The Swiss state system is very finely divided into federal, cantonal and municipal levels. Each of these levels has its own schemes with its own requirements to obtain benefits from incentives. This can range, for example, from federal support for core refurbishment to municipal support for balcony solar panels (e.g., the city of Zurich). It is therefore difficult to make general and nationwide statements about the structure of the funding programs. A good overview is provided by the website energiefranken.ch, which lists all subsidy programs available in a given location, including the relevant agency’s contact details.

The national building program (Gebäudeprogramm) is the most important government-funded initiative for improving energy efficiency. Part of the revenue from the CO2 levy is used for measures to reduce CO2 emissions from buildings in the long term. To be eligible for a federal contribution, a canton must have a program to promote the energy-efficient renovation of the building envelope and building services, as well as the replacement of existing electric or oil heating systems. The following construction measures are supported under the building program:

• Thermal insulation of the building envelope
• Replacement of fossil or electric heating systems with heating systems that use renewable energies or connection to a heating network
• Comprehensive, energy-efficient renovations or renovations in larger stages
• New buildings that meet certain Minergie standards

Applications for subsidies must always be submitted to the competent agency before the measurement is conducted. Applications submitted at a later date will not be considered. In most cases, the subsidy is limited to a one-off contribution to the individual measures; this also applies to smaller solar installations, whose operation and electricity production are not subsidized themselves. Rather, the funding is aimed at initial financing by covering a small investment contribution.