
Klybeckquai and Westquai as a hinge between the city and the future
Basel is setting new standards in urban planning with the development of Klybeckquai and Westquai. A newly conceived quarter on the Rhine, flexible uses on Westquai and generous open spaces define the face of a dynamic, complex urban

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


Pension funds focus on sustainable living
Vertina Investment Foundation has successfully completed a capital increase. Its Vertina Wohnen investment group exceeded its target volume of CHF 50 million, raising CHF 74.3 million. The proceeds from the issue will be used to finance and realise two residential projects in

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

Sustainable commercial real estate in the focus of institutional investors
Swiss Life Asset Managers plans to launch a listed Swiss real estate fund focusing on commercial properties. The fund, which is based on an integrated ESG strategy, holds real estate in direct ownership and offers investors high income

Long-term supply agreement strengthens global wind energy industry
Gurit Holding AG has signed a five-year supply contract with a manufacturer of wind turbines. The contract covers the supply of core kits featuring Gurit OptiCore technology and is expected to generate net sales of CHF 250 million for

Winterthur introduces new guidelines for sustainable procurement
The city of Winterthur is changing its public procurement rules as of 1 July 2026. These rules are binding for all municipal departments for contracts worth CHF 50,000 or more and are intended to have a positive impact on the climate and the

Farewell to an energy price with a signal effect for the future
The Swiss Federal Office of Energy is awarding the Watt d'Or energy prize for the last time to recognise outstanding achievements in the energy sector. The winners include Rigitrac Traktorenbau AG, gas supplier Gaznat, endigo Holding AG, the building cooperative mehr als wohnen, Lemon Consult and


Real-time data against heat stress in construction and energy
TrueWindSpeed is starting to industrialise its Heatector. The sensor for the WBGT index (wet bulb globe temperature index) has been developed for construction sites, agriculture, industry and urban heat islands to accurately assess thermal stress. It is now being presented at Abu Dhabi

Energy future in the Limmat Valley
The "Limmattal Energy Center" is being built in Dietikon. The waste incineration and wastewater treatment plant is being extensively renovated for this purpose. The design plan will be open to the public from January 20, 2026. An important step for the energy and climate strategy in the canton of

Future model for life sciences, research and cluster power
The Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area Main Campus, Europe's highest-profile innovation cluster for life sciences, biotech and healthcare technologies, is being created in the Bachgraben area of Allschwil. International corporations, top research institutes, start-ups and academic leaders work

Engineers’ Day 2026
On March 4, 2026, Switzerland will once again be dedicated to the art of engineering. Engineers' Day will bring together experts in engineering, STEM and tech professions. Supplemented for the first time by the national "National Conference of Engineers" at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences

Gray Energy Steep Pass for Tenant Protection
The debate about a sustainable building stock is at a crossroads. While the construction of energy-efficient buildings, energy-efficient renovation and the use of low-emission energy sources are now standard practice, the opinion-forming process on grey energy is still in full swing. Grey energy is

Zurich strengthens energy transition with 60 million program
The canton of Zurich wants to further reduce emissions in the building sector. To this end, the cantonal government is applying for a new framework credit of CHF 60 million until 2029. Together with federal funds, up to CHF 286 million is available for energy promotion

Wolf-Areal Basel affordable apartments
A new part of the city will be built on the Wolf development site in Basel from 2028. SBB is granting building rights for two plots to the Basler Wohngenossenschaft and Vivanta AG. Around 270 affordable apartments based on the cost-rent principle will create a mixed, lively

Real estate market in a state of tension
In 2026, the Swiss real estate market will continue to be caught between interest rate reversals, political uncertainty and declining construction activity. While residential properties continue to increase in value, the commercial market is coming under pressure. The latest SIV market report shows

Canton Zurich wants to use large roofs for solar power
Roof areas larger than 300 square metres in the canton of Zurich are to be used entirely for the production of solar power in future. This is what the cantonal government is proposing. In addition, grid operators are to jointly promote long-term storage in


Valais start-up drives district heating planning forward in Europe
The Valais-based start-up Urbio has successfully launched its software for planning urban district heating networks on the European market. The reason for the expansion is the potential of district heating, which could cover up to 50 per cent of total heating requirements in the future. Currently,

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

Grid takeover brings new impetus to local energy supply
Regionalwerke AG Baden (RWB) is taking over the electricity grid in Turgi. The previous operator, AEW Energie AG, will remain responsible for electricity supply and customer service until 31 December 2025. Lower electricity prices have been announced for


Experimental field of cooperative city life
The Hobelwerk in Oberwinterthur shows how a dense, mixed-use district can be created from a former industrial site right next to the train station, combining living, working and community life in a new way. Around 400 people live and work here in a confined space with diverse forms of housing,

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

Zurich strengthens energy future with solar and storage obligation
The Zurich cantonal government wants to generate more solar power from its own roof and at the same time promote the development of long-term energy storage systems. Two amendments to the law are intended to promote security of supply and self-production, with a sense of proportion and a spirit of