
How artificial intelligence secures the construction process
Benetics AI presents the first automatic recognition and analysis of construction plans in emails at Swissbau. The Benetics AI email assistant analyses construction plans in Outlook attachments and automatically assigns updated plans to the relevant personnel. Outdated versions are

Three decades of engineering excellence in the field of wood and recycling
PIRMIN JUNG Schweiz AG is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Today, the owner-managed timber construction company from Sursee employs over 150 people at seven locations in Switzerland and Germany. Circular construction is becoming increasingly

New balance of power in modular room solutions
The Condecta Group is acquiring the entire Swiss FAGSI fleet of rental containers from the ALHO Group. The FAGSI site in Wikon is being expanded into a centre for high-quality mobile space solutions. This will enable Condecta to realise larger and more complex projects in the

Building technology grows beyond regional boundaries
The Burkhalter Group is acquiring BZ-Dépannage Sàrl in Lonay, a company specialising in sanitary facilities, heating, maintenance and repairs, with effect from 15 January 2026. With this acquisition, the Group is entering the building technology market in western

Platform strategy strengthens construction and environmental expertise
TIC Holding Switzerland AG has acquired HSE Conseils. With this acquisition, the company aims to expand its portfolio in the industrial, building materials, construction, environmental and occupational safety sectors. HSE Managing Director Marc Dutoit will remain in his

Senior citizens sell their homes late and downsize only slightly after moving out
The Zurich Cantonal Bank's real estate barometer has analysed voluntary moves out of owner-occupied homes. It is striking that moves usually involve couples, do not involve a change of location, and become more frequent from the age of 85 onwards. After moving out, the number of rooms per person

Improve quality, streamline processes
Switzerland needs to grow inwards, but many building permit procedures take too long and are unnecessarily complex. What is needed is early cooperation between all parties involved, clear responsibilities and digitally supported processes so that high-quality inner-city development becomes a

More living space from the system
Serial construction is a response to the housing shortage, cost and climate pressure and opens up new opportunities for quality, sustainability and the circular economy. The decisive factor will be whether it is possible to combine standardization with architectural diversity and social

Startups that are turning construction upside down
Six start-ups competed in the final of the Swissbau Startup Challenge in the Swissbau Lab. They showed how CO₂ can be reduced, processes streamlined and resources circulated. An expert jury selected the winners, Basel Circular presented the Circular Award for the first time and one thing was

View into the fire zone
The FireDrone flies into burning buildings, tunnels or industrial plants and delivers real-time data from extreme environments. Developed at Empa and continued as a spin-off, it combines heat-resistant materials with intelligent robotics for greater safety and efficiency in firefighting and

Modernization and building mobility: Why we need to build on the existing infrastructure
Cities of all sizes face a common challenge: their key infrastructure was never designed for the relentless pace of modern life. Millions of people rely on systems that are decades old, well past their intended lifespan and incompatible with climate

Regional strength compensates for weakness in the Asian market
Sika AG, a company active in the specialty chemicals sector, achieved preliminary sales of CHF 11.2 billion in the 2025 financial year. In local currencies, this corresponds to growth of 0.6 per cent. In Swiss francs, negative currency effects (-5.4 per cent) resulted in a decline of 4.8 per

Expansion of Building Solutions through acquisitions in Western Europe
Building materials specialist Holcim has acquired French concrete component manufacturer Alkern. The acquisition strengthens Holcim's business in the Building Solutions segment and brings it closer to its goal of this segment accounting for around 50 per cent of net sales by

SVIT Zurich political talk “Zurich municipal council elections 2026”
On March 8, 2026, the city of Zurich will elect its municipal council. In the SVIT Zurich Polit Talk, seven committed candidates will discuss their positions on housing and real estate policy, present solutions for the tight housing market and enter into direct dialog with the


From material to strategy – circular thinking in construction
Swissbau, which begins on 20 January 2026, will focus not only on digitalisation and collaboration, but also on the key topic of circular economy and materials. The construction and real estate trade fair will offer lectures, panel discussions and practical examples on these

IWB apprentices recycle street lights in their own start-up
Trainees at Basel-based energy supplier IWB have turned their Metro project into a start-up. They are giving disused Metro 45 street lights a new lease of life as floor lamps. Basel-based lighting specialist Regent AG is acting as a partner for quality and safety

Modern hall solution supports specialised recycling processes
Bieri Tenta AG, which specialises in fabric solutions, has successfully completed the construction of a warehouse for Theler AG and BOWA Recycling AG at the Susten site. The warehouse will enable efficient management of materials for the recycling operation in

Cantons stop fire protection liberalization
Following the fire in Valais, the cantons have halted the "BSV 2026" project and put the planned relaxation of Swiss fire safety regulations on ice. Instead of deregulation, the focus is now on analysis, clarification and readjustment, with an open outcome between tightening, standardization or

Apartments are shrinking again
More and more people are living in less space. New-build apartments are becoming smaller for the first time in decades, while the living space per capita remains historically high. This trend is fundamentally changing planning, construction and energy policy and is turning space itself into a

Majority stake drives growth in the Peruvian market
Holcim has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in the Peruvian construction company Cementos Pacasmayo. The transaction, with a volume of USD 1.5 billion, is intended to strengthen Holcim's presence in Latin America and is a central component of the NextGen Growth 2030

Strategic takeover strengthens mortar business in Northern Europe
Sika, which is active in speciality chemicals, is acquiring Finja Betong AB, a Swedish mortar manufacturer. The transaction gives Sika a strong basis for expansion in Northern Europe, creates cross-selling potential and strengthens its production


Where the construction and real estate world is building its future
Swissbau 2026 will be a laboratory for the future of construction. Topics such as climate protection, the circular economy, digitalization and skilled workers are coming closer together than ever before. With a focused look ahead, strong content and a dialog between planning, construction and

Swiss economy between a damper and confidence
The KOF Business Situation Indicator from ETH Zurich shows a mixed picture in December 2025. While the current situation in the Swiss private sector has declined slightly, expectations for the coming six months are rising for the fourth time in a row. The prospect of mild growth in the new year


Generational change strengthens the direction of an established electrical supplier
Elektro Meier AG has renewed its management team and at the same time changed its name to Eglin Elektro AG Würenlingen. Since 1 December, Marc Wey has been managing the company, which has now been fully integrated into the Eglin

New standard turns buildings into tradable CO₂ sinks
In cooperation with myclimate, OPENLY from Widnau has issued the first CO2 certificates for CO2 sinks in buildings and registered them in the Global C-Sink Registry of Carbon Standards International (CSI). The underlying Global Construction C-Sink standard was developed by

Expansion of the recycling of building materials in Europe
Holcim has expanded its European portfolio for recycling building materials. Three acquired companies in England, Germany and France with a capacity of 1.3 million tons of construction and demolition materials will contribute to the Group's goal of recycling over 20 million tons by
