Renovating
Grants for energy renovation
Updated 2026-07-28 · 8 min read
The Buildings Programme is Switzerland's main instrument for supporting energy renovation. Co-funded by the Confederation and the 26 cantons, it works through coded measures, each with its own cantonal rates. Understanding the order in which to apply is worth several thousand francs.
The main measures
| Code | Purpose |
|---|---|
| M-01 | Thermal insulation of the envelope: façade, roof, floor |
| M-03 | Automatic wood-fired heating |
| M-05 / M-06 | Air-source and ground-source heat pumps |
| M-07 | Connection to a district heating network |
| M-08 | Solar thermal collectors |
| M-09 | Controlled ventilation |
| M-12 / M-13 | Full renovation with Minergie certificate or CECB class jump |
| IP-14 | Envelope efficiency bonus, supplementing M-01 |
| M-15 | Bonus for reaching the Minergie standard |
Rates vary considerably by canton. The IP-14 bonus reaches CHF 40 to 60 per square metre depending on variant and canton, and Valais pays CHF 120 to 260 per square metre of energy reference area for a full renovation, the highest rate in French-speaking Switzerland.
Rules to know before applying
- The application must be filed and approved before work begins, without exception
- Only existing buildings qualify: new builds are excluded
- A minimum threshold often applies, around CHF 3,000 for insulation
- A CECB Plus is required as soon as the grant exceeds CHF 10,000
- Technical requirements are checked: U-value for insulation, performance for heat pumps
- Several cantons require the CECB to be updated after completion
- Tenants cannot apply; only the owner can
Two costly traps
The first concerns the order of works. Installing a heat pump in a building whose envelope is rated F or G attracts no grant at all. That is energetically consistent, since heating a poorly insulated building means heating the outdoors, but heating installers do not always mention it. The sequence is therefore: insulate first, replace the heating afterwards.
The second concerns stacking. Full-renovation measures M-12 and M-13 cannot be combined with individual insulation or heating measures, nor with the IP-14 and M-15 bonuses. Filing an M-01 application for a façade, then realising the project warranted a full renovation, forces a choice. Hence the value of settling the strategy before the first application.
Tax relief completes the picture
Energy renovation costs are deductible from taxable income on the share not covered by grants. Where the amount exceeds the year's income, the balance may be carried forward to later tax periods. On a major renovation this deduction often weighs as much as the grant itself.
Who can apply for a Buildings Programme grant?
Any owner of an existing building in Switzerland, whether a house, apartment block or commercial property. Tenants cannot apply directly.
When must the application be filed?
Before work begins, and it must be approved. A file submitted afterwards is refused without exception.
Is a CECB required?
Several cantons require it for certain measures, and a CECB Plus becomes mandatory once the grant exceeds CHF 10,000.
Can several measures be combined?
Yes for individual measures, in the same year or staggered. Full-renovation measures M-12 and M-13, however, exclude individual measures and bonuses.
Why insulate before replacing the heating?
Because a heat pump in a building with an F or G envelope rating attracts no grant, and because good insulation allows a smaller and therefore cheaper unit.
Official sources