Legal framework of a heating system renovation

The bottom line is that Switzerland can no longer emit any greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (climate-neutral Switzerland). Doing so would help meet Switzerland's internationally agreed goal of keeping global warming at a maximum of 1.5° C compared to pre-industrial times.

In addition, in 2015 the cantonal energy authorities presented their vision for the future of energy in the model regulations of the cantons in the energy sector (MuKEn 2014). The model regulations reflect the lowest common denominator decided upon at the conference of cantonal energy authorities. The aim is to meet the requirements of the federal government's energy strategy across Switzerland with uniform measures. One major part concerns the increase in energy efficiency in the building sector. This vision is to be implemented across the board in all cantons by the end of 2020.

In addition, the Council of States decided that as of 2023, old buildings, whose heat generation system will be replaced for heating and hot water, may not, per year, generate more than 20 kilograms of CO2 from fossil fuels per square meter of energy reference area. Cantons that implement their own regulations, which are at least equally effective, shall be exempt from the implementation for all building categories covered by the cantonal regulations.

Which properties are affected?

The law targets inefficient old buildings primarily. This would include buildings that have higher average oil or gas consumption due to their poor thermalinsulation. It therefore addresses private homeowners, especially the target group of 50 plus, as well as private owners of apartment buildings.

In the case that such a building has no thermal insulation, or only very weak thermal insulation, the heating after renovation must use 10% less fossil energy or at least 10% of the required energy must be obtained from renewable sources. There are two ways to do that.

Modernising oil or gas heating and insulating buildings

If you want to keep using oil or gas as heating fuel for the time being, it will be essential to replace the old heat generator with a new, more efficient model. The consumption of fossil energies can be reduced by at least 10% through the additional installation of new windows as well as any thermal insulation of the facade and the roof.

Switching to renewable energies

The fossil heating system will either be supplemented or replaced with a new solution that would achieve a share of at least 10% of renewable energies. There are several standard solutions for this. The changes will hardly be affected, however, if a building is already insulated.

What are the first steps for heating system updates? (GEAK classification)

In order to be able to answer the question of whether your own house is affected, it is advisable to contact a heating planner or another specialist in good time for advice on modern heating systems. These specialists will make an on-site appointment and examine the situation. As with a medical history, an inventory is taken and the existing heating system is documented. It is also important to check whether certain alternative proposals can even be implemented at all, because new heating systems, in particular heat pumps, require both the actual consumption and statements on the quality of the building envelope for sizing. By calculating the energy index, the necessary heat output can also be calculated and the heat distribution can be assessed (max. feed flow for heat pumps). It is also essential to have an official building energy certificate from the cantons, GEAK for short, drawn up for the building.

The following statement can be made as a possible rule of thumb: Buildings constructed post 1990 or buildings from the 1960s to the 1980s in which windows, facades or roofs were renovated, fall under Category D or better. Buildings with the Minergie standard always have a GEAK classification better than D.

GEAK 

The GEAK (building energy certificate of the cantons) is a 4-page document, which outlines the energy condition of a building in a clear presentation. It is a standardised calculation that is uniform across Switzerland. This energy label includes basic recommendations for renovation measures and differentiates between the efficiency of the building envelope and the overall energy efficiency.

Summary table (GEAK-classification)