
Zurich plans next-generation mobility
With an investment volume of around CHF 1.2 billion and almost 350 measures, the canton of Zurich is sending a strong signal for the future. The fifth-generation agglomeration programmes are intended to strengthen mobility, improve quality of life and better coordinate the development of

Securing the future through responsible management
Anyone who owns property bears responsibility. Not only for the preservation of value, but also for the sustainable use of resources and structures. The Real Estate Symposium 2025 organised by the Swiss Association of the Property Industry (SVIT) impressively demonstrated how strategic management

SBB continues to develop Basel
A new part of the city is being created on the former Wolf goods station in Basel. SBB is pressing ahead with the development of a mixed-use neighbourhood with around 600 flats and around 1,000 jobs. The first two new buildings have now been finalised and the site is being opened up for interim


Canton of Zurich calls on Federal Council to act
The housing shortage is worsening, especially in urban centres such as the canton of Zurich. Complex authorisation procedures, delays due to objections and new legal hurdles such as the ISOS inventory are blocking urgently needed residential construction projects. The Zurich cantonal government is

Building materials without CO₂ – the change in the industry has begun
The construction sector is facing a historic turning point. While traditional materials such as cement and steel cause enormous emissions, low-carbon and carbon-free alternatives are opening up new avenues for climate-friendly construction. Start-ups, technologies and forward-looking construction

Building between town and country
The Swiss construction industry is at a turning point. Rural land, urban densification, a shortage of skilled labour and complex construction processes. Doris Kälin and Gian Nauli, two prominent voices from the cantons of Schwyz and Thurgau, provide insights into the current situation, future

Change of leadership at the Swiss Chamber of Real Estate Agents completed
The Swiss Chamber of Real Estate Agents not only has a growing network of qualified members, but also a significant change in the Board of Directors. Patrizia Wachter Tanner was elected as a new member of the management body at the General Meeting in Zurich. The SMK is thus strengthening its

Investing in depth saves costs and improves carbon footprint
Pistor's geothermal storage system saves the wholesaler 100,000 liters of heating oil per year. This prevents the release of 330 tons of CO2, as much as 200 direct flights from Zurich to Tokyo. The construction costs of 1 million Swiss francs are amortized through the elimination of heating oil


Digital map for storage solutions from renewable energy
The Swiss Power-to-X Collaborative Innovation Network (SPIN) is now working together with the Coalition for Green Energy & Storage (CGES) of ETH, EPFL, PSI and Empa. The aim is to create an interactive search tool that facilitates access to information on Power-to-X

Compact heat storage system wins innovation award for energy solutions
Cowa Thermal Solutions has won the Clean Energy & Storage category at the Start Up Energy Transition (SET) Award 2025. The jury praised the fact that Cowa's compact thermal storage systems with thermodynamic materials are five times smaller than water-based

Online tool to simplify district heating expansion
The cooperative Elektra Baselland (EBL) has set up a new online service for property owners. They can use wärmecheck.ch to check whether it is possible to connect their property to an EBL district heating network. The aim is to expand district heating

3D data platform optimizes transport and infrastructure projects
iNovitas and Geoinfra Ingenieure have created a digital twin of the road network in the Zurich Oberland. They are making around 800 kilometers of roads available in a high-resolution 3D data platform. Interested planners and decision-makers can license the

Photo analysis to efficiently record the condition of infrastructures
Straintest has won two major customers for pilot projects: SBB and, most recently, the Swiss Federal Armaments Office armasuisse. The start-up, which is only seven months old, already records and measures the finest hairline cracks on façades or infrastructure buildings using photos and creates

Life sciences boost the entire Basel Area
The Basel Area continues to develop dynamically: more and more life sciences companies from abroad are settling not only in Basel-Stadt, but also in the neighbouring cantons. in 2024, this key sector accounted for three quarters of all relocations. Innovation areas and targeted location promotion

Urban trees and their influence on our mortality
A long-term Swiss study shows that it is not just the number of trees in cities that can increase our life expectancy, but above all their intelligent arrangement. Particularly in densely built-up neighbourhoods, well-connected tree areas act as a protective shield against disease-related deaths,

Roman Mayer takes over as Head of the Federal Office for Spatial Development
With the appointment of Roman Mayer as the new Director of the Federal Office for Spatial Development, the Federal Council has chosen an experienced leader with legal expertise, strategic planning skills and extensive administrative experience. The move signals a clear strengthening of integrated

Microsoft promotes Swiss AI innovation
The Lausanne-based AI start-up inait and Microsoft are joining forces. Together, they want to develop a new generation of intelligent systems with the aim of fundamentally transforming the world of finance and the robotics industry. At the centre is an AI platform that is based on the way the human

New trade fair in Lucerne
With the new Terra Solid trade fair, a central industry meeting point for foundation engineering, civil engineering and natural hazard management is being created in Lucerne. From 24 to 26 February 2026, planners, developers, authorities and entrepreneurs will meet at Messe Luzern to discover

More transparency, more clarity in tenancy law
By amending the Ordinance on the Rent and Lease of Residential and Commercial Premises, the Federal Council is creating more transparency for new tenancies. From October 2025, it will be mandatory to state the reference interest rate and inflation rate on the initial rent form. This step will have

Digital property information on the rise
With the planned amendment to the Geoinformation Act, the Federal Council is taking an important step towards digitalisation and transparency in the land and planning sector. Access to public-law property restrictions will become more efficient, legally secure and user-friendly, with direct added

Basel property market under pressure
The Basel region is facing a challenging development on the housing market. Demand remains high, while supply is stagnating, with consequences for purchase prices and rents. Experts at the Immo Talk organised by the real estate portal Newhome analyse the situation and provide impetus for

New companies strengthen life sciences in the Basel region
Not only Basel-Stadt, but also the cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Jura are increasingly attracting foreign companies from the life sciences. Three quarters of all relocations supported by the Basel Area Business & Innovation location promotion programme in 2024 come from this

Comparison of differences in life cycle assessments for building products
Conspark GmbH has published a fact sheet on the life cycle assessment of construction products. It compares the different rules in the EU and Switzerland. As they also produce different results, the company, which specialises in the circular economy, advocates

Digitalisation and AI as the answer to skills shortages and climate targets
Digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) are neither a curse nor a blessing in the construction industry, but a necessity. The 110 industry experts who took part in this year's seminar organised by the Institute of Building Technology and Energy at Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and

Intelligent energy management optimizes power consumption in buildings
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have developed an automated system that controls the production, feed-in and consumption of renewable energy in a building and saves CO2. It was tested at NEST in