immo!nvest – Die Plattform für Standorte und Immobilien

Tag: Wohnbau

  • Development site at Zofingen railway station gains a new perspective

    Development site at Zofingen railway station gains a new perspective

    Pensimo has acquired the western part of the former Swissprinter site near Zofingen railway station through its Turidomus real estate investment foundation. The 27,636 square metres of land was owned by Ringier Areal AG. Together with the town of Zofingen and the Basel-based architectural firm Christ & Gantenbein, Ringier Areal AG had developed a strategy for converting the site into a mixed residential and working neighbourhood and was looking for an investor.

    According to a press release issued by Pensimo, a study contract will be launched next year to clarify the urban planning ideas and sharpen up the housing offer. At present, over 300 flats are planned, which will be built from 2028 and could be ready for occupancy from 2030.

    Alexander Büchel, the portfolio manager responsible at Pensimo, describes the acquisition of this “unique and strategically ideal development site” as a special opportunity. “Zofingen has an attractive location quality, is a cantonal development centre and the micro-location of the site is excellent.”

    The five building plots of the Areal-West site are to have a diverse range of flats and be certified in accordance with the Swiss Sustainable Building Standard. “We want to build on the industrial past,” says Büchel, adding that the aim is to develop a “sustainable offering”.

    The Swissprinters printing plant, like Ringier Areal a joint subsidiary of Ringier and NZZ, was closed in September 2024. The entire site covers around 55,000 square metres in a central location. According to Ringier Areal AG, it is currently pressing ahead with a development project for the eastern part of the site with the historic main building.

  • Alte Mühle residential project reaches important milestone

    Alte Mühle residential project reaches important milestone

    Swica Health Organisation Ltd. is building a new neighbourhood with a total of 136 flats on the former Huggler site in Suhr. SWICA has entrusted Halter AG from Schlieren with the realisation of the Alte Mühle residential park project as total contractor. Around a year after the foundation stone was laid, the topping-out ceremony has now been celebrated on the building site, Halter announced in a post on LinkedIn.

    In the Alte Mühle residential park project, ten apartment blocks will be grouped around the Alte Mühle in a loose building structure. Halter explains in the project description that the mill itself can be renovated without the need for heritage protection. The three to five-storey buildings should be completed by the end of 2026. Around half of the rental flats and a large proportion of the owner-occupied flats have already been reserved.

  • Condominiums between city life and nature

    Condominiums between city life and nature

    “Urban living meets nature” is how Halter AG introduces a post on LinkedIn about one of the company’s new-build projects. Specifically, the Schlieren-based property developer is constructing a building with 43 condominiums and around 80 square metres of commercial space at Leimbachstrasse 28 to 32. According to the project’s website, the 2.5- to 4.5-room flats will be the ideal home for “nature-loving city dwellers”. Interested parties can sign up to a list there, which will be used to send out information about the project before the official marketing launch.

    The total of 43 condominiums, including penthouses and garden flats, are divided into 10 flats with 2.5 rooms each, 30 flats with 3.5 rooms and three flats with 4.5 rooms. The description of the project cites excellent transport links, diverse infrastructure and nearby recreational areas as plus points. Construction work is scheduled to begin in spring 2026 and be completed two years later.

  • Restrictions on objections in projects

    Restrictions on objections in projects

    In view of the continuing tense economic situation, the Federal Council has once again extended the maximum period of entitlement to short-time working compensation to 18 months. This will allow companies to benefit from more flexibility and stability in a fluctuating order situation until July 31, 2026.

    New requirements for smart devices
    Stricter security requirements now apply to wireless, internet-enabled devices such as smartphones, smartwatches and baby monitors. The aim is to protect personal data and prevent cyber attacks. The devices must ensure that they cannot be misused for so-called DDoS attacks. This is based on the Federal Office of Communications’ new ordinance on telecommunications equipment.

    Fewer objections to smaller projects
    A key element of the legislative changes relates to residential construction. Nature conservation, heritage protection and monument preservation organizations may no longer lodge an objection to projects with a floor area of less than 400 m² within building zones, unless they involve protected sites or biotopes. The decision is intended to facilitate residential construction and speed up procedures.

    Indicative prices for Swiss timber permitted
    An amendment to the Forest Act will allow forest owners to publish regional or national indicative prices for Swiss raw timber together with the downstream industry. The regulation is intended to create greater market transparency and strengthen timber sales as a source of income for sustainable forest management.

    Focus on safety
    Several changes in the aviation sector are aimed at increasing operational safety and accident prevention, such as new requirements for crash-proof fuel systems for helicopters, extended information obligations on fire protection for air freight, Êintroduction of a new private pilot license for gyrocopters and stricter rules for air freight, air mail and security personnel at airports

    Switzerland intensifies cooperation with the EU
    As part of the Prüm cooperation, automated fingerprint data comparisons and access to vehicle and owner data are now also possible in Switzerland. The aim is to combat cross-border crime and terrorism more efficiently. Further regulations will follow in 2027.

    Ban on cell phones in schools in Aargau and Nidwalden
    The cantons of Aargau and Nidwalden are implementing new guidelines on the use of digital devices in schools. Cell phones may only be used for teaching purposes or in emergencies. This is the authorities’ response to increasing distraction and social conflicts caused by excessive cell phone use in everyday school life.

    Reforms with an impact on everyday life and the economy
    The new regulations reflect key social issues such as labour shortages, digitalization, housing requirements and security. Whether at school, at work or in private housing – the changes to the law from August 2025 mark a further step towards adapting to current challenges.

  • Lift refurbishment with a focus on comfort and safety

    Lift refurbishment with a focus on comfort and safety

    KONE has replaced the outdated lifts of a competitor in the Im Tiergarten neighbourhood of Zurich for 466 occupied rental flats. Within 18 months, the lift manufacturer from Brüttisellen installed a total of 46 of its MonoSpace 500DX lifts in one of Zurich’s largest residential complexes.

    According to a company statement, this model adapts flexibly and with millimetre precision to the existing shaft. The payload of most of the passenger lifts has been increased from 320 to 480 kilograms. The new cabins are also significantly larger. According to KONE, they are monitored around the clock via the company’s digital asset management system and serviced proactively. This should lead to around 30 per cent fewer breakdowns.

    The owners had decided to forego vacancy notices and to carry out further refurbishment measures while the building was occupied. According to KONE, it was able to adhere to the tight schedule thanks to a special logistics concept with overnight delivery and close coordination with the owners and residents.

    The successful complete replacement in the Im Tiergarten development is one of KONE’s largest lift modernisation projects in Europe to date. According to Christian Herbst, KONES Director of Modernisation for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, “it shows that we are well positioned to meet an increasingly important demand in the market: the efficient modernisation of even a large number of installations, in close coordination with partners and under difficult conditions such as renovating while the building is occupied”.

  • Bergdietikon grants building permit for retirement and care centre

    Bergdietikon grants building permit for retirement and care centre

    The Bergdietikon municipal council has given the green light for the construction of a retirement and care centre in the Hintermatt area, according to a statement from the Oase Group. Retirement flats and care places are to be built there. The building permit is expected to come into legal force at the end of May, according to the municipality’s press release.

    Planning for the Hintermatt retirement and care centre in the Kindhausen district of Bergdietik has been ongoing for around twelve years, according to the press release. It began with a municipal assembly and the sale of the land in Hintermatt to Oase Holding AG in Baar ZG. Oase submitted the planning application in November 2023.

    The Oase Group, based in Dübendorf ZH, currently operates a wide range of residential concepts in the areas of retirement living, assisted living, care for people in need of care and long-term and palliative care at eight locations throughout Switzerland, according to the company. A further seven projects, including Bergdietikon, are in the planning stage.

    According to the guideline project on which the design plan is based, Oase will build a centre with around 64 retirement flats and 45 care places. Seven parties objected to the planning application. After the public consultation was completed in summer 2024, several objection negotiations took place between the developer and the objectors. The negotiations were concluded before Easter and the municipal council issued the building permit at its meeting on 22 April, according to a statement from the municipality.

    According to the plans of the municipality and the Oase Group, the new retirement and care home is set to open in the fourth quarter of 2027.

  • Potential for residential construction and internal development

    Potential for residential construction and internal development

    Residential construction is a key factor in sustainable urban and spatial development. Switzerland is faced with the task of creating new living space without unnecessarily taking up valuable land outside existing settlement areas. The findings of the Federal Office for Spatial Development show that the construction of existing housing in particular will play a key role in future development. However, this is associated with more complex challenges than new construction on previously undeveloped land.

    Where are new apartments being built?
    An analysis of residential construction activity between 2018 and 2022 shows clear patterns. Rural and peri-urban municipalities show a higher level of new construction activity in relation to their primary housing stock than urban areas. Nevertheless, the proportion of new builds on previously undeveloped building plots has decreased overall, while the proportion of construction in existing buildings now accounts for 59% of building permits. In urban areas, residential construction is increasingly concentrated in existing residential areas, while growth continues to be recorded on the outskirts of settlements.

    The challenge of building on existing properties
    Building housing on existing sites is more complex than developing new building areas. One key finding is that municipalities with large undeveloped building land reserves have less building activity in existing areas. The pressure for redensification is lower where there is still sufficient space for new buildings. At the same time, targeted measures by the municipalities and high-quality construction projects can make a positive contribution to inner development and create incentives for the use of existing structures.

    Drivers of and obstacles to building activity
    Building activity on undeveloped land is easier to analyze as it is strongly influenced by measurable factors such as property price trends and rent levels. Case studies show that municipalities with an active housing policy have a higher rate of inner-city development. Municipal measures such as targeted advice, land policy or attractive public spaces can provide decisive incentives for redensification.

    Quality as the key to acceptance
    Another success factor is the quality of the construction projects. Social acceptance is higher when construction projects not only create additional living space, but also contribute to the quality of the settlement. This includes publicly accessible open spaces, the promotion of biodiversity and socially acceptable housing. Such quality criteria are particularly important in inner-city development, as structural changes often take place in the direct residential environment of the residents.

    Settlement development a long-term change
    Ten years after the Spatial Planning Act came into force, initial data shows that the transformation towards inner-city development has begun. Particularly in urban areas such as Zurich, Basel and Lausanne, more and more apartments are being built by converting or adding storeys to existing buildings. However, there is also an increasing trend in peri-urban and rural communities towards the use of already built-up areas.

    Strategies for residential construction
    The analysis of residential construction activity shows that targeted control through spatial planning is possible. Municipalities that actively promote inner-city development are better able to meet the challenges of residential construction. Successful strategies include a forward-looking land policy, high-quality construction projects and close cooperation between the public and private sectors. Inner development remains one of the central tasks for future-oriented spatial development in order to meet the growing demand for housing in a resource-efficient manner.

  • Sustainable construction projects launched in Germany and abroad

    Sustainable construction projects launched in Germany and abroad

    Implenia, the construction and property company based in the Glattpark district of Opfikon, has won several tenders for building construction contracts. According to a press release, the contracts have a total volume of 160 million Swiss francs.

    The company will construct the new office building of the Swiss National Science Foundation(SNSF) in Bern. The sustainable building will be constructed using local timber and recycled concrete in accordance with the Swiss Sustainable Building Standard (SNBS). Implenia has also been awarded several contracts in Germany.

    In Mainz, Implenia, together with its partners Gemünden and Apleona, was awarded the contract to construct a new 10,000 square metre research building for TRON. The research institute develops new diagnostics and active ingredients for immunotherapeutic treatments.

    In Leipzig, Implenia and its partner GP Günter Papenburg AG are building a seven- to eight-storey residential development on nine connected properties. In addition to 202 residential units, many commercial and ancillary premises are to be built. The buildings will be constructed as low-energy buildings in accordance with the Efficiency House 55 standard and the entire complex will be handed over on a turnkey basis.

    Three residential buildings with 101 units are being built in Munich, which should be ready for handover by 2026. Implenia will also realise a further stage of an ongoing project in Heilbronn and has been commissioned with a pre-construction phase in Siegburg.

  • Parliament restricts the right of associations to lodge complaints about residential construction projects

    Parliament restricts the right of associations to lodge complaints about residential construction projects

    On 11 September, the Council of States made a far-reaching decision: in future, associations will no longer be allowed to lodge complaints against smaller residential construction projects in building areas. This new regulation affects residential construction projects with a floor area of up to 400 square metres. With a clear majority of 30 votes to 14, parliament voted in favour of this measure, which has triggered a wave of relief, but also criticism, in the construction industry.

    The new regulation, which is described as a “moderate restriction” of the right of appeal by associations, aims to reduce delays in the realisation of construction projects. This development is particularly important for property developers in times of increasing housing shortages. “The current right of appeal often acts as a brake on the creation of new living space,” explained Fabio Regazzi (centre/TI). “With this adjustment, we are reducing the power imbalance between small builders and national associations.”

    Fewer objections to single-family homes
    The new law means that smaller construction projects, such as single-family homes, can be realised more quickly and without costly objections in future. This applies in particular to projects within designated building zones. For many building owners, this means a reduction in bureaucratic hurdles and greater planning security.

    Beat Rieder (centre/VS), President of the Committee for the Environment and Spatial Planning, emphasised the urgency of this amendment: “It is unacceptable that even the smallest construction projects are blocked for years by appeals.” The majority in parliament sees the amendment as an urgently needed measure to accelerate residential construction in Switzerland and meet the growing demand for living space.

    Critics warn of undesirable developments
    However, not all parliamentarians were satisfied with the decision. Simon Stocker (SP/SH) warned that the new law hits the wrong targets. “In many cases, it is not the associations but neighbours who file objections to small construction projects,” said Stocker. The regulation therefore does not always affect the right players.

    Environmental organisations also expressed their concerns. Heidi Z’graggen (centre/UR) pointed out that the previous regulations of the Nature and Cultural Heritage Protection Act (NCHA) had an important preventative effect. She warned that the new regulations could create undesirable loopholes that would impair the quality of construction.

    The central point of contention
    Another point of discussion was the upper limit of the floor area. While the majority supported the limit of 400 square metres proposed by the National Council, a minority called for this to be lowered to 250 square metres. According to Simon Stocker, this area corresponds more to that of an average detached house. However, the motion failed to gain majority support.

    The Federal Council was also in favour of the 400 square metre rule. Environment Minister Albert Rösti explained that this size would also allow for a detached house with a granny flat and would therefore meet the needs of building owners.

    Restriction to important sites and water areas
    Another controversial point in the bill concerned the exceptional cases in which association complaints are still possible. The Council of States decided that these are only permitted for construction projects in areas of national importance. The National Council had originally defined “important sites” as the benchmark. However, the stricter regulation of the Council of States was adopted by a majority, as was the cancellation of the possibility of appeals by associations in water areas, which led to further opposition.

    Céline Vara (Greens/NE) sharply criticised the decision and warned of the ecological risks: “Building near bodies of water can have fatal consequences. Experts strongly advise against it, and yet this protection is being dangerously weakened by the new regulation.”

    Harmonisation with the Environmental Protection Act
    The amendment to the right of appeal for associations also takes place in the context of harmonisation with the Environmental Protection Act (EPA). While the Environmental Protection Act already recognises restrictions for complaints regarding major projects, the Nature and Cultural Heritage Protection Act was previously unrestricted in this respect. The new regulation aims to eliminate this discrepancy and standardise the handling of complaints.

    A controversial but decisive step
    The restriction of the right to lodge complaints with associations for smaller residential construction projects is a significant step that will have a lasting impact on both developers and the property sector. While some speak of an urgently needed reduction in bureaucratic hurdles, critics warn of possible undesirable developments and ecological risks. The bill will now be discussed again in the National Council – and the outcome of the final vote remains exciting.

  • Future development of residential construction activity in Switzerland

    Future development of residential construction activity in Switzerland

    A study by property consultants Wüest Partner, headquartered in Zurich, concludes that residential construction activity in Switzerland will pick up in the medium term. The rise in interest rates in the years 2021 to 2023 has slowed down construction activity and thus the growth of the property stock. This has led to falling building land prices, according to a press release from the Federal Office for Housing(BWO) on the study. Building will therefore become more economical again in the medium term. In addition, the higher reference rate for rents has increased income. This is also stimulating construction activity.

    The housing market is currently in a transitional phase, after which equilibrium will be restored. However, the expected increase in construction activity is likely to be lower than before the interest rate hike. In March, the Swiss National Bank lowered the key interest rate again from 1.75 per cent to 1.5 per cent.

    Wüest Partner conducted the study “Rise in interest rates: effects on residential construction and prices” on behalf of the BWO. It analysed the development of interest rates and construction activity between 2021 and 2023.