Keystone-SDA
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October 6, 2024 – 1:00 p.m.
(Keystone-ATS) Bluefactory, located on the site of the former Cardinal brewery in Fribourg, continues its development. The low-carbon innovation district inaugurated its building B, the first non-temporary building constructed, with an investment of more than 25 million francs.
The place now offers 700 jobs, compared to “only” 286 in 2018. “These jobs mainly come from around fifty companies, but also from around thirty skills centers and specialized associations,” noted Jacques Boschung on Thursday. , president of Bluefactory Friborg Freiburg (BFF) SA.
The company is owned equally by the City and State of Fribourg. The workforce should be compared to the 60 jobs that remained when Cardinal completely closed in 2011. “The spectacular progression is due to the new building, which allowed us to welcome new companies,” explained Jacques Boschung.
Especially digital
The project opened at the end of 2021 and will be completed in the spring. The building, which includes a ground floor and four floors, is designed to provide work space for around 400 people. Most of the entities installed in building B are active in the digital sector, the majority of which come from the canton.
For example, Swiss Marketplace Group (SMG), which notably owns the Immoscout24 and Ricardo platforms, is in the process of leaving Flamatt to take its place on the second floor. The IT firm Tecost, previously located on Route des Arsenaux in Fribourg, occupies the entire third level.
Friborg wood
The Building B project, with its 7,300 square meters of surface area, is characterized by its significant use of Friborg wood, both in terms of the structure and the facades. No less than 2000 cubic meters of wood were used. The facade is clad in burnt wood, a technique offering natural and lasting protection.
In terms of energy, the construction, whose sustainability is recognized by several labels, is covered with 1,120 square meters of photovoltaic panels. It is also equipped with 17 geothermal probes. “No drinking water is used in the toilets,” notes Véronique Grady, communications manager.
Sponge town
Wastewater treatment is carried out on the Bluefactory site itself, located not far from the station, without injection into the wastewater treatment network of the city of Fribourg, according to the “sponge city” concept. The construction of the Smart living lab building constitutes the next step planned on the Bluefactory site.
The building will house the research center of the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne (EPFL), the Friborg High School of Engineering and the University of Fribourg. The Grand Council had voted for a credit of 25 million francs for this purpose in 2018, but the cost of making it a reality has increased.
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