
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


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


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

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

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

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



Glarus North mobilises building land – opportunities for investors and developers
Glarus North is sending out a strong signal in favour of regional development. Attractive potential for investors and developers is being unleashed with the tendering of municipal land. The municipality is taking decisive action to facilitate future-oriented projects in line with the new land use

Complete renovation of the Zug cantonal school
The cantonal school in Zug is undergoing a comprehensive renovation, during which the structural and spatial design will be adapted to meet future needs. With a clear focus on sustainability and functionality, this renovation will meet the requirements of education and pave the way for innovative

Central Switzerland’s economy remains confident
Despite global uncertainties, the economy in Central Switzerland remains confident. According to the "Financial Monitor Central Switzerland 2025", almost two thirds of companies rate their situation as good. However, a shortage of skilled labour and protectionist tendencies in international trade

Government council shortens deadlines in the building permit procedure?
The processing time for planning applications in the canton of Zurich is to be reduced from four to three months. To this end, the cantonal government is planning to amend the law and rely on digital processes to make the authorisation procedure more



Canton of Lucerne plans investments in living and business location
The canton of Lucerne assumes that the OECD minimum taxation will make the location less attractive. It wants to counteract this with 300 million francs annually from 2026. The investments are to be channelled specifically into the location as a place to live and do