Exclusive Financial Advisor to the Municipality of Muri bei Bern

On behalf of the municipality, the Muri bei Bern Municipal Utilities (gbm) are working to establish a district heating network in Muri-Gümligen. Ultimately, the goal is to supply approximately 60% of the population with sustainable heat and reduce CO₂ emissions by around 13,000 tons annually.

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Parts of this future infrastructure are already in operation or under construction. However, the project planning also includes the development of additional energy sources and supply areas. To this end, the overall project was divided into two phases — a foundational project designed to ensure the base load supply with wood chips, and an expansion project that additionally includes a deep groundwater heating plant and an energy storage facility.

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IFBC served as the Exclusive Financial Advisor on behalf of the municipal council in evaluating financing options for the expansion project. Together with the municipal utilities, an initial assessment of the financing requirements was developed, taking into account existing guidelines and obligations. In addition to identifying potential for optimization in financial planning, various financing options were evaluated on this basis with regard to their feasibility and prospects for success. The findings and recommendations for the next steps were summarized in a report for the municipal council and presented to the body. In doing so, IFBC was able to draw on both its extensive financing experience and its implementation expertise from various infrastructure and energy supply projects, including those in collaboration with public entities, thereby identifying key success factors for the financing and further pursuit of the project at an early stage.

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“Gabriele Siegenthaler Muinde, Municipal Council Member responsible for Environment & Energy: IFBC’s technical expertise and extensive experience have enabled us to properly assess key questions and lay a solid foundation for political dialog with various stakeholders.”

About Gemeindebetriebe Muri

Gemeindebetriebe Muri, or gbm for short, is a public-law institution of the municipality of Muri near Bern. As such, it constitutes a separate legal entity in the form of a service provider. Its range of services includes the supply of water, wastewater, energy, and telecommunications for private individuals and businesses in the municipality of Muri near Bern. Gbm is responsible for the planning, maintenance, operation, and development of the corresponding utility networks. The establishment and expansion of the share of renewable energy sources is an important goal enshrined in the strategic plan. Further information can be found at gbm-muri.ch (in German).

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