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The whole world is talking about climate change and sustainability. How does the 3,000-meter-high Titlis project fit into this time?
This fits together very well: The current building technology in the mountain station has reached the end of its useful life. The building dates back to 1967 and has been continuously expanded thereafter. Today, the energy consumption of more than 100,000 liters of heating oil per year is huge and does not comply with today’s ecological standards in any way. In addition to the architectural and aesthetic improvement of buildings and facilities through the Herzog and de Meuron project, the Titlis project can significantly reduce emissions as well as energy and heat requirements.
What does this specifically mean?
To give a few figures: In the future, approximately two-thirds of the mountain station will be heated solely by solar energy and without the need for additional heating. This is thanks to the large glass façade. A comparison: Energy requirements were reduced from the needs of forty single-family homes to the needs of three single-family homes. Overall, the new building reduces CO₂ and fine dust emissions by 98 percent.
Many ski areas are already closing due to lack of snow. Will you be able to recover the investment of approximately 120 million francs?
We feel climate change at the edge of the glacier, this is very clear. However, our ski area is open in the north and reaches up to 3000 meters. It usually snows here from November to the end of July and the beginning of August. Therefore, we assume that we will be able to ski in Titlis in the next thirty or forty years. We may see even more snowfall due to increasing extreme weather conditions. On the other hand: Titlis is a destination, skiing is not our priority. And we think many people’s need for mountain experiences will continue for a very long time.
Many environmentalists do not like the project at all.
The huge changes in heating, energy supply and emissions announced are highly appreciated by environmental associations. Likewise, it is a fact that approximately 5,000 cubic meters of approximately 9,000 cubic meters of rock excavation is used in concrete production. We had a very fair and productive exchange of ideas with environmental associations such as WWF, Pro Natura and VCS, because we incorporated their concerns into the project, such as the lack of lighting of buildings at night.
Many people criticize your decision to build an additional cable car line up the mountain.
True, we also had to build the second line as a matter of landscape protection in Switzerland. We need it mainly for 365-day operation as an evacuation and logistics railway, as a construction railway and during the overhaul of the main railway. The foundation had two aspects: first, the Rotairbahn, built in 1992, was a technical marvel that should not be allowed to compete with any other line. On the other hand, people asked why we needed an evacuation railway, because it would set a precedent that other mountain railways in Switzerland could follow. Of course, additional poles and systems on the second line in nature were also criticized.
How were you able to refute these objections?
Until now, electricity and communications access in Titlis was provided above ground by numerous poles. We have committed to putting everything underground and dismantling these poles in the future. We will also move water and wastewater underground and no longer need a sewage treatment plant up the mountain. These four measures convinced the foundation, which is why we have this great support.
How many guests were you expecting for the project?
With the project, we mainly want to improve the quality of experience of individual guests and become more sustainable as a company. Increasing capacity is not the goal. However, we still assume that the attractiveness of the project will create additional guests and we expect a moderate and continuous increase in the number of guests. The most important reason for this is that, thanks to the second line, Titlis can also be accessed during the maintenance period of the Rotairbahn. We will now be able to work 365 days instead of 352.
Where do your guests come from?
When it comes to snow sports, like other ski destinations, we have a mix of Swiss and international guests. Most of the international guests in this segment come from Germany and Scandinavia. Our freeride mountain is especially appreciated. Another segment is individual travel guests. Here we see a strong increase from North and South America. The third segment is group trips, especially attended by visitors from China and India.
Do Indian and Chinese guests have similar requirements?
Indian guests are traveling individually much more than they did a few years ago. For example, Indian guests eat predominantly vegetarian food, generally speak very good English, and frequently exchange ideas with our staff. Today, Chinese visitors still mostly travel in groups and rarely speak English. However, we expect them to turn to individual tourism in the future.
When will the first subprojects be completed?
The second line will come into operation in December 2024. This helps us logistically. The renovation of the observation tower with a restaurant, bar, observation deck and exhibition area is planned to be completed in winter/spring 2026. The current mountain station will be dismantled from 2026. The new mountain station is planned to be operational by the end of 2028.
Construction started this year. How are you progressing?
We act strictly in accordance with the program. There are always little delays here and there. It is quite difficult to establish and organize a construction site at this height. But a long stretch of good weather in the autumn meant we were on schedule. This week we are winterizing and winter-proofing the construction site.
Does this mean that nothing will happen on the construction site in winter?
We use the winter months to gradually bring down the mountain and dispose of the dismantled material now stored in and near the tower. This is also a complex process.
From where?
Getting the gear up the mountain is relatively easy as everything is pre-assembled and well packaged. However, the dismantled infrastructure of the buildings at the top of the mountain must first be packaged for transportation, which is a little more complicated.
To what extent did you involve regional companies in the construction?
We placed great emphasis on involving local and regional companies from Central Switzerland in the project. Of course, this is not possible for every field of expertise; experienced companies are needed for such a complex project that lasts five years. There are two very big works in this project: first, the building; here our partners are the Swiss construction companies Marti, Porr Schweiz and Bürgi; they are organized as a working group. Approximately one quarter of the total investment is buildings. The second biggest trade is steel and façade construction. You need to be honest and realize that only very few companies can do this at this scale and in terms of requirements. This led to the creation of a group of Swiss companies that implemented the project for us: Stahlbau Josef Meier, Ruch Metallbau, Wetter Group and Aepli. Also electrical work, flooring etc. There are basic professions such as. Central Swiss companies are often based here. Schindler, a Swiss-based company, deals with the entire escalator and elevator industry.
What is the biggest challenge right now?
Conceptually, everything is well planned and we are moving according to schedule. One of the biggest challenges on a construction site at an altitude of 3000 meters is, of course, weather conditions. Logistics also requires a lot of planning to ensure that the necessary materials are in the right place at the right time. Our logistics team did a great job here throughout the summer. The most important thing for me personally is that about a hundred workers return from the mountain in good health.
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
