
Milestone for modern clay construction
For the first time, the German Institute for Building Technology has issued a general type approval for load-bearing clay block masonry using the thin-bed method. The GIMA vertically perforated clay brick may therefore be used for load-bearing walls up to building class 4. In combination with the

Daniel Leupi on Zurich’s housing policy
Zurich is growing and with this growth comes an increasing demand for affordable housing. Chief Financial Officer Daniel Leupi talks about the progress made in the city's housing policy, the pressure on the real estate market and the instruments with which the city of Zurich aims to maintain the

New impetus from Properstar
Digitalization is changing the real estate market in German-speaking Switzerland. Properstar is entering the German-speaking region of Switzerland with a focus on digital brokerage and cost-efficient processes. Under the leadership of Sonja Honauer, the new branch aims to establish innovative

Support for 91 foreign companies setting up operations
Location promoter Greater Zurich Area (GZA) supported 91 international companies in relocating to the region last year. These included a particularly large number from the cleantech sector. And with Starlab Space, the region is beginning to play a key role in the global new space economy, according

New solar system supplies solar power for sports and leisure activities
The Basel-based electricity producer aventron has inaugurated a solar installation on the Lintharena in Näfels. It will generate 124 megawatt hours per year over an area of 660 square meters. Aventron aims to achieve a solar output of 100 megawatts by

Efficient utilization of agricultural residues
Renergon has developed a small-scale biogas plant with a fuel cell. The RDS XS can process solid manure. The efficiency of the fuel cell is up to 80 percent. The plant is designed for agricultural operations in Switzerland and is also suitable for small

Construction group focuses on growth through sustainable solutions
Holcim wants to focus on scaling up circular construction in Europe. In Latin America, industrialization trends and the demand for mega construction projects are set to drive the building materials group's growth. Holcim makes this clear in its NextGen Growth 2030


New major orders strengthen infrastructure projects in the DACH region
Implenia has been awarded contracts worth a total of CHF 150 million in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. Among other things, the construction and real estate company is to build another data center in Lupfig AG and the new Clinic 2 building at Basel University


Zurich plans next-generation mobility
With an investment volume of around CHF 1.2 billion and almost 350 measures, the canton of Zurich is sending a strong signal for the future. The fifth-generation agglomeration programmes are intended to strengthen mobility, improve quality of life and better coordinate the development of

Investing in depth saves costs and improves carbon footprint
Pistor's geothermal storage system saves the wholesaler 100,000 liters of heating oil per year. This prevents the release of 330 tons of CO2, as much as 200 direct flights from Zurich to Tokyo. The construction costs of 1 million Swiss francs are amortized through the elimination of heating oil

Compact heat storage system wins innovation award for energy solutions
Cowa Thermal Solutions has won the Clean Energy & Storage category at the Start Up Energy Transition (SET) Award 2025. The jury praised the fact that Cowa's compact thermal storage systems with thermodynamic materials are five times smaller than water-based

Online tool to simplify district heating expansion
The cooperative Elektra Baselland (EBL) has set up a new online service for property owners. They can use wärmecheck.ch to check whether it is possible to connect their property to an EBL district heating network. The aim is to expand district heating

3D data platform optimizes transport and infrastructure projects
iNovitas and Geoinfra Ingenieure have created a digital twin of the road network in the Zurich Oberland. They are making around 800 kilometers of roads available in a high-resolution 3D data platform. Interested planners and decision-makers can license the

Life sciences boost the entire Basel Area
The Basel Area continues to develop dynamically: more and more life sciences companies from abroad are settling not only in Basel-Stadt, but also in the neighbouring cantons. in 2024, this key sector accounted for three quarters of all relocations. Innovation areas and targeted location promotion

Roman Mayer takes over as Head of the Federal Office for Spatial Development
With the appointment of Roman Mayer as the new Director of the Federal Office for Spatial Development, the Federal Council has chosen an experienced leader with legal expertise, strategic planning skills and extensive administrative experience. The move signals a clear strengthening of integrated

New trade fair in Lucerne
With the new Terra Solid trade fair, a central industry meeting point for foundation engineering, civil engineering and natural hazard management is being created in Lucerne. From 24 to 26 February 2026, planners, developers, authorities and entrepreneurs will meet at Messe Luzern to discover

More transparency, more clarity in tenancy law
By amending the Ordinance on the Rent and Lease of Residential and Commercial Premises, the Federal Council is creating more transparency for new tenancies. From October 2025, it will be mandatory to state the reference interest rate and inflation rate on the initial rent form. This step will have

Lucerne responds to tax pressure with a billion-euro package
The OECD minimum taxation puts Switzerland's location policy to the test. The canton of Lucerne is particularly affected. In order to prevent the impending loss of companies, jobs and investments, the Lucerne government is planning a targeted strengthening of the economic and living environment

Basel property market under pressure
The Basel region is facing a challenging development on the housing market. Demand remains high, while supply is stagnating, with consequences for purchase prices and rents. Experts at the Immo Talk organised by the real estate portal Newhome analyse the situation and provide impetus for

New companies strengthen life sciences in the Basel region
Not only Basel-Stadt, but also the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Jura are increasingly attracting foreign companies from the life sciences. Three quarters of all relocations supported by the Basel Area Business & Innovation location promotion programme in 2024 come from this

Comparison of differences in life cycle assessments for building products
Conspark GmbH has published a fact sheet on the life cycle assessment of construction products. It compares the different rules in the EU and Switzerland. As they also produce different results, the company, which specialises in the circular economy, advocates






