Swiss experience on technical regulation for energy and emissions in the building sector: Learnings for China

This report was published as part of the Sino-Swiss Collaboration for Climate Responsive Building and District Development, in which intep plays a leading role. It sheds light on Swiss standards and regulations that can inspire new Chinese policies aimed at achieving a net-zero emission economy in the future.

Switzerland has a long-standing experience in policy design and technical regulation to help advance the building sector toward greater energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The experience gained in Switzerland can provide learnings for China as it develops its own policies for achieving a long-term goal of a zero-emission building (ZEB) stock.

This report provides an insight on the historical development of policy instruments and key achievements, offers in-depth information on the relevant policy instruments currently in use, and summarizes the present state of research on the key features driving the evolution of technical regulation for buildings in Switzerland towards compliance with a net-zero emission target.

The report concludes with nine key learnings from Switzerland’s experience in transitioning to zero-emission buildings. The most significant takeaway is that successfully transforming the building sector requires a wide-ranging approach which integrates all relevant stakeholders.