Many houses and chalets in Graubünden are still heated using electric radiators in every room. This is convenient to install, but expensive to run. To move away from this, two things are needed: a new heating system (heat pump, wood-fired or district heating) and a network of pipes with radiators or underfloor heating to distribute heat to every room. The canton of Graubünden subsidises both, and the amounts are among the highest in Switzerland.
Two forms of support that add up
1. Initial radiators or underfloor heating
- CHF 15,000 for a building with up to 250 m² of heated floor area;
- thereover, CHF 60 per m² of heated floor area, up to a maximum of CHF 100,000.
This is often the most expensive part of the project: pipework, radiators, drilling and finishing work.
2. The new heating system
| New heating system | Financial assistance for a house with up to 250 m² of heated floor area |
|---|---|
| Geothermal or water-to-water heat pump | CHF 17,500 |
| Wood-fired heating (logs or pellets) | CHF 10,000 |
| Connection to a district heating scheme | 10,000 CHF |
| Air-to-water heat pump | 5,000 CHF |
For areas exceeding 250 m², the grant is calculated per m² of heated floor area.
A practical example
A 150 m² chalet in Ilanz, currently heated by electric radiators, is switching to a geothermal heat pump with water-filled radiators:
- radiators and pipework: 15,000 CHF;
- geothermal heat pump: CHF 17,500;
- total cantonal grant: CHF 32,500.
With an air-to-water heat pump, the total grant would be CHF 20,000, provided that the property meets the temperature requirement explained below.
Key conditions to be aware of
- Electric radiators (or oil- or gas-fired stoves in individual rooms) must be the main heating system for the house.
- They must all be replaced. Only towel warmers may remain.
- The new heating system must be renewable: a heat pump, wood-fired system or district heating.
- Fitting out a single flat in a block of flats does not qualify for the radiator grant.
- The building must be over 5 years old to qualify for heating grants.
In mountainous areas, be aware of air-to-water heat pumps: in Graubünden, they are only subsidised if the average annual temperature of the location exceeds 7.3 °C. The canton publishes a map on energie.gr.ch. At higher altitudes, geothermal heating is often the system eligible for funding.
How do you apply?
- Obtain quotes for the heating system and for the radiators.
- Complete the application online at energie.gr.ch.
- Send the signed paper copy of the application to the Office for Energy and Transport.
- Wait for approval from the canton before starting: in Graubünden, it is not enough simply to have submitted the application; you must have received confirmation.
- Send the invoices after the work is completed to receive the grant.
Your municipality or electricity supplier may offer additional financial assistance: check on energiefranken.ch using your postcode.
All the figures and the calculator can be found on our Graubünden Cantonal Grants page.