Having our roots in the oldest geological office in Switzerland, Büro Dr. Schmassmann, we are reliable partners for solutions in the fields of groundwater, construction soil, contaminated sites and natural hazards.

We investigate to find out whether sites and buildings are contaminated as laid down in the so-called contaminated sites decree. Historical or technical investigations are the benchmarks for determining if monitoring or decontamination measures are necessary or not. If decontamination is required, we can determine its urgency and the targets to be reached. We develop tailor-made and efficient decontamination projects, supervise them and supply our clients with a comprehensive and easy-to-understand documentation.

Are you planning a single family house or a complex construction project? Our geologists and geotechnicians will professionally support you. We perform sounding campaigns and soil-mechanical investigations and analyze them with respect to foundation, excavation and disposal. We work out all the fundamentals, ranging from crevice protocols up to the dimensioning of water drainage networks for the building period. Our construction and supervision recommendations offer a solid basis for uninterrupted progress and a lasting value of your project.

We support you in making a smooth transition from finite to renewable energy sources, like geothermal power. Taking into consideration legislation and geological/ hydro geological possibilities and conditions, we determine the feasibility of geothermal power or groundwater heat applications. We organize and supervise drillings and evaluate their data. We fully and professionally support you – from feasibility studies up to license application.

We advise public water utilities and private organizations on exploration, development and operating of groundwater. We provide information on resources, catchments options, profitability, quality and protecting measures of spring or groundwater. We organize drillings, pumping and indication tests as well as analyses and data evaluation of groundwater. We determine the influx areas, assess protection zones and develop the necessary regulations.

Damages to people caused by avalanches, rocks slides or inundations can be avoided by adequate utilization of their living environments. We develop hazard charts that can be used as a basis for the evaluation of measures to be taken in urban and regional planning. In the event of rock or land slides we evaluate the causes and organize, assist in and supervise immediate response and restoration measures.

For communities we develop current-state reports on seepage, which can be used as a benchmark for working out overall dewatering plans. We advise constructors, architects and engineers on seepage from roof drainages. We perform tests to determine the subsoil’s seepage capacity, analyze the results and design and dimension French drains.