Glossary · Legal
CECB
The CECB (certificat énergétique cantonal des bâtiments, the cantonal building energy certificate) is an official Swiss document that assesses a building’s energy performance on a scale from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). It is based on three criteria: the efficiency of the building envelope (insulation, windows, thermal bridges), overall energy efficiency (heating, hot water, electricity for building systems) and direct CO₂ emissions from heat generation.
The CECB must be issued by a certified expert listed on the official national register managed by the Conference of Cantonal Energy Directors (cecb.ch). A basic certificate costs between CHF 500 and CHF 900 and remains valid for ten years. An extended version, the CECB Plus, adds an advisory report with costed renovation proposals.
The CECB is mandatory when selling a property in the cantons of Vaud, Fribourg and Jura. In other cantons such as Geneva, it is not mandatory for a sale but remains useful for preparing a renovation, accessing energy subsidies or enhancing a property’s appeal on the market.
