Sta t u s re p o r t a n d f u t u re p ros p e c t s fo r t h e B G Co n s u l t i n g E n g i n e e rs G ro u p — 20 1 2 Ed i t i o n

Interview with the Swiss minister of energy

Doris Leuthard talks about energy
TGV: Exercise in the Perthus tunnel
High-voltage evacuation
Flood protection in Algeria
Fatal floods in the desert
The BG Group
Comprehensive. The BG Group is an International. BG was founded in Swit- Multifaceted. The BG Group operates
international engineering and consulting zerland in 1954 and today employs around primarily under the name of BG, but of-
firm. It offers services in the areas of in- 580 people. The group has subsidiaries in fers additional services and products un-
frastructure, environment, building con- Switzerland, France and Algeria. It also der the following company names:
struction and energy. Its expertise is par- undertakes projects in a number of other
ticularly strong in the sectors of water countries.
and transport. BG is best known for its
realisation of complex interdisciplinary
projects. The group provides customised,
sustainable solutions for all its clients and
projects.

LAURENT VULLIET
CEO of BG Consulting Engineers
“It requires a huge amount
of effort – politically and
financially, culturally and
technologically.”
Editorial
E
nergy – a word that we currently hear every day.
The subject has never been so critical and the
debate so global as it is now. Strategies assuring the
supply of energy involve complex discussions in terms
of politics, civil society, business, research and education.
They will shape our long-term future.
Two years ago, the United Nations Member States
proclaimed 2012 as being the “International year of
sustainable energy for all”. They could not have imagined
what was to happen 15 months later in Fukushima. It
was an unprecedented drama with far-reaching effects
on politics. Now the issue has become the focus of the
Rio+20 conference where, according to the UN Secretary
General, the world is charged with the task of “putting
growth, energy, water and food supply, poverty, climate
change, biodiversity and women’s empowerment into
context”.
In Switzerland, the Federal Council expressed its
commitment, on the 25th of May 2011, to guarantee a
high level of security on the country’s energy supply,
and that was without resorting to nuclear power in the
medium term. The challenge is enormous. That notwith-
standing, there are solutions, as the Federal Councillor
in charge of the case, Doris Leuthard, explained in an
exclusive interview with us.
There are many other players involved in this critical
debate besides governments. We will meet some of
them on the following pages. They all agree that only
a sys­temic approach with notable efforts on a political,
financial, cultural and technical level will lead us to
those crucial and much needed solutions.
BG Consulting Engineers and its subsidiary companies
will do their part, primarily in renewable energy sources
and their economic use. Its vast experience and interdis­
ciplinary approach in this field make BG a preferred
partner. We present some of its more representative
projects in this magazine involving the transport, water
and construction industry. They all have a keyword in
common: Energy.
Laurent Vulliet
BG 2012 ■ 3

Energy: What’s next?
The energy challenge is high on the global agenda. Consumption
is increasing. Which solutions promise the most success?
Ernst A. Brugger
Managing Director of
Energie Trialog Schweiz
“Provide
an impetus”
In 2009, you published the findings
of the Groupe de Réflexion Energie
Trialog Schweiz. What were your
reasons for this?
E.  A.  Brugger: Energie Trialog Schweiz
(ETS) provides a strategic exchange
based on the current state of scientific
knowledge. It is managed professionally
by representatives from the world of
­science, society at large and the econ­
omy. Our aim is to provide an impetus
for a sustainable and competitive energy
policy.
What does ETS see as being
the priorities?
E.  A.  Brugger: A fundamental change in
the Swiss energy strategy, facilitated by
a binding agreement between the parties
concerned. It is important to attain signifi­
cant improvements in energy efficiency
and to accelerate the “second revolution
of electrification”. Even so, the demand
for electricity will not be fully covered.
There is still no consensus on the direc­
tion within the group. Switzerland has
no other choice but to integrate into the
European and global energy market.
4 ■ BG 2012
Six answers from the experts.
Frank Doppenberg
Head of the Energy Centre,
BG Consulting Engineers
“Managing
complex projects”
You coordinate the activities
within BG that concern energy.
Does the energy issue affect all
engineering disciplines?
F.  Doppenberg: The word “energy” comes
from the Greek word “energeia” meaning
“forth in motion” and people have been
using it since time immemorial. Previous
sophisticated achievements through en­
ergy include the designing of Roman
baths or mills, for example, but even now
we can feel its presence all around us in
our everyday lives: In our homes, indus­
try, infrastructures for transport by road
and rail, the drive in vehicles. So it is quite
apparent that energy affects all engin­
eering disciplines to some extent.
How can BG help to solve
the challenges facing the energy
question?
F.  Doppenberg: The challenge is to pro­
duce clean renewable energy and to
transport it over long distances, store it
in large quantities and use it efficiently.
Thanks to their interdisciplinary know-
how, BG can plan and manage com-
plex projects, such as the construction of
low-energy buildings or power plants that
use solar, geothermal and biomass ener­
gy as well as hydroenergy.
Opinions
Hans Björn Püttgen
Director of the Energy Center
of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL)
“Nuclear fusion – the
holy grail of energy”
The subject of energy is also
a challenge in terms of education
and research. What does EPFL
intend to offer?
H.  B.  Püttgen: The challenge in developed
countries is twofold: Firstly to reduce the
detrimental impact on the environment
through a more efficient use of energy
and secondly to increasingly turn to re­
newable energies, without lowering our
quality of life. In emerging countries,
however, it is a question of satisfying the
huge demand and also to minimise the
effects on the environment. The EPFL will
contribute to both areas of need with its
Energy Centre.
What are your priorities for
Switzerland and Europe?
H.  B.  Püttgen: The strengths of the EPFL
are in the areas of hydroelectric and
photovoltaic power as well as bioenergy.
We are pursuing the systemic integration
of renewable energy in collaboration with
the industry. We are also focusing on
energy issues in urban zones, sustainable
production and the storage of hydrogen.
We are determined to stay on the ball
even when it comes to nuclear fusion, the
holy grail of energy.

Adrian Altenburger
President of the SIA Commission
for Energy Issues
“Objectives for the
balance of energy”
As President of the Energy
Com­mission of the Swiss Society
of Engineers and Architects (SIA),
what do you think is the role of
engineers and architects in regard
to the energy question?
A.  Altenburger: They play a key role in
terms of the sustainability of new and old
buildings, as well as the energy aspect.
A planner’s skills and interdisciplinary
­expertise are required, at the latest, in
the realisation phase of the relevant con­
cepts. The SIA energy model and its ob­
jectives for attaining a balance of energy
constitute the current appropriate frame­
work.
What can the SIA actually
contribute in real terms?
A.  Altenburger: Ever since 1988, the
thresholds within the SIA standard 380/1
have defined the bases of a recognised
evaluation of power quality. At that time
the focus was on thermal energy, which
now has significantly lower values (30 to
40 instead of 150 to 200 kWh/m2) espe­
cially in new buildings. A more compre­
hensive approach has developed from
this over time. The SIA is currently con­
centrating on the renovation of buildings
and further training. We also plan to es­
tablish new standards.
Marion Tardy
Project Manager, Management
of sustainable land use planning
and urban planning, Marseille
“Harnessing the
power of the sea”
What are the priorities for a city
like Marseille when it comes to
the question of energy?
M.  Tardy: When revising the land use
planning regulations, the city of Marseille
is committed to effectively reducing the
environmental impact of building and en­
gineering works for the longterm, facili­
tating energy-efficient renovations and
new buildings, and of course promoting
renewable energy. We support, for exam­
ple, the installation of photovoltaic panels
and solar powered water heaters in build­
ings and the creation of power grids
based on renewable energy.
Can you name some concrete
solutions?
M.  Tardy: Our office was assigned the
task of studying the technical, legal and
financial feasibility of a project that
­harnesses the thermal energy from sea
water. If successful it could be used to
heat and cool two million square metres
of future urban constructions, known as
the Euroméditerranée project, along the
northern coastline. This project for pro­
ducing renewable energy using sea water
has been able to leverage its way into the
Ecocité programme thanks to its innova­
tive approach. The city will decide in mid-
2012 whether it is actually implemented
or not.
Pierre-Alain Urech
CEO of the Groupe Romande
Energie Holding SA
“A major invest-
ment portfolio”
As head of one of the biggest
suppliers of electricity in Switzer-
land, what is your opinion on
the decision to phase out nuclear
power?
P.-A.  Urech: This objective certainly rep­
resents an indisputable challenge for util­
ity companies because they must guaran­
tee the supply to their customers at all
times. To overcome this, Romande En­
ergie will continue to invest in facilities
based on renewable energy, but also in
natural gas power plants during the tran­
sitional phase. We also actively promote
energy efficiency in real terms.
What solutions has Romande
Energie adopted to resolve
the energy challenge?
P.-A.  Urech: We plan to build over 20 hy­
draulic works by 2025, as well as around
40 wind turbines, several bioenergy
plants, about 500 large-scale solar en­
ergy plants, a geothermal power plant,
along with acquisitions of shareholdings
in natural gas power stations at home
and abroad. The investment programme
will total over one billion francs, of which
590 million will be used for renewable en­
ergy and 270 million for large hydroelec­
tric power plants.
BG 2012 ■ 5
 Contents

People Interview Zölly Tower Zurich

“We are on the “Energy – a clear “A great success

same wavelength” perspective” for our team”
Page 8 Page 11 Page 20

Networking events Perthus tunnel UBS Geneva

BG meets future High-voltage Joining

engineers evacuation forces
Page 9 Page 14 Page 24

Lucerne branch frigemo

BG and ARP Potatoes, oil …

On the front cover:
at Lake Lucerne and a lot of water Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard
Page 10 Page 18 in our interview.

6 ■ BG 2012
 Energy planning Saverne tunnel Annual Report

The key 320 km/h Looking back

to the future underground on 2011
Page 26 Page 36 Page 44

Major construction — City Ring Polluted sites Contact/Imprint

Traffic The soil Addresses and

in motion doctors contact numbers
Page 30 Page 38 Page 46

Flood protection in Algeria Reuss Final point

Fatal floods When the belt Greetings from

in the desert is too tight Singapore
Page 32 Page 40 Page 47

BG 2012 ■ 7

“We are on the
same wavelength”
Pierre Kohler talking about Philippe Pons:
I first met Philippe Pons in Paris in 2004. At that time he was work­
ing for another company. Our paths crossed when we had to work
on our first joint project together. This involved compiling docu­
ments on the safety of road tunnels in France. We worked together
with great ease and professionalism right from the outset, follow­
ing the motto: Set your goals and reach them.
In the airport bar. We were keen to expand our presence in
France for strategic reasons in terms of infrastructure in the coun­
try itself and not from within Switzerland. Philippe Pons was
­already well established and active in the industry. His talents
were not lost on us, he is competent, dedicated, personable and
can motivate others. That is why we asked him to join BG in 2005.
The first talks we had about his
future at BG were in a bar in Orly
before we boarded the plane.
A personality. To my surprise,
Philippe already knew BG very
well. He was excellently informed,
but it did not stop there, he also
knew where he wanted to make
a difference. Now I had someone
on board who really wanted to
work with our company. With his
leadership skills and flair for
dealing with customers, he knew Pierre Kohler (right): “I trust Philippe’s judgment.”
how to settle mandates, and he
had already managed large contracts. Thanks to his contacts in
the industry, he was able to expand the team in France from three
to forty people. Philippe is culturally open and very direct. We
were on the same wavelength very quickly — and I trust his judg­
ment. J fessional fee, does not exist in France. Thanks to Pierre, I learnt
Pierre Kohler: Civil engineer EPFL/SIA. Born in 1955 in
Neuchâtel. He worked for two years as an assistant at the
Institute for soil and rock mechanics at EPFL Lausanne
before joining BG in 1984. As a partner, Pierre Kohler is
now the director of the department for Infrastructure
and Transport and a member of the Board of BG. He has
two children and two grandchildren, and he lives with
his wife in Lausanne.
8 ■ BG 2012
People
Philippe Pons talking about Pierre Kohler:
The national security committee for road constructions was
founded after the tragic accident in the Mont Blanc tunnel in
France. Pierre Kohler was a member of the committee and he was
the only foreigner there. Working with him proved to be very easy
and he let me know quite early on that I would be a welcome add­
ition to BG. I am a man of my word and loyal to the company I work
for. But when my former employer changed strategy, I felt free to
go over to BG. Pierre supported me and he still does to this day.
Trust. Pierre already had confidence in me when we were build­
ing a new system based on horizontally structured and interdis­
ciplinary research networks. The dynamics involved were charac­
teristic of BG but rather less practised in France where historically
they are more centralised. The
trust between us and in general
within BG makes it possible to
develop many new approaches.
And Pierre is always open to dis­
cussion.
Regular contact by phone.
Pierre and I often exchange ideas
and thoughts on the next steps
or about upcoming decisions.
That is how we avoid any mis­
understandings. I appreciate the
fact that I can usually reach him
by phone, which is a more per­
sonal form of communication than by e-mail. I can tell what his
reaction is by the intonation in his voice. Apart from that, as a
­Parisian I had to become accustomed to certain peculiarities of the
language, as for example the term “Honorarnote”, meaning pro­
quickly and integrated into the culture of our company. J
Philippe Pons: Born 1970. He graduated from the Ecole
des Mines in Nancy (F) in 1994. Philippe Pons joined BG
in 2005, where he is now a partner and head of the busi-
ness unit France-Infrastructure. He lives with his wife
and three children, “who are still in formal education”,
in Lyon, where he particularly enjoys the climate, unless
he is away on business.

Aquaplus
BG receives an award
One of BG’s key skills is the construction
of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).
This expertise was recognised with the
prestigious award Aquaplus twice, in
France in 2011 for two WWTPs construct­
ed by BG.
One of the treatment plants is a new
construction at Pont Royat (department
of Ain). The second project involved the
renovation of the Morzine WWTP (depart­
ment of Haute­Savoie). The WWTPs clean
the water of 24,000 and 64,000 resi­
dents, respectively. BG was in charge of
the project on both accounts.
Sustainable development. A total of
seven wastewater treatment plants were
honoured with the Aquaplus award. The
award goes to WWTPs that meet the cri­
Networking events
BG meets future engineers
“There is a shortage of engineers.” This is
a quote from the editorial of last years
BG Magazine. BG is actively facing this
challenge and promotes contact with
young engineers. Forums and networking
events at universities provide an ideal
platform. That is where BG builds valu­
able relationships with up­and­coming
and fully trained engineers. It is a win­win
situation: The 20 placements that BG of­
teria of sustainable development. The
Aquaplus committee consists of experts
in water management who place particu­
lar emphasis on the following aspects:
Energy performance, recycling, land­
scape integration, dialogue with the staff,
training, working conditions, compliance
with budgets and deadlines.
Global model. In addition to the Aqua­
plus distinction, the committee also
awards a label that distinguishes private
and public players, who commit them­
selves to sustainable development in the
field of wastewater treatment. The French
model was introduced in spring 2012 at
the sixth Global Water Forum in Mar­
seilles and should set a precedent on an
international level. J
fers are much sought after by the stu­
dents. An internship often leads to a
permanent position. Even engineers with
professional experience attend the net­
working events.
ZURIcH NETWoRkING EVENT:
BG talking with up-and-
coming engineers.
BG-Inside
AqUApLUs honours
sustainable WWTPs.
Lausanne, Zurich, France. BG has
attended the EPFL Forum in Lausanne
(Lausanne being the location of its head­
quarters) for many years. But students
can also get to know BG “personally” in
the German­speaking part of Switzer­
land: The Group presents itself at the net­
working meeting of EPFZ Zurich. Further­
more, BG is steadily building its presence
in university­level institutions in France.
BG attends similar events in Lyon, Gre­
noble, Paris and Strasbourg for the next
generation of engineers.
Building towers. The BG competition
in Zurich was a real crowd­puller last
year. The engineers had the opportunity
to demonstrate their practical skills. They
had to build the highest tower possible in
90 seconds using wooden blocks. The re­
ward for the effort was certainly worth it:
The best tower builder won an iPad. The
competition will be held again in 2012. J
BG 2012 ■ 9
 BG-Inside

Management conference

Meeting at
the circus
Over 100 senior executives met in Cully
on Lake Geneva for the annual BG man­
agement conference on the 2nd of Sep­
tember 2011. A circus tent was the back­
drop for the occasion. To give it that spe­
cial edge, the meeting transformed into a
memorable event for the clients in the
evening. After sunset, over 250 people
were enjoying a cocktail reception in the
big top.

Prominent guests. Besides providing

the opportunity for people to exchange
ideas and strengthen their contacts, the
evening offered a spectacular show. In
keeping with the atmosphere, the
Lausanne circus school and a brass band
performed “La Riviera fait son cirque”, in
which the TV presenter Sibylle Blanc,
who is well known in the French-speaking Relaxed atmosphere:
part of Switzerland, played the main role. tor Emil Steinberger who is well known on BG exchanging ideas
Another prominent guest of the evening an international level and was involved in with customers.
was the comedian, writer, director and ac­ the setting of the show. J

Lucerne branch

BG and ARP at Lake Lucerne

In the spring of 2012, the BG Group team members from other branches. To from the train station, take the bus or
opened a new branch just 100 metres reach BG and ARPat the Alpenstrasse in even dock by boat — the new branch of­
from Lake Lucerne. Eight employees of Lucerne, visitors may walk along the lake fice is centrally located. J
ARP have been giving it their best under
the management of Marc Reinhard in Lucerne water tower:
central Switzerland since May. The new Just a few hundred metres from the new BG branch.
team is made up of existing ARP Baar
employees and some new blood — an as­
sured combination of experience and
new ideas.

At the heart of Lucerne. ARP has an

excellent reputation in central Switzer­
land. The branch that was opened up to­
gether with BG in Lucerne is now bring­
ing ARP closer to existing and new ­clients.
Civil engineering projects are the focus of
this deal, but the company-wide cooper­
ation in the BG Group gives them access
to the entire spectrum of the services on
offer — there are even jobs available for

10 ■ BG 2012
 Interview

“We need a clear

perspective on the
subject of energy”
Federal Councillor Doris Leuthard in an interview with BG –
talking about the future of Swiss energy supply, cross-border
planning and the need not only to know about, but also
to use the existing potential of renewable energy.

BG 2012 ■ 11

Doris Leuthard: “It should be possible for homes
Federal Councillor Leuthard: How
does your own personal energy
balance look?
Leuthard: We live in a well-insulated
house, we use a heat pump, at times we
heat the house with the fireplace and we
have reduced our overall household tem­
perature. In addition, I make sure that we
reduce the amount of power we use — for
instance in lighting with energy-saving
lamps or LEDs, the standby mode for
electrical appliances when I buy a new de­
vice. This always pays off in the long term.
The Federal Council launched
the “Energy Strategy 2050” in
conjunction with the phase-out
of nuclear power. What are the
cornerstones of the strategy and
how will the Swiss energy mix
look in 30 years?
Leuthard: Both the energy mix and the
electricity mix must change. Less fossil,
more renewable energies. In order to en­
sure the supply, equal efforts will have to
be made in the areas of energy efficiency
and savings. In doing so it is fundamental
that we renew and expand the high-volt­
age and distribution networks. With an
additional focus on research and devel­
opment, it is possible to find some new
technologies for storage.
12 ■ BG 2012
the results from geothermal energy. Po­
tential is one thing, but its implementa­
tion is even more important. Consequent­
ly we all have to avoid fighting each
project.
The use of renewable energy
gives rise to conflicts of interest
concerning climate and landscape
protection, water conservation
and regional planning. How can
the federal government prevent
a blockade of the situation?
Leuthard: The parties involved must con­
cede a little. In order to replace nuclear
energy, we need the combined full poten­
tial of wind, biomass, photovoltaic and
geothermal energy. What matters is the
added production. Our society needs to
put this maxim into real terms and con­
sciously strive towards it. Many projects
have failed so far because of local resist­
to produce energy instead of using it.” ance. We will therefore try to provide
clear guidelines and define the zones and
conditions.
Which renewable energy has the
greatest potential in your opinion? One measure to reduce our
Leuthard: In Switzerland, the water tower dependence on fossil fuels is
of Europe, water will always play a big the increase in energy efficiency.
How does the federal government
encourage such developments?
“We need the full com- Leuthard: Despite our ever increasing
bined potential of wind, population and economic growth we
must reduce our power consumption. It’s
biomass, photovoltaic all about efficiency. In the building sector,
and geothermal energy.” we want to save on heating and electri­
city through refurbishments and more
stringent cantonal legislation for new and
role. Biomass, solar, thermal and photo­ renovated buildings. Consumption can
voltaic energy are also seen as having be reduced through strict regulations on
potential in our plan. We eagerly await electrical devices and new technology. In
Doris Leuthard
Origins. Born on 10 of April 1963 in Merenschwand, canton of Aargau.
Party. Christian Democratic Party of Switzerland (CVP).
Profession. Lic. Attorney at Law, admitted to the bar in 1991, partner in
a law office.
Politics. 1997–2000 Grand Council in the canton of Aargau, 1999–2006
National Council, 2004–2006 Party President of the CVP, Federal Council-
lor since 2006 (2006–2010 Head of the Federal Department of Economic
Affairs FDEA), Federal President in 2010, Head of the Federal Department
of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC) since
2010.
 “Consequently we all
have to avoid fighting
each project.”

industry and services we want to reduce

the consumption of power by drawing up
target agreements between companies
and federal government as well as by
means of competitive bids for power ef­
ficiency or effectiveness that is rewarded
with bonuses. When it comes to mobility
we rely on the regulations that preside
over technology, research on networked
mobility or the conversion of road and
tunnel lighting, right up to LEDs. In add­
ition to all the guidelines of the legislative
bodies, there must be information and
advice; we must have a clear perspective
on the subject of energy in terms of edu­ Doris Leuthard: “Networks that extend beyond
cation and training and in everybody’s individual buildings and districts are more effective.”
day-to-day life.

What significance does cross-
border energy planning have for
the federal government?
Leuthard: Energy planning always had to
stretch across local, regional, cantonal or
even national boundaries and it must
continue to do so in the future. Therefore,
energy planning has a large political com­
ponent. Think about the power supply
agreements with France and the negotia­
tions between Switzerland and the Euro­
pean Union (EU) concerning an electricity
agreement. Even if the power supply is
affected because no more new nuclear
power plants are built and more renew­
able energy increases regionally in the
future, there has to be cross-border plan­
ning. So the efforts of every individual are
also seen as positive — networks that ex­
tend beyond individual buildings and dis­
tricts are more effective. It is important
therefore to build up a nationwide energy
supply. Switzerland must simultaneously
link itself to an international network as
the hub and battery power of Europe. This
25 May 2011
This was the day when the Federal Council
decided to phase out nuclear power. The decision
was confirmed by the legislative authority and
the amendment to the law is still pending.
will require great feats of engineering
that go beyond the geographical areas
and the individual sources of energy.
The Federal Council considers
international cooperation as being
an answer to the energy challenge.
What are the priorities here?
Leuthard: The European Union will com­
plete the electricity supply negotiations
later on this year. In addition, contact
with neighbouring states will be strength­
ened. We must ensure that Switzerland is
“Despite our increasing
population and economic
growth we must reduce
our power consumption.”
not marginalised in the European elec­
tricity market, or even ignored. Because
the electricity market cannot be restrict­
ed by national boundaries, we have a big
interest in being involved in the EU ener­
gy market. Switzerland should continue
to operate as an electricity hub in Europe.
We must renew our electricity grid in
such a way that the network renewal in
the EU does not leave Switzerland out.
With our pumped-storage power plants,
we can play a very important balancing
role for the whole of Europe. This should
be increased by about four gigawatts of
capacity by 2020.
During the World Engineers
Convention 2011 in Geneva, you
said that engineers should play
an active role in politics. What
do you expect from engineering
firms such as BG?
Leuthard: First of all, I expect engineers
to come up with new developments, for
example in storage of electricity. We must
look to research, as EPFL is currently do­
ing in the world’s leading research centre
for thin-film solar cells (Grätzel cells) or
at ETH Zurich, together with the Paul
Scherrer Institute, where a research team
succeeded in producing fuel with solar
energy from water and carbon dioxide.
Secondly, I expect intelligent applica­
tions. By this I mean that new technology
should make it possible for homes to pro­
duce energy instead of using it. It should
be possible for vehicles to need less fuel
thanks to new engines, to avoid the loss
of power when transporting electricity
and that we even out the load on the grid
with the use of smart grids or smart me­
tering. J
BG 2012 ■ 13
 TGV: Exercise in the Perthus tunnel

High-voltage
evacuation
Before the Perthus rail tunnel was commissioned, the
BG ­company Docalogic carried out three rescue exercises
for the operator TP Ferro involving a high-speed train and
300 passengers. As a result, TP Ferro was able to resolve
the few shortcomings that were identified.
14 ■ BG 2012
 Incident involving the high-speed train: An evacuation in a tunnel cannot be improvised.
High-speed trains and freight trains have
been using the 8.3-kilometre-long Perthus
tunnel on the stretch from Perpignan (F)
to Figueras (E) since the 19th of Decem­
ber 2010. Prior to its commissioning, the
operator TP Ferro carried out several res­
cue exercises. These were meant to simu­
late difficult situations, as decided by the
safety committee of the international de­
partment of TP Ferro.
The exercise. On the 4th of November
2010, a high-speed train travelling from
Perpignan carrying 298 passengers ar­
rived at the Perthus tunnel at 3.20 pm. It
was scheduled to stop seven minutes ­later
at the designated place, 4,253 metres in
the mountain, with its doors just in front of
the cameras installed by Docalogic, which
were in position to film the evacuation.
The driver was then to report to the local
control point and inform the passengers.
3.30 pm. A concerned passenger: “You
could see smoke in the carriage at the
BG 2012 ■ 15
 end of the train. If you did not really know
what was going on, you would wonder
whether there was a fire and if the smoke
was toxic.” The smoke started to spread.
Repairing the train was out of the ques­
tion and so this is what happened: The
train remained where it was. Even the
passengers knew nothing of the impend­
ing evacuation.
300 people were evacuated. There
was a further announcement at 3.32 pm:
“Due to engine failure, the train is unable
to proceed.” There was a power cut at
3.41 pm. A passenger comments dryly,
“Okay, here we go.” Instructions for the
“Due to engine
failure, the train is
unable to proceed.”
evacuation were given over the loud­
speakers at 3.43 pm. An observer of the
exercise criticises: “It is impossible to dis­
Specialists: Jean-François Armand,
Joël Faure, Elodie Carlini and
Nicolas Jourlin organise
big rescue exercises.
16 ■ BG 2012
tinguish between normal passenger in­
formation and a safety announcement.”
As it turns out the passengers under­
stood the message. However, some of
them search for more information from
other passengers or from the informa­
tion screens. “Among the passengers
were people with speech problems and
hearing difficulties, who were none the
wiser as a result of the audio announce­
ments,” says Joel Faure, Unit Manager at
Docalogic. In the present case, however,
the well-organised crew members were
able to gather these disadvantaged pas­
sengers together.
Now the mobile passengers made for
the evacuation ramp. “I fell down whilst
I was talking and suffered bruising,” says
another passenger. A woman was
squashed by the oncoming stream of
people whilst attempting to retrieve her
luggage even though the train conduc­
tors had asked people to leave their pos­
sessions. A man who was locked in the
WC as planned did not appear until after
the exercise was completed. The crew
had forgotten him with the bustle of pas­
sengers and, contrary to the rules, a
supervising manager was not on hand.
“I left the WC when I heard that the evac­
uation procedure was over. The doors
had been closed shortly thereafter.”
Assistance. A queue of people started
to form in the tunnel where the train re­
mained stationary, people made their
way to the connecting tunnel and passed
through to the second tunnel where the
train service had been interrupted. The
initial crowd slowly dwindled as the doors
opened.
Now the evacuation to the French side
began in the smoke-free tunnel, but one
(intentionally) inattentive group headed
off in the direction of Spain on foot.
“No one gave them proper instructions,”
notes one observer. The passengers on
their way towards France were led to the
tunnel exit, but “50 minutes for the
A rail-rescue exercise
of this scale has
never been performed
before in Europe.
4.2-kilometre stretch is a long time de­
spite the excellent assistance offered by
the crew.”
The passengers with speech problems
and hearing difficulties, who were taken
away from the scene with a combined
road-rail vehicle of TP Ferro, all agree: “In
an emergency, we would simply follow
the pedestrians.” It would, however, have
been a great advantage to have a shuttle
truck to evacuate the wheelchair users, if
there had been one on the train. Overall,
the participants praised the conduct of
the rescue personnel and emphasised
that they felt safe.
Know-how. TP Ferro hired Docalogic to
organise the exercises. Manager Petros
Papaghiannakis: “In theory we could
have actually done it ourselves. However,
in practice it requires a lot of preparation,
organisation and coordination to mobil­
ise the numerous helpers. So we prefer to
call in the specialists for this kind of job,
then we can concentrate on the opera­
tion and implementing safety measures
for the trains and passengers.”
The 3 exercises in numbers
400 participants
65 international observers
50 hours of footage for
a 20-minute overview on film
“The requirements were very precise,”
recalls Joel Faure, and Petros Papaghian­
nakis adds: “To hire and manage 300 ex­
tras in the midst of observers and offi­
cials, prepare and release the video foot­
age and rectify any last minute logistical
problems … all of this cannot be impro­
vised. We wanted to rely on an experi­
enced partner, because we ourselves
were newcomers in this field. The suc­
cessful implementation and the findings
tell us that we were right not to opt for
any half-hearted solutions.”
Thanks to their experience, Docalogic
can place people accordingly within a
simulated situation and offer customised
services. Joel Faure: “A rail-rescue exer­
cise of this scale and complexity has
­never been performed before in Europe.
We made sure that all the logistical and
technical staging of the three fake inci­
dents took place in the same month on
the high-speed train in the Perthus tun­
nel.” In its endeavour to guarantee the
utmost safety in the tunnel, TP Ferro has
rectified the shortcomings identified by
these exercises.
Script. A prerequisite for the successful
outcome was the script and the subse­
quent coordinated logistical planning.
This included the contractual obligation
of the extras, working out and analysing
the control questionnaires, ensuring real­
istic role-playing, installing 25 strategic­
ally positioned cameras to capture the
exercises on film and determining the op­
erational locations of the 65 observers. In
addition to this, special tickets had to be
printed, they had to research the area for
a car park to accommodate 300 vehicles
which they could be sure would be avail­
able on the day and reserve it by guard­
ing it, hiring buses to transport the
­people between the car park and the
train station (also marking out and meas­
uring main and alternative routes), pre­
paring a turnabout area for the buses
and, not least, lunch (sandwiches, drinks,
chocolate) and mobile toilets for those
taking part. “You have to think of every­
thing, even the unlikely things. And in do­
ing so you must never neglect the timing
of the events,” stresses Joel Faure. Thus,
a precise schedule of events was set out
so that the observers were at the right
place at the right time.
The know-how of Docalogic was also
called upon in the exercises carried out
“We wanted to rely
on an experienced
partner.”
“You have to think of
everything, even the
unlikely things.”
on the 17th and 30th of November 2011
when the focus was on the use of rescue
teams. A “derailment” and a “fire” in the
train locomotive were the cause of nu­
merous “serious injuries”. Petros Papa­
ghiannakis: “It may sound paradoxical,
but we were very appreciative of the fact
that we heard very little of Docalogic be­
fore and during the exercises. They did
their job discreetly and efficiently, all par­
ticipants worked independently, and fur­
thermore the communication between
our two companies did not suffer.”
The objectivity and independence of
the specialists from Lyon was very con­
vincing. Petros Papaghiannakis mentions
the improvement of information proc­
esses and the alarm chain as concrete
results from the exercises carried out by
Do­calogic. Other measures are under
consideration, such as being able to earth
the overhead lines remotely from the
control room or to purchase a portable
ramp in order to get injured passengers
into the evacuation vehicle with greater
ease. J

The Perthus tunnel

The Perthus tunnel consists of two 8.25-kilometre-long tunnels between
southern France and northern Spain. The northern entrance is located in
the town of Montesquieu des Albères, the southern entrance is in the town
of La Jonquera.
41 crosscuts connect the two tunnels at a distance of 200 metres for the Petros Papaghiannakis
evacuation of passengers and the access of emergency services. In addition Operations Manager of TP Ferro
there are four galleries with technical facilities between the two tunnels. for the Perthus rail tunnel
Trains travelling in the same direction must keep a minimum distance of
8,500 metres.
BG 2012 ■ 17
 frigemo

Fries on the flow: Several stages of production until the end goal.

Potatoes, oil …
and a lot of water
Before crispy French fries end up on your plate, they undergo a
processing procedure involving a lot of water. Where does the
company frigemo get all this water? How and where is it treated?
Water specialists from BG support frigemo in this enterprise.
18 ■ BG 2012
 The aroma of fresh French fries wafts
through the air in Cressier, in the Jura
foothills between Neuchâtel and Biel
(Switzerland). This is where the frigemo
factory can be found, a company special­
ising in processing potatoes. It processes
over 50,000 tons of potatoes every year.
French fries, hash browns or mashed po­
tatoes are just some of the classics, there
are about a hundred culinary creations
in total. But it is not all about potatoes:
Water is a key issue.
Nothing works without water. You
need more than just potatoes and oil to
make delicious French fries. Before the
little potato sticks can be eaten, they
need a lot of water. The tubers are
washed, transported in a water channel
from one process to another, and water is
needed even in the cutting procedure.
The potatoes are pumped in a stream of
water at high pressure to a cutting block
with sharp blades. The production facil­
ities are modern, as frigemo has found
this to be of great importance for many
years. But where does the water come
from? How is it treated and where does it
go?
Where from and where to? frigemo
was prompted to hire the specialists from
BG not for the actual manufacturing
process, but rather the upstream and
downstream water infrastructure. The
collaboration started in 2009 with BG
­advising the company to have its own
wastewater treatment plant. Initial ex­
ploratory examinations quickly led to a
follow-up question: Where should the
treated wastewater go? The small brook,
Mortruz, next to the premises was unsuit­
able for this purpose because it could dry
out during the summer months. The
wastewater was therefore conducted
through a pressure line into the Zihlkanal
starting from autumn 2012. The building
project was planned by BG and was real­
ised as a turnkey project.
frigemo
frigemo is a leading manufacturer of frozen,
chilled and fresh products in Switzerland.
Its business partners include McDonald’s, Coop,
Volg and Nestlé.
Lots of water, lots of questions. ector of BG, very familiar with the water
The contract includes different aspects issue, but also with the frigemo company.
of water and not all of them relate direct­ “We know the people, the area and the
ly to the production process, such as the business very well, which makes it pos­
question of drainage and the availability sible for us to have an overall view, to
of water in the event of a fire. Flood pro­ a certain degree of course. This is espe­
tection has also been an issue for some cially valuable when negotiating with the
time. “BG has a large pool of specialists ­authorities.” Fortunately the fact that
and is therefore the ideal partner for us. these talks are sometimes conducted in
In fact, the problems we face involve the French and at other times in German is
most diverse areas,” states Jürg Habeg­ not a problem for BG. J
ger, member of the Executive Board of
frigemo and responsible for the five pro­
duction units of the group.
All-round support. Some issues are
new, others have just risen on frigemo’s
list of priorities. Some of its infrastructure
facilities such as its own groundwater
wells, sewers or drainage system, are get­
ting on a bit in years. It makes sense to
refurbish them in order to promote the
long-term development of the business.
However, the risk mapping for flooding
and the associated regulations for new
buildings are both new issues. The experi­
ence of experts from BG is most welcome
when it comes to questions about struc­
tural possibilities, for example, the pro­
tection of property, or in assessing
planned flood protection measures. They deal with the issue of water …
… and succumb to temptation:
We know each other. Furthermore, Martin Fuchs, Bruno Wyss, Thomas
not only is Jürg Schweizer, Project Dir­ Meier and Jürg Schweizer.
Jürg Habegger, member of the
Executive Board of the frigemo Group
“The machines will not be stopped”
Mr. Habegger, why do you value BG as a partner?
Habegger: When it comes to anything concerning water, BG has the right
specialist for it, the corresponding know-how plus a valuable network of re-
lationships with the authorities and specialised bodies. This is very handy.
Since we are on the language border, we also appreciate the availability of
bilingual engineers from BG.
What is a true challenge for BG?
Habegger: Our production runs around the clock, five to six days a week, for
eleven months in the year. It is imperative that all building work is carried
out without having to stop the machines.
Do French fries feature in your own personal menu?
Habegger: Yes, of course! Within the frigemo Group we also process vege­
tables, salad and eggs – so we offer a complete menu.
BG 2012 ■ 19
 His work will be enjoyed for decades to come:
Engineer Uwe Pfeiffer on the building site in Zurich West.
20 ■ BG 2012
 Zölly Tower in Zurich

“A great success
for our team”
Tall buildings pose a great challenge to engineers.
A case for Uwe Pfeiffer and his colleagues from ARP,
a subsidiary of the BG Group. They carried out the
structural calculations of the Zölly Tower in Zurich –
one of the tallest buildings in Switzerland.

Mr. Pfeiffer, I understand you enjoy
spending your spare time in the
great outdoors. What inspiration do
you get from nature that influences
your work as a civil engineer?
Pfeiffer: Often all the various facets of
nature combine together in an ideal way,
complementing each other, thus creating
the perfect form. We can only dream of
this perfection and beauty. But that
should not prevent us from striving to at­
tain this ideal in our work.
How close did you come to attain-
ing this ideal with the Zölly Tower?
Pfeiffer: Very close, I hope. (Smiles.)
The Zölly Tower is dedicated
to an engineering and industrial
pioneer from the early 20th
century. What do you know about
Heinrich Zoelly?
Pfeiffer: I first became interested in Hein­
rich Zoelly in the context of our project.
He was a pioneer with a clear vision. As a
technological innovator, he has shaped
the development of the rotary steam tur­
Heinrich Zoelly
was a pioneer with
a clear vision.
bine and created the foundations for the
advancement of Escher Wyss & Cie. “Often all the various
Civil engineers and their achieve-
facets of nature combine
ments attained great social recogni- together in an ideal way.”
tion in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Today’s engineers remain largely
unknown. Why is that? the building seems to be of lesser import­
Pfeiffer: In the past, there was no distinc­ ance. The engineer disappears, both liter­
tion between architecture and construc­ ally and figuratively, behind the facade.
tion. This was for the simple reason that
usually the same person was responsible Are civil engineers too modest to
for both. Therefore they received undiv­ push themselves into the limelight?
ided public recognition. Today, when a Pfeiffer: In addition to being hard work­
new building is constructed, it is primarily ing, another virtue of an engineer is mod­
the architectural structure that is re­ esty. This is not a bad thing, but it should
marked upon, while the construction of not prevent us from presenting our role
Zölly Tower
The former industrial district of Zurich West has transformed into an urban
area where people live and work, can take a stroll or enjoy the rich cultural
and culinary scene. The Zölly Tower will be another prominent landmark
for Zurich West. The tower is directly next to the Hardbrücke railway station
and Prime Tower, which at 126 metres high is the tallest building in Switzer-
land.
The tall building is dedicated to the engineer and pioneer Heinrich Zoelly
(born in 1862 in Mexico City, died in 1937 in Zurich). He worked as a technical
director at the machine manufacturer Escher Wyss & Cie. in Zurich and was
instrumental in the development of the then new multistage steam turbines
(“Zoelly turbine”). He was honoured for his services in 1912 with an honorary
doctorate from ETH Zurich.
BG 2012 ■ 21
 to the public under a better light. We
need to work on this.
The Zölly Tower is one of the tallest
buildings in Switzerland and thus
an extraordinary engineering feat.
What were the major challenges for
you and your team?
Pfeiffer: The Zölly Tower is tall and nar­
row, so issues that play a minor role in
smaller buildings are of great importance
here — in particular with regards to the
structural behaviour under the effects of
vibrations. Because of the design, we
used highly loaded components, which
provide static and structurally specific
­requirements. The deformations that the
building may undergo, for example, in the
event of an earthquake or high wind
speeds, is especially important for the fa­
cade. That is why we transferred the de­
signs of the architect into a digital, three-
dimensional structural model and con­
ducted simulations. The qualitative and
quantitative assessment of these simula­
tions requires a great deal of experience
and a broad knowledge base. It is very im­
portant to have a good team.
The qualitative and
quantitative assessment
of these simulations
requires experience.
Aiming high: Valentin Jenni, Uwe Pfeiffer
and Jordi Moreno are pleased with
the progress of the Zölly Tower.
22 ■ BG 2012
“In an earthquake
event, the Zölly Tower
would suffer only
a few cracks.”
The Zurich region has recently
experienced an earthquake measur-
ing 4.2. Researchers believe it is
possible to have earthquakes with a
magnitude of 7 in this region, like
the one that devastated Basel in
1356. Could the Zölly Tower with-
stand this?
Pfeiffer: Yes, in the event of an earth­
quake, the Zölly Tower would remain un­
scathed bar a few small cracks. But in our
tests, it is not the magnitude of the earth­
quake that is decisive, rather the ground
acceleration. There are standards in Swit­
zerland for this and we must comply with
these. In Zurich, the critical value is 2.5
times lower than in Basel due to the geo­
logical conditions.
Hundreds of lives depend on
calculations being correct. How do
you deal with this responsibility?
Pfeiffer: The responsibility is a heavy one
to bear, but it is spread across the shoul­
ders of a team of experienced specialists.
Thus ensuring maximum security. In add­
ition, our calculations have been exten­
sively reviewed. I am convinced that we
have done a good job so I do not worry.
The project involved several BG
companies: ARP, Beyeler Ingenieure
and Geomod. How did these three
companies work together?
Pfeiffer: Very well, even though this was
the first time that we had worked to­
gether in this way on such a complex
project. However, in the meantime we
have also been working closely together
on other projects.
in numbers
Height: 77 metres
Floors: 23
Apartments: 128
Completion: Autumn 2014
 “One of the virtues
of an engineer
is modesty.”

What role did each company play?

Pfeiffer: ARP was in charge overall.
Beyeler Ingenieure checked our calcula­
tions for the structural behaviour and
helped us with the construction tenders.
Geomod verified our calculations for the
foundation.

You were commissioned by Losinger

and their French parent company,
Bouygues, to work on the Zölly
Tower. What was it like working
with this international group?
Pfeiffer: The collaboration was extremely
pleasant and constructive. Our calcula­
tions were also checked again in Paris
and confirmed. It was a great success for
our team.

You carried out the calculations

for the Zölly Tower and now it
is being built. What projects will
you tackle next?
Pfeiffer: We will still be involved with the
work on the Zölly Tower during the exe­
cution phase, albeit perhaps not as in­

“The Zölly Tower

will shape the face of
the city for decades
to come.”

tensely. Currently we are working on an­

other major project in Zurich, a Swiss
Federal Railway service station, where
we are the project manager. The total in­
vestment for this project is 123 million
francs.

What will you feel as you look at the

Zölly Tower one day?
Pfeiffer: The Zölly tower will be visible
from far away and help shape the face of
the city for decades to come. It fills me
with pride today to have worked on such
a project and created something that will
be there for many years to come. J
One of the tallest buildings in Switzerland:
The Zölly Tower will be a prominent landmark of the city.
BG 2012 ■ 23
 UBS Geneva

Joining forces
The renovation of a building complex owned by UBS in
the middle of Geneva requires the knowledge of various
experts and was therefore put forward as a multidisciplinary
tender. BG engineers are on the winning team along with
the architects Richter-Dahl Rocha & Associés.

“UBS is planning a complex reconstruc­
tion in Geneva. It is a multidisciplinary
tender and we need more engineers in
our team. Would you be interested in
putting forward an offer with us?” The
architect Jacques Richter put this ques­
tion to Pierre Epars of BG at the begin­
ning of 2009. He assured him of his par­
ticipation as director of the construction
and energy departement and as a mem­
ber of the executive board.
BG’s mandate. In the UBS project in
Geneva, BG is solely responsible for
the assignment concerning heating,
ventilation, air conditioning and
electricity. All of the building ser­
vices are to be redesigned and re­
developed. The building envelope
must also be renewed: Replacing the
windows and insulating the facade
so that the new building corresponds
to the Minergie standard.
Combined expertise. This news was
received very well by everyone at BG.
Competitions requiring multidisciplinary
teams only come occasionally. The ad­
“Architects and
engineers working
together respectfully
and constructively.”
vantages are obvious: Construction
projects that involve complex energy
­issues require the relevant expertise in
different areas. Working at the interface
between engineering, architecture and
economics is one of BG’s strong points.
BG has long-standing ties with the archi­
tects Richter-Dahl Rocha. “The collabor­
ation itself is not unusual,” says Ricardo
Muñoz, Project Manager at BG, “but com­
petitions of this type are, unfortunately,
still rare.”
Working as a team. A total of five
­ rchitectural firms were invited to com­
a
pete for the tender. The client asked them
to supplement their team with engineers,
economists and other specialists as re­
quired. Richter-Dahl Rocha set about the
task in earnest and formed a team of
twelve people for the project. There was
also teamwork involved on the side of the
client: Seven leading UBS managers and
architects analysed the entries as ex­
perts in their field, they judged the pre­
sentations and made the final decision —
in favour of the team that included BG.
Putting their heads together. The
team had six months in which to prepare
their submission for the project and dur­
ing this time they met on a regular basis.
Plans and maps, a feasibility study, guide­

Richter-Dahl Rocha & Associés.

The company Richter-Dahl Rocha &
Associés was founded by Jacques
Richter and Ignacio Dahl Rocha in
Lausanne in 1993. An office was es-
tablished in Buenos Aires in 2005.
The office in Lausanne focuses on
­architecture in urban zones and so-
cial space, inspired by historical and
cultural contexts.
Prestigious building:
The latest in functionality and technology.
24 ■ BG 2012

Competitions requiring
multidisciplinary teams
only come around
occasionally.
lines for the development of the city of
Geneva and other documents served as
the basis for their submission. The
project was led by the architectural firm,
but the hierarchy in the team was flat.
Ricardo Muñoz recalls: “I felt that the co­
operation was a very respectful one and
a truly enriching experience. The archi­
tects were very open to our ideas.”
Phases of the project
Winter 2009: Project selected, prize
awarded, start of the detailed design
Spring 2012: Site work started
Winter 2012: Completion
UBS IN GENEVA AT RUE DU RHONE 8: A new freshness coming soon to an old address.
At the heart of Geneva. UBS has a chose Richter-Dahl Rocha as the team for
prestigious address at the heart of Gene­ the project in November 2009, by award­
va on the Rue du Rhône. While the upper
floors of the five-part building complex
ing them the first prize. Encouraging de­
tail: In their report, they placed great em­
are mainly used as offices, there are phasis on the quality of the presentation
J
shops and boutiques on the ground floor.
The potential of the entire real estate had
and the strength of the team.
not been fully exploited. Furthermore,
certain aspects of energy management
and safety no longer fulfil the current
standards.
Old and new. The construction dates of
the building complex varied. Three build­
ings dated back to the early 20th century,
the other two were built in the 40s and
60s respectively. The older buildings are
listed and in need of renovation. The new­
est building is to be replaced by a new
construction in accordance with the lat­
est functional, ecological and economic
principles. Listed and renovated or com­ Joint know-how: Pierre Epars,
pletely modern, the entire project must Christian Leibbrandt (architect) and
fit into the existing cityscape. The experts Ricardo Muñoz share a vision.
BG 2012 ■ 25
 Energy planning

The key
to the future
BG has great faith in the concept of territorial energy
planning. This approach favours innovative solutions
that are technically proven and financially manageable
in order to anticipate the future energy needs of
large-scale sustainable developments.

Villeneuve region: The district heating supply for several communities is

a landmark case for a comprehensive analysis within an energy utilisation concept.
26 ■ BG 2012
Switzerland has made two decisions that
will affect the country’s energy supply.
Firstly, in 2011 the government decided to
phase out nuclear power. Secondly, at the
start of 2012 the Federal Court commit­
ted BKW Energie AG to decommissioning
the nuclear power plant at Mühlenberg
in 2013, if certain conditions are not
met. Regardless of the outcome of the
on­going appeal processes, it can be said
that the effects of the two decisions will
be felt by all.

Overall view. For Olivier Ouzilou and

Frank Doppenberg it is clear: “We are
searching for new approaches: What
alternatives are there? We need visions!”
One possible way is territorial energy
planning. The two energy specialists from
BG agree that the question of “How will
we heat our house next winter?” is not
the critical issue here. “It is no longer
enough to just deal with the energy sup­
ply of a single building or company. We

“It is no longer enough

to just deal with
the energy supply of
a single building.”

need to apply a more global approach, in

which a district is the smallest unit.” This
approach is essential and indispensable
for successful energy planning.

Graduated liability. With its new en­

ergy law, the canton of Geneva has taken
the first step towards territorial energy
planning. It urgently requires energy con­
cepts at all levels of the territory’s exist­
ing units. On the level of spatial planning,
for example a municipality or a district,
the energy concepts are full of recom­
mendations. While on the level of building
ordinance provisions, they include bind­
ing provisions that can be challenged in
legal terms by private parties who wish to
build there. In recounting the fact that cli­
ents are usually motivated by technically
and financially sound solutions, Olivier
Ouzilou explains: “If a building ordinance
dictates that a building must be connect­
ed to a district heating or geothermal
power network and this connection re­

BG 2012 ■ 27
 quirement is legal, then there will be little
debate, everybody will have to comply
with it.”
A spatial energy plan for the whole ag­
glomeration has been developed in Saint-
Julien-en-Genevois, Haute-Savoie, south
of Geneva. A study compiled by BG based
on the needs of ten communities on both
sides of the border “has made it possible
to design an energy plan that relies on
­local resources”. It proposes a distribu­
tion network that is supplied with ther­
mal energy from biomass (wood, green
waste, wood chips) from a plant in France.
“In order for this to be successfully imple­
mented in 2020, it also includes a study
on the technical, legal and financial as­
pects,” adds Olivier Ouzilou.
However, not all Swiss cantons have
the necessary legal basis yet. But there
are other ways of assisting a concept for
the breakthrough of a large-scale supply
of renewable energy.
Extensive analysis. Based on their
own knowledge and experience, BG sug­
gests opting for a procedure that has al­
ready proved its effectiveness in Switzer­
land, France and on an international level.
“First the energy sources are pinpointed,
inventoried and evaluated,” explains
Frank Doppenberg. The available energy
resources are integrated into the basic
structure, which is to be used as a zone
exploiting the energy of sea water for heating and cooling purposes.
28 ■ BG 2012
development plan. With regard to the de­
sired sustainability, the local and renew­
able energy take precedence over non-
renewable and imported energy.
The energy standards of buildings are
defined in a further step. Is it all about
limiting ourselves to the statutory min­
imum requirements or is the goal to
strive for a highly efficient energy stand­
ard? In order to determine the present
and future needs, it is important to spec­
ify the type and amount: Which energy
sources, how much power, what tempera­
ture for heating and cooling ...?
Frank Doppenberg concludes: “The
available resources and the demand will
be coordinated with a technical approach
tailored to each one.” This also involves
“Clients are usually
motivated by technically
and financially sound
solutions.“
considering the aspects of exploration,
air pollution and legal requirements.
Ultim­ately it boils down to “bringing en­
ergy efficiency and the demand for ener­
gy into some kind of balance in order to
minimise the environmental impact and
long-term costs, whereby short-term fluc­
Marseille: An innovative study shows the possibilities of
“Thalassothermie”
at Marseille
The city of Marseille is consider-
ing building a new kind of plant
for supplying power to a 375-hec-
tare district with 2 million square
metres of new development; the
required investment for such an
endeavour amounts to 50–76 mil-
lion euros. The sea water is
pumped into a system with heat
exchangers that collect the ener-
gy (heat in the winter and cold in
the summer) and then it is
pumped back into the sea. In an
underground secondary water
circuit, the heating and cooling
energy extracted are then trans-
ported to consumers.
tuations in market prices may not come
into play.”
Pieces of the puzzle. As a specialist
for complex energy issues, BG has al­
ready helped many groundbreaking
projects and contributed innovative,
technically sophisticated and financially
viable solutions. A good example of this
is the concept of district heating in the
Haut-Lac region at the upper end of Lake
Geneva, which includes the communities
of Villeneuve, Roche, Rennaz, Noville and
Chessel.
This is where you will find the com­
posting plant of the company SATOM for
recycling household waste. It turns green
waste into biogas, which powers a cogen­
eration plant that produces heat and
“The available resources
and the demand
will be coordinated.”
electricity (which is sold to Swissgrid). In
order to make better use of the heat gen­
erated, SATOM launched a study on its
potential connection in the region. This
also included a study on the use of re­
newable energy, which BG had compiled
as part of an architectural tender for the
Rennaz hospital. In nearby Roche,
Groupe E (a utility company) wants to
construct a plant for heat production
fuelled by wood. The final piece of the
puzzle is the planned district of Les
Fourches between Noville, Rennaz and
Villeneuve, which in accordance with the
intermunicipal development plan is to be
divided into different zones: an industrial
and commercial zone, a recreational
zone and a mixed residential/recreation­
al zone. BG’s expertise was called upon to
Territorial energy planning
Holistic approach
Innovative solutions
Minimal impact on the environment
Manageable costs
find a solution to merge the various
projects into one comprehensive overall
project.
A comprehensive stance. “By as­
sessing the energy needs over a wider
perimeter as commissioned by the Office
of Environment and Energy of the canton
of Vaud and SATOM, we have coordinat­
ed these projects and incorporated
Groupe E as a general outfitter,” explain
Olivier Ouzilou and Frank Doppenberg.
From their point of view, it is crucial to
have a comprehensive approach when Dedicated specialists: Loïc Lepage,
creating an energy concept. In the Frank Doppenberg, Olivier Ouzilou and
present case, this view allowed for a Mathurin Dupanier plan a sustainable
pragmatic approach to the progressive energy supply for the future.
establishment of district heating based
on renewable energy. The 7.5-kilometre-
long network, which is estimated to cost
around 15 million francs, will be put into However, with the existing funding
operation in September 2012. Its power mechanisms there are only very limited
plant delivers a thermal output of 12.4 means available for feasibility studies
megawatts (MW), 2 MW of which will be and territorial energy planning. Tools of
from biogas, 6.4 MW from wood and this nature are critical in reaching the ob­
4 MW from natural gas, which will only jectives of the energy policy and all its
be used at peak times. The percentage of challenges. The two dedicated specialists
renewable energy from the green waste from BG are still looking ahead and hope
of the region and 10,000—30,000 cubic to move things up a gear. Olivier Ouzilou
metres of wood chips from the local for­ puts forward a proposal with regard to
estry is likely to amount to 85 to 90 per the federal building programme’s funding
cent over the year thus creating one of for renovations: “I would very much wel­
the largest biomass power stations in the come federal funding to promote energy
canton of Vaud. infrastructures!” J
BG 2012 ■ 29
 Major construction site of the City Ring

Repair of the Ibach viaduct in Lucerne: This will be built whilst it is still used by motorists.

Traffic in motion
The complete overhaul of a motorway usually means
considerable congestion. This is not the case at the
construction site of the City Ring in Lucerne. The traffic
flows normally every day with very few exceptions.
This is thanks to a clever management.
30 ■ BG 2012
 “Due to construction work,
the A2 motorway between
Lucerne centre and Lucerne
Kriens will remain closed
at night between 8 pm and
6 am. An alternative detour
has been arranged.”
This traffic report refers to the so-called
City Ring, a section of motorway in Lu­
cerne. Over 90,000 vehicles travel on it
every day, making it one of the busiest
roads in Switzerland.
After 35 years of intensive use, it is
currently undergoing a comprehensive
overhaul. The infrastructure was not im­
mune to the effect of the weather and
the continuous heavy load of traffic. In
addition, new safety standards have
made it necessary to carry out certain
work. The project aims to modernise a
series of tunnels and bridges as well as
the access to the city.
A major construction site with-
out traffic jams. Projects of this size
are usually associated with road closures
and subsequent traffic congestion. This
one is different. One of the client’s (the
Swiss Federal Roads Authority ASTRA)
major concerns is that the traffic can still
flow at peak times during the entire con­
struction period. In fact, the ring road has
been under construction since mid-2009
without significantly disturbing the flow
of traffic. This is even more remarkable
when one considers the complexity of the
construction processes and the fact that
space is extremely limited.
The master plan. A cleverly devised
plan for traffic management also plays its
part in assuring the smooth running of
the site. ARP, a subsidiary of the BG
Group, drew up the plan in collaboration
with ASTRA, the canton and the city of
Lucerne that includes a total of 21 regi­
mens for six work phases, each with two
to four traffic conditions. Just like a script
Dimensions of the City Ring
400 million Swiss francs in construction costs
60 participating companies
5 sections
preps an actor, the plan dictates how the
traffic should flow during the day, at
night, on weekdays or weekends, so that
the work can proceed without any hitch­
es. The traffic flows largely unhindered
during the day; the construction work in
the tunnels is done at night and on about
twenty weekends per year.
Challenges. From the north there is
hardly any room for arranging alterna­
tive traffic routes. The turn-off for Rotsee
is only a few hundred metres from the
construction site, which makes it impos­ Working on the City Ring.
sible to close off any lanes in this section. David Piave, Ueli Fischlin,
The traffic is therefore also directed with­ Roland Bechtiger, Thomas Fuchs
in the perimeters of the construction site. and Ferican Pergel.
In addition to directing the traffic, ARP is
busy with several engineering jobs: the
viaduct to Ibach, the SBB Friedental fly­
over plus the ramps and portal of the
bridge.
Even with his twenty years of profes­
sional experience, Roland Bechtiger, en­
gineer at ARP and in charge of the sub­
project of building structures, confesses
that it is a very complex project. Having
so many people involved, decision- many road users are likewise immense.
makers at large and limited space makes Once the overhaul is complete, it will
this project particularly challenging. The be another 20 years before such work
overall mandate of ARP extends from will need to be carried out again on the
drawing up measures to their submission City Ring. Therefore, the following traffic
and from a detailed design to the report is expected at the end of June
tech­nical supervision of two of the five 2013:
sections. This challenge is borne by ARP
together with three other engineering
“The construction work
firms. on the City Ring is completed.
Traffic on the A2 motorway
Building for the future. Today’s
challenges are great, but the benefits
will flow normally now for
that the project will bring in the future for the next 20 years.”
Daytime: Free-flowing traffic
Night-time: Construction site
For the workers it is a tour de force to set up the construction sites in
the tunnels in the evening and clear them away again at dawn. The
detour is set up from 8 pm with signs to guide the traffic. As soon as there
are no more vehicles in the section, the tunnel is closed and the work
begins.
Every piece of operating and safety equipment in the tunnel is checked
regularly. At 5 am the site is cleared and the road is cleaned. Then there is
a final control drive and then the maintenance team opens the tunnel to
traffic again at 6 am on the dot.
BG 2012 ■ 31
 The devastating flood of 2008
left behind huge damage to people and property in its wake.

32 ■ BG 2012
 Flood protection in Algeria

Fatal floods
in the desert
The devastating floods of the Wadi M’Zab in southern
Algeria are a constant threat to the population and
the local economy. Thanks to dams and dykes, the water
will be controlled so that people and property are
not longer at risk.

BG 2012 ■ 33
 The M’Zab is a plateau in the rocky plains
of the Algerian desert. The valley that lies
600 kilometres south of Algiers is named
after the wadi (meaning a temporary
­water-bearing river) which floods it on a
regular basis. The sprawling landscape of
stone and rock that lies between 300 and
800 metres above sea level was formed
around 165 million years ago. The ground
is composed mainly of limestone soils,
which are very permeable and unable to
retain large quantities of rainwater.
Heavy clouds from the Atlantic are
carried along by the wind to this region
again and again where they then release
their “payload”, mostly in the form of
thundery rain in spring and autumn. This
phenomenon occurs most frequently in
September and October, as was the case
“This kind of flooding
is also possible the
whole year through.”
with one fatal flood on the 1st of October
in 2008, which claimed dozens of lives
and destroyed several hundred homes.
“This kind of flooding is also possible in
December, even the whole year through,”
warns Hacène Bekhouche, head of the BG
office in Algeria, based on information
from a hydrological study.
Urbanisation. The water catchment
area of Wadi M’Zab covers an area of
1,500 square kilometres. Heavier rainfall
may cause destructive floods with run-off
volumes of up to 1,500 m3/s — about twice
as much as the normal run-off of the
Rhine in Basel.
In an attempt to find a solution to the
recurring floods, the Algerian Ministry of
Water Resources has commissioned BG
to study the M’Zab Valley and compile
protective measures against the floods.
Although the Wadi M’Zab is only a
plat­eau surrounded by a stone desert,
many people have settled here. Today,
some 16,000 people live in the valley. The
result is fast-growing urbanisation with
building work reaching the furthest cor­
ners of the oasis, as explained by Hacène
Bekhouche. The new sites are created on
the high plains, but also on the few re­
maining plots of land available in the val­
ley, between the old settlements and the
palm trees by the inlets of the numerous
wadis — with dangerous consequences.

Reducing the overflow. A hydrologi­

cal study, an analysis of the natural flow
dynamics of the Wadi M’Zab, then the
creation of flood maps, a variant study, in
rough then followed by detailed prelim­
inary projects, and finally writing the
documentation for the work tender: BG
was only able to design the three retain­
ing dams in El Abiod, El Haimeur and Bou
Brik after extensive preparatory work.
They are constructed entirely from
mater­ials that are available locally.
The three dams are located upstream
from the inhabited areas. Their job is to
break the peak of the flood, so as to re­
duce the flow of water by forcing the
overflow into the dam outflows, twice at
20 m3/s and once at 5 m3/s. Hacène
Bekhouche adds: “Without the dams, the

Ghardaïa: Administrative centre with a thousand-year-old history.

“The water can flow
The historic city of Ghardaïa through the oasis, with-
The city of Ghardaïa was established in 1050. Just like the neighbouring out doing any harm.”
towns of Beni Isguen, Bou Noura, El Ateuf and Melika, the fortified oasis
city quickly became the economic centre of the M’Zab Valley. Its first resi-
dents were the Mozabites, a branch of the Ibadites. Their faith is commit- flow rate would rise to 700 to 1500 m3/s.
ted to the democratic and egalitarian principles within Islam. Now, however, the water flows from the
This community is known for its social organisation and cohesion. The palm trees of Ghardaïa at only 220—240
Mozabites were victims of religious persecution and so took refuge in the m3/s — the rainwater from the immediate
M’Zab Valley a thousand years ago. They chose this region because it was catchment area is included in the calcula­
hard to access. They lived here with other cultures and mingled with the tion. The river can no longer cause any
Berber tribes. harm.”

34 ■ BG 2012
Portugal Spain
Algiers
Morocco Ghardaïa
Algeria
The M’Zab Valley lies 600 kilometres south of Algiers, near the city of Ghardaïa.
BG is building dams here to counterattack the destructive floods.
Diplomacy. The first dam on the main
trunk of the M’Zab has helped to prevent
even more deaths during the major flood
on the 1st of October 2008. Nevertheless,
many houses were washed away in the
beds of the wadi. In order for this not to
happen anymore, “the current dam ex­
tensions entail the compulsory purchase
of unfavourably placed houses and their
subsequent demolition, for which the
owners would be compensated,” says
Hacène Bekhouche. This is not going to
be an easy feat in the M’Zab Valley with
its thousand-year history and five histor­
ic towns.
The valley that has been classified as
a historic site since 1962 was then listed
as a Unesco World Heritage site with the
corresponding protection in 1982. The
five traditional water-regulating systems
are under strict protection and subsi­
dised by the state. Hacène recalls: “There
were some problems before the project
was accepted.” Of course, in the desert,
the water brought down by the wadi also
symbolises survival because it supplies
the groundwater reserves. Fears arose
that the new dams would interrupt the
flow of groundwater. “Until now we al­
ways organise information sessions and
try to convince the people who quite
rightly hang on to their traditions.” With
some success. Thus, people have realised
The 3 dams of the M’Zab
34-kilometre-long construction
Investment of 110 million Swiss francs
Involving 300,000 inhabitants (forecast 2030)
Tunisia
Libya
“We must monitor
the fossil groundwater
carefully.”
that the water can still drain through
the outlet in the bottom of the storage
reservoir, as long as the outlet is not
clogged — that’s the job of the people in
charge of security as they tend to the up­
keep of the constructions.
Thus, the water still flows in the wadi,
but at a monitored and controlled level,
and the groundwater resources are con­
stantly refilled. Hacène Bekhouche smiles
and states rather philosophically: “Being
an engineer means giving a lot, but like­
wise having a lot to learn. It is important
to remain unassuming.”
Sustainable water management.
The M’Zab project that cost 110 million
Swiss francs extends over a length of
34 kilometres from the uppermost dam
out to most remote farmland. “So now
we can protect people and property
as well as the traditional methods for wa­
ter management,” summarises Hacène
Bekhouche.
For over a thousand years, people
have been using traditional fountain wells
that reach the groundwater supplied
from the Wadi M’Zab. At the time of the
first oil drillings around 1940, an artesian
(pressurised) groundwater reserve, 150
metres to 300 metres deep, was discov­
ered and instantly tapped into. This reser­
voir of water still satisfies the demands of
a growing population. However, the over­
exploitation of this groundwater has led
to the constant lowering of its hydrostatic
pressure. Hacène Bekhouche warns: “We
must carefully monitor the pressure of
the fossil groundwater resources in the
deep water table.”
In order to preserve the fragile eco­
logical balance of the oasis, BG has set up
an interdisciplinary working group, which
includes a palm expert. The technical so­
lutions proposed by the group ensure
that the upper groundwater reserves,
which are essential for agricultural pur­
poses, are constantly replenished. The
importance of a precise control of the
­water table is exemplified by the date
palms. They pump the water from the
ground through a capillary action. They
dry up without the flow of upstream
­water; by the same token their roots rot if
there is too much groundwater.
BG has also studied the problem of
wastewater in residential areas of the
M’Zab Valley. A sewage treatment plant
was built downstream. It is designed to
treat the wastewater of 300,000 people
(estimated population in 2030) and a
wastewater flow of 1 m3/s. The purified
water can be used for agricultural pur­
poses or to refill the groundwater. Even
the issue of wastewater still needs inno­
vative solutions, if the quality of life in the
region is to be preserved. J
Dams against flooding:
Built by Abdenacer Yaji, Khalid
Essyad, Abderrazak Ouchar and
Hacène Bekhouche (inset).
BG 2012 ■ 35
 Saverne tunnel

320 km/h
underground
BG is right at the forefront of organising the construction of a
four-kilometre-long tunnel for the Trans-European Network
project, which aims to create a high-speed railway line between
Paris and Bratislava. A tunnel-boring machine has been digging
through the Vosges Mountains since November 2011, so trains
will soon be able to cross through in 45 seconds.

25th of October 2011: Christening of the tunnel-boring machine,

“Charlotte”, and work begins on the Saverne tunnel.
36 ■ BG 2012

The story of the Saverne tunnel goes all
the way back to April 1992 when a study
was made of the Vaires-sur-Marne to
Vendenheim section. The first work
phase, 300 kilometres up to Baudrecourt,
started in June 2007. Work on the sec­
tion to the Saverne tunnel started at the
end of 2007.
Technically demanding. In Septem­
ber 2009, the French Rail Network, RFF,
started work on the second stage, which
connects the line to Germany — another
section of the “Magistrale for Europe”,
the trans-European high-speed rail link
between Paris and Bratislava. At the
same time, RFF launched the selection
procedure for each lot regarding plan­
ning and construction. Lot no. 47, located
40 kilometres from Strasbourg, was
­technically very demanding. A high level
of expertise and special skills were need­
ed — just the thing for BG. The 7.5-kilome­
tre-long section includes the Saverne
tunnel, an open stretch of 2.9 kilometres,
the 270-metre-long Haspelbaechel via­
duct, and other engineering headaches.
The job was awarded to a group of twelve
companies on the 9th of September
2010. BG was there right from the start.
After completing the studies for the
project, BG then made sure that the ser­
vices complied with the specifications
and the rules of architecture in the con­
struction phase. “We are also responsible
The tunnel-boring
machine eats up about
20 metres of rock
per day.
for the on-site construction management
of our group,” says Marco Russo, Project
Manager of BG in Paris. In addition, Marco
Russo manages the progress of the
project and verifies the conformity of the
technical parts. The tight schedule is also
a challenge to overcome, “so that we can
Saverne tunnel: 3 stages
15 of November 2011: Start of the tunnel excavation
th
31st of January 2012: 1 km tunnelling stretch completed
March 2016: Opening of the new Paris—Strasbourg line
Paris Saverne tunnel
) Karlsruhe
( Stuttgart
Strasbourg Augsburg
Ulm Bratislava
Munich Linz
in the planning stage Vienna
Salzburg
work in progress
completed
The “Magistrale for Europe” extends over 1,500 kilometres from Paris to Bratislava.
continually hand over the sections of the ated rock located behind the drilling head
tunnel to the following track construction creates a pressure on the unprotected
teams”. Marco Russo is very proud of the tunnel wall. On the other hand, when
faced with solid rock, the machine switch­
es to “open mode”. This is a big advan­
“We are building the first tage when working on a surface that con­
tunnel in France that tains sand inclusions. Marco Russo: “We
can save a lot of time by not having to
can sustain speeds of stop every time we change the machine’s
J
up to 320 km/h.” mode of operation.”
fact that BG can contribute its expertise
in building France’s first tunnel, which can
sustain speeds of up to 320 km/h.
Ingenious machine. The tunnel-bor­
ing machine named after its 17-year-old
godmother, Charlotte, makes light work
of the heavy work: The 110-metres-long
and 10-metres-wide monster weighing
2,200 tons, eats her way through the
mountain at an average rate of 20 metres
per day, which equates to 780,000 cubic
metres of rock. The machine can handle
both solid and loose rock. Marco Russo:
“She played an important role in securing
the tender.” Why? The first section of the Teamwork: Pierre Bouvatier,
tunnel is made of loose rock, so Charlotte
works in “closed mode” as an earth pres­
Daniel Colomb and project manager
Marco Russo (on the screen) are building
sure balance machine. This means that the first tunnel in which a high-speed
the excavation chamber filled with excav­ train can travel at 320 km/h.
The heart of the “Magistrale”
The Saverne tunnel is the centrepiece of the second construction phase
of the European high-speed line (“Magistrale for Europe”). It connects
Lorraine with the Alsace and reduces the travel time from Paris to Stras-
bourg down to 110 minutes, and from Strasbourg to Luxembourg to
85 minutes.
The 4.20- and 4.16-kilometre-long tunnel sections are linked every
500 metres so as to satisfy the safety requirements in the event of an evac-
uation. The construction of the 7.5-kilometre-long section of lot no. 47 will
cost 185 million euros, but one day soon, high-speed trains will cross the
Vosges in just 45 seconds at 320 km/h.
BG 2012 ■ 37

The soil
doctors
Many brownfield sites are charged with
pollutants. BG offers comprehensive and
unique services to render them usable
again without risks. These include analysis,
decontamination and strategic advice
as well as support to customers
throughout the entire process.
Industrial areas that were once on the
per­iphery have often been engulfed by
the growing city over time. Before it is
possible to use this type of land again, it
is essential to reduce the toxic traces left
by the former industrial activity on the
sites. The specialist division of BG can
­offer effective support when it comes to
redesigning brownfield sites and planning
urban development projects. Benoit
Maréchal and his twelve specialists in
They can find any toxins in the soil:
Benoît Maréchal (inset), Marie-Charlotte
Peyron, Hervé Casez, Simon Pinzelli
and Nicolas Rist make contaminated
sites usable again.
38 ■ BG 2012
Polluted sites
­Lyon handle around 50 projects in France.
Nicolas Rist leads a team of five in Gene­
va who are working on 30 projects in
Switzerland.
“Most of the time it is the buyer or the
seller of a property who contacts us be­
cause they suspect that the ground might
be contaminated,” says Benoit Maréchal.
“In order to determine the right price, the
BG is the only company
in Switzerland that uses
dendrochemistry and
phytoscreening.
old and the new owners want to know if
the soil could be contaminated, as this
naturally devalues the property if it were
the case.”
Legal obligation. Givaudan France
Fragrances shut down their industrial
production facilities in Lyon in 2009. In
such instances, the company are duty-
bound, in accordance with the French
­Environment and Town Planning Law, to
analyse the potential risks of the site.
“They must redevelop the site taking into
account the proposed new use,” says
­Benoit Maréchal. In the case of Givaudan
there were two paramount objectives:
“Firstly, eliminate the pollution caused by
the previous production activities, be­
cause they could subsequently lead to
disputes as to who is responsible. And so
secondly, to provide the best possible re­
conversion of the site in view of its urban
location.”
Investigations. Givaudan has decided
to renovate the property so that it may
be used for residential purposes. After
twelve months 100,000 tons of contam­
inated soil were removed. Now, after just
two years, the project is on the verge of
completion. BG has assisted Givaudan
every step of the way since production
stopped. Furthermore they also helped in
the sale of the property.
In Geneva, too, there is an old factory,
which is about to be converted into a
residential, commercial and leisure zone.
CROSS-BORDER SOLUTIONS
Same problems, different laws.
Experience with the same analytical methods.
Same service in France and Switzerland.
 Decontaminated grounds: The former
industrial site of Givaudan in Lyon can now
be used for residential buildings.

Nicolas Rist is faced with the question of
where the solvents may have been previ­
ously stored. As in Lyon, BG is hired to
carry out the first investigation to find
out where the previous production activ­
ities could have caused damages to the
environment. The analysis of the soil and
groundwater samples by an independent
laboratory made it possible for BG to gain
a clearer picture.
Cutting-edge technology. “Our inter­
disciplinary teams are able to offer tai­
BG has built up unique
specialist departments
for contaminated sites
in Lyon and Geneva.
lored investigations to every site,” says
Benoit Maréchal. According to Nicolas
Rist, BG is the only company in Switzer­
land that uses the new tools of dendro­
chemistry and phytoscreening to delin­
eate contaminants from the past and
present: “We take samples of wood from
a tree in the polluted zone by drilling
through the core of the trunk. Then in the
laboratory, every ring of the core is ana­
lysed, each ring represents a year of in­
dustrial activity, and so we can determine
the type and extent of the contamin­
ation.” Thus it becomes clear who caused
the contamination and who did not. This
helps to clarify the question of accounta­
bility. J

Polluted site

underground
carpark
gro n
undwater ctio
w dire
flo
cla
y (im
pervi
ous
)

Phytoscreening and dendrochemistry: BG can determine exactly where and when the soil was contaminated
with these scientific methods. To do this they take samples from the trunks of trees in the polluted area
and carry out a compositional analysis of the annual rings.
BG 2012 ■ 39
 Reuss

When the belt

is too tight
170 years ago, long sections of the Reuss were
channelled downstream from Lucerne (Switzerland).
Since then, land gained along the river has been
extensively used. Now the delicate task of loosening
the belt has fallen to hydraulic engineers.

When the surveyor Joseph Hess mapped
the course of the Reuss below Lucerne
(Switzerland) in 1794, he drew a branched
morphology with shingle banks, side
streams and low-tide channels. The path
with the least resistance led the river
sometimes more to the left and some­
times more to the right through the land­
scape. The description of the flow dating
over 200 years ago makes romantics
dreamy and hydraulic engineers pensive.
A comprehensive flood control project
launched by the canton of Lucerne after
the flood in 2005 should loosen the fig­
urative belt around the Reuss and give it
more room to breathe.
Protection against flooding. The
aim of the project on the river Reuss is to
improve the flood protection of the val­
ley. This protection will be realised by
widening the channel and thus increasing
the drainage capacity of the Reuss. The
ecology of this space will be evaluated at
the same time so that it can be turned
into a more attractive recreational area.
But what concrete measures are actually
possible at the current time with such in­
tensive use of the land so close to the
river? And what building steps are need­
ed to make this possible? BG is examining
these questions in a preliminary study,
along with other engineering companies.

Desirable land. Since its flow was “cor­

rected” in 1840, many parts of the river
Reuss have been straightened. The width

The preliminary study

shows which measures
are actually possible.

of its bed varies between 50 and 70

metres. The reclaimed land along the
­river is intensely used; houses and indus­
trial zones have moved close to the wa­
ter’s edge. There are also new possibili­
ties for the construction of municipal and
The floodplain of the river Reuss:
The risk is minimised thanks to appropriate measures.
40 ■ BG 2012
The busy Reuss valley. The interests of flood protection,
ecology and recreation need to be coordinated.

BG 2012 ■ 41
 The flood of 2005: Perlen, Lucerne – the weir battles against the highest levels of water ever recorded.
Interview with Sandro Ritler,
project manager for the canton of Lucerne
“We are redirecting the course of the river downstream from
Lucerne for generations to come. This is a unique opportunity!”
Mr. Ritler, what in your opinion is special about
the project Flood Protection and Renaturalisation
of the Reuss?
Ritler: I see a unique opportunity in this project to de-
velop a river basin for generations to come. For me, on the
one hand, the issue of complex hydraulic engineering is
something special. On the other hand, there is the big
challenge of fulfilling the
various interests affiliated
with the Reuss.
Did you discover
anything new?
Ritler: The risk along the
Reuss, due to inadequate
f lood control dams, is
much greater than previ-
ously thought. That is why
flood protection around
the Reuss is classified as a
Sandro Ritler high priority.
42 ■ BG 2012
What did BG contribute to the preliminary study?
Ritler: BG developed a broad and in-depth study and ad-
vocated itself as being in favour of the common objective
of a sustainable solution for the Reuss. Decisions could be
made on the basis of the different variants. The feedback
of the consultation procedure was very positive.
The changes to the Reuss are meant to last for
80 to 100 years. Will your successors no longer have
to worry about the fight against floods?
Ritler: The events of 2005 and 2007 have shown that
nature has no respect for laws and regulations. It will
always be necessary to carry out maintenance work, re-
pairs and so on along the river Reuss, its banks and river-
bed.
Are you often down by the river?
Ritler: As project manager of this flood protection and
restoration project, I am regularly down by the river. I also
enjoy jogging and taking a stroll along the Reuss. I even
sometimes swim in the river in the summer.
 Stepping back in time: The Reuss had significantly more room to breathe in 1794 than it does today.
cantonal roads and the A14 thanks to the
straightening of the river. The benefits
are far from being fully exploited. Quite
to the contrary in fact, the valley is con­
sidered as being a development area par
excellence.
Was everything better before?
The advantages from which the residents
benefitted as a result of straightening the
The Reuss will have
a lot more room to
breathe in the future.
Reuss are numerous indeed. But since
the flood in 2005, we also know that the
new course of the river can lead to ser­
ious ramifications. The floods were caused
by a prolonged and intense rainfall, the
largest amount of water ever measured:
840 m3/s. This resulted in huge damages
to property as the drainage capacity had
been fully exhausted. In a future flood the
dams could break and overflow and the
potential damage could cost 260 million
Swiss francs — much more than in
2005. Sandro Ritler, the project manager
responsible for the canton of Lucerne,
The Reuss in figures
Catchment area: 2,850 km 2 to loosen the belt of the river, the experts
Average channel bed width: 50—70 m
Average bed slope: 2 ‰
Total length of the project perimeter: 13.2 km
recalls: “I held my breath during the tacles. One must now take into account
floods of 2005! If you think about the the numerous residential and commer­
devastation that amount of water could cial areas as well as the drinking water
have done, we got away with a slap on the
wrist along the Reuss.”
“During the floods
Complex conceptual work. Where
to grant the river more freedom in the
of 2005 we got off with
future? Therein lies the complexity of the a slap on the wrist.”
conceptual work. Heiko Wehse, a hydraul­
ic engineer at BG, has been working with
his team on several variants in the river’s catchments, not to mention a newly built
section from the water mouth of the shooting range and the motorway. Since
Kleine Emme tributary to the cantonal
border that meet today’s needs for flood
it is no longer possible to return to the
natural spontaneity of the river, the ex­
protection, as well as the ecological and perience and know-how of the experts
recreational requirements. The specific will have to come to the rescue. They will
measures proposed in the preliminary reroute the Reuss expertly around these
design are based on numerous investiga­ modern obstacles.  J
tions, calculations and sketches. One of
the proposals includes the widening of
the channel up to 110 metres, with a free­
board of about one metre. Both develop­
The Reuss is one of the
key development areas in
the canton of Lucerne.
ments serve to protect against floods,
but they are also of particular value for
the ecology of the area and aim to make
recreational areas more appealing.
Modern obstacles. When attempting Making space for water:
Khalid Essyad, Heiko Wehse and
from BG were faced with modern-day obs­ Marion Bourgeois.
BG 2012 ■ 43

Slower growth. With a turnover of 84
million Swiss francs in 2011, BG remained
stable in comparison with the previous
year. The unfavourable euro exchange
rate and the shortage of engineers
weighed heavily on the Group. Excluding
the impact of the exchange rate, the
Group would have reported a growth of
4 per cent in turnover and 200 per cent
in profit — despite the pressure on mar­
gins in a highly competitive environment
and the costs of consolidation after the
strong growth of the Group in 2009.
Continuity in change. Jens Alder
(former CEO of Swisscom) replaced Jean­
Daniel Marchand as chairman in 2011.
The client is,
as always, the focus
of attention at BG.
BG would like to thank Jean­Daniel Mar­
chand for his excellent work. As a leading
figure of BG, who held almost all the im­
portant functions in the company over
his many years at BG, he not only led the
company on the road to success but also
had a huge influence on the corporate
culture and values that make BG strong
today. A new CFO had also taken up his
office at the end of 2011. He will use his
international experience to reform the
financial management system and in­
crease the added value of the Group. Fur­
ther strategic developments are in the
pipeline. They concern Key Account Man­
44 ■ BG 2012
Looking back
on 2011
2011 was a positive year for BG despite
economic uncertainties in the markets.
agement, the development of different
markets (especially German­speaking
Switzerland and France) and the integra­
tion of subsidiaries into the Group.
An enriched portfolio. The demand
in the field of transport infrastructure re­
mains very strong, and BG responded to
this demand with increased use of inter­
disciplinary teams and an expansion in
transportation planning. BG is considered
as the preferred project partner from the
beginning of each planning process in the
construction industry thanks to its fruit­
ful cooperation with leading architects.
Growth in the energy sector is encourag­
ing, here BG can offer innovative ap­
proaches for renewable energy, low­ener­
gy housing and land use planning. Finally,
the water sector was sustained thanks to
technological breakthroughs, increasing
urbanisation and growing demand for re­
gional solutions.
Multifaceted projects. Whether it is
providing one­off advice or the planning
and implementation of large­scale works,
the projects BG assisted in last year unit­
ed excellence in innovation, efficiency and
sustainability. Some made headline news
like the groundbreaking ceremony for the
CEVA rail line in Geneva. Others have been
awarded prizes, for example, the Aqua­
plus for wastewater treatment plants in
France. This magazine offers readers an
The promotion of young
talent is a top priority.
Annual Report
overview of this wide spectrum of
achievements. As a whole, the projects
are a true reflection of BG’s mission: To
create a sustainable living environment.
BG as a partner:
Fruitful collaboration
with leading architects
People are key. It is essential to pro­
mote talent in a service company like
BG with almost 600 employees from
21 countries. A broad survey of employee
satisfaction was conducted in 2011. It
highlighted a number of positive points:
the high level of motivation, the quality
of the projects, independence at work,
awareness of responsibilities, attention
to quality, and the excellent working at­
mosphere. The survey also enabled BG to
make improvements on sensitive issues
such as occupational mobility, succession
planning, knowledge and change man­
agement, and internal communication.
The fully bilingual BG Academy that
opened in 2010 has developed consider­
ably, and the carefully prepared introduc­
tion days for new employees were highly
appreciated. Thanks to the “Daniel Bon­
nard et André Gardel” fund, BG was also
able to support several personal develop­
ment projects for its employees. A work
committee was set up in France, which is
a legal prerequisite for companies with
over 50 employees, the staff representa­
tives are equipped with skills to handle
social and economic issues.
 100

90 86,1
84,9
80 79,8 83,6

70
59,4

CHF millions
60
50,4
50
Supporting schools. BG continued to 44,2
40 39
support research and training in 2011.
Approximately 20 interns were placed in 30
various sites of the Group, either as part
of their college education or to gain work 20
experience. Like every year, BG awarded 10
students from several colleges for their
excellent final papers. BG supported, as 0
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
another example, the catering college of
Lausanne, Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne coNsoLIDATED NET sALEs
(EHL), with the presentation of the award with/without the influence of the euro exchange rate in 2011.
“Société Paris­Lausanne” on the 13th of
October at the Swiss Embassy in Paris.
The award recognises an innovative
600
project that will contribute to sustainabil­ 563
ity in the hotel industry. 526
505
500
Communicating, networking. A new
series of brochures provides a concise
400
presentation of the services offered by
Employees

BG. The live website based on Web 2.0 326

300 288
256
jens Alder takes 210
200
over from jean-Daniel
Marchand as chairman. 100

principles, involves contributions from
the whole workforce. The intranet was
also substantially developed, as it is an
important tool for sharing knowledge and
production processes. Thanks to the use
of telephony on the Internet and video
conferencing, the project teams were
able to work more efficiently and at the
same time reduce the amount they trav­
elled (and in doing so also the carbon
footprint of the Group). It was a pleasure
to see the wide media coverage of BG in
the press, on the radio and television.
Worth mentioning is also BG’s involve­
ment in organising the World Engineers
Convention 2011 with nearly 2,000 par­
0
2005 2006 2007
ticipants in Geneva in September 2011
and the first Algerian­Swiss business
symposium in Zurich. Various client
events in Cully, Paris and Geneva were
met with lively interest.
Outlook for 2012. BG is favourably
positioned for the financial year of 2012 —
thanks to its clear vision, strategic object­
ives, increasingly efficient organisation
and thanks to the excellent support of the
2008 2009 2010 2011
NUMBER oF EMpLoyEEs
staff and management of the talent with­
in the Group. The main focus is, as always,
on the client, whereby Key Account
Management is given special attention.
The order books are nicely filled and
the number of concluded contracts is at
record levels again. BG would like to thank
their clients and partners for the confi­
dence they have entrusted in the Group
and is pleased with the remarkable ded­
ication of its employees. J

BG 2012 ■ 45

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T. +41 58 424 51 11 Editorial committee Laurent Vulliet ı Olivier Chaix ı Joseph von Aarburg
arp_zuerich@arping.ch Concept & overall coordination Corinne Roth, naturaqua PBK
Text editorial naturaqua PBK, Fabio Gilardi, komma pr
Photography UVEK/Beat Schweizer: p. 1, 11, 12, 13; M. F. Arnold: p. 3,38
(Medaillon); zvg: p. 4, 5, 17, 35b, 42b, 9t; Hansueli Trachsel: p. 8, 10b, 19, 22,
25b, 29t, 31, 37b, 43; Mehdi Benkler: p. 10t, 10m; Sagaphoto: p. 14; BG, tp
ferro: p. 16t, 17t; Philippe Thery: p. 16b, 38b; Maurice Schobinger: p. 19, 20,
25t, 26, 30, 41; Peter Meili Architekten AG: p. 23; Richter-Dahl Rocha &
Associés: p. 24; Getty images: p. 34: JM Baanwarth Balloïde Photo: p. 36;
iStockphoto: p. 39b, ri, 47: BG: p. 40, 39b lef, 28, 10t, 39t, 9b, 32;
Keystone images: p. 42t; Lucerne State Archive, PL 4827: p. 43t
neutral Translation Françoise Beeler ı textatelier.ch
Printed Matter Design Stefan Schaer, Büro eigenart
No. 01-12-255377 – www.myclimate.org Printing outbòx AG
© myclimate – The Climate Protection Partnership
 Final point

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BG 2012 ■ 47
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