
Old technology rethought
Earth as a modern building material? What sounds like the past is in fact the future. Rammed earth is making a remarkable comeback in architecture and research. Now supported by robotics and new design concepts. The combination of ancient knowledge, sustainability and high-tech makes clay a symbol

City of Zurich honors best construction projects 2025
On Thursday evening, October 2, 2025, the 19th award ceremony for good buildings in the city of Zurich took place in a festive setting. Mayor Corine Mauch, together with City Councillor André Odermatt, Head of the Building Department, and City Councillor Simone Brander, Head of the Civil

Paradigm shift in property planning
With LessTech, AFC AG presents a proprietary concept for reducing oversized technical solutions in building planning. The company uses digital simulation tools to check the impact of measures at an early stage and create a basis for decision-making for construction

Highlights and winners of the Real Estate Award 2025
The Real Estate Award 2025 took place on October 2 at the stylish Trafo Baden and brought together around 250 guests from the Swiss real estate, construction and finance world. The event provided an exclusive platform for discussing current trends, innovations and sustainable developments in the


Köniz tests power supply with 100 per cent renewable energy
The energy supplier BKW is testing new solutions for supplying electricity from renewable energies. To this end, the Bern-based company is conducting a pilot project in the Mittelhäusern district of the municipality of Köniz. The project will provide real-time data over three


Tried and tested building materials reinterpreted
More and more pilot projects and research initiatives are showing that the construction industry can significantly reduce its climate impact by increasing the use of natural, locally available building materials. At the same time, there are design, economic and health benefits. Switzerland is at

How the SIA is setting new standards in procurement
Swissbau 2026 offers the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects the opportunity to analyze developments in procurement since 2024. The focus is on successes, new opportunities and existing challenges. These include project alliances, quality discussions, market observation and the integration of

Adding storeys and extensions made easy
In Zurich, the consultation on the revision of the Planning and Building Act has begun. The aim is to make it easier to convert and extend existing buildings and to promote the maximum utilization of land. The aim is to make better use of ecological, social and cultural benefits in

PFAS in construction waste
The danger posed by PFAS, so-called "perpetual chemicals", has arrived in the Swiss construction industry. New studies confirm the spread of these pollutants in demolition materials and groundwater. The federal government and the industry are looking for solutions, but the road to a pollutant-free

Wood takes centre stage: 1500 guests at event in Worb
OLWO welcomed around 1,500 guests to its sawmill in Worb to mark the Swiss Wood Days 2025. The company is active in sawing and planing as well as the sale of wood-based materials. Former wrestling king Christian Stucki surprised those interested in wood with a

Architecture prize honours outstanding building projects in the canton of Zurich
The Foundation for the Honouring of Good Buildings in the Canton of Zurich has awarded the Canton of Zurich Architecture Prize. Four buildings were honoured in each of the award and recognition categories. The Audience Award went to the Swiss Life Arena in Zurich, the Green Leu to the Hobelwerk,

New concrete reduces CO2 emissions in the construction industry
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) and Omya are working together to further develop their concrete with up to 70 per cent less clinker. It is being tested in the new NEST unit Beyond.Zero. Omya is contributing its expertise as a specialist in industrial

Circular economy strategic upturn
The circular economy has arrived in the Swiss corporate world, at least on paper. While the strategic anchoring is increasing significantly, the consistent implementation with investments, activities and sales contributions is lagging behind. The latest status report from Bern University of Applied

Tradition meets innovation in façade renovation in Davos
The wooden balustrades at the Hotel Schatzalp in Davos have been replaced with modern technology. The designs were created by architectural researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). They were realised by timber construction company Künzli Davos using a digital

Photovoltaic system on company roofs in Aarau
HKG Engineering AG wants to generate electricity on the roofs of its company buildings in future. Over the next six weeks, a photovoltaic system will be installed at the Aarau site, which will produce 93,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year. With this step, the company wants to cover its own

Review: Swissbau Community Event at uptownBasel
On 09.09.2025, the Swissbau Community Event took place at uptownBasel in Arlesheim - a highlight for the construction and real estate industry. Around 80 participants from the Swissbau Community were given exclusive insights into current topics such as steel re-use, CO₂-neutral energy supply and

ZHAW pools expertise in new competence group
With Andrea González, the ZHAW has gained an internationally recognized expert to head the new Smart Building Management competence group. From September 2025, she and her team will be working on making buildings and infrastructures smarter, more sustainable and more resilient. This will be based

Northwestern Switzerland strengthens future topics with two new universities
The University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW is sending a clear signal for the future. Two new universities are emerging from the former School of Engineering: the School of Computer Science and the School of Engineering and Environment. With this step, the FHNW aims to

NEST tests CO₂-reduced building materials
With the new NEST unit "Beyond.Zero", Empa, Eawag and Omya are sending a strong signal for climate-friendly construction. From August 2025, a real test environment for CO₂-reduced and CO₂-negative materials that are intended to make the entire life cycle of buildings more sustainable will be

Fair, ecological procurement with Toolbox Sustainability
With the "Sustainability Toolbox", the Swiss Association of Master Builders, Infra Suisse and Bauenschweiz are providing a practical instrument for public awarding authorities and engineering firms. The aim is to systematically integrate ecological, social and economic criteria into construction

Statics gap in timber construction is closed
Researchers from science and industry are closing a gap in structural calculations in timber construction. The horizontal load-bearing capacity of timber in walls with window openings is calculated using tests and mathematical models. The aim is to save on steel beams and concrete


Dielsdorf data centres to supply district heating for the region
The Green Metro-Campus Zurich, BRUGG Pipes and Energie 360° will use the waste heat from the data centre in Dielsdorf for district heating. The energy from the data centres will supply a total of 11,500 households from six municipalities, industry and commerce from

Furniture made from shuttering boards as an educational project
Industrial designer Björn Ischi has fully equipped the remodelled Building 1 at the Sursee campus with circular furniture. He has created sustainable training and office facilities for the education and seminar centre from used materials that are economically competitive with standard market

Biochar concrete opens up prospects for a climate-neutral construction industry
Ulrich Imboden AG, Logbau, Novakies and Toggenburger have founded KLARK AG. Together, they want to make a concrete available throughout Switzerland that is CO2-neutral thanks to the use of biochar. The aim is to turn buildings and infrastructure into CO2


