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Tag: News

  • Health center uses ecological heating center

    Health center uses ecological heating center

    The health center Dielsdorf relies on a sustainable heating technology solution. For this purpose, the Liechtenstein company Hoval has installed a heating center the size of a small single-family house on the roof of the facility , according to a press release . A solar system extends over the rest of the roof area.

    “The large area offered itself for the use of solar energy. The entire system was lifted onto the roof using a crane, ”explains Edgar Stutz, Head of Technical Service at the Dielsdorf Health Center, in the press release. According to Heinz Hitz, technical sales consultant at Hoval, only around 30 systems of this size are put into operation in Switzerland each year.

    The heart of the energy supply is a gas condensing boiler and the solar panels. There are two energy stores in the basement. When both storage tanks have reached the required temperature, the excess energy from the solar system is automatically transferred to an old part of the building. The system is supplemented by an oil condensing boiler, which is only used in the event of a fault.

    Compared to conventional heating systems, the health center can save 120,000 kilowatt hours of energy with the new system, says Björn Zittra, Head of Sales Support at Hoval. “That corresponds to around 12,000 cubic meters of natural gas – or around 29 tons of CO2 per year,” he explains.

  • City view of Bern is accessible in 3D

    City view of Bern is accessible in 3D

    Bern makes the three-dimensional view of the entire city publicly available. So far it has only been accessible to municipal offices and other interested parties. An Internet browser or a newer smartphone is sufficient for access.

    As the city of Bern informs , the city model includes all existing and planned buildings in the city. It also shows the most important bridges in detail. The vegetation can also be added as a 3D object or as a point cloud. The sub-municipalities were also supplemented using freely available data from the Federal Office of Topography.

    As a video shows, you can find out how high the Bern Minster is by zooming, sliding and rotating. In addition, it becomes clear which shadow course a building shows on a cloudless day. With the measuring tools control element, distances and building heights can be taken from the model. For example, the linear distance between two placemarks can also be determined. Much more information is also available via a link to the city map.

    Experts from urban planning, architecture and landscape design can also switch on official surveying data for their projects. For a processing fee, the city of Bern also offers to prepare and submit the data according to customer requirements.

  • Swiss Prime Investment Foundation achieves high returns

    Swiss Prime Investment Foundation achieves high returns

    The investment group SPA Real Estate Switzerland of the asset manager Swiss Prime Investment Foundation in Olten ( SPA ) closed the first half of 2021 with an investment return of 3.28 percent. In the same period of 2020, the return was 1.66 percent, according to a media release .

    The market value of the real estate portfolio also increased significantly: from 2.31 billion francs in the first half of 2020 to over 2.8 billion francs in the first half of 2021. This is due to transactions and investments. SPA added four properties worth CHF 118 million to the investment group's portfolio, including a retirement center in Bern and five apartment buildings in Schüpfheim LU.

    “The overall portfolio has shown a strong appreciation of CHF 33.8 million net due to the positive developments in new construction projects and marketing success,” the press release continues. The vacancy rate has also fallen from 4.17 to 3.34 percent.

    The investment group SPA Living + Europe, which was launched in 2020, also closed the first six months of this year successfully with a 4.4 percent return after the first transaction. The profit results from the purchase of five retirement and care properties in Germany.

  • KREIS house in Feldbach opens

    KREIS house in Feldbach opens

    An open day will take place on September 4th to mark the opening of the KREIS House . From 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Synergy Village in Feldbach, on which the research project of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences ( ZHAW ) is located, is accessible to all interested parties. You can try out the construction techniques of the KREIS house yourself. There will also be a market with sustainable local products.

    Efficient resource-to build the climate and sufficiency building was in May this year started . With this project, the ZHAW Department of Life Sciences and Facility Management ( LSFM ) wants to show how circular economy can be implemented on a reduced living space of 40 square meters. As the ZHAW writes in its invitation, everything in this house is in circulation – from the building materials to the nutrients from the wastewater for fertilizing the roof garden.

    Research is constantly developing new, recyclable technologies, materials and concepts for use in buildings, according to the LSFM project description. But the path from basic research to broad application is a long one. Therefore, the KREIS house is providing a room to try out these new technologies and materials. With their feedback, visitors contribute to improving it.

    In future, the ZHAW will be offering regular visits. They can be viewed online, as can dates for regular workshops on specific cycle issues. The overnight stays in the KREIS Haus are currently fully booked. The LSFM is also available for individual and cycle-oriented construction advice.

  • Institute publishes guidelines for spatial development

    Institute publishes guidelines for spatial development

    The Institute for Spatial Development (IRAP) of the OST – Ostschweizer Fachhochschule has published a free step-by-step guide for questions about redensification in small communities. It is intended to support communities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants to prepare their own settlement strategy, according to a media release .

    A total of 95 percent of the municipalities in Switzerland have fewer than 10,000 inhabitants. The correspondingly small administrations often do not employ any specialist staff for spatial planning. According to a press release, this means that nobody cares about high-quality settlement densification. Since the revision of the Spatial Planning Act 2014, however, localities have only been allowed to develop within their existing area in order to prevent urban sprawl.

    The free guide of the IRAP is intended to give you a start. The paper comprises seven chapters on 40 pages and is intended to answer questions such as "how much growth can our community expect?", "Where in our building zones makes the most sense of densification?" And "how do we launch these projects?".

    "With this methodology, qualified spatial planners should be able to work out an interior development strategy for the entire municipality within a maximum of 200 to 300 hours for communities with up to 10,000 inhabitants, and thus for less than CHF 50,000" -Professor Andreas Schneider quoted in the press release.

    The complete method manual is available online for download free of charge.

  • Sika expands in the Mexican market

    Sika expands in the Mexican market

    Sika AG expands in Central America and takes over Bexel Internacional SA de CV . The acquisition of the family company will significantly increase the production capacity of the producer of construction chemical product systems and industrial sealants and adhesives, according to a media release . Bexel achieved sales of 35 million francs in 2020.

    Bexel has five production sites, including Mexico City, and primarily supplies hardware stores and building materials dealers. The takeover is intended to strengthen Sika's market position in this rapidly growing metropolitan region. In addition, Sika hopes that the purchase of Bexel will generate sales synergies for its products.

    “Thanks to Bexel, we can ideally expand our geographical presence and our range on the large Mexican market for mortar products in the building finishing sector. So we have together, not least because of the improved market access, an excellent basis for further growth and a strong position in this market. We warmly welcome all new Bexel employees to the Sika team and look forward to a successful future together, ”said Christoph Ganz, Regional Manager Americas at Sika, in the press release.

  • New perovskite solar cells pass the lead test

    New perovskite solar cells pass the lead test

    A research group from the University of Life Sciences ( HLS ) of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) gives the all-clear: their tests show that the lead contained in the new perovskite solar cells is just as little washed out as all other functional metals, even if there is any weather damage. The cells were able to withstand rainwater and hail tests without the metal concentration in the rainwater increasing noticeably.

    The prerequisite for a low environmental risk is that the solar cells are packed according to commercial standards. But "even with poor packaging, only 5 to 10 percent of the total lead content in rainwater was measured over several months," HLS doctoral student Felix Schmidt is quoted in a report by the FHNW. “We currently see little cause for concern with regard to the possible environmental impacts of lead.” However, this sensitive topic must be communicated transparently with regard to the social acceptance of this technology.

    Permoskite solar cells are considered to be the future of photovoltaics. Tremendous advances in research have increased their efficiency from initially 3 to almost 30 percent in the past few years. It is thus just above that of traditional silicon cells.

    Perovskite is the collective term for new materials, the crystal structure of which is similar to the natural mineral, also known as perovskite. Perovskites absorb light particularly efficiently and conduct the electricity generated well. They are both inexpensive and easy to manufacture and process. Among other things, two national research programs are running in Switzerland. They are designed to encourage the rapid adoption of this disruptive technology.

    Now you have to think about “what will happen to the solar cells at the end of their lifespan”, continues Schmidt. "That is why we are currently developing ways to completely extract lead from old cells and use it again in new cells."

  • Buildings insurance canton Zurich leaves index unchanged

    Buildings insurance canton Zurich leaves index unchanged

    The Zurich index of residential construction prices, which is collected annually, rose by 1.1 percent to 1057.7 points between April 2020 and April 2021, explains the building insurance of the Canton of Zurich ( GVZ ) in a message . The independent public company will nevertheless keep its insurance index based on the construction price level unchanged at 1025 points in 2022.

    The GVZ last adjusted its insurance index to 1025 points in 2009, the communication further explains. At the same time, the insurance values of the buildings in the canton of Zurich were revised. “The long-term constancy of the index is desirable from an actuarial point of view because it has a positive impact on premium stability,” explains the company.

    In general, the GVZ insures buildings at their new value, the message goes on to say. Property owners can, however, have a new appraisal carried out at any time. This is particularly useful after value-adding investments in order to avoid a possible underfunding of the insurance cover for the property.

  • University of Basel gets new research building

    University of Basel gets new research building

    The University of Basel is planning to build a new building for the Department of Biomedicine on the site of today's Biozentrum on the Life Science Campus Schällemätteli, the university informs in a message . The department's 70 research groups, which are currently spread across five locations, are to be brought together in the new research building.

    Researchers from basic medical research and from university hospitals are active at the Department of Biomedicine. In the new research building, they will be provided with “the most modern infrastructure and the best framework conditions for high-performance research”, according to the announcement. In this way, the university wants to promote scientific and interdisciplinary exchange and strengthen its own competitiveness.

    The planned building will have around 35,000 square meters of space on two basement and nine upper floors, writes the university. It will be directly adjacent to the pharmaceutical center and offer space for around 700 employees and 200 students. The close proximity to the new buildings for the Biozentrum of the University of Basel and the Department of Biosystems of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich also enables researchers on the Schällemätteli life science campus to “share complex and costly key technologies”.

    The University of Basel will raise the funds for the new building on the financial market, the communication further explains. Construction is scheduled to start in 2023, and the building should be ready for occupancy in 2029. The building application was submitted to the building and transport department of the canton of Basel-Stadt on August 4th. The total contractor responsible for the new building will soon be determined via a public tender.

  • Drone creates digital twin of Zurich

    Drone creates digital twin of Zurich

    Wingtra , a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich ( ETH ), manufactures special drones for aerial photography and remote sensing. It combines the positive properties of multi-rotors and fixed-wing aircraft. The Wingtra drone takes off and lands vertically like a helicopter. At the same time, however, it flies forward as efficiently as an airplane. Thanks to its high payload, the drone can also carry a wide range of cameras.

    Wingtra recently launched the WingtraOne GEN II. This drone enables a new, angled camera configuration for high-quality 3D drone mapping. In order to use the development immediately, Wingtra has created a digital twin of the city of Zurich.

    According to a media release , the drone only needed six hours of flight for the 3D mapping of the city of Zurich. One pixel in the 3D model corresponds to 3 centimeters of information from the real world. It thus represents "a completely new level of detail".

    According to Maximilian Boosfeld, co-founder and CEO of Wingtra, the new Dorohne is “the perfect choice for capturing infrastructure – from a single industrial plant to entire cities”. Detailed 3D data could help city administrations, town planners, engineers and architects, for example, to increase the quality of life in urban areas, to plan critical infrastructures and to simulate changes in the environment.

  • Rents remain unchanged

    Rents remain unchanged

    The monthly rent index compiled by the digital real estate marketplace homegate.ch from TX Group in cooperation with Zürcher Kantonalbank closed unchanged at 115.4 points in July compared to June, explains homegate.ch in a corresponding message . In contrast, an increase in rental prices of around 0.7 percent has been observed over the past twelve months. In the individual cantons and cities, the index analysts observed different developments on a monthly basis.

    In the cantons of Geneva and Zug, asking rents in July were 2.5 and 3.5 percent lower than in June. In the cantons of Obwalden and Graubünden, however, they increased by around 1 percent each. “Given these fluctuations, when looking for a property it can be worthwhile to look outside the box and compare offers well over time,” said Fabian Korn from Homegate in the press release. In most of the other cantons, only minor changes in rental prices were observed.

    In terms of cities, the analysts highlight the city of Geneva with a decline of 2.15 percent in July. At the other end of the scale is Lugano, with asking rents up 0.7 percent compared to June. The communication provides an interactive overview of developments in the cantons and metropolises.

    When recording the rental price changes for the rental index, the rental prices are corrected for different quality, location and size of the apartments, is explained in the communication. This makes it possible to record the actual rental price development.

  • Raiffeisen nominates companies for entrepreneur award

    Raiffeisen nominates companies for entrepreneur award

    For the first time, Raiffeisen Bank is also presenting its entrepreneur award in the Espace Mittelland region. With this award it honors SMEs who are committed to “economically sustainable business development”, according to a media release . The six nominees have now been chosen.

    Megasol Energie AG from Deitingen SO is one of them. According to Raiffeisen, the SME is one of the world's leading manufacturers of solar modules. In 2014 Megasol Energie presented a solar module that will be used as a building material for the building envelope – a world first at the time.

    Puralpina ag , Wyssen Avalanche Control AG , Studersond AG and Stuberholz AG are among the nominees from the canton of Bern. Puralpina ag manufactures products for health in Switzerland, Wyssen Avalanche Control AG specializes in avalanche blasting systems, Studersond AG is a manufacturer of machines for soil digestion and Stuberholz AG specializes in timber construction.

    Krummen Kerzers AG from the canton of Friborg is one of the nominees. The logistics company operates internationally and attaches great importance to sustainability.

    The winning company will receive a trophy and prize money of CHF 10,000. In addition, an audience award worth CHF 5,000 will be awarded. The award ceremony will take place on September 9th.

  • The federal government is also aiming for net zero for soil protection

    The federal government is also aiming for net zero for soil protection

    With its Soil Strategy Switzerland, the Federal Council wants to counteract further soil loss through soil activity, erosion or pollutants. The main concern is that no more land is lost net in Switzerland by 2050. The booklet just published by the Federal Office for Spatial Development in the series “ Forum Spatial Development ” with the title “Dealing with the soil sustainably – the responsibility of spatial development” shows how it can be possible to preserve the soil in the long term.

    It is no coincidence that this goes hand in hand with the also declared net zero target for CO2 emissions, according to Damian Jerjen, Director of the Association for Spatial Planning EspaceSuisse, in a press release by the Federal Office for Spatial Development: "Spatial planning is responsible for its instruments to use for climate protection and thus also to protect the soil. ”Because, on the one hand, these must make a maximum contribution to climate protection. On the other hand, they would help to adapt to the inevitable consequences of climate change.

    In the booklet, Adèle Thorens Goumaz, Councilor of States (Greens / VD) and biodiversity expert, calls for greater specialist knowledge of soil quality to be developed. The decentralized decision-making structure represents an obstacle to sustainable soil management. In an interview, she suggests that we first come to an agreement on the agriculture of the future. "Only then should we start working on spatial planning, not the other way around."

    A report also included in the booklet describes the renaturation work after the construction work on the Ceneri Base Tunnel has been completed. There, enormous masses of earth are returned to their original parcel. They are built into fertile soil and can be used for growing vegetables after a few years.

    The booklet can be ordered in writing and for a fee from the Bern Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics . It is also available online and free of charge with audio contributions and photo series.

  • Empa strengthens concrete buildings

    Empa strengthens concrete buildings

    Outdated concrete structures have long been reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP), Empa explains in a press release . Empa researchers have now further developed this technology. Your CFRP lamellas can actively counteract the deflection of concrete beams.

    To do this, the slats are glued to the beams with epoxy resin under tensile stress. After the connection has hardened, the tensile stress counteracts the deflection of the beams. The researchers have also improved the previous method for attaching the ends of the strips. Instead of glued and screwed aluminum plates, specially developed CFRP brackets are used.

    "A solution made from a single material is always better than two that behave differently," Empa researcher Christoph Czaderski is quoted in the press release. “We made a lot of tests in the laboratory, especially for the anchoring.” According to the announcement, the new technology can increase the load-bearing capacity of a concrete slab by 77 percent compared to the classic method.

    The next step is to bring the process to market maturity. To this end, Empa is working with S&P Clever Reinforcement Company in Seewen SZ as an industrial partner. An industrial process is currently being developed for the hangers that have previously been handcrafted, according to the announcement. Martin Hüppi believes the process is “justifiable in terms of price for building owners”. “I absolutely see a market for this,” explains the S&P project manager in the press release.

  • House prices keep rising

    House prices keep rising

    At least with the tenants, July is showing its mercy, ImmoScout24 introduces a report on the current Swiss Real Estate Offer Index. It is created monthly by the real estate platform and the real estate consultancy IAZI AG . According to the latest surveys, the rental prices advertised in July fell by an average of 0.6 percent compared to June. The analysts write that the average rental price has fallen to roughly the level at the beginning of the year.

    However, you have observed different developments depending on the region. In central Switzerland and the Lake Geneva region, rents were 0.3 percent lower than in the previous month. In the canton of Zurich and the Central Plateau, no major change compared to June was registered in July. In eastern Switzerland, north-western Switzerland and Ticino, however, rents rose by between 0.3 and 2.3 percent compared to June.

    The prices for single-family houses rose by another 1.5 percent in July compared to June, the press release explains. "Over the past twelve months, the advertised values for single-family houses have even risen by 9.4 percent and are almost reaching the double-digit growth rate," Martin Waeber, COO of Scout24, is quoted there. "Anyone who wants to buy their own home needs an increasingly thick financial cushion – and due to the scarce supply, a good dose of luck."

    The Scout24 group belongs to the insurance group Mobiliar and the media group Ringier . In addition to the real estate platform ImmoScout24, the network of online marketplaces operates the platforms AutoScout24, FinanceScout24, MotoScout24, the classified ads platform Anibis and the marketer Scout24 Advertising.

  • Cantonal banks join emonitor

    Cantonal banks join emonitor

    St.Galler Kantonalbank ( SGKB ), Graubündner Kantonalbank ( GKB ) and Luzerner Kantonalbank AG ( LUKB ) are the new majority shareholders of Proptech emonitor AG . The investment takes place through the company BES Holding AG, which was founded by the three banks.

    Proptech emonitor, based in St.Gallen, digitizes rental and sales processes for real estate. According to a joint press release by the three banks, the aim of all those involved is to establish close cooperation between emonitor AG and the real estate portal newhome.ch . In doing so, they want to gradually expand the network around real estate and living.

    Together with 14 other cantonal banks and other important players in the Swiss real estate industry, SGKB, GKB and LUKB are the owners of newhome.ch, which was founded in 2013. According to the information, they intend to win additional cantonal banks to participate in emonitor in the coming months.

    The cooperation with the cantonal banks enables emonitor to further expand the ecosystem around the issues of housing and real estate in Switzerland, says co-founder and CEO Daniel Baur: "The cantonal banks are the ideal partners for us because they have a high level of trust in the population and enjoy in the real estate market. "

    Enrico Lardelli, member of the management of GKB and new board of directors of emonitor AG, also emphasizes the importance of this strategic partnership for the living ecosystem. Accordingly, the participation of his bank has a "long-term, strategic character".

  • The trend is towards longer-term mortgages

    The trend is towards longer-term mortgages

    The Swiss are increasingly tending towards longer-term mortgages. Ten years ago the five-year fixed-rate mortgage was the first choice, but now more and more people are opting for ten-year loan agreements to build or buy a property. This is the conclusion of the comparison and mediation service MoneyPark, according to a press release .

    A total of 55 percent of the brokered mortgage volume was concluded for ten years in 2020. A further 24 percent of the brokered contracts have been fixed for an even longer term, reports the company based in Freienbach. The proportion of these long-term mortgage products has doubled since 2016. The interest rate averaged a “record low” 0.92 percent.

    The reason for the trend towards longer terms are better options for comparing the products for external financing of a property. The market is also becoming more transparent and more competitive because professional intermediaries such as MoneyPark, in addition to banks, are giving new providers such as insurance companies and pension funds access. "In the past, banks preferred to sell shorter terms, also because, in relative terms, the 'risk-return ratio' is better than with longer terms", Stefan Heitmann, CEO and founder of MoneyPark, is quoted in the press release.

    Furthermore, the current low interest rate environment favors the choice of a long-term fixed-rate mortgage, as the interest rate differences between the terms are small.

  • Emmi uses solar energy from Amstutz

    Emmi uses solar energy from Amstutz

    Emmi and Amstutz Holzenergie AG are expanding their cooperation. According to a press release from Emmi, the products manufactured at Emmi's Emmen location, such as Aktifit or Lucerne cream cheese, will in future be produced using solar power from the roofs of the neighboring Amstutz AG. For twelve years now, 80 percent of the process energy required by Emmi has come from a wood chip plant on the Amstutz site. It feeds hot steam into the Emmi pipes via a pipeline.

    Amstutz's 1,440 photovoltaic modules produce around 500,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually. Amstutz uses around 200,000 kilowatt hours itself, while 300,000 are given to Emmi. "We are pleased that our neighbor Emmi has been relying on environmentally friendly 'wood steam' from our company for twelve years and that we can now use solar energy from our roofs to strengthen the partnership for a sustainable energy future", CEO Albert Amstutz is quoted as saying.

    As the announcement goes on to say, the 25 or so Emmi operations in Switzerland are supplied with 100 percent electricity from European hydropower. In the future, the company wants to "significantly" increase the production of its own renewable electricity in the coming years. The roof of the new cheese dairy currently under construction in Emmen will also be equipped with photovoltaic elements.

  • Holcim achieves record results

    Holcim achieves record results

    Holcim AG posted record results in the first half of 2021. The building materials manufacturer from Zug achieved an operating profit of 1.98 billion Swiss francs. That is 66 percent more than in the same period last year, according to a press release .

    Net sales of CHF 12.55 billion were also 17.4 percent, well above the previous year. Holcim had to accept major losses in the Corona crisis. “Around this time last year, I said that Holcim would emerge stronger from this crisis. These half-year results prove it ”, CEO Jan Jenisch is quoted in the media release.

    The acquisitions of seven companies by Holcim also contributed to the good result. The most recent takeover of roof and pond waterproofing system manufacturer Firestone Building Products saw a 21 percent increase in volume in demand. Due to this positive business development, the company is adjusting its expectations for adjusted operating profit in the current year to 18 percent.

  • Jaisli-Xamax is building underground in Bern

    Jaisli-Xamax is building underground in Bern

    The Dietiker electrical company Jaisli-Xamax AG carried out the electrical work for connecting innovative X-ray devices in the newly designed radio-oncology department at Inselspital in Bern. According to the press release , the special thing about the construction work was that the new building within the Bern University Clinic, which belongs to the Insel Group, is located underground. A three-story, underground building has been erected there. In the so-called intermediate building, which is not visible from the outside, there are treatment and examination rooms with waiting rooms as well as the technology rooms of the tumor center.

    According to a press release from Inselspital, a state-of-the-art center for the radio-oncological treatment of cancer patients has been put into operation on three floors, 20 meters below ground, in two years' time. Three devices of the latest generation are available to treat patients with precise radiation therapy.

    The demanding task of connecting these Ethos devices was in the hands of Jaisli-Xamax. At peak times, there were 20 employees working there, three of whom were apprentices. Construction manager Eduard Harder is quoted as saying that Jaisli-Xamax is proud “that we were able to make our contribution to such an important and forward-looking project”.

  • Damage to houses is CHF 650 million

    Damage to houses is CHF 650 million

    Damage to buildings amounting to CHF 650 million has arisen due to the strong thunderstorms and rainfall in recent weeks. The Association of Cantonal Building Insurance Companies draws this first balance as of July 27, according to a media release . The association points out that in 19 of the 26 cantons the cantonal building insurance covers the repair costs.

    It also informs that homeowners in those cantons in which cantonal building insurance (KGV) is mandatory are automatically insured against natural hazards such as flooding. "The KGV insurance coverage is fully guaranteed even in the event of major events such as those of the last few weeks."

    The association also provides building owners with online maps on which they can see how endangered their location is, for example from hail, floods and surface runoff. Accordingly, they could take these natural hazards into account when renovating and building new ones.

    Local heavy rain had led to flooding in early July. Parts of southwest Germany and Belgium were particularly hard hit, with numerous fatalities and destroyed houses and streets. In Switzerland there was only property damage. However, the building insurance of the Canton of Zurich asks its customers to be patient on its website, due to an "extraordinarily large number of incoming damage reports".

  • Meyer Burger wants to move solar roof tiles out of their niche

    Meyer Burger wants to move solar roof tiles out of their niche

    The solar company Meyer Burger wants to expand its product portfolio with innovative solar roof tiles. To do this, it acquires an already approved and certified solution from a German engineering service provider. With the purchase, all intellectual property and extensive specialist knowledge will become the property of Meyer Burger. No information is given on the purchase price.

    With the acquisition, Meyer Burger does not only want to secure its own sustainable business development. Another goal is to increase the market demand for innovative roof tiles. "Integrated solar roof systems still represent a market niche today. With our innovative solar tile solution, we are planning to move roof-integrated solutions out of the niche into a larger market," explains Gunter Erfurt, CEO of Meyer Burger, in a press release .

    Meyer Burger plans to launch its new solar roof in the second half of 2022. The solar tiles should be used, for example, in private roof systems with complete new or replacement roofing, objects in redevelopment and monument protection areas, houses with a limited roof load and aesthetically particularly demanding roof installations.

    The group wants to present its solar roof at the Intersolar trade fair in Munich even before it is launched.

  • Pandemic stimulates housing market

    Pandemic stimulates housing market

    The number of advertisements for rental apartments on Swiss real estate portals increased by around 13 percent year-on-year between April 2020 and March 2021, writes SVIT Switzerland in a statement on the current online housing index (OWI). It is prepared every six months by the Association of the Real Estate Industry in cooperation with the Swiss Real Estate Institute . In the current OWI, the analysts registered around 513,000 advertisements for rental apartments.

    The average period for which an apartment has to be offered until it is rented has simultaneously been reduced by two to 32 days, the analysts further explain in the press release. For them, the shortened advertising time and the increasing number of advertisements are a sign of increasing demand on the rental housing market with a simultaneous decrease in rental periods. "It can be assumed that the pandemic was the trigger for many tenants to review and adjust their own living situation," the message says.

    In 21 of 26 cantons, the analysts observed a year-on-year decrease in advertising time. The advertising times in French-speaking Switzerland have hardly changed, while in German-speaking Switzerland they have decreased in all cantons. The canton of Zug currently has the shortest advertising time at 14 days. Ticino ranks at the other end of the scale. Here, apartments have to be advertised on average for almost two months before they can be rented.

    In the cities, the analysts observed a “sharp rise” in advertisements for rental apartments in the reporting period. After 3.5 percent in the previous year, the number of advertisements in the “Corona year” in the twelve cities examined increased by 32 percent. However, because the average length of advertising has barely increased, the analysts assume that there will be relocations within the cities. "The much-cited urban escape" could not be proven with the figures, it says in the message.

  • Holcim launches CO2-reduced cement

    Holcim launches CO2-reduced cement

    With ECOPlanet, Holcim is bringing a green cement onto the market. According to a press release by the company, this causes 30 percent less CO2 emissions than conventional products. According to CEO Jan Jenisch, this will be the world's first cement that consists of 20 percent recycled construction and demolition waste. In addition to the use of low-emission raw materials, the CO2 reduction is achieved, among other things, by decarbonising the production process.

    ECOPlanet is already available in Switzerland as well as in Germany, Romania, Canada, Spain, France and Italy. In the current year, the product is to be launched in a total of 15 European countries. Holcim plans to double its market presence with ECOPlanet by the end of 2022.

    "In view of the increasing world population and rapid urbanization, solutions like ECOPlanet are of crucial importance to create greener cities and smarter infrastructure and to build more with less effort," Jenisch is quoted in the press release.

  • Nidwalden receives facility for recycling building materials

    Nidwalden receives facility for recycling building materials

    ARGE EvoREC has put a new recycling processing plant for building materials into operation in Oberdorf. This is to transform concrete and mixed demolition from the region into high-quality new building materials, according to a media release . Specifically, for example, concrete and mixed granules are to be created in different grain sizes, rock compositions and with different properties.

    ARGE EvoREC, a subsidiary of the Zurich based Holcim Kies und Beton AG and the Nidwaldner Zimmermann Umweltlogistik AG , wants to use the system to promote the circular economy in the construction sector. A large part of the recycled aggregate is used directly on site at the Holcim plant in Aennerberg for the production of recycled concrete. This closes the material cycle.

    According to Reto Zimmermann, CEO of Zimmermann Umweltlogistik AG, the new facility is not only a commitment to sustainability, but also to the region. "We receive concrete and mixed demolition from the Nidwalden market and process it into granulate for the local production of concrete – which in turn can be used to create new, sustainable structures in the region," he is quoted in the press release.

  • Federal Roads Office uses mobile bridge

    Federal Roads Office uses mobile bridge

    The Federal Roads Office ( FEDRO ) has launched the FEDRO Bridge pilot project. According to a press release , this is a mobile bridge for use in maintenance work on motorways. The traffic is slowed down at 60 kilometers per hour over the almost 240 meter long bridge. Underneath there is a space of around 100 meters where work can be carried out undisturbed by road traffic. When the construction phase is finished, the mobile bridge is pushed a hundred meters further and the work continues.

    This eliminates the barriers and shutdowns of sections of the roadway that are otherwise necessary for occupational safety. You can also work unhindered during the day. With today's traffic volume on many sections of the motorway, it has not been possible to reduce lanes for maintenance work during the day for a long time, according to the statement from the Federal Office. Accordingly, more and more construction work on the national highways has to be carried out at night. ASTRA believes that lane reduction without traffic jams on the main axes such as A1 and A2 is only possible after 11 p.m. Because of the lower noise limits, some work such as noisy demolition is not possible at night.

    The Federal Office therefore decided to develop and build the ASTRA Bridge. In the fact sheet for the mobile bridge, the length is specified as exactly 236 meters, the width as 7.30 meters and the height as 4.32 meters. Underneath, it is possible to work on a hundred meters at a width of 5.2 meters and a height of 3.10 meters.

    The ASTRA Bridge is equipped with a landing gear. Raised hydraulically by 10 centimeters, it can travel lengthways and crossways. Once the work under the bridge has been completed, it will continue to drive 100 meters by remote control for the next construction phase, according to the fact sheet. To assemble the bridge before use, 18 low-loaders are required for transport and four cranes are required for assembly.

    According to the Federal Office, the individual elements for the ASTRA Bridge are currently being built and then transported to the bridge's storage area in Rothrist TG. The bridge is to be assembled and tested for the first time in late autumn. If these tests are satisfactory, the ASTRA Bridge will be used in spring 2022 as a pilot project for paving renovations on the A1 section between Recherswil SO and Kriegstetten SO. According to the press release, the ASTRA Bridge prototype will cost around CHF 20 million. After completion of a construction project and a maintenance phase, it can be used again for the next construction project.

  • Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    Holiday home in Davos goes to Ferienkolonie Sonnenschein AG

    The city of Winterthur originally intended to acquire the Ob dem See holiday home in Davos Wolfgang from the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and then to sell it together with an adjacent, city-owned playground, the city administration of Winterthur informed in a message . In the context of an invitation to tender, however, a buyer could be found who would purchase both pieces of land individually and who would complete the purchase in the land registry immediately after the public notarization. The holiday colony Sonnenschein AG, founded especially for the purchase, wants to continue operating the property as a holiday colony.

    The company from Freienbach was able to prevail against two competitors in the corresponding tender, the message also states. The purchase price mentioned there is 2.54 million francs for the holiday home property belonging to the Oberwinterthur holiday colony association and 1.16 million francs for the adjacent playground.

    The holiday colony association will donate around 1 million francs to the city of Winterthur from its sales proceeds. The city administration explains that the donation is earmarked and will be used by the city of Winterthur for a newly established children and youth fund. The funds of the fund are intended for children and young people living in the city of Winterthur.

  • Karsten Hell is leaving the Steiner Group

    Karsten Hell is leaving the Steiner Group

    Steiner AG initiated a company transformation in spring 2021, the Zurich-based general and general contractor explains in a press release . The business model was geared towards the further expansion of the company's own project portfolio and the addition of participation models and investment vehicles such as the Steiner Investment Foundation. In addition, Steiner wants to launch digital products for the real estate market in the future.

    As part of the company's transformation, Karsten Hell offered the board of directors his resignation as CEO, Steiner informs. Hell joined Steiner in 2013 as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and has headed the company as CEO since July 2018. The outgoing CEO will remain with the company as an advisor to the board of directors, writes Steiner.

    Hell's successor will be Ajay Sirohi with immediate effect. The graduate economist and mathematician joined the Steiner Group in 2011 as Chief Financial Officer. Sirohi previously held the same position for various multinational companies.

    With Michael Schiltknecht , Sirohi will also join Steiner AG's previous Head of Real Estate Development as Co-CEO. Schiltknecht joined Steiner in 2007 as head of real estate development. The two new company directors should “continue to pursue the specified strategy and ensure the sustainable development of the company”, says the announcement.

  • Partners Group acquires Australian Travelodge hotels

    Partners Group acquires Australian Travelodge hotels

    The Partners Group creates a hospitality mainstay in Australia. In partnership with the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC and the Australian hotel operator Salter Brothers , it is acquiring the Travelodge hotel portfolio. According to a press release from Partners Group, it is the largest portfolio of its kind in Australia and is spread across major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. It offers a good starting point for further expansion.

    "This portfolio represents an excellent opportunity to acquire well-located investments" and at the same time benefit from the price discounts caused by the pandemic, says Rahul Ghai, Managing Director Private Real Estate of the Partners Group. "We particularly like this portfolio because it offers initial returns with the potential for further returns through transformative value creation strategies."

    On the one hand, the portfolio will benefit from a nationwide campaign launched this year to stimulate domestic tourism. On the other hand, the new partners are working on a plan that is supposed to improve the occupancy of the hotels through a new brand image and selective upgrading. In addition, the owners are thinking of expanding visibility by expanding loyalty and reward programs through a wider sales channel.

    Partners Group executive Euan Kennedy sees "some signs of steady economic recovery" in Australia. Rising vaccination rates are “a good omen for increasing room occupancy by domestic and foreign travelers in the course of our investment. We look forward to working with our experienced business and capital partners on this exciting opportunity. "

  • Construction activity is declining

    Construction activity is declining

    According to the real estate barometer of Zürcher Kantonalbank ( ZKB ) for the second quarter of 2021, the number of projected apartments in planning applications has decreased by 23 percent compared to 2018. According to the ZKB analysts, this is related to high vacancy rates in peripheral regions, to which investors would have reacted accordingly. In urban centers with low vacancy rates, construction activity is picking up again in some cases, according to the barometer.

    Lausanne and Zurich are cited as examples. In the cantons of Geneva and Basel-Stadt, however, the analysts have observed a decline in construction activity. They attribute this to the high regulatory hurdles typical of urban areas and the scarcity of building land. Overall, however, the analysts state that “new apartments are increasingly being planned where the demand for living space is high”.

    In the canton of Zurich, the desire for one's own four walls, which has been intensified by the pandemic, is further explained in the barometer. According to him, house prices have increased by 5.5 percent over the previous year and 2.9 percent over the previous quarter. At the same time, the analysts see a shrinking of the offers advertised on real estate portals. They explain this with the fact that many properties are marketed by regional brokers or are already sold before construction begins. For this year and the following, the analysts are assuming excess demand in the residential property market across Switzerland.