The CECB, the regulations, and you.
Since January 2017, in the Canton of Vaud the establishment of a CECB is required in many cases.
After a short reminder of what CECB is, the various cases will be presented in this article. Each case will be accompanied by additional information that will help you determine whether you are in that case. Finally we will add to each case some important notes that accompany each certification requirement.
What is CECB? A reminder.
Why have CECB drawn up?
The CECB is a standardised certificate recognised by the Confederation. It serves as a reference for evaluating and establishing the energy balance of your building. To do this, it takes into account the envelope and the amount of energy consumed.
The primary energy sources targeted are heating and domestic hot water. In addition, electricity is used for lighting, ventilation and electrical appliances. This diagnosis makes it possible to identify the energy-consuming elements. It also allows the losses to be estimated quantitatively in kWh per year. Finally, it gives an indication of the possibilities of reducing your energy bill.
What is in CECB ?
Energy efficiency is formulated in terms of an "Energy Label". This Energy Label is a scale with classes from A to G. A corresponds to the highest energy efficiency, i.e. buildings designed with current performance standards.
The document created by the expert contains two parts. The first part describes the current state of the building (envelope efficiency and technical energy performance). In the second part, recommendations and indications are listed for improving the overall energy efficiency of the building.
How long is the CECB valid?
A CECB can only be carried out by a recognised certified expert (Expert CECB). The information available in the document is valid for 10 years if no changes are made. However, if the heating installation or the building envelope is modified during this period, the document loses its validity.
Certificate CECB Vaud: when does it become mandatory?
CECB for the sale of a residential building
Cases in which the sale requires the completion of a CECB
The CECB is mandatory when you are an owner, a co-owner or a real estate agency in the canton of Vaud. You wish to put a property up for sale. This property is either a single-family dwelling, a collective dwelling or a condominium, or in the third case a dwelling used mainly for residential purposes.
Exceptions: when are you exempt from the obligation?
You are the owner of an SME or an administrative building. You are in a case of donation, transfer of ownership by succession, transfer of ownership between spouses or following a divorce, or in the sale of buildings not yet built.
Good to know
- The CECB must be communicated by the owner to the buyer when the deed of sale is concluded
- If it is a condominium and you are a floor owner
- When selling the first lot, the CECB applies to the whole building
- The costs of CECB are to be shared between the co-owners
CECB for replacing a boiler with another fossil fuel boiler
Cases in which a CECB is required
The building concerned is either a single or multi-family dwelling, or an administrative or school building. You wish to replace an existing heating system with a new system or boiler that is powered (in whole or in part!) by gas, oil or coal. Alternatively, you are also subject to the obligation to carry out a CECB if you wish to make a connection to a district heating system (gas, oil or coal-fired).
The exceptions
You are completely exempt if the district heating system supplies less than five buildings or if you only want to replace the burner. If you have an emergency breakdown, the canton allows you to extend the deadline. You then have three months to establish the CECB .
Good to know
- If you are a heating company, you are responsible for communicating this information to your customer.
- If the CECB drawn up as a result of your situation concludes that you are in energy class F or G, then a CECB Plus is required. The CECB must be drawn up before the work is carried out.
Certificate CECB Vaud: subsidy request
The Canton's Building Programme also offers a range of interesting Subsidies for the energy renovation of your property. And for some of these Subsidies, a CECB report is required. The Subsidies concerned are the following (year 2022):
- M01 grant for thermal insulation of facades, roofs, floors and walls, against the outside or against the ground at more or less 2 m below ground level. The amounts vary from 50 to 80 CHF per m2 of heated element
- The M13 and M14 subsidy for the overall renovation of the building envelope according to the class CECB. The amounts vary from CHF 35 to 140 per m2 of energy reference area.
- M05 and M06 subsidy for air/water or geothermal heat pump (provided that the class of CECB is above E). Amounts from CHF 5'000.
- The M08 grant for the installation of solar thermal collectors (provided that a supplementary heating system is used). Amounts from CHF 4'000.
- M09 grant for the installation of ventilation in dwellings (provided that the class of CECB is above C). Lump sum of CHF 2'400.00
The CECB Plus and Subsidies : what does the regulation say?
Reminder: What is CECB Plus.
As the "Plus" indicates, the CECB Plus is an Advisory Report that integrates and complements the CECB base. The basic certificate assesses and classifies your building based on its current condition. The CECB Plus adds recommendations on the best options available for energy renovation of your building. For example, three customised variants are offered for energy modernisation. A list of additional content is also included in the enhanced certificate. This content includes a list of concrete measures, recommendations, prioritisation of work, an estimate of the necessary investment costs... and a calculation of Subsidies !
The costing of its Subsidies and the investment of the works are thus at the heart of the CECB Plus Consultancy Report.
Cases in which CECB Plus is mandatory
For all Subsidies building envelope projects where the amount exceeds CHF 10,000, the Canton of Vaud requires that the Council Report CECB Plus be attached to all applications.
The following Subsidies are concerned:
- M01 grant - more info in the previous section
- The M13 Grant - more info in the previous section
- M14 grant - more info in previous section
- The M15 grant for the overall insulation bonus, the achievement of the Minergie label with the M01 application. The amounts of the bonus vary between CHF 40 and 60 per heated square metre of energy reference area.
You now have the information to determine whether you are subject to an obligation to carry out a CECB. If you would like more information, please contact us.
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