Biel is reorganizing its extensive real estate portfolio. In August 2026, the municipal council adopted a strategic framework to ensure that maintenance, investments, school facilities, and land policy are no longer based on scattered data and fragmented

The Bern cantonal government wishes to revise the rules governing ownerless land and plots. Land that cannot be cultivated, such as rocks and glaciers, is to belong to the local authorities. In the case of ownerless sections of road, arable land or industrial sites, the local authorities are to be

Grenchen will switch to the eBauSO system for planning applications from 1 September 2026. For developers and planners, submissions will therefore only be accepted digitally from then on, whilst objections and appeals in the canton of Solothurn will, for the time being, continue to be submitted on

Even 351 vacant flats in Bern are still not enough to provide even a minimal buffer. As at 1 June 2026, the vacancy rate remained at 0.44 per cent, even though the housing stock had risen to 79,797 units by the end of 2025 and new builds had already been fully

For households on BKW’s basic service plan, electricity will become even more affordable in 2027. According to the company, for an annual consumption of 4,500 kilowatt-hours, the bill will decrease by about 95 francs per year. At the same time, a voluntary grid tariff will be introduced, offering

956 valid signatures were enough in Zollikofen to put the rezoning of the Steinibachgrube to a public vote. This means that a housing project comprising around 140 flats will become a political litmus test for urban densification, the risk posed by contaminated sites and traffic

Construction of a mixed-use residential and commercial building is set to begin in early August on the site of the former EPA car park in Grenchen. The plans include a new bank branch on the ground floor, 28 rental flats on the upper floors, and occupancy is expected around two years after

In the Tscharnergut neighbourhood of Bern and in other residential areas, heritage conservation and housing regeneration are at loggerheads. Whilst property owners and housing cooperatives are pushing for replacement buildings, objections are dragging proceedings out for years, thereby exacerbating

In Bern’s Viererfeld neighborhood, the cost of purchasing a cooperative apartment is rising significantly. Following the decision on June 1, 2026, the minimum equity contribution will rise to 2,000 francs, plus share certificates totaling approximately 40,000 francs, depending on the size of the

The redevelopment of Bärenplatz and Waisenhausplatz in Bern has cleared its next hurdle. The Bern-Mittelland District Office has granted the building permit and rejected an objection. This brings the start of construction closer, with work set to begin no earlier than the fourth quarter of

Biel is now managing a portfolio of approximately 180 municipal buildings with an insured value of 1.3 billion Swiss francs using portfolio data. This move increases pressure to invest, as maintenance is 10 to 15 years behind schedule and several major renovations are planned well into the

Following the Solothurn Cantonal Council’s decision on the appeal, the comprehensive revision of Subingen’s local land-use plan is now legally binding. This brings an end to a process that has lasted more than ten years, and the municipality can once again proceed with plans for infill

In Biel, two municipal housing initiatives have been submitted with approximately 2,600 signatures. They call for a significant increase in the number of nonprofit and municipal housing units by 2055, as well as mandatory quotas for affordable housing on privately owned

In Sugiez, the Canton of Fribourg has begun construction of the new central prison. The 70.8 million Swiss franc project brings together pretrial detention, open-prison facilities, and ancillary infrastructure at a single location, marking a new chapter in the prison system both in terms of

With effect from 1 July 2026, the Canton of Fribourg is establishing the legal framework for a demolition incentive outside the building zone. This move implements the revised Spatial Planning Act and increases the pressure on property owners, local authorities and planning authorities to manage

The Canton of Fribourg owns 661 buildings. Many of them are dilapidated, many are energy-inefficient, and without intervention, the situation will deteriorate drastically in just a few years. The Grand Council approved a framework credit of 150 million Swiss francs by a vote of 81 to 4 to address

In Bern’s new Viererfeld/Mittelfeld neighborhood, the M31 development site—reserved for senior housing—is now set to be developed by the Serena Foundation. This change keeps the goal of affordable housing for seniors on track, but it also highlights how strongly planning regulations and

One week after the “No” vote on the 10-million initiative, the FDP is shifting the housing policy debate to building land, objections, and land-use conversions. For planners, property owners, and municipalities, this once again raises the question of whether densification alone can still solve

The canton of Solothurn plans to increasingly transfer real estate that is not essential to its operations under building lease agreements. In doing so, it shifts renovation risks to third parties, while retaining ownership of the land and securing ongoing income from building lease

The Swiss Real Estate Forum (SREF) took place for the first time in Bern on June 11 and 12, 2026. By moving to BERNEXPO, the industry event brought itself closer to federal politics and set an example for dialogue between the real estate industry, politics, academia, and

The Road Traffic and Navigation Office of the Canton of Berne has a space problem and a building substance problem. For years, one of the canton's most important administrative authorities has been working in buildings in need of renovation at three different locations. Now the canton is pulling

The construction industry is facing a system change and the canton of Fribourg wants to actively shape it. With CHF 290,000 from the new regional policy, the economic development agency WIF is calling on companies to develop circular solutions for the construction of tomorrow. Those who act by

A former military site, 60 hectares, characterized for decades by uniforms and armaments factories. Now cutting-edge research is to move in. The city of Thun is getting serious and is advancing CHF 16 million to ensure that the new Empa building does not fail due to lack of funding. What sounds

President of the Swiss Confederation and Minister of Economic Affairs Guy Parmelin officially inaugurated the new Toblerone production line at Mondelez Schweiz Production GmbH in Bern on March 10, 2026. The Chicago-based parent company invested CHF 65 million in this new global competence

In Fribourg, the Tour Invictus is a 60-metre residential tower rising into the sky. It stands for high-density living, new forms of housing for the elderly and the question of how far a city wants to grow and

The canton of Jura has updated its list of industrial brownfield sites suitable for redevelopment as part of SwissRenov. The number of properties recorded has risen by 30 to 70. This project, which is unique in Switzerland, aims to promote the circular economy. It is being carried out by Haute

Heller Gastro AG is celebrating the reopening of its Eiger Lodge Grindelwald. After a nine-month renovation period and an investment of CHF 4.5 million, the hostel-style hotel will reopen on 19 December

STRABAG is continuing the renewal of the Central Railway line in the Haslital. The modernization project is intended to ensure flood protection there. The location of the construction site, which runs through several nature reserves, is a particular challenge for logistics and

The Dietiker Pestalozzi Group has started the construction of its new logistics center in Pieterlen with a ground-breaking ceremony. Among other things, this is intended to secure the long-term growth of Transstahl AG, which belongs to

The Lake Thun wastewater treatment plant (ARA) and dhp Technology have put the HORIZON solar folding roof into operation. With an output of 3.6 megawatts peak, the system is the world's largest solar folding