Urbio & Dyneo Join Forces at the Fernwärme-Forum 2026

On January 22nd, 2026, Switzerland's largest district heating conference brought over 740 energy professionals to BERNEXPO in Bern for a day of frank conversations about what it actually takes to scale thermal networks. Organized by Thermische Netze Schweiz TNS | Réseaux Thermiques Suisse RETS, the Fernwärme-Forum set a new attendance record — a fitting symbol for a sector in full acceleration.

Urbio was there alongside Dyneo Technologies SA, presenting a joint booth covering the full digital lifecycle of thermal networks: from AI-powered district heating network planning and feasibility study, to operational data intelligence for existing networks.

The Themes That Defined the Day

Heat decarbonization is now a security issue. 

With renewables and waste heat already covering 44% of EU district heating supply — and the technical potential to cover twice today's total EU heat demand — the debate has shifted from "should we expand?" to "how fast can we move?" The investment horizon sits at approximately €1,150 billion across Europe.

Local planning is the real bottleneck. 

Technology and capital are no longer the limiting factors. What unlocks projects is coordinated local heat planning: aligning sources, network routing, subsidies, gas phase-out timelines, and permitting. Cities that plan well, move fast.

CAPEX discipline separates winners from laggards. 

Munich's €9.5bn decarbonization roadmap — presented by Stadtwerke München — offered a masterclass in what robust district heating project development looks like: rigorous source potential analysis, realistic financial modelling, WACC-based tariff design, and transparent cost communication to residents and regulators alike. Switzerland's own target of reaching a 40–50% district heating share sets a similarly demanding bar.

Gas phase-out must be synchronized. 

Running gas infrastructure and expanding district heating networks in parallel undermines both. Clear long-term targets, revised gas concessions, aligned shutdown timelines, and a single coherent narrative to residents are what drive the connection rates that make projects financially viable.

Waste heat and storage are scaling fast. 

Data centers, geothermal, and thermal storage are rapidly becoming core building blocks of modern heat networks. Liquid-cooled data centers, if designed with network integration in mind from day one, can recover up to 95% of their electrical input as usable heat — a largely untapped opportunity. In our blog we covered how data centers could cover 10% of Europe's heat demand from buildings and how utilities can profit from it.

Risk coverage is becoming a policy tool. 

New frameworks are beginning to address the investor fears that have historically slowed large-scale rollout: stranded assets, customer churn, and source supply failure. It is a quiet shift, but a decisive one for unlocking private capital at the scale the sector needs.

Urbio & Dyneo: One Booth, Two Ends of the Network Lifecycle

The joint presence of Urbio and Dyneo reflected a shared conviction: digital tools for district heating networks need to cover the full project journey. Urbio's software for district heating planning fast-tracks development from conception to funding through AI-powered analysis. Dyneo's data intelligence platform drives economic performance and operational optimization for running networks. Together, they offer energy planners and network operators a continuous digital thread — from greenfield planning to long-term operations.

The Bottom Line

Fernwärme-Forum 2026 made one thing unmistakably clear: the ambition is there, the capital is mobilizing, and the political will is hardening. What still separates the projects that move from the ones that stall is the quality of early-stage analysis — getting the source potential, the financial case, and the stakeholder alignment right before significant capital is committed. That's the work, and it's exactly where the next generation of district heating planning tools is making a difference.

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About Urbio

Urbio is an AI-powered software platform for district heating network planning, enabling energy planners, utilities, and municipalities to accelerate project development from concept to funding.

About Dyneo

Dyneo Technologies SA is a Swiss software company specialising in the economic and operational management of heating and cooling networks. By transforming network data into actionable intelligence, Dyneo helps operators reduce heat losses, control operating costs, and avoid unnecessary CAPEX — covering over 150 GWh of infrastructure and more than 7,000 connected consumers. Learn more at dyneo.ch.

About the Fernwärme-Forum

The Fernwärme-Forum is Switzerland's largest annual conference dedicated to district heating and cooling networks, organised by Thermische Netze Schweiz TNS | Réseaux Thermiques Suisse RETS. Held each year at BERNEXPO in Bern, it brings together energy professionals, investors, network operators, public authorities, and industry suppliers for a full day of expert presentations, project case studies, panel discussions, and networking. The 2026 edition drew a record 740+ attendees. Learn more at thermische-netze.ch.