
Digitalisation strengthens customer focus
Personal dialogue has always been highly relevant in successful business relationships. Particularly in a complex market such as the property sector, where decisions involve large sums of money, proximity to the customer becomes even more important. The challenge: individual and prudent advice



Key interest rate trend revives property market
The gradual reduction in key interest rates has led to a revival in the property market. This is the result of surveys by CSL Immobilien. Rents and prices for flats remain on the rise. In the office market, demand is primarily for ESG-compliant space and flexible utilisation

New plant for the mineralisation of CO2 in Alsace
Neustark has set up a commercial plant for the permanent storage of CO2 in demolition concrete at the Fehr company in Bischwiller. This enables the company, which specialises in ready-mixed concrete and prefabricated concrete elements, to bind 1200 tonnes of CO2 per

Sustainable heat supply planned in Bülach
Energie 360° and the town of Bülach want to establish an energy network from 2026. From autumn 2028, waste heat from the Furt cleaning plant will supply energy for heating and hot water. The energy company is currently examining the availability of other energy sources to build a district heating

Circular economy for electric car batteries
The canton of Solothurn is cooperating with the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB) in the field of industrial recycling of car batteries. The Swiss Battery Technology Centre Solothurn GmbH, a subsidiary of SIPBB, will be based in Biberist for this

Expansion of the clean room in Buchs
The high-precision manufacturing industry in the Rhine Valley needs state-of-the-art research infrastructure in order to remain competitive. OST - Ostschweizer Fachhochschule, RhySearch and Switzerland Innovation Park Ost are therefore planning to expand the clean room in Buchs in order to tap into

Robot platform ensures safety and efficiency on construction sites
Construction sites are among the most dangerous working environments in Europe. With the development of the CONCERT modular robot platform, the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) is setting a milestone in construction automation. The reconfigurable solution can take on heavy, dangerous and

Federal government adjusts cost limits for housing subsidies
On 1 February 2025, the revised ordinance of the Federal Office for Housing (BWO) will come into force, setting new cost limits and loan amounts for rental and owner-occupied properties. This takes into account the increased land and construction costs and improves the funding opportunities for

Test planning for urban space at Winterthur railway station
Winterthur's main railway station is about to undergo a comprehensive redesign. Up to 180,000 travellers a day are expected by 2050, which is why not only the station itself but also its surroundings need to be further developed. Test planning is now to clarify how public spaces, traffic routing

Scaling for industry with sodium-ion batteries
Sodium-ion batteries are considered a promising alternative to lithium batteries. They are cost-effective, safe and based on globally available raw materials. Nevertheless, there are technical challenges, particularly in terms of service life and industrial scaling.

Rising prices and a tight rental market
The Zurich property market remains on course for growth, but while owners are benefiting, the situation for tenants continues to worsen. Residential property prices rose by 3.3% in 2024, while the shortage of rental flats intensified. Particularly noteworthy rents were increased not only for new

Housing situation of older people in Switzerland
Older people in Switzerland often live in central, spacious and affordable flats, but there is often a lack of accessibility and age-appropriate furnishings. The "Housing in old age" study carried out by Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts on behalf of the Federal Office for Housing

Potential and challenges of new living concepts
The realisation of innovative forms of housing such as hall living or self-converted lofts offers new possibilities for the use of living space and promotes communal living. The study "Building and living communally", conducted on behalf of the Federal Office for Housing (BWO), sheds light on the

Historic spa centres in the canton of Vaud sustainably renovated
The canton of Vaud has successfully completed the renovation of five historic spa buildings, thereby setting an example for the preservation of cultural heritage while at the same time adapting to modern sustainability standards. The final stage of this extensive renovation programme has been

ETH Zurich and HSG strengthen Swiss industry
ETH Zurich and the University of St.Gallen (HSG) have launched the ETH-HSG Manufacturing Alliance to strengthen the competitiveness of Swiss industry and promote highly qualified young talent. The alliance combines the research strengths of both universities with 13 industrial partners and focusses

Basel invests in sustainable heating infrastructure
IWB and the canton of Basel-Stadt want to start building a new district heating pipeline in the Bachletten neighbourhood at the beginning of February. Therwilerstrasse and Paulusgasse are to be greened and unsealed. The redesign of the surface is still subject to

Growth trajectory for solar-powered greenhouses
Voltiris has received CHF 4.8 million in seed capital. The investment will support the commercialisation of the company's proprietary solar technology for greenhouses throughout Europe. The start-up aims to promote the integration of agricultural science and solar

Detached house is heated with Bitcoin mining
RY3T has installed its first RY3T ONE as the primary heating source for a detached house. The system utilises the waste heat from Bitcoin mining as server heating. In the coming weeks, a further ten devices will also be installed as supplementary heating systems in private

Photovoltaic system on the roof of the kybunpark stadium to be enlarged
St.Galler Stadtwerke has expanded its photovoltaic system on the roof of the kybunpark stadium. From February 2025, more than 1 million kilowatt hours of solar power will be produced annually, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of 288 four-person

New data centre in Geneva feeds waste heat into the district heating network
Cloud provider INFOMANIAK has put a new data centre into operation in Geneva. It converts 100 per cent of waste heat into heating energy. The facility thus sets new standards in energy recovery. Due to its underground location, there is no negative impact on the cityscape or the

New member of the Board of Directors strengthens growth of sustainable property platform
Alexander von Erdély has joined the Board of Directors of Optiml. The industry expert, who focuses on sustainability and innovation, will support Optiml in scaling its artificial intelligence-based B2B platform for the decarbonisation of the real estate


Innovative measurement technology facilitates structural inspection of reinforced concrete
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich have developed a method based on electrochemical measurements to detect corrosion in the steel of reinforced concrete. The spin-off Talpa is to bring the concept to market




