Whether you’re building new or renovating, sustainability pays off. The additional costs compared to conventional building methods are quickly amortized thanks to the long-term savings on energy costs. Moreover, value retention on buildings built sustainably, e.g. to Minergie standards, is significantly better than on conventional buildings. But sustainability means much more than a heat pump outside or a solar panel on the roof. We offer information and inspiration.
Construction is a vital factor in our efforts to achieve climate targets, because it’s among the largest generators of greenhouse gases. This alone is reason enough to choose the ecological path. But there are also concrete economic reasons that support more sustainable buildings:
Sustainable building is slightly more expensive than conventional building that meets minimum statutory requirements. For example, for a house meeting Minergie standards, the difference can be from 3 to 10 percent. But these additional costs are offset by long-term annual savings on heating and energy costs. You’re compensated for the higher initial investment in just a few years, and you save money in the long term.
Many cantons support sustainable building and renovation (e.g. to Minergie standards) and the use of certain building technology (e.g. heat pumps). This reduces additional building costs significantly. Furthermore, like all value-maintaining renovation costs, modernization works that support sustainability can be deducted from taxes.
Another financial benefit is also for the long-sighted: sustainably built buildings generate higher average resale prices than conventional buildings with otherwise equivalent features (size, location, age, etc.).
Sustainability in construction includes, but does not exclusively involve, solar panels and carbon-neutral heating systems. The key issue is the impact a property has on people and the environment during its entire lifecycle (construction, operation, dismantling).
It’s also about the overall lifecycle assessment of a project. It’s important to consider not just effective heat insulation, but effective heat insulation made from environmentally friendly material. Land use is another important factor in a sustainability calculation, as is energy use for the manufacturing of building materials (grey energy). For example, recycled concrete performs significantly better than conventional concrete, which takes more energy to manufacture.
But sustainable buildings aren’t only good for the environment; they’re also good for people. They set themselves apart with their healthy, balanced indoor climate, good ventilation and greater living comfort – thanks in part to the good heat and noise insulation and the pollutant-free construction materials. Sustainability begins right in the architectural planning stage – for example, by designing the building and windows to enable the best use of daylight and heat from the winter sun.
A long duration of use is also a characteristic of sustainability, likewise related to clever planning. For example, a modular-build property can be adapted relatively easily to changing living circumstances – i.e. a single-family home might be converted into several retirement apartments.
Minergie is the most important and most widespread quality label for ecological building and renovation in Switzerland. A house built to Minergie standards offers all the benefits of a sustainable building mentioned above, including:
Minergie Switzerland is the association behind the label. Property owners can have their house certified to Minergie standards. Alongside entire buildings, building components like walls, windows and lights can be certified. There are currently around 55,400 certified buildings in Switzerland, and many more that meet the standards but are not officially certified. The key factor for Minergie standards is the heating requirement with respect to heat insulation – similar to the cantonal energy certificate for buildings, GEAK.
The Minergie Switzerland association issues three primary certificates that can be combined with four additional certificates.
These primary certificates can be combined with the following additional certificates. Of these, the “ECO” certificate is the best known and most widespread:
In practice, certificates such as Minergie, Minergie-ECO, Minergie-P and Minergie-P-ECO are issued depending on the requirements that have been fulfilled.
Conventional construction uses many materials that don’t last very long and cannot be reused. This is how the construction sector produces almost ten million tonnes of rubble each year, which has to be incinerated or disposed of at the expense of the environment.
Sustainable alternatives are regional, natural building materials that require the least energy to produce and ensure the shortest transport routes.
The use of chemical additives like adhesive, solvents, biocides or preservatives should be avoided in the processing and handling of these building materials.
Construction and housing are among the biggest generators of CO2 overall. Cement production alone generates around eight percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. And it’s not just the climate that bears the burden of construction and housing but the environment as a whole. These burdens can be minimized with sustainable construction methods. And sustainable building offers more than just ecological benefits. There are also financial advantages: you save on operating costs and optimize the retention of your property’s value.
Yes, it is slightly more expensive than building to the minimum statutory requirements. Building to Minergie standards, for example, can incur up to ten percent of additional costs. However, these additional building costs are quickly outweighed by significant savings on operating costs (heating/electricity) and any subsidies.
Building to Minergie standards does not offer any tax benefits. But, like with all construction measures, renovation to Minergie standards can be deducted from tax as maintenance costs.
Yes. Most cantons subsidize renovations to Minergie standards and construction to Minergie-P or Minergie-A standards. Contact your cantonal energy specialists to find out whether your canton offers subsidies and how much you might receive. It’s important to make any funding application before you start a project.
