Guides
Understand and unlock your plot
Clear, sourced guides to decode the building rights, zoning and constraints of a plot in Switzerland — then move on to analysing yours.
Essential guideWhat can I build on my plot?Before any extension, added storey or new-build project, a plot is governed by a cascade of rules. Here is how to read what it actually allows — and where to check each point.Read the guide →
RegulationKnowing a plot's building rights“Building rights” sums up everything a plot allows you to build. Here are the official pieces that define them, how to cross-reference them, and the reservations that escape the calculation.Read the guide →
FundamentalsIUS, CUS, IBUS: the land utilisation index explainedThe index caps the floor area you can build. Behind three closely related acronyms lie different definitions — here is how to read them and calculate your potential.Read the guide →
RegulationUnderstanding and reading an RDPPF extractThe RDPPF records the public-law restrictions enforceable against your plot. Here is what the extract contains, how to decode it theme by theme, and the limits not to forget.Read the guide →
Buying landChecking a plot before buying itA “buildable” plot can be heavily constrained. Before the offer, the buildability check is the most profitable due diligence — here is what to verify, in order.Read the guide →
RegulationEnd of imputed rental value: what changes for renovationsAbolishing imputed rental value in 2029 also ends the maintenance-cost deduction. Here are the concrete consequences for owners — and why the timing of a renovation becomes a tax decision.Read the guide →
RegulationSolar obligation in 2026: new builds and roof renovationsFederal law mandates photovoltaics on large new builds, and MoPEC 2025 extends it to roof renovations. Here is who must install solar — and when.Read the guide →
Project & worksReplacing a fossil heating in 2026: rules, options, subsidiesWhen you replace an oil or gas boiler, MoPEC 2025 requires a renewable system. Here are the rules depending on your canton, the alternatives and the available subsidies.Read the guide →
Project & worksEnergy renovation subsidies 2026The Buildings Programme co-funds insulation, heating replacement and solar. Here is how it works, the indicative amounts by canton, and how to file an application.Read the guide →
RegulationLAT 2: building outside the building zone in 2026The second stage of the spatial planning act regulates construction outside building zones more strictly. Stabilisation target, compensation, demolition bonus: what changes.Read the guide →
RegulationVaud: the new energy law and your obligationsAdopted in February 2026, Vaud's new energy law targets the phase-out of fossil fuels and requires renovating large energy-intensive buildings. What concerns you — and what does not.Read the guide →
Project & worksDensification and adding storeys: your plot's hidden potentialOne more floor without buying a square metre of land: adding storeys is a major housing reserve. Here is what allows it — or not — on your plot.Read the guide →
RegulationGeneva: IDC, the obligation to renovate and the fossil phase-outIn Geneva an energy-hungry building must be renovated — and the IDC threshold drops in 2027 and 2031. Here is how to read your situation and get ahead of it.Read the guide →