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Tag: News

  • Clevertrailer is now also an advertising medium

    Clevertrailer is now also an advertising medium

    Clevertrailer GmbH has expanded the application possibilities of its lightweight trailer again. As announced by the Lyss-based company, it can now also be rented with an LED screen. This has a height of 160 centimeters and a width of 208 centimeters. It can be used for advertising stills as well as for playing advertising films or for television broadcasts.

    Thanks to its battery with solar panel, the LED trailer will also have an autonomous energy supply in the future and can therefore be used practically anywhere. This makes it equally suitable for events by companies, organizations and private individuals.

    Inquiries for rental purposes are possible via the LEDtrailer's own website or via info@clevertrailer.ch .

  • ABB supplies chargers to Chinese electric car factory

    ABB supplies chargers to Chinese electric car factory

    ABB chargers ensure the charging capacity for up to 120,000 vehicles in an e-car factory owned by the Chinese Dongfeng Motor Group and the Japanese Honda Motor Company . Dongfeng Honda will use it to equip the assembly and test lines in its more than 980,000 square meter plant in Wuhan.

    As the company writes in a press release , Dongfeng Honda has selected a range of different chargers “based on its previous positive experience with low and medium voltage products from ABB”.

    As part of its industrial development plan for energy-efficient and new-energy vehicles by 2035, China expects that one in four new vehicles sold in the country will be an electric car by 2025. More than 64 million are expected to be on Chinese roads by 2030.

    "The development of charging capacity must go hand in hand with the booming sales figures for electric cars," said Frank Mühlon, Head of E-Mobility Infrastructure Solutions at ABB. "We are excited to support Dongfeng Honda in implementing their electric vehicle strategy."

  • Hightech Zentrum Aargau was successful in the e-mobile rally

    Hightech Zentrum Aargau was successful in the e-mobile rally

    Beat Christen and his co-pilot Peter Morf from the Hightech Center Aargau ( HTZ ) have successfully completed their first participation in the Wave Trophy , according to a media release. The e-mobile team Mission Innovation Aargau covered 1818 kilometers without breakdowns in eight days in its Tesla Model S P85D. The start was in Brugg-Windisch, the final in Entlebuch. In the overall ranking, it came second out of around 30 participating teams. It also won the audience award given by students.

    This year's route led along the Grand Tour of Switzerland through all four language regions and over nine Alpine passes. The teams did not only advertise electromobility in action, but also during their planned stays in 23 towns and at a further 23 stops, according to the announcement. Most of the information meetings with authorities, schools and the population were well attended. Interested parties could follow the travel blog of the two drivers on the HTZ website.

    Because the motto of this year's Wave rally was “Energy Tour”, numerous energy projects were also visited, including the first floating solar power plant in the Alps on the Lac des Toules in Valais and the wind turbines on the Rengg Pass in Entlebuch. "Renewable energies go well with e-mobility and the Wave has shown that this combination works," said Peter Morf, co-pilot and head of energy technologies and resource efficiency at HTZ, quoted in the communication. Only the “consistency of the various charging systems” is “still a challenge,” says pilot Beat Christen.

  • Federal government continues electricity saving program

    Federal government continues electricity saving program

    The ProKilowatt office received a total of 16 applications for the 2020 competitive tender for programs. According to a press release , twelve of them received funding approval. The programs with the best cost-benefit ratio, i.e. with the cheapest kilowatt-hour saved, were awarded the contract. These programs range from energy saving measures for companies in the food and feed industry to energy optimization in data centers.

    In addition, nine new projects were selected at the beginning of July. In this way, the Federal Office of Energy supports, among other things, the renovation of ventilation systems in a food company and the replacement of motors in industrial production processes. This year the Federal Office of Energy has awarded applicants CHF 29 million in funding.

    A total of 50 million francs is available to the federal government for calls for tenders for projects and programs in 2020. The deadline for submitting the third project round of the year and for programs to promote energy-efficient household appliances expired on September 4th. The applications received are currently being examined. The applicants will receive the funding notices in mid-November. Applications for the 2021 competitive tenders can be submitted from the beginning of November. The submission deadlines for projects are February 5, April 23 and September 3, 2021.

  • Peach Property wins Ares as anchor shareholder

    Peach Property wins Ares as anchor shareholder

    The Peach Property Group is planning to make further portfolio acquisitions in Germany, explains the Zurich-based company, which specializes in residential real estate, in a press release . Peach Property intends to raise the funds by increasing the capital base by CHF 200 million. A mandatory convertible bond is to be placed for this purpose.

    The subscriber of three quarters of the mandatory convertible bond has already been determined, Peach Property informed in the message. Specifically, a fund of the globally active manager of alternative bonds, Ares Management Cooperation , will subscribe to 150 million francs. This means that Ares will secure a stake of around 30 percent in Peach Property and become the largest single shareholder in the Zurich real estate company, according to the announcement. In the course of the entry, the Managing Director of the Ares Real Estate Group, Klaus Schmitz, is to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Peach Property Group.

    "We are very pleased to be able to win Ares as a new anchor shareholder with extensive experience in the German residential real estate sector", Thomas Wolfensberger, CEO of the Peach Property Group, is quoted in the press release. Ares, in turn, sees the stake in the Zurich real estate company "as an excellent opportunity to invest in one of the more defensive asset classes in Europe and at the same time to benefit from the attractive growth of the Peach Property Group", explains John Ruane, Co-Head of the Ares European Real Estate Group.

  • Energy suppliers rely on cooperation

    Energy suppliers rely on cooperation

    Increasing digitization and cross-sector cooperation are opening up new business areas for energy supply companies in Switzerland. According to the results of the 2020 municipal utility study by the consulting firm EY and the Federal Association of Energy and Water Management , 80 percent of energy providers see great synergy potential in telecommunications, 71 percent in the housing industry and 69 percent in the heating industry. According to a press release , the survey was carried out in Switzerland and Germany, among 49 EVUs across Switzerland.

    According to a media release from EY, the potential for cooperation has increased once again from the EVU's point of view: in 2019, only 50 percent saw great synergy potential in telecommunications and 67 percent in the housing industry. The heating industry was not queried at that time.

    When looking for promising business models, EVUs would look even more outside the box in the future, says Benjamin Teufel, Head of the Energy Sector in Switzerland. “The housing industry, in particular, lends itself to being a cooperation partner: decentralized and climate-friendly energy solutions are becoming increasingly important.” As EY explains in another article , platform transactions based on digital data are conceivable for the housing industry. "Stadtwerke are predestined to be the operator of these platforms," it says there.

    A total of 71 percent of the EVU expect to be able to act as platform operator in decentralized electricity generation, 67 percent in electromobility and 71 percent in the area of smart metering, i.e. the use of intelligent electricity meters. Accordingly, the 2020 municipal utility study also shows that 84 percent of energy suppliers consider smart metering to be the most important technology in digital transformation. "As a data hub, the smart meters will lead to numerous new applications, products and business models," Teufel is quoted as saying.

    In the article “How municipal utilities can benefit from smart metering in the future”, EY explains: “The more companies use smart meter data for their business and the more these services can be networked with one another, the stronger the platform business will grow. Typically, the platform operator, in this case the municipal utility, participates in the transaction proceeds. "

  • LafargeHolcim intensifies efforts to achieve climate goals

    LafargeHolcim intensifies efforts to achieve climate goals

    As the first globally active building materials group, LafargeHolcim has committed itself to scientifically sound goals for reducing its CO2 footprint, explains the Zug-based cement giant in a press release . Specifically, LafargeHolcim will participate in the Science-Based Targets Initiative ( SBTi ) campaign. Its aim is to motivate companies to set scientifically sound, measurable objectives with which the climate target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius can be met.

    As part of the campaign, LafargeHolcim will reduce CO2 emissions per tonne of cementitious building materials to 475 kilograms, the company explains in the press release. Furthermore, the Zug-based building materials group wants to increase the use of low-carbon and CO2-neutral building materials. In addition, the company's footprint is to be reduced by increasing the reuse and recycling of waste and by-products. Overall, LafargeHolcim aims to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions and CO2 emissions from purchased electricity by more than 20 percent by 2030 compared to 2018.

    "As the world's largest cement manufacturer, we are playing a key role in overcoming the challenges of today's climate crisis," said Magali Anderson, Chief Sustainability Officer of LafargeHolcim, quoted in the press release. "On our way to becoming a 'net-zero' company, we are not only part of the solution, but we also support our customers in achieving their carbon reduction goals."

  • Decommissioning and disposal funds show profits

    Decommissioning and disposal funds show profits

    The decommissioning and disposal funds ( STENFO ) to be accumulated by the operators of nuclear facilities are intended to cover the costs of decommissioning Swiss nuclear power plants and the disposal of radioactive waste, explains the Federal Council in a communication . At its meeting on September 18, it approved the annual reports of the two funds for the 2019 reporting year. The two funds currently have a total of CHF 8.492 billion. At the end of 2018, the fund amounts had totaled 7.492 billion francs.

    The decommissioning fund currently has CHF 2.724 billion available for the decommissioning and demolition of the nuclear facilities and the disposal of the radioactive waste generated. The funds exceeded the target amount of CHF 2.525 billion targeted for the end of 2019 by CHF 198.8 million, writes the Federal Council. A return on investment of 12.26 percent resulted in a profit of CHF 297.9 million in the fund's income statement.

    The disposal fund set up for the costs of disposing of radioactive waste showed funds of 5.768 billion Swiss francs at the end of 2019. The fund was thus quoted at 615 million francs above its target amount of 5.153 billion francs, informs the Federal Council. Compared to the end of 2018, a profit of 666.8 million francs was posted. It resulted from a return on investment of 13.09 percent.

  • Strabag relies on 3D models in the Fahrweid

    Strabag relies on 3D models in the Fahrweid

    Geroldswil , Weiningen and Limeco are part of the owner of the joint project drainage Fahrweid. As part of the project, a new sewer system is being implemented. For the central shaft structure, the construction company Strabag relies on Building Information Modeling (BIM), as stated in a message . A software is used for the planning, through which, among other things, 3D models of the buildings to be realized are created.

    "We are carrying out the central manhole structure together with the planners from ILF Switzerland using OpenBIM2Field as a pilot project," is how Stijepan Ljubicic, BIM manager at Strabag, is quoted in the message. The 3D models in particular have proven to be helpful. “The visual representation is a big advantage. Plans in 3D are easier to understand than complicated paper plans, especially for people in the team who speak other languages – they understand the 3D model better and faster, ”says foreman Adrian Wildhaber. But changes are also easier to implement than with plans on paper, says site manager Sven Landis, "in the model they are easily generated at the push of a button".

  • Basel begins converting to electric buses

    Basel begins converting to electric buses

    Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe ( BVB ) are planning to procure a total of 126 electric buses by 2027. The BVG are thus implementing the statutory mandate to operate their public transport services in the canton of Basel-Stadt with 100 percent renewable energy by 2027. In the coming days, BVB will tender the first procurement phase for 62 e-buses. They are scheduled to go into operation in 2022. "I am pleased that after a long planning phase we can finally take the first concrete steps towards an environmentally friendly and modern e-bus system", BVB director Bruno Stehrenberger is quoted in a media release .

    The services for the general planner of Garage Rank are also being put out to tender these days. It will be completely rebuilt between 2023 and 2027 because it no longer meets today's requirements. At a later point in time, living space is also to be realized there. During this construction phase, the buses will be parked on two replacement areas.

    Industrielle Werke Basel ( IWB ) is responsible for setting up a corresponding charging structure in Garage Rank and in the provisional parking areas. In addition, the IWB will install so-called occasional charging points at five terminal stops, where buses can recharge electricity while they are waiting. This increases their range and makes the entire bus network more flexible.

    Converting the bus fleet will cost a total of around 360 million francs. Of this, around 147 million Swiss francs go to the procurement of the e-buses. The construction of the new Garage Rank, the temporary fixtures and other minor infrastructure adjustments cost around 161 million francs. The costs for setting up the charging infrastructure by IWB amount to around 52 million francs. The corresponding loan application is now with the Grand Council.

  • Real estate summit sheds light on change

    Real estate summit sheds light on change

    The topic of change was already the focus of this year's Real Estate Summit of Flughafenregion Zürich AG ( FRZ ) in the opening speech by André Ingold. Specifically, the newly elected President of the FRZ presented the around 20 major construction projects planned or under construction in the airport region, explained the FRZ in a communication on the event. Ingold had highlighted the planned Steinacker district in Kloten as an example. An urban area for 6,700 residents and 4,000 employees is to be created here along the Glattalbahn.

    The FRZ was able to win the longstanding Federal Minister and former German Vice Chancellor (SPD), Sigmar Gabriel, as the main speaker. The former top politician, who was elected to the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bank in May, addressed the challenges for Europe such as Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic and the trade war between the USA and China. With regard to Switzerland, Gabriel stated that the development of Switzerland indicated that “the path this country has taken so far has been the right one”. The country has "developed so well precisely because of the close and relaxed relationship with the EU," said Gabriel.

    Tobias Straumann outlined his view of developments in the real estate market. "In the next one to two years the probability of a real estate crisis is zero," the economic historian is quoted as saying in the press release. According to him, there is no threat of an interest rate shock or “ruinous cutthroat competition”.

    In other presentations, entrepreneurs such as André Wyss, CEO of Implenia AG , Christine Novakovic, CEO of UBS Europe SE , Romeo Deplazes, Division Manager Solutions and member of the management of Energie 360 ° AG , and Rudolf Tschopp, Partner at Asia Green Real Estate , presented the strategies their companies in dealing with the global transformation processes.

  • Eberhard wins the business environment award

    Eberhard wins the business environment award

    The business environment prize is awarded annually and is intended to honor companies for success and sustainable action. The winner of the 2020 award is Eberhard Bau AG, based in Kloten. The company has found a solution to reuse and recycle the large amounts of construction waste that are constantly generated. Under the heading of “ urban mining ” – the city as a source of raw materials – the family company has been one of the pioneers in the reuse of building materials that have already been used for a decade and a half. Today, according to a press release , up to 450,000 tons of mineral rubble are processed annually in its recycling center, which is available for new buildings.

    In the opinion of Patrick Eberhard, Head of Sales Building Materials, there is often a lack of awareness in the construction industry that construction waste is the largest waste stream in Switzerland. The Eberhard company recycles demolished houses to create completely new buildings from these raw materials. For example, 99 percent of the new Europaallee in Zurich was built with second-hand quality building materials.

    "Switzerland needs the environmental award for business, because changes begin with lighthouses that can be used for orientation," the press release quotes the jury president and former Federal Councilor Doris Leuthard.

  • Canton Solothurn wants to get out of Alpiq

    Canton Solothurn wants to get out of Alpiq

    The Canton of Solothurn is selling its stake in Alpiq . He currently holds 1'563'520 shares, a stake of 5.61 percent in the Lausanne energy company. As the government council writes in a press release, it wants 861,429 shares in Primeo-Energie based in Münchenstein BL and 331,104 shares in Regio Energie Solothurn . The government council is looking for further interested parties for the remaining 370,987 shares.

    The sale to the two regional energy providers is at a share price of 70 francs and brings the canton 113 million francs. Since the canton keeps the shares with a value of 56 francs in the books, the book profit is 16.7 million francs.

    The canton holds the Alpiq shares thanks to its stake in the predecessor company Atel, which dates back to the 1960s. With the sale, he is exercising a right that was granted in the shareholders' agreement of the three shareholder groups EOS Holding , the Credit Suisse subsidiary Schweizer Kraftwerksbeteiligung-AG and the Consortium of Swiss Minorities (KSM) from 2019. The canton of Solothurn belongs to the KSM. According to the 2019 clause, he can sell his shares either to existing members of the KSM or to regional energy providers.

  • The canton of Zurich and SBB are planning bike and bus projects together

    The canton of Zurich and SBB are planning bike and bus projects together

    The Canton of Zurich wants to work more closely with SBB on upcoming projects. According to a cantonal press release , both partners want to use synergies and save costs. For the canton of Zurich it has been shown that it makes sense to integrate the three cantonal projects to expand the bike and bus network into the major Brüttenertunnel project and to work on these projects together with the SBB.

    "The Brüttenertunnel project offers the opportunity to hand in hand the most extensive bike project to date in the Canton of Zurich and to expand public transport in the Glattal region," said Economics Director Carmen Walker Späh as quoted in the press release. According to the overall traffic concept of the Canton of Zurich, the share of bicycle traffic in the total traffic volume is to be increased continuously to 8 percent by 2030.

    The government council has therefore applied for a property loan of CHF 73.1 million from the cantonal council. The aim is to realize the pilot project of a fast bike route from Zurich-Oerlikon via Wallisellen and Dübendorf to the Zurich Oberland "barrier-free, coherent, safe and comfortable".

    A main bicycle connection from the Im Lampitzäckern quarter in Dietlikon along the SBB route in the direction of Baltenswil, a main bicycle connection, is intended as a feeder to this rapid cycle route. It is also part of this synergy project. With the redesign of Bahnhofstrasse, the cycle route in Dietlikon and Wangen-Brüttisellen is to be continuously expanded to become the main connection and the network gap in the direction of Baltenswil is to be closed.

    Finally, in the course of the construction work on the Brüttener Tunnel, the Baltensilerstrasse underpass in Bassersdorf will be removed. In addition, the canton is planning a bus lane in order to be able to prefer the bus service from Baltenswil to Bassersdorf train station.

    The planning approval process for the Brüttener Tunnel and the three accompanying projects will run from 2023 to 2025. The accompanying projects will be handed over to the public in stages before the tunnel is due to go into operation at the end of 2034 at the earliest.

  • André Ingold is the new president of the airport region

    André Ingold is the new president of the airport region

    180 representatives of members of the business network took part in the eighth general assembly of the FRZ on September 15 in Dübendorf, the FRZ informed in a message . The FRZ currently includes 644 companies, twelve cities and municipalities, and 19 associations and associations from the region. At the end of the 2019 financial year, the business network had just under 640 members.

    At this year's General Assembly, President René Huber resigned from his position, is further explained in the announcement. Huber (SVP), who has been mayor of Kloten since 2006, was “significantly involved in the creation” of the FRZ in 2011, it continues. With his resignation, the outgoing president wants to initiate a "staggered renewal of the management structures" of the business network. In recognition of his services to the FRZ, Huber was appointed the first honorary president of the FRZ by the general assembly.

    The board of the FRZ had proposed the incumbent mayor of Dübendorf, André Ingold (SVP), as the successor to Huber. The participants in the General Assembly unanimously followed this proposal, writes the FRZ. Jan Schibli from the Schibli Group and the mayor of Dietlikon, Edith Zuber (SVP), were also newly elected to the board.

  • Altendorf relies on innovative lighting

    Altendorf relies on innovative lighting

    An innovative light control in the municipality of Altendorf measures the number of vehicles and adapts the light to the traffic. It consumes less energy and reduces the light level to the necessary minimum. According to a press release , Altendorf is “the first municipality to show how an intelligent system can be implemented easily and inexpensively”. The canton of Schwyz decided in mid-August to support the communities financially in the retrofitting.

    Altendorf began converting to LED lights in 2010. For the renovation phase that has now begun, the municipality decided in favor of the traffic-dependent light control TrafficDim from the company Elektron from Wädenswil ZH. The system "is one of the most efficient lighting controls available on the market," says the press release.

    With the traffic data recorded on site, the lights are controlled as required via a light management system, "without any restrictions on safety". The changes are gentle and hardly noticeable. "We didn't want any nervous lighting, no constant ups and downs of the light," Markus Weber, the head of the local civil engineering office, is quoted as saying.

    To have around 60 of these lights installed by Elektrizitätsversorgung Altendorf AG ( EVA ) is “the order of the day,” says Erich Keller, councilor for civil engineering and works. “Altendorf wants to become an energy city. This also includes reducing the energy consumption of street lighting to a minimum. ”The lighting on its main traffic axis, a busy cantonal road, consumes around 20 percent of the entire street lighting infrastructure. That is why it offers "the ideal prerequisites for the use of innovative lighting control".

    The municipality "Altendorf did everything right when it came to renovating its public lighting", says the smart city expert and CEO of Elektron, Enrico Baumann. “It started converting to LED at an early stage and has continuously taken into account the technological advances over the past ten years. With the use of TrafficDim, it is taking on a pioneering role throughout Switzerland. "

  • Terra Raetica is to receive the Alpine Railway Cross

    Terra Raetica is to receive the Alpine Railway Cross

    Representatives from Graubünden, South Tyrol, Tyrol and Lombardy have agreed to improve cross-border mobility in the triangle between Switzerland, Austria and Italy, especially by rail. At a meeting in Graun im Vinschgau, they signed a letter of intent to this effect, according to a press release from the Canton of Graubünden .

    Accordingly, the four regions want to coordinate their measures to create an integrated mobility system in what is known as the Terra Raetica. With an attractive alpine railway hub and the connection to the international rail network, the transalpine road traffic is to be reduced. This also reduces the environmental impact, "which in turn brings a touristic upgrade with it", it says in the message.

    "Today we are laying the foundation for intensive cooperation and a vision for the future, a rail-alpine cross between Austria, Italy and Switzerland", the Tyrolean governor Günther Platter is quoted as saying. "The mobility of the future needs a courageous approach and this must not stop at national borders." For years, the motto has been "Boundless mobility – and that is car-free", says his deputy and Tyrolean regional traffic councilor Ingrid Felipe.

    According to the Vice President of the Graubünden government, Mario Cavigelli, this agreement will create a valuable platform for exchanging information on needs and measures in public transport across borders. In the interests of the population and the economy, transport chains and transfer options between the various public transport systems in the four neighboring regions could be coordinated “as best as possible”.

    In November, a group of experts will start planning a rail link in the Terra Raetica. It is accompanied by a steering committee made up of government representatives from the four neighboring regions.

  • Epic Suisse wants to join SIX

    Epic Suisse wants to join SIX

    Epic Suisse AG wants to go public in the coming months. By issuing new shares, the company aims to generate gross proceeds of around CHF 200 million, according to a press release .

    Epic Suisse intends to use the net proceeds from the IPO primarily to finance future acquisitions, for ongoing development projects and for general corporate purposes. In addition, debts should be paid off with the fresh money. Last but not least, the IPO is intended to increase public awareness of the company.

    Epic Suisse's portfolio includes 24 properties with a market value of CHF 1.3 billion. The company specializes primarily in office and logistics buildings as well as shopping centers. Most of the properties in his portfolio are located in the Lake Geneva region and in the Greater Zurich Area.

    Since it was founded in 2004, Epic Suisse has been owned by the Israeli Alrov Group and the Greenbaum family. You will not sell any shares as part of the IPO and you want to continue to be involved in the long-term development of the company.

  • New Chinese city should be completely self-sufficient

    New Chinese city should be completely self-sufficient

    The Barcelona-based architectural firm Guallart Architects has won the tender for the planning of the new Chinese city of Xiong'an. It should be resilient and 100 percent self-sufficient. According to the will of the Chinese President, it should become the “new standard for the post-COVID era”.

    According to an article by the Thomson Reuters Foundation , Xiong'an is being conceived as a self-sufficient city that produces its own energy, food and other resources. It will have rooftop farms and greenhouses, drone-friendly terraces and shared 3-D printers. In addition, apartments are planned with space for home offices so that their residents can work from home in the event of future pandemics. The city's eco-friendly design includes blocks of flats made from cross-laminated timber, renewable energy and streets reserved exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists.

    "We can no longer design cities and buildings as if nothing had happened," Vincent Guallart, founder of Guallart Architects and former chief architect of the city of Barcelona, is quoted in the article. “Our proposal arises from the need to find solutions to the different crises that are playing out on our planet at the same time. They are supposed to create a new kind of urban life based on a biological circular economy. That will make cities and municipalities stronger. "

    The present draft was strongly influenced by the experiences of the team of architects during the lockdown in Spain. “We wanted to make a case for the things that we think are important during a lockdown and in the future. If apartments enable teleworking and tele-teaching, have flexible rooms on large terraces, cities can grow food on their roofs and residents can print things in the neighborhood, we will be better prepared for the crises of the future. "

    Xiong'an is being built in Hebei Province, around 130 kilometers southwest of Beijing. According to the article, China's President Xi Jinping has described it as the "new standard for the post-COVID era". He marked Xiong'an as an urban innovation zone back in 2017.

  • Houzy expands into western Switzerland

    Houzy expands into western Switzerland

    The Zurich-based start-up company Houzy operates a platform that intelligently links data and uses it to derive recommendations for homeowners. For example, it can be calculated there when the heating is to be renovated and how much money should be put aside for it. A property valuation is also part of the Houzy offer.

    In the first two years since it was founded, the company focused primarily on product development, Houzy said in a press release. The company has already successfully established itself in German-speaking Switzerland and has increased the number of its users to more than 18,000. In addition, UBS only joined Houzy in July. The Zurich big bank operates its own digital real estate platform with key4 , on which mortgages for real estate buyers are brokered.

    The next step for Houzy was the expansion into French-speaking Switzerland, the message continues. To this end, the company is now making all the services and functions of the platform available in French. The integration of Italian-speaking Switzerland is planned for the first quarter of next year.

  • The Zurich economic area impresses with its access to talent

    The Zurich economic area impresses with its access to talent

    The Greater Zurich Area offers companies access to a large pool of first-class talent. Sonja Wollkopf Walt, CEO of the location marketing organization Greater Zurich Area ( GZA ), describes this as one of the most important attractions of the location in an interview with The Place Brand Observer ( TPBO ). Switzerland is listed as the world champion for innovation in several rankings. This has also been recognized by companies such as Google, IBM, Disney or Biogen, which have set up their research locations in the greater Zurich area.

    First-class technology, Swiss reliability and stability meet in the Greater Zurich Area, emphasizes Wollkopf Walt in an interview. Especially against the background of global trade conflicts or the corona pandemic, this is an important added value for companies.

    Despite the negative effects of the corona pandemic as a whole, it has also brought about new developments at some companies or accelerated research activities. Wollkopf Walt highlights, for example, HeiQ . The spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ) is developing a technology that can protect textiles against viruses. Fabrics treated with the technology can block the corona virus by 99.9 percent.

    The costs in Switzerland are higher than in many European countries. At the same time, however, it is fair to say that the price-performance ratio in the Zurich economic area is good, according to Wollkopf Walt. Workers in Switzerland have one of the highest productivity levels in the world, she adds.

    When it comes to start-ups, the three most important factors that are necessary for a flourishing start-up ecosystem are present in the Greater Zurich Area: talent, capital and customers. Wollkopf Walt also points out that 2019 was a record year for start-up investments. In addition, four start-ups from the Greater Zurich Area have achieved unicorn status – that is, they are valued at more than 1 billion dollars.

  • geoProRegio is repositioning itself

    geoProRegio is repositioning itself

    The five Aargauer Stadtwerke, which have merged to form geoProRegio, have decided on a new ownership strategy. It provides for a restructuring of the geoinformatics service. The merger of the respective independent platforms is to create a company of its own, in which, however, only four shareholders will participate – Regionalwerke Baden, StWZ Energie AG, SWL Energie AG and TBS Strom AG. Eniwa is leaving and, according to a press release , decided for strategic reasons to continue its existing platform for geographic information services in the medium term and to sell its stake in geoProRegio AG.

    In the new structure, not only the technical systems, but also the customer portfolios as well as the 30 or so employees from the GIS departments of the four partners will be transferred to the company. The seat of geoProRegio AG remains in Baden.

    The managing director of the geographic information service provider is Cédric Aubert. The physicist has many years of experience in data management, research, the energy industry and the financial sector. He is fascinated by the challenge of “getting more out of geospatial data”. “The market potential in the field of geographic information services is great. With the new company, we are well prepared for the future and can offer our customers innovative and progressive geographic information solutions, ”Cédric Aubert is quoted in the press release.

  • Discounts for research strengthen locations

    Discounts for research strengthen locations

    "With the Swiss tax reform and AHV financing (TRAF), instruments for tax relief for research and development activities were introduced at the beginning of 2020," explains BAK Economics in a press release . The economic research institute has examined the effects of these concessions on the tax burden of companies in the individual cantons.

    According to the results, they reduce the effective average tax burden of a company on the Swiss average from 13.5 to 12.2 percent, explains BAK Economics. Very research-intensive companies could even reduce their exposure by an average of 4.3 percentage points to 9.2 percent. For the cantons, the benefits for spending on research and development (R&D) represented an internationally accepted substitute for the tax privileges abolished by the TRAF in addition to promoting innovation.

    With the flexible implementation of the requirements by the cantons, the ranking of the cantons in the tax burden for very research-intensive companies has shifted, explains BAK Economics. The low-tax cantons of Nidwalden and Obwalden continued to occupy the top positions here. "However, some high-tax cantons with a generous design of the R&D instruments can significantly reduce their burden," writes BAK Economics.

    Specifically, “the bottom three in ordinary taxation”, Bern, Zurich and Aargau, “for companies with very high R&D intensity towards the middle of the ranking”. The canton of Geneva has the highest average tax burden for companies with high R&D expenditure.

  • Basel area wants to test Velohochbahn

    Basel area wants to test Velohochbahn

    The canton of Basel-Landschaft wants to expand its infrastructure for bicycles. Together with the Federal Roads Office ( FEDRO ), he is now starting the project of a bicycle high-rise, he writes in a message . The Veloweg is built as a separate building next to existing roads. The system is made of wood in a modular construction. It will also be equipped with photovoltaic modules.

    For this purpose, FEDRO has commissioned a study for the routing in the Basel area. With this project, it wants to examine how a higher-level cycle network along existing motorways can be integrated into the cantonal cycle route networks.

    The Basel government council wants to submit a corresponding proposal to the district administrator in the fourth quarter. If the cantonal parliament approves, the bicycle high-rise should be built between mid-2021 and mid-2022. It is to be put into operation before the opening of the Federal Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Pratteln in 2022 .

  • The Swiss construction industry needs to rethink

    The Swiss construction industry needs to rethink

    The almost complete study on the situation and future of the Swiss construction industry by PwC Switzerland was revised and updated in March in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and its economic effects. There was a clear change in future expectations. The assessments “since Covid-19” were derived from the additional feedback and these were compared with the original assessment “before Covid-19”, according to a press release from PwC Switzerland on the study . Only 58 percent of the 130 companies participating in the study are now positive (92 percent before Covid).

    PwC Switzerland names its study “Make change, take with you what has been tried and tested”. Among other things, it says: “Only those who differentiate win. Creativity and a pioneering spirit are required. The construction industry is facing a paradigm shift towards more differentiation through networked collaboration. Digitization in particular offers interesting opportunities for this. It reduces interfaces, increases the quality of the planning and management processes and promotes the reduction of error costs and idle times in construction. "Covid-19 is likely to drive the" demolition of silo structures in the construction industry and the upcoming reorganization of rigid thought patterns. "

    "Even before the crisis, it became clear that a paradigm shift was required in order to survive in construction – even though the Swiss construction industry will continue to play a major role in many areas of life in the future," said Roland Schegg, Director and Head of Consulting at Family businesses & SMEs at PwC Switzerland.

    87 percent of companies see an opportunity in digitization, but only 62 percent give it a high priority. The use of digital technologies began years ago, according to PwC. But he is mostly limited to administration, marketing, communication or drawing the plans. It is necessary to digitize construction and operation as well. In particular, the planning and execution processes, which are often separated today, could be intelligently linked.

    The construction industry in Switzerland contributes around 15 percent to the gross domestic product. Around 330,000 full-time positions are located in civil engineering. That corresponds to a third of all employees in the industrial sector.

  • MoneyPark launches real estate platform

    MoneyPark launches real estate platform

    "We founded MoneyPark in 2012 with the aim of making the mortgage market more accessible and transparent for everyone," said Stefan Heitmann, CEO and founder of MoneyPark , in a message from the fintech company based in Pfäffikon SZ. MoneyPark now wants to bring this transparency to the real estate market as well. A mixture of technology and personal advice is intended to simplify the purchase and sale of real estate.

    To this end, MoneyPark has developed a new platform on which buyers and sellers can be brought together. MoneyPark explains that the platform compares customers' search criteria with information on properties available on the market. Owners of a home can also track the value development of their own property. The platform, which is currently only available to MoneyPark customers, is to be opened up to other interested parties in the future.

    The new digital offer is supplemented by personal advice from real estate experts from MoneyPark. "The combination of data technology and independent mortgage and real estate experts who support our customers every step of the way is unique on the Swiss market," says Heitmann. "The data accessible on the platform create a transparent customer experience with an unprecedented density of information and help make buying and selling decisions easier and easier to implement."

  • The first industrial power-to-gas plant is built in Dietikon

    The first industrial power-to-gas plant is built in Dietikon

    The showcase project for the use of renewable energies is being developed in collaboration between eight energy suppliers and the Swisspower public utility alliance. The project aims to show how power-to-gas systems can complement renewable electricity production and operate economically, according to a media release . The largest power-to-gas plant in Switzerland to date will have an electrolysis capacity of 2.5 megawatts and will feed synthetic renewable gas into the grid from winter 2021 to 2022.

    The operating principle of the new plant is described in the communication as follows: “The power-to-gas plant uses renewable electricity from the waste incineration plant to produce hydrogen. This is mixed with the CO2 in the sewage gas, creating renewable methane gas. Limeco thus gains a CO2-neutral energy source from waste and wastewater. ”In the existing gas network, the renewable gas replaces fossil energy sources. According to the information, this can save 4,000 to 5,000 tons of CO2 annually.

    At the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction project, Stefano Kunz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Limeco and City Councilor of Schlieren: "With waste recycling and wastewater treatment at the same location, we have the perfect conditions to produce green gas." Ronny Kaufmann, CEO of the Swisspower public utility alliance, which who co-initiated the project, says: "The project shows: We have to work together for a renewable and climate-neutral energy system, across company boundaries." The Federal Office of Energy ( SFOE ) is supporting the project as part of its pilot and demonstration program.

    Systems like the one being built in Dietikon are important for the implementation of the Energy Strategy 2050. The plan is to replace the electricity from nuclear power with solar, water and wind power. This means that much more electricity will be produced in the summer than consumed. In winter, on the other hand, when the energy demand is greater, Switzerland has to import electricity. Power-to-gas is a key technology for storing excess renewable electricity seasonally.

  • Bringhen Group participates in Habitects

    Bringhen Group participates in Habitects

    Habitects launched in 2019 as a digital trading and service platform for the sanitary sector in Switzerland. The Winterthur start-up is now entering into a partnership with the Bringhen Group . The company, which was founded in 1959 and is based in Visp VS, is one of the largest specialist dealers in the construction sector with 14 locations throughout Switzerland and over 120,000 products. "For me this partnership is another important milestone in our company history", Jean-Pierre Bringhen, owner and CEO of the Bringhen Group, is quoted in the announcement from Habitects. "In order to take such a step outside of the traditional market structure, the group of companies had to reach a critical size with a corresponding market coverage."

    Bringhen also financially participates in the Winterthur company. Michael Lochmatter-Bringhen joins Habitects' board of directors.

    Thanks to the partnership, Habitects aims to become a leading marketplace in the Swiss construction trade. To this end, new services for craftsmen are to be launched. Digitization should be used for easier and more efficient handling of construction projects, Christoph Meili, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Habitects, is quoted in the announcement. This should benefit all stakeholders, from homeowners to architects and general contractors.

    Habitects is part of the ConReal Swiss digital ecosystem. This has spawned other companies in the construction and real estate sectors, including Fixify , houzy and SmartDevis . Further start-ups are in preparation, according to the announcement.

  • Agile Wind Power completes unique wind turbine

    Agile Wind Power completes unique wind turbine

    Dübendorfer Agile Wind Power AG has completed the construction of the first Vertical Sky wind turbine on the wind test field in Grevenbroich near Düsseldorf. Vertical Sky is the first wind turbine in the megawatt class with vertically mounted rotor blades. According to a press release, it is quiet, efficient and "unique in the world".

    In the coming weeks, the plant will gradually go into trial operation. During this time, various measurements that are required for certification are carried out. At the same time, electricity is produced. Vertical Sky wind turbines are environmentally friendly and can be installed in locations that are not suitable for conventional systems, such as close to residential areas, according to Agile Wind Power. Therefore, the tower is suitable for decentralized electricity production. In addition, birds and bats would recognize the vertically aligned rotor blades and not fall victim to them.

    The first product type has a nominal output of 750 kilowatts and is 105 meters high. Its rotor diameter is 32 meters. It is characterized by simple logistics concepts. "We are oriented towards the market and want to contribute to ensuring a safe and reliable supply of clean energy in the near future, regardless of finite energy sources", says the founder and CEO, Patrick Richter.

    The vertical sky rotor is going into series production on the former airport site in Lemwerder near Bremen. Access to international ports is an advantage of the location, according to the announcement. However, the Agile Wind Power research and development team will remain in Dübendorf.

  • Closed meeting of the SVSM board

    Closed meeting of the SVSM board

    The SVSM was founded in 1998 as an umbrella organization for location and business promoters in Switzerland.
    While the focus was initially on city marketing, the fields of activity have expanded significantly since then: According to the approach of integrated location promotion, the SVSM is one of their around 90
    Today, members not only include location and economic development agencies, but also tourism regions, real estate specialists, event agencies and educational institutions. To this changed framework
    To take this into account, the board of the SVSM met for a closed conference. The focus was on sharpening the association's profile, the services offered and the benefits for the members. In intensive discussions, focal points emerged and new tasks emerged. The main goals of the SVSM – enable the interdisciplinary exchange of experiences, promote professionalization and link teaching and practice – remain the same. However, members will be able to benefit from more services and improved networking opportunities in the future. The board members will now tackle the challenges of the association with a lot of motivation and commitment
    to develop further; Because everyone agreed: The SVSM is an important point of contact for all questions about location management.