
Akara continues to expand and is maintaining a stable return
215 million Swiss francs of fresh capital, seven acquisitions, and yet no jump in returns. The Akara Diversity PK property fund maintained its investment return at 2.56 per cent in the first half of 2026 and expanded its portfolio to 3.32 billion Swiss

Local authorities see finances as their biggest challenge
Swiss municipalities and towns cite finances as their greatest strategic concern. Spatial planning and staffing follow closely behind. For construction, development and municipal property, this means more conflicting priorities between investment, growth and limited scope for

Lausanne plans to spend 200 million on property purchases
Lausanne is sticking to a policy of large-scale property purchases. The 2025 budget documents once again include a budget of 200 million Swiss francs for the right of first refusal for the period 2027 to 2031. Whilst this measure can help secure affordable housing stock, it does not, as a rule,

Thurgau uploads planning applications to the portal
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

A sector is reinventing itself
The Silbern site in Dietikon is a thriving business and shopping district in the heart of the Limmat Valley. For a long time, however, the site lacked coordinated dialogue between the various stakeholders. Whilst other business hubs in the region were catching up, Silbern was treading water. Now,

North-western Swiss fund seeks fresh capital
A portfolio worth 181.2 million Swiss francs, total comprehensive income of 3.6 million Swiss francs, and now the next step. The sustainable property fund run by BLKB’s fund subsidiary plans to raise new equity capital in the fourth quarter of 2026 to finance further acquisitions and repay

Zurich’s affordable flats are coming under pressure from rising wages
18 percent of the Zurich city flats inspected exceed the income threshold, but under current law, any consequences will not be felt until later. This is precisely where two motions tabled on 19 August 2026 come in. They call for higher rents for higher earners and an end to the 15 per cent

Schwyz removes key areas from its landscape plan
The canton of Schwyz is proceeding with its landscape strategy without the controversial key areas. This removes a sensitive point of contention from the forthcoming revision of the structure plan, although the strategy is still intended to apply to planning and construction projects as well as to

Commercial property fund pools 4.8 billion Swiss francs
UBS plans to merge its commercial property funds, Swissreal and Interswiss, by the end of 2026. The aim is to create a listed fund comprising around 140 properties and assets totalling 4.8 billion Swiss francs, whilst the final terms of the transaction are not expected to be finalised until

US mortgages are putting the brakes on the housing market
Borrowing costs in the US are rising again, and the effect is already evident in the market. The average interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages rose to 6.71 per cent at the start of September 2026. At the same time, the number of pending sales in August fell compared with the previous

Uri blocks the second-home tax in the cantonal parliament
Uri does not intend to introduce a canton-wide property tax on second homes following the abolition of the imputed rental value. Instead, each municipality is to be able to decide for itself whether it needs such a tax. Andermatt, in particular, is thus taking centre stage in the tax

Old buildings in Bern are under pressure to be refurbished
Bern is driving forward the debate on a mandatory refurbishment requirement for inefficient older buildings. On 2 September 2026, the Federal Council approved a report outlining binding deadlines for achieving GEAK Class D via cantonal energy laws. Whether this will amount to more than just a

Rotbuchstrasse is caught between housing development and tree conservation
In Zurich’s 6th district, a pending case before the Federal Supreme Court is holding up a project for 42 social housing flats. The case touches on a sensitive issue in urban development, as affordable housing, mature trees and stricter tree protection measures clash directly on the same

Schlieren does what others talk about
Innovation does not happen by chance. It requires space, proximity and a location that does more than simply set out good intentions. This is precisely where Schlieren comes in. Through the Innovation and Young Entrepreneurs Centre (IJZ), the town provides young firms and existing SMEs with

Wood alone doesn’t keep the heat out
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

Belgrade Becomes a Stage for Switzerland
In 2027, Switzerland will not be traveling to Belgrade with a traditional exhibition. Instead, it aims to get people moving, facilitate encounters, and make the future a shared experience. The Swiss Pavilion is being designed by the Zurich-based creative agency JEFF in collaboration with Bellprat

Starting in 2027, heating will be planned differently
Heat pumps are considered key to the energy transition. But starting in 2027, a system’s sustainability will depend on more than just its efficiency. Refrigerants are also taking center stage. New Swiss regulations are further restricting climate-impacting substances, thereby changing planning,

Thun Nord doesn’t just build apartments
Thun Nord was set to evolve from an industrial and military area into a diverse neighborhood. Now, the federal government is setting a new guideline: the military base’s land will remain reserved for the army and national defense. The space that was expected to be used for civilian development

48,000 apartments, and yet progress is still too slow
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

The electronics industry is meeting tomorrow
Tomorrow, Wednesday, ineltec 2026 opens its doors at Messe Zürich. For two days, it will serve as a compact gathering place for the Swiss electrical industry. 209 exhibitors will showcase how electrical engineering, energy, lighting, mobility, and digitalization are converging in buildings. The

From Plant Construction to Knowledge Transfer: How AI Is Revolutionizing Business Succession
In construction projects—and thus also in sports and recreational infrastructure projects—the handover process between planners, contractors, and project owners is clearly defined. The focus is on quality, costs, and deadlines. From the perspective of real estate and facility management,

Münchenstein is making a fresh start in the blocked-off neighbourhood
Development of a large residential estate on the Van Baerle site in Münchenstein is getting back on track. Five years after the referendum result – a ‘no’ vote by a margin of just ten votes – the site has been redeveloped, but a new neighbourhood plan is only just getting off the ground

France’s election campaign is putting the brakes on rent-to-buy schemes
France’s landlords in slow motion. A recent survey shows that one in three French people are bringing forward or postponing their property purchase for rental purposes, depending on the outcome of the 2027 presidential election. There is more to this than mere nervousness. Uncertainty surrounding

Offices are catching up, whilst housing seems expensive
Swiss residential properties continue to dominate the investment portfolios of many institutional investors. However, a window of opportunity is reopening in the office and other commercial property sectors. Higher cash flow yields, lower valuations and tighter supply are suddenly making this

Wädenswil offers a way forward without displacement
In Wädenswil, a housing estate is set to expand from 103 to more than 160 flats without the existing tenants having to move out. The plans include five extensions, refurbishment whilst the property remains occupied, and a start to construction in early 2028. It remains to be seen by how much rents

Acquisitions in French-speaking Switzerland drive 75-million round
Geneva and Lausanne are at the heart of a planned capital increase of 75 million Swiss francs. The funds are intended to secure two commercial properties in prime locations in French-speaking Switzerland and to further increase the proportion of commercial property within a portfolio worth almost

Seetalplatz is struggling with a lack of housing
In the new administrative building on Seetalplatz in Emmenbrücke, 12 out of 17 flats remain unlet for the time being. This slow start is affecting a site that is planned to become the new centre of Lucerne North and is set to bring together around 30 of the canton’s administrative offices by

The cost of buying a flat in Zurich is coming under pressure
1.3 billion Swiss francs for 47 properties, but not a single new flat has yet been built to realise the calculated development potential. Zurich’s acquisition drive is providing land reserves and development opportunities, but at the same time is creating funding shortfalls, follow-on costs and

Simply speeding things up won’t be enough to tackle the housing shortage
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
