Planning & permits
Planning and building permit for your heat pump – in the Zurich area
A heat pump or air conditioning system must match the heating or cooling load, the installation site and the requirements of your municipality. We calculate the output, design the system and compile the documents for notification or building application – including the noise protection certificate.
- Over 15 years of experience in building services
- Service also for third-party systems
- Mon–Fri 07:00–17:30 · Sat 07:00–12:00
Photo: own installation
Calculate first, then order
An oversized heat pump often cycles on and off, an undersized one cannot cope with cold days. That is why design comes first: based on the building, previous consumption and heat distribution, we determine the required output and flow temperature and choose a suitable unit. For air conditioning systems, we proceed analogously from the cooling load of the rooms.
Equally important is the installation site of the outdoor unit: it determines the sound levels at the neighbours’, the pipe routes and access for service – and thus whether the system can be approved.
Services
What we take care of
Capacity calculation
Determining heating or cooling demand – as the basis for choosing the unit.
Sizing & unit selection
Dimensioning the heat pump, air conditioning or heating appropriately.
Noise protection report
Sound calculation for the planned location according to the Cercle Bruit enforcement guide.
Notification or building application
Compiling plans, unit data and forms and submitting them to the municipality.
Brand-independent – all manufacturers, including: MHI · Mitsubishi Electric · Daikin · Samsung · Toshiba · STULZ · Fujitsu · LG · Gree
Notification procedure or building permit? The rules in the Canton of Zurich
Since 1 January 2023, many heat pumps can be installed under the notification procedure: indoor air/water heat pumps, outdoor units up to 2 m³ in volume and ground-source heat pumps subject to certain distance requirements. If nothing else is ordered within 30 days of the acknowledgement of receipt, the project can be implemented (Source: Canton of Zurich).
Outdoor air/water heat pumps in core zones, within the scope of a townscape or monument protection inventory or a heritage protection order always require a permit. The municipality can also order a permit procedure for projects subject to notification. Ground-source probes additionally require a cantonal water protection permit.
For air/water heat pumps, a noise protection certificate must be submitted regardless of the procedure. In the Canton of Zurich they are assessed according to the Cercle Bruit enforcement guide; the certificate is prepared with the web application of Cercle Bruit and FWS (Source: Canton of Zurich, noise protection). For air conditioning systems with an outdoor unit, the municipality decides which procedure applies.
Many municipalities – including Adliswil, Horgen, Thalwil, Langnau am Albis and the City of Zurich – accept projects subject to notification exclusively electronically via eBaugesucheZH.
Official information without guarantee – the requirements of the canton, municipality and federal government are authoritative.
Process
How we work
- 1
Enquiry
Briefly describe the building, current heating or rooms to be cooled.
- 2
Site visit
Heat distribution, installation site and pipe routes on site.
- 3
Sizing
Calculating output, determining unit and location.
- 4
Noise protection report
Sound calculation for the location.
- 5
Submission
Notification or building application to the municipality.
- 6
Installation
After approval: installation, commissioning, instruction.
FAQ
Questions about: planning & building permit for heat pumps
Does my heat pump need a building permit?
In the Canton of Zurich, the notification procedure is sufficient for many air/water heat pumps – installed indoors or outdoors up to 2 m³. In core zones and with townscape or monument protection, a building permit is required, and the municipality can also order a permit procedure in other cases.
Does my air conditioning system need a building permit?
That depends on the unit, the location of the outdoor unit and the building zone; the municipality decides which procedure applies. We clarify this with the building authority during planning.
What is a noise protection certificate?
It shows that the outdoor unit at the planned location complies with the relevant noise limit values and the precautionary principle. For air/water heat pumps in the Canton of Zurich it is always part of the submission.
How long does the notification procedure take?
If nothing else is ordered within 30 days of receipt of the acknowledgement of receipt, the project can be implemented. Longer deadlines apply in the permit procedure.
Do you also plan if I enquire about the heat pump in the shop?
Yes. On request we offer the units in the shop with planning, permit documents and installation.
Let’s discuss your project
Call us or write to us – we will get back to you and arrange a site visit.