Guide: heating
Heating systems compared: heat pump, district heating, oil and gas
Which heating suits your house? A neutral overview of investment, running costs, CO₂, price dependency, space, maintenance, regulations and subsidies – with sources from EnergieSchweiz and the cantons.
Photo: own installation
District heating or heat pump? First check what is possible at your location
Not every system is available everywhere: district heating only exists where a heating network exists or is planned – ask your local energy utility or check the municipal energy plan. A ground-source heat pump needs a drilling permit, an air-to-water heat pump a noise assessment. Gas heating requires a gas network; in Basel-Stadt the gas network is being gradually decommissioned.
When replacing oil or gas heating, cantonal rules for renewable heat also apply. For an initial assessment, EnergieSchweiz offers the “erneuerbar heizen” impulse consultation – free of charge if the existing heating is more than ten years old and serves as the main heating.
Pros and cons of the heating systems
Qualitative comparison for existing residential buildings. Actual suitability depends on the building and the location.
| Criterion | Heat pump (air-to-water / ground source) | District heating | Oil or gas heating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment | higher, ground source highest | connection usually lower than heat pump | lowest |
| Energy costs | low thanks to ambient heat | utility tariff | depends on oil and gas prices |
| CO₂ in operation | no combustion on site; depends on electricity mix | depends on the network's energy sources | fossil CO₂ |
| Price dependency | electricity price | heating network tariff | international energy markets |
| Availability | almost everywhere; ground source only where drilling is allowed | only within the supply area of a heating network | gas only with a gas network |
| Space | outdoor or indoor unit, buffer tank | small transfer station, no tank | boiler, chimney, oil tank room |
| Maintenance | low; periodic inspection | low, network maintained by the utility | burner service, chimney sweep, combustion check |
| Rules on replacement | meets cantonal requirements | meets them if the network is mainly renewable or waste heat (Zurich: at least 70 %) | only with extra measures or an exception, depending on canton |
| Subsidies | yes, cantonal (Buildings Programme) | partly, depending on canton and network | none |
Cost example over 20 years (EnergieSchweiz)
Example by EnergieSchweiz, not a quote: single-family home in a municipality in the canton of Bern, previously about 2,400 litres of heating oil per year, service life 20 years, interest 1.75 %, without tax deductions. Calculated with the EnergieSchweiz heating cost calculator; strong simplifications.
| System | Purchase (before subsidies) | Energy costs per year | Total cost over 20 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-to-water heat pump | CHF 42,000 | CHF 1,895 | CHF 79,908 |
| Ground-source heat pump | CHF 60,000 | CHF 1,516 | CHF 88,726 |
| District heating connection | CHF 25,000 | CHF 3,266 | CHF 94,818 |
| Oil heating | CHF 23,000 | CHF 3,120 | CHF 96,409 |
Replacing oil and gas heating: what the cantons require
Zurich: renewable if technically possible and no more than 5 % more expensive over the life cycle; otherwise fossil with 10 % savings or a renewable share. Basel-Stadt: renewable if technically possible and without extra cost. Basel-Landschaft: since 2026 no new fossil heating systems in principle, exceptions on application.
Aargau: fossil only with cost proof and max. 90 % non-renewable. Lucerne: max. 90 % non-renewable. Zug: at least 20 % renewable or a corresponding efficiency increase.
Details and sources per canton: Replace oil and gas heating. Subsidies: Heat pump subsidies.
Is district heating available at your address?
Ask your energy utility or municipality about the supply area and planned expansion. In Basel-Stadt, IWB's interactive heat map shows district heating expansion and gas network decommissioning; the cantonal energy structure plan shows which energy sources are preferred where. If a heating network is planned but not yet available, some cantons provide transitional solutions (e.g. Basel-Landschaft with a pre-contract and exemption application).
If no network is in sight, a heat pump is the obvious solution in many houses – more in the guide Air-to-water heat pump.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: district heating or a heat pump?
In the EnergieSchweiz example, the district heating connection was cheaper to buy but more expensive over 20 years than an air-to-water heat pump. Your heating network's tariffs and the local situation are decisive.
May I replace my gas heating with a new gas heating system?
Depending on the canton, only with additional measures (e.g. a standard solution or biogas) or with an exception. In Basel-Landschaft new fossil heating systems have in principle not been allowed since 2026.
Which heating has the lowest running costs?
In the EnergieSchweiz example, the ground-source heat pump had the lowest energy costs per year, followed by the air-to-water heat pump.
How do I know whether district heating is available?
Ask your local energy utility or check the municipal energy plan; in Basel-Stadt use IWB's heat map.
Are there subsidies for district heating?
Partly – it depends on the canton and the network. Heat pumps are subsidised in all six cantons of our service area.
Sources
- EnergieSchweiz – heating replacement: expected costs
- EnergieSchweiz – heating cost calculator
- Canton of Zurich – heating replacement
- Canton of Aargau – regulations and energy enforcement
- Canton of Lucerne – KEnG compact
- Canton of Zug – energy regulations
- Canton of Basel-Stadt – heating replacement
- Canton of Basel-Landschaft – heating replacement
- Das Gebäudeprogramm (Buildings Programme)
As of October 2026. No guarantee – the regulations and programmes of the federal government, canton and municipality are authoritative.
Which heating system suits your house?
We inspect your heating, show options and costs and help with the subsidy application.