Heat pumps: administrative sweat?
Heat pumps: administrative sweat?
I've just bought a villa in the canton of Vaud that I want to renovate because it has old fossil-fuel heating. My heating engineer has advised me to install an air-to-water heat pump, but he hasn't asked me to sign a planning permission application. I assume that, as a specialist, he should be familiar with this type of procedure, but I don't want to make any mistakes and I want to make sure I follow all the procedures to the letter. Can you help?
A. Geneva
You are right to ask because, in principle, the installation of a heat pump is subject not only to planning permission but also to the submission of a certificate of compliance with noise protection requirements, in accordance with article 103 of the Vaud law on town and country planning and construction (LATC).
However, in June 2023, the Canton of Vaud adopted a regulatory provision (art. 68c RLATC) designed to exempt homeowners from having to apply for planning permission for the installation of air-to-air or air-to-water heat pumps; it came into force at the beginning of 2024.
As a result, the installation of a heat pump in an existing building can now be exempted from planning permission, provided certain criteria are met. In particular, if the pump is installed at an altitude of more than 1,000 metres, it can only be installed in buildings with the Minergie label or the CECB C label, i.e. buildings with a high energy performance. In addition, if installed outside the building, heat pumps must not be noisy.
Exemption from planning permission must be granted by the Commune, which must be notified of all projects using the appropriate forms. If the Commune refuses to grant such an exemption, the usual procedure set out in art. 103 of the LATC and art. 68 of the RLATC still applies, and an application for planning permission must be submitted, including the necessary certificates.
When it comes to the advice that heating engineers or other specialist companies can and should give, it's worth pointing out that work carried out without planning permission or without dispensing with planning permission from the local authority can result in fines and administrative hassles, so it's highly advisable to make sure that everything is in order before starting any work.
In fact, it is the owner's responsibility, not just the contractor's, to apply to the authorities for any authorisation required or to make any necessary announcements.
