The Papieri factory shaped the town of Cham and the wider western Zug region for over 360 years. A new living and working neighborhood is now being built on the former factory site, designed to make the most of this industrial heritage. The distinctive buildings beside the River Lorze will be joined by striking new additions, in a sustainable design. The story of this place is still being written; bridges are being built between the past and the future, people and the natural world, and living and working. Sustainability has played a major role in the redevelopment of the entire site from the very outset. As the client, the Cham Group committed to 2000-watt society targets from very early on in the planning process. Out of this conviction, it opted for fossil-free heat supply, before any notion of obtaining certification. As the culmination of its ongoing sustainability efforts, today the Papieri site became the first in the canton of Zug to be awarded 2000-watt site certification. On behalf of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, Daniel Kellenberger thanked the Cham Group for their commitment and perseverance in not only considering energy and carbon targets, but actually implementing them through 2000-watt site certification.
Zero carbon emissions
The Papieri site creates a wholly innovative foundation for an energy-efficient, climate-neutral and sustainable society. This project is breaking new ground within Switzerland. Almost from the very beginning of development work on the site, the Cham Group decided to completely dispense with fossil fuels for heat generation, instead relying on the site’s favorable potential for hydropower, geothermal probe fields and solar panels by virtue of its location. One stand-out feature of the site is that its energy system is completely carbon-free. Power for the site will come 100% from renewable sources. This is achieved with geothermal probes and river water capture, which are used to provide a central heating and cooling network via heat pumps. Thanks to a local usage association, the small, renovated hydropower plant on the River Lorze and large-scale solar panels on the new buildings covering a total of 6,500 m2, around 40% of the total energy required can be generated on site. “Other aspects of complete sustainability are being explored in practically every project, whether it’s building recycling through the ingenious conversion of existing buildings, the use of carbon-optimized building principles such as timber construction, or smart mobility-sharing options,” says Lukas Fehr, Head of Development at the Cham Group.
A flagship site for the local community and the wider canton
So far, only 43 areas in Switzerland have received this certification from the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, 26 of them as a 2000-watt site “under development”. Federal Councilor Florian Weber is delighted that the canton of Zug is contributing to these efforts. “We’re 100% 2000 watts! At the Papieri site, the Cham Group is marking the start of a new era of comprehensive, sustainable energy concepts for large-scale developments,” says the Construction Director. Having already been awarded “Energy Town Gold”, Cham welcomes the further accolade of having a 2000-watt site in Papieri. “This award is a seal of quality for the Cham Group’s site development. It will serve as an incentive for others, while also reflecting the community’s commitment to climate protection. After all, Cham is looking to make its municipal infrastructure climate-neutral by 2030 and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions for the entire municipality by 2050,” explains Drin Alaj, Head of Transport and Safety for the Cham municipality. Mayor Georges Helfenstein adds, “We see the developments on the Papieri site as an opportunity and are delighted with this certification and the new, vibrant and now officially recognized sustainable neighborhood”.
Marketing launch for the first offices and commercial premises
On February 10, 2022, rental bookings for retail, office and commercial premises on the ground floors of the first-phase buildings will go live on the papieri-cham.ch website. These spaces will be ready for occupation from the end of 2022. The Papieri site has scope for every business model and different sizes of company. These aren’t any old generic spaces, but sustainable, meticulously designed workplaces in the very heart of a lively neighborhood.
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