GEAK and renovation subsidies in Switzerland
- Simon Käslin
- Jul 1
- 6 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Anyone carrying out an energy-efficiency refurbishment in Switzerland can benefit from subsidies, but many owners leave them unused because the system looks confusing. Two terms sit at the centre of it:
The GEAK, the cantonal building energy certificate, shows how energy-efficient a building is, and the Buildings Programme together with cantonal programmes subsidises specific measures such as insulation, window replacement or a switch to a heat pump. The amounts differ considerably from canton to canton and from year to year.
Planning early pays off, because many subsidies have to be applied for before construction starts. As part of a refurbishment, raumwert plus assesses which measures are worthwhile in energy and economic terms.
Table of contents
Refurbishment planned?
Subsidies have to be applied for before construction starts. An early assessment secures the contributions you are entitled to.
1. What is the GEAK?
The GEAK is the cantonal building energy certificate. It shows how energy-efficient a building is and places it in efficiency classes from A to G, much like the energy label on household appliances. It assesses the building envelope and the overall energy efficiency.
The GEAK creates transparency: owners can see at a glance where their building stands. Official information and certified experts can be found at geak.ch. For sound refurbishment planning, the GEAK is a sensible starting point.
2. What is the difference between GEAK and GEAK Plus?
The basic GEAK assesses the current condition of the building. The GEAK Plus goes further: it also contains an advisory report with several refurbishment options, their costs and their effect. That turns a snapshot into a basis for decisions.
For private owners planning a refurbishment, the GEAK Plus is usually the better choice. It shows not only where the building stands but also which steps are worthwhile. In many cantons a GEAK Plus is also a precondition for certain subsidies.
3. What is the Buildings Programme?
The Buildings Programme is the joint subsidy programme of the federal government and the cantons for energy-efficiency refurbishment and renewable heating systems. It is financed in part by the CO2 levy and is implemented by the cantons. Current information can be found at dasgebaeudeprogramm.ch.
One point is important: the actual implementation and the subsidy amounts are governed at cantonal level. What is subsidised in one canton can look different in another. The first step is therefore always to check the rules of your own canton.
4. Which measures are eligible for subsidies?
As a rule, subsidies go to measures that reduce energy consumption or use renewable energy.
Thermal insulation of the facade, the roof and the floor
Window replacement in combination with insulation
Switching from fossil-fuel heating to heat pumps or wood-fired heating systems
Connection to a district heating network
Solar installations, depending on the canton and the programme
The exact list and the conditions vary from canton to canton. Some measures are only eligible if they meet specific technical requirements.
5. How high are the subsidies?
The amounts differ markedly depending on the canton, the measure and the year. Some cantons subsidise generously, others more cautiously, and the amounts are adjusted periodically. A single blanket figure is therefore of little help.
Item | Guide value | Note |
GEAK (current condition) | approx. CHF 500 to 1,500 | depending on the property |
GEAK Plus (with report) | approx. CHF 1,500 to 3,500 | often a precondition for subsidies |
Subsidy for the GEAK Plus | often CHF 500 to 1,500 | max. approx. 50% of the cost, cantonal |
Heat pump (up to 15 kWth) | from CHF 4,000 flat rate | harmonised subsidy model |
Thermal insulation | approx. CHF 40 to 90 / m2 | cantonal, building element facing outwards |
Guide values for 2025, differing from canton to canton. Check current amounts at energiefranken.ch and dasgebaeudeprogramm.ch.
Only a look at the current cantonal programmes is reliable. The official sources, dasgebaeudeprogramm.ch and the energy office of your own canton, state the rates in force. It is important to calculate with realistic figures and not to overestimate the subsidies.
6. When do I have to apply for the subsidy?
One decisive point is often overlooked: as a rule, subsidies have to be applied for and approved before construction starts. Anyone who refurbishes first and submits an application afterwards frequently loses the entitlement altogether.
Subsidies therefore belong in the planning at an early stage. Anyone who knows the right sequence secures contributions that would otherwise be lost. It is a simple but effective lever.
7. Why is a GEAK worthwhile before a refurbishment?
A GEAK or GEAK Plus prepared before the refurbishment ensures that measures are coordinated with one another and are not taken at random. It shows which steps have the greatest effect and in which order they make sense.
This is how you avoid poor investments, such as a new heating system in a poorly insulated building. Whether a refurbishment is worthwhile at all compared with a replacement new build is covered in the article Renovate or demolish.
8. How does this relate to economic viability?
Subsidies reduce the investment cost, but they are only one part of the calculation. What matters is the overall view of investment, energy savings, subsidies and long-term operating costs. One measure can make sense even without a subsidy, another does not even with one.
There is also the tax side: under certain conditions, energy-saving measures are tax-deductible as property maintenance. How the tax framework for owners is set up and which deductions apply is covered in the article imputed rental value in Switzerland.
9. Which mistakes happen most often?
The most common mistake is applying for the subsidy too late and losing the entitlement. Just as common is implementing individual measures without an overall concept, so that they do not complement one another as well as they could.
A third mistake is to overestimate the subsidies and to base the economics on them alone. Subsidies are a bonus, not the basis for a refurbishment decision. How costs stay under control once work is under way is covered in the article cost control during the construction phase.
10. Frequently asked questions on GEAK and renovation subsidies in Switzerland
What is the GEAK?
The GEAK is the cantonal building energy certificate. It shows in efficiency classes from A to G how energy-efficient a building is and assesses the building envelope and the overall energy efficiency.
What is the difference between GEAK and GEAK Plus?
The GEAK assesses the current condition. The GEAK Plus additionally contains an advisory report with refurbishment options, costs and effect and is often a precondition for subsidies.
Which subsidies are available for a refurbishment?
Subsidies usually go to insulation, window replacement combined with insulation, a switch to heat pumps or wood-fired heating systems, district heating networks and in some cases solar installations. The subsidies are governed at cantonal level and differ in amount.
When do I have to apply for the subsidy?
As a rule before construction starts. Anyone who refurbishes first and submits an application afterwards frequently loses the entitlement altogether.
Where do I find the current subsidy amounts?
At dasgebaeudeprogramm.ch and at the energy office of your canton. Because the amounts vary depending on the canton and the year, the official cantonal sources are authoritative.
11. How raumwert plus supports refurbishment projects
A refurbishment is about the right sequence, the measures that make economic sense and the timely use of subsidies. On GEAK and renovation subsidies in Switzerland, raumwert plus assesses these points independently and makes sure that energy and economic goals fit together. When an independent building consultant is worthwhile in general is covered in a separate article.
Individual measures thus become a coherent refurbishment concept that uses the available subsidies and pays off in the long term. The professional framework is provided by the architecture and planning services of raumwert plus.
Refurbishment planned?
Subsidies have to be applied for before construction starts. An early assessment secures the contributions you are entitled to.
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