Study on the Subsidiary Ban of Fossil-Fuelled Heating Systems

Swiss climate policy is facing major challenges, especially in the buildings sector. The Federal Council plans to replace the funding measures in the building sector with a steering system and the further development of technical regulations. The Conferences of Cantonal Governments (KdK) and Cantonal Energy Directors (EnDK) aim to reduce CO2 emissions from buildings by 80-90% below 1990 levels by 2050. For this reason, cantonal regulations in the building sector are constantly being tightened.

In view of this long-term goal, the proposal for a CO2 law defines a CO2 reduction path after 2020: by means of the CO2 tax on fuels, the building programme and the cantonal instruments.

In addition, the Federal Council has proposed a subsidiary measure: if the interim target for CO2 emissions from buildings of minus 51% on average is not met in 2026 and 2027 compared with 1990 despite the planned mix of measures, the installation of new fossil-fuel heating systems in new and existing buildings is to be prohibited.

With our study, we have elaborated more detailed statements on the effects of such a subsidiary fossil heating ban. The focus was on the characterisation and quantification of the directly affected actors as well as on the costs and benefits of such a ban.

Project infos

  • Project duration2016 bis 2017

  • Contact at TEP EnergyUlrich Reiter

  • Contracting partyFOEN

  • Project partnersInfras (lead), TEP Energy

  • Final report (PDF, in german)

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