hat nun ein Handbuch erarbeitet, das aufzeigt, wie Investoren und Wohneigentümer von diesem Modell profitieren können.

January 2021
Pandemic strengthens real estate market

Almost all of the 74 experts surveyed by EY for the Real Estate Investment Market Switzerland 2021 trend barometer rate the attractiveness of the Swiss real estate market as attractive to very attractive, EY informs in a message on the trend barometer. Compared to last year, the attraction to investors has even increased slightly again, it is said there. Only 15 percent of those surveyed expect a decline in investment volume. In the 2020 trend barometer, the corresponding value was 17 percent.

“On a global level, we see a lack of investment alternatives, high investment pressure and increasing economic uncertainty as drivers for the real estate asset class,” Claudio Rudolf, author and head of Transaction Real Estate at EY in Switzerland, is quoted in the press release. Specifically, Rudolf names the pandemic and Brexit as the drivers for volatility. “Against this background, investors recognize a safe haven in the Swiss real estate market that is more resistant to crises than in other countries,” says the real estate expert.

However, the barometer also shows differences within the sectors. "While the developments in the different real estate sectors were more closely correlated in the past – according to the motto 'the tide lifts all boats' – the corona pandemic is making the real estate market more differentiated," explains Daniel Zaugg, Head of Real Estate at EY in Switzerland. Sectors that are less risky, such as residential real estate, are likely to benefit from increased risk aversion among investors, the press release said. The barometer for office properties in central locations and the holiday hotel industry sees good opportunities for a quick recovery from the pandemic. Business hotels, office properties in the periphery and shopping centers, on the other hand, do not see any good chances of recovery in the long term either.

January 2021
Bluefactory implements an innovative energy and water concept

The Bluefactory Friborg-Freiburg AG will implement an exemplary concept at the location of its low-carbon innovation quarter in the middle of Freiburg from spring. It is supposed to control their energy and water flows. She developed it together with the energy supplier Groupe E and SINEF AG , which focuses on water, energy and industrial pipelines. According to a statement from Groupe E, the first phase of implementation is estimated at CHF 11 million. The concept can also be used in other quarters.

For this purpose, the supply networks to be created should optimally use the local natural resources – Pilettes source, geothermal energy, sun – and the facilities located in the vicinity such as water storage tanks, sewer pipes, cable ducts and the district heating network. All of this is aimed at a circular economy. It is intended to reduce the district's energetic and ecological footprint and promote biodiversity. Last but not least, users should also feel comfortable with it.

Groupe E will implement an energy concept based on the principle of heat exchange at low temperatures. The thermal energy comes directly from the ground, from the Pilettes source, as well as from rainwater and sewage. Peak loads are covered by the nearby Freiburg district heating system. Photovoltaic systems provide the daily electricity.

The concept for water management developed by SINEF AG enables the reintroduction of a more natural water cycle in the city center. Rainwater, for example, is collected and wastewater is cleaned on site. Collected water is used for flushing toilets, cleaning and irrigation. Urine-based fertilizer is produced on site.

January 2021
Jasmina Ritz promotes the idea of the Limmatstadt

According to Jasmina Ritz, the Limmat Valley and the idea of the Limmat City is more than just the route between Baden and Zurich. The managing director of Limmatstadt AG , now based in Schlieren, pointed out in an interview in the customer magazine "blue" of the electricity works of the canton of Zurich ( EKZ ) that the change from an agglomeration area to a coherent urban area has long been taking place there. "We accompany this change, bundle resources, combine the advantages and strengths of the individual communities into a common Limmat city", Ritz is quoted as saying. It names four important cornerstones for the realization of the idea of transforming the many municipalities – which are not to be merged – into a city on the Limmat: Networking of municipalities and politicians, the economy and the population. As a second point, Ritz mentions the positioning of the region with a common face, the development of the region as well as image promotion and the creation of a supra-regional awareness.

From Jasmina Ritz's point of view, the Limmattalbahn is very important for the desired cohesion. The managing director is quoted as saying that it is not just a huge commitment to the federal and cantonal region. The railway networks the communities and is the backbone of urban development, "Without the tram, the Limmat Valley would have been just an agglomeration", Ritz is quoted as saying in "blue".

This growing together and a shared cross-border vision was made possible by the development in the Limmat Valley. In the past, this was only perceived as an industrial location and a traffic axis. But a common city on the Limmat with its numerous municipalities would have much more economic and political weight. Limmatstadt AG is setting a cultural and economic agenda for the entire region. The regional magazine "36 km" – named after the length of the Limmat between Zurich and Baden – draws attention to regional products or recommends the best hiking trails, bike routes and the like. The daily newsletter “punkt4 Limmatstadt”, in which the activities of the companies are exclusively present, contributes to the “branding strategy”, ie the anchoring of the name Limmatstadt in the consciousness. Ritz: "There is no other region."

January 2021
EZL increases the proportion of biogas

Energie Zürichsee Linth introduced a proportion of biogas in its basic gas supply years ago, the utility company informed in a press release . Now EZL has increased this share to 20 percent biogas, it says there. For the customer, however, this is not associated with a price increase. He simply gets “an ecologically better product” with the same heat output.

In the catchment area of EZL, customers could also “drive in a particularly environmentally friendly way,” explains the utility company in the press release. All filling stations here offer 100 percent biogas. At a current price of CHF 1.05 per liter, customers would benefit “twice”, writes EZL. On the one hand, the price is around 30 percent below that of gasoline. And on the other hand, they are CO2-free on the road with biogas.

EZL operates its own plant for processing biogas at the Obersee wastewater treatment plant in Schmerikon SG. According to the company, the biogas produced there is enough for more than 500 vehicles with an annual mileage of around 15,000 kilometers a year.

January 2021
City of Zurich liquidates Fernwärme Zürich AG

The waste incineration plant Josefstrasse has reached the end of its service life and will therefore be shut down on March 31, the civil engineering and waste disposal department of the city of Zurich informed in a message . The area managed by the Josefstrasse plant will in future be supplied with district heating from the Hagenholz plant via a new connection line, it said.

The Josefstrasse cogeneration plant has been operated by the City of Zurich together with Energie Baden-Württemberg AG ( EnBW ) since 2011. The municipal service department ERZ Disposal + Recycling Zurich was responsible for operations. EnBW was responsible for the procurement of waste in neighboring countries. The two partners founded Fernwärme Zürich AG (FWZ) for the joint operation of the waste-to-energy plant.

With the closure of the Josefstrasse plant, the two partners are now ending their cooperation. As previously contractually agreed, the City of Zurich is therefore buying up EnBW's 40 percent stake in FWZ. The notification puts the purchase price at 480,000 francs. Following the complete takeover by the City of Zurich, the FWZ is to be liquidated.

January 2021
Limmatstadt AG is now based in Schlieren

The Limmatstadt AG location promotion organization has moved from Zurich to Schlieren. With the new year she is now based in JED , the former NZZ printing company. From the new premises within the Coworking Space Branch Collab on the ground floor of JED, managing director Jasmina Ritz and her employees will continue to campaign for the Limmattal location and are now even closer to the pulse of the region, as a message shows .

In JED with anchor tenants such as Zühlke and Halter , innovations are promoted and jobs are created. The Coworking Space Branch Collab also contributes to this with its flexible workspaces and as a platform for collaborative work. The companies and entrepreneurs based in JED as well as Limmatstadt AG benefit from the easy accessibility via the Limmattalbahn (Wagonsfabrik stop).

January 2021
Implenia is building on the Empa campus in Dübendorf

Implenia is implementing the first stage of the new Empa campus in Dübendorf. According to its media release , the construction company will build a laboratory building, a multifunctional building and a multi-storey car park for the Federal Water Supply Agency (Eawag) from spring 2021. Completion is planned for autumn 2023. The order volume is around CHF 56 million.

This winning project by sam architects emerged from a two-stage overall performance competition. In the press release, Implenia describes its architectural language as “functionally elegant and elegantly reserved”. All new buildings are to receive a Minergie-P-Eco certification.

"We are very pleased that we are able to carry out another interesting project for Empa Eawag with the research campus", Jens Vollmar, Head Division Buildings at Implenia, is quoted in the press release. "We are thus building on the longstanding relationship that we were able to develop, for example, with the successful implementation of the Chriesbach Forum, also in Dübendorf."

January 2021
Aventron and HIAG found solar company

Aventron and HIAG team up: Their new joint company, HIAG Solar AG, wants to expand the production of solar power on the roofs of HIAG properties in the long term. HIAG holds 49 percent of the joint venture, aventron 51 percent. Aventron CEO Antoine Millioud finds an “optimal connection”: “HIAG has very large roof areas in Switzerland and aventron has proven expertise in the planning, implementation and operation of high-performance solar systems.”

As stated in a press release from HIAG, HIAG Solar AG wants to become a major solar power producer in Switzerland in the medium term and gradually expand its capacity. 65,000 square meters of space are currently available for photovoltaic modules. They should generate around 10 mega-watt peak power.

The aim is to produce 10 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually. This corresponds to a CO2 equivalent saving of 4.2 million tons. The first four systems are already being planned. They should start operating this year and next.

January 2021
Repower is investing in German wind farms with partners

At the beginning of the year, Repower expanded its portfolio of wind turbines in Germany, the Graubünden energy supplier informed in apress release . Specifically, Repower has taken over the Berlar wind farm in North Rhine-Westphalia. The plant with five turbines and a total output of 7.5 megawatts is expected to produce around 14.4 gigawatt hours of electricity annually. The notification does not provide any information about the purchase price.

According to the announcement, the Graubünden energy supplier already operates a number of wind farms in Italy and Germany. The new acquisition is to be integrated into the German Repartner Wind GmbH. The company is wholly owned by Bündner Repartner Produktions AG , which is 51 percent majority owned by Repower. The trucks hold the largest minority share with 10.39 percent.

Via Repartner Produktions AG, Repower wants to offer its shareholders “access to diversified, renewable electricity production”, according to the announcement. In addition to Repower and LKW, other Swiss energy companies are involved in Repartner Produktions AG, including Eniva, WWZ and the electricity works of the Canton of Zurich (EKZ).

“This stake is an absolute gain for LKW,” said Gerald Marxer, CEO of LKW, in a separate announcement from LKW on the takeover of the wind farm. "On the one hand, we can increase our own production and, on the other hand, we are investing in renewable production technologies in accordance with our strategy."

January 2021
Dietikon bietet Lichtkunst in der dunklen Jahreszeit

Mit Lichtkunst der Kulturabstinenz trotzen lautet das Motto der abendlichen Dauerpräsentation „DietikON – Lichtkunst erleben“ vom 15. Januar bis 28. Februar im Stadtzentrum von Dietikon. Die Lichtkunst wird jeweils von 17 bis 22 Uhr das Zentrum erhellen. Das Spektrum der Arbeiten von zwölf Künstlerinnen und Künstlern aus der ganzen Schweiz reicht laut einer Ankündigung von poetischen Arbeiten bis hin zu kräftigen, plakativen Werken.

„Das Projekt ‚DietikON – Lichtkunst erleben‘ soll Licht in die Stadt bringen und den vielen Menschen Trost und Zuversicht spenden, die sich in dieser dunklen Jahreszeit einsam oder in ihrer Freiheit eingeengt fühlen“, wird Stadtpräsident Roger Bachmann in einer Mitteilung zitiert. Schliesslich habe die Dietiker Bevölkerung im Dezember auf den Chlauseinzug und den Weihnachtsmarkt verzichten müssen. Auch sei die Weihnachtsbeleuchtung im Dietiker Stadtzentrum bescheidener ausgefallen als in den Vorjahren, weil infolge der Bauarbeiten viele Kandelaber fehlten. Deshalb habe ein Projektteam rund um die Standortförderung mit „DietikON“ eine Ausstellung organisiert, die Kunstschaffenden die Möglichkeit bietet, ihre Werke im öffentlichen Raum vorzustellen und so Licht und Trost in die dunkle Jahreszeit zu bringen.

Der Grossteil der Objekte werde im Aussenraum stehen, heisst es auf der Kulturseite der Stadt Dietikon. Dort sind auch die Standorte auf einem Stadtplan eingezeichnet. Vereinzelt werden auch Schaufenster und Innenräume bespielt. Die wenigen im Innenraum aufgestellten Kunstwerke können, ganz corona-konform, durch Schaufenster betrachtet werden, die Räumlichkeiten müssen dafür nicht betreten werden, heist es dort.

Gezeigt würden sowohl neu erarbeitete Werke, die einzig für die Stadt Dietikon geschaffen wurden und auch mit den örtlichen Gegebenheiten spielen, als auch bereits bestehende Werke, die durch den neuen Kontext der urbanen Stadtlandschaft eine andere Bedeutung erhalten, wird Cinzia Marti von der Standortförderung Dietikon zitiert.

January 2021
Canton Schaffhausen increases stake in cantonal works

The canton of Schaffhausen is buying a temporarily owned 10 percent stake from its power station, informs the canton administration in a message . The shares were sold by the canton to EKS three years ago when the canton took over a total of 25 percent of EKS from Axpo Holding . At that time, the canton had sold the remaining 15 percent to EKT Holding AG ( EKT ) from Thurgau.

The canton paid Axpo a total of CHF 53 million in 2017 to acquire the block of shares. They were reapplied by reselling 10 percent to EKS at a price of 21.2 million francs and reselling 15 percent to EKT at a price of 31.8 million francs.

In January of last year, the canton considered buying back the shares held by EKS as part of its ownership strategy, the announcement further explains. The EKS never intended to hold the shares itself in the long term, it says there. As the purchase price, the two partners have agreed the price of 21.2 million francs already paid for the transaction three years ago.

After the transaction, the canton will hold an 85 percent stake in its cantonal works. The remaining 15 percent of the EKS should remain in the possession of EKT. The canton administration wrote that this was welcomed “particularly with a view to the synergy potential in the network area, both by the government council of the canton of Schaffhausen and the government council of the canton of Thurgau as well as the boards of directors of EKS and EKT”.

January 2021