Anyone planning a renovation in Switzerland quickly runs into an acronym: CECB in French, GEAK in German. It is neither a quality label nor a general obligation — it is an energy assessment of the building, and in several cantons it governs access to certain subsidies.
What the certificate measures
The cantonal building energy certificate awards two labels from A to G. The first rates the building envelope: roof, façades, windows, floors. The second rates overall energy efficiency, which factors in the heating system and hot-water production.
A building can therefore score D on the envelope and B on energy if it is poorly insulated but heated by a heat pump. That split is the document's first merit: it shows where the problem lies.
The certificate is issued by an accredited expert, based on plans, a site visit and metered consumption. It is not self-declared.
Standard and Plus: the difference that matters
Subsidy programmes almost always require the Plus version, because it contains the renovation scenario rather than the diagnosis alone.
When it becomes mandatory
There is no general federal obligation. Requirements are cantonal, and of two kinds.
Some cantons require it on a sale or when a heating system is replaced. More common in renovation is the second case: it is required above a given subsidy amount. Canton Zurich, for instance, asks for a GEAK Plus once the contribution reaches the threshold set in its support programme.
The certificate is often subsidised itself
This is the point many owners miss: several cantons — Vaud, Fribourg, Bern, Zurich — fund all or part of the certificate through a dedicated measure of their buildings programme.
In other words, the document that unlocks the subsidies can itself attract one. Some cantons go further and subsidise a class improvement: moving from one label to the next triggers a contribution.
The reverse also exists. Neuchâtel does not fund the certificate but requires it: the cantonal energy act makes it the official certificate granting access to subsidies, and the buildings programme asks for a CECB Plus above a given level of support. The Neuchâtel specifics are gathered on our energy certificate in Neuchâtel page.
What the certificate does not say
It describes energy performance. It says nothing about what building law allows on the parcel: utilisation index, heights, boundary setbacks, protected perimeter, noise-sensitivity level. A roof extension can be excellent energetically and still be refused a permit.
Nor does it replace a quotation. The figures in a Plus report are orders of magnitude meant for comparing variants, not contractor prices.
What it costs
The price is unregulated: it depends on the expert, the size of the building and whether usable plans exist. A single-family house and a twenty-unit block are not handled at the same rate, and a building without workable plans requires a survey.
So ask an accredited expert for a quote rather than relying on an online price — and check first whether your canton subsidises the certificate, which changes the net cost.
Where to start
Before ordering a certificate, it helps to know which subsidies your building can target and which of them require the document: that determines whether you need the standard or the Plus version, and whether the certificate itself is subsidised where you are.
Parcellis does not issue energy certificates and is not an accredited body. We read the official cantonal rates and tell you what applies to your building, with the sources.