
Solar modules put to the test
With the Hail Resiliency Curve Test, VDE Americas and the Renewable Energy Test Center are setting new standards for assessing the hail resistance of solar modules in a practical manner. The protocol simulates real-life extreme weather situations and provides reliable data for manufacturers,

Stronger than steel, lighter than wood
A building material that surpasses the strength of steel and yet is renewable. The vision sounds futuristic, but it is taking shape. After years of research, the US start-up Inventwood has brought so-called Superwood into mass production. The material was developed at the Department of Materials

Lucerne presents structure plan to the public
The canton of Lucerne has taken a decisive step in the overall revision of its cantonal structure plan. The draft structure plan is open to the public from October 20 to December 18, 2025. During this phase, municipalities, organizations, companies and private individuals can submit their comments.

“The construction industry is more agile than many people think”
The Swiss construction industry is facing profound upheaval and is responding with remarkable flexibility. Rebecca Kull, COO and owner of HRS Real Estate and board member of Entwicklung Schweiz, talks about efficiency leaps through digitalization, the new role of general and total contractors and

How data is transforming construction
From 2027, the digital product passport will be mandatory for energy-intensive industries in the European Union. What sounds like mere regulation at first glance is becoming a strategic factor for the European construction sector and also for Switzerland. For companies that export to the EU or

Strategic move in the European construction sector
Holcim has signed a binding agreement to acquire the European Xella Group. The company, with brands such as Ytong, Silka, Hebel and Multipor, employs over 4,000 people in 21 markets and generates annual sales of around one billion euros. The acquisition is intended to expand Holcim's

The future of living
The Swiss Housing Days will take place in Bern and Interlaken from 21 October to 17 November 2025. The occasion is the 50th anniversary of the Federal Office for Housing, which has shaped Swiss housing policy for over half a century. Specialist events, tours and an exhibition will focus on the

Master builders’ association remains confident
In the fourth round of negotiations, the Swiss Federation of Master Builders and the trade unions continued to discuss the draft of the new national collective labour agreement. The dialogue has been constructive and the goal remains ambitious. A modern, generally binding collective agreement is to

Capital secured for industrial scaling
FenX has raised 8.2 million Swiss francs in a series A financing round. The cleantech start-up intends to use the funds to industrialise its sustainable and lightweight mineral foam insulation panels. Production by Turkish cement producer Çimsa is set to begin in



Merger planned in the Zurich energy sector
The City of Zurich is examining a takeover of Energie 360 Grad by Energiewerke des Kantons Zürich (EKZ). After joining forces, the city of Zurich's energy infrastructure could largely be operated from a single source. The parties involved see this as a decisive step towards


Further training in the property sector gains momentum
At the start of the new semester, the Zurich School of Business (HWZ) welcomed 35 students who are taking part in two new degree programmes in the real estate sector. These are the CAS Smart Real Estate AI, Data & Values HWZ and the CAS General Real Estate Management

Merger strengthens building materials testing and measurement technology
TIC Holding Schweiz from Baar, which is managed by Winterberg Advisory GmbH, has taken over TransGeo AG. The building materials testing laboratory from Muri near Bern is to operate as an independent company under the umbrella of

Future-oriented and more agile
Mobimo Holding AG is making targeted adjustments to its management structure in order to further strengthen its competitiveness in the dynamic real estate market. From 1 January 2026, the Executive Board will be streamlined and the new "Acquisitions" division will be introduced, thereby increasing


Conserving resources and extending building life cycles
The concept of the circular economy is becoming increasingly important in the Swiss construction industry. In view of the climatic challenges, increasing scarcity of resources and growing volumes of waste, innovative approaches are fundamentally changing traditional linear

The big living showdown
One of the fiercest housing policy debates of recent years is raging in the canton of Zurich. On October 27, the cantonal council will decide on four popular initiatives, some of which propose contradictory solutions to the housing problem. The fronts are clear. Tenants' and homeowners'

Five mobility trends are driving the real estate industry
Digital parking systems, data-driven land use and artificial intelligence. After Expo Real 2025, it is clear that the mobility turnaround has long since arrived on the land of the real estate industry. Europe's leading free-flow provider Wemolo identifies five trends that are transforming parking

Property consultancy with vision: Expertise for the entire life cycle
Migros Bank supports property owners throughout the entire life cycle of their properties - with foresight, expertise and a strong partner network. The modular advisory approach combines financing, analysis and strategy into a holistic


New alliance for international location marketing
The canton of Aargau wants to rejoin the Greater Zurich Area (GZA) location marketing organisation. For the first six years of renewed membership, the cantonal government is requesting CHF 8.5 million. This will cover the membership fee and two additional positions required at the

New findings on the stability of steel under the influence of hydrogen
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) are investigating the mechanisms that lead to the hydrogen embrittlement of steel. Their findings will be used to build more stable bridges and to improve the infrastructure for storing and transporting green





