The OECD has put its finger on the sore spot in the Swiss housing market. In its country report dated 15 September 2026, it calls for a faster pace of construction and more delicate intervention regarding rents for existing properties. This is precisely where the real flashpoint lies for

More than 300 million euros of debt capital is being channelled into the acquisition of a majority stake in MDT technologies. This financing demonstrates the strong confidence investors have in building services technology when products integrate directly with heating, ventilation, lighting control

Zug is relaxing the rules in response to the severe housing shortage. The cantonal government is putting a partial revision of the Planning and Building Act out for consultation, linking increased density, faster procedures and new special zones to the provision of affordable

The federal government has once again placed 45 billion projects in the transport sector on its list of priorities, despite the Federal Audit Office’s sharp criticism of the selection and funding process. The battle over the allocation of funds is intensifying, particularly in relation to the

China is radically tightening the rules on property sales. Since 28 August 2026, pre-sales may only commence once the structural work has been completed, and buyers’ funds and mortgages must remain in escrow accounts. This increases the pressure on private developers and shifts risks further into

ETH Zurich isn’t just building a new physics building on the Hönggerberg. It’s constructing a controlled environment deep underground. The HPQ is designed to enable high-precision research in which even the slightest vibrations, magnetic fields, or temperature fluctuations can skew

In Thurgau, the building permit process is set to go digital. To this end, the cantonal government is putting forward amendments to the law and regulations for consultation until 11 December 2026. For local authorities, planners and building owners, this will involve new procedures, digital legal

Winter has long shaped the construction industry. Now, the summer heat is putting architecture and the real estate sector to a new test. Even sustainable wood-frame buildings require a precise interplay of location, materials, thermal mass, shading, ventilation, and

The Swiss construction industry gained momentum in the first half of 2026. Building construction is growing strongly, driven by residential construction and public projects. But behind the positive figures lies a structural problem. Contracts are in place, but planning, permits, objections, and

Every year, there is a shortfall of thousands of flats in Switzerland, even though Bern is looking into ways to speed up the process. The root of the problem lies deeper. It is not the pace alone that is holding back housing construction, but an ever-more-complex web of regulations that the cantons

The German federal government is pushing ahead with plans for its own housing association. However, a new IMK study dated 31 August 2026 warns of significant legal and financial risks and argues that a credit-based housing stimulus scheme would be quicker, cheaper and more widely

China is radically overhauling its housing model. In future, developers will only receive deposits and mortgage funds from pre-sales once construction has been formally completed. For heavily indebted developers, this is yet another blow; for buyers, it is a long-overdue

Sydney is leading the way in Australia’s housing downturn. Falling prices, a slump in demand and the reform of the ‘negative gearing’ tax scheme are all putting pressure on the existing property market, project costing and developer financing. The boom is thus losing stability in precisely

According to Entwicklung Schweiz, housing construction in Switzerland has reached a historically low level. Meanwhile, the population—and thus the demand for housing—continues to grow. In its position paper titled “Ways Out of the Housing Crisis,” the industry association calls for fewer

In 2025, the federal government and the cantons committed a total of 636.4 million Swiss francs to energy-efficiency measures for buildings. This boost comes not only from the existing building program but also from the new stimulus program, which primarily supports larger heating system

Hui Ka Yan’s life sentence brings one of the most spectacular chapters of China’s real estate boom to a close. For the market, however, the crisis is far from over, as millions of pre-sold apartments, massive debts, and new insolvency proceedings continue to weigh on the

Cement supports cities, bridges, and buildings. At the same time, its production is one of the world’s largest industrial sources of CO₂. The bottleneck lies deep within the combustion process and can hardly be resolved with green electricity alone. A new pilot plant from Holcim Germany now

Work on a 67-unit residential project on Dürrenäscherstrasse in Teufenthal has been put on hold. The reason is not a formal construction freeze, but rather an archaeological find from the Late Bronze Age, which is temporarily slowing down progress at the construction

The debate over the future of heating is often driven by ideology. Municipal heating plans in Germany now paint a much more realistic picture. Heat pumps and district heating networks are expected to collectively meet just under four-fifths of heating demand by 2045. In the target scenarios

Cement is one of the world’s major contributors to climate change. Yet, ironically, the very industry with the heaviest carbon footprint could help remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the future. Researchers at ETH Zurich are demonstrating how cement plants can be integrated with direct

Basel-Stadt is pulling the plug on the Building and Hospitality Inspectorate. Following criticism of lengthy procedures and the management, the head of the inspectorate is taking early retirement at the start of 2027. For building owners, the main concern now is whether the change in leadership

Niederweningen highlights a growing problem. Residential buildings dating from the 1980s are set to be demolished, even though experts often see significant potential for renovation in precisely these properties. The environmental cost is high, as, according to the ZHAW, new buildings only recoup

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

In Geneva, new neighbourhoods and buildings are increasingly being awarded green certifications. Yet it is precisely at the stage where materials are used and emissions are generated that oversight remains lax. This is increasing the pressure on developers, planners and authorities to finally carry

Despite the rent register, the debate on expropriation and the electoral risk, major rental housing projects are continuing to get under way in Berlin. The reason is straightforward, yet risky for developers. Demand remains high, but political uncertainty and rents exceeding 20 euros per square

St. Gallen intends to offer financial incentives to owners of properties outside building zones to encourage them to demolish empty or unsightly buildings. To this end, the government is submitting an amendment to the Planning and Building Act for consultation. As things stand, the first payments

A good energy label should protect against the summer heat, not give in to it. More and more residents of Minergie buildings are complaining that their apartments heat up to 28 to 29 degrees despite strict standards. The Minergie Association is now responding by considering a possible tightening of

Cranes are once again a common sight on Swiss construction sites. Last year, the number of new apartments approved was the highest it has been in eight years. Anyone hoping for lower rents is likely to be disappointed. The construction boom is simply not enough to meet the pent-up

Anyone who digs a tunnel ends up producing millions of metric tons of soil and rock, most of which has, until now, ended up unused in landfills. A new research project at the Cologne University of Applied Sciences aims to change exactly that and use this excavated material to produce a

Sustainable construction is often seen as an expensive luxury rather than a smart investment. A new study using the Empa and Eawag campus parking garage as an example shows the opposite. Investing in flexibility today saves millions tomorrow. The proof lies in an unassuming wooden building in