Heat pump Aargau: incentives, notification duty and costs when replacing your heating

This page brings together what concretely matters when replacing a heating system in Aargau: the incentive rates, the new notification duty under the revised Energy Act, the district heating area question and the process from inventory to commissioning. Technology and scope of services at a glance: Heat pumps by ecoEn. If you're switching from oil, start with Replacing an oil heating system; for the roof in the same canton: Solar panels Aargau.

What does a heat pump cost?

Costs depend on the system, the condition of the heat distribution and the structural conditions. The reference is SwissEnergy's empirical values for a single-family home, including storage tank and hydraulic integration:

Guideline values according to SwissEnergy, before incentives; they include heat pump, installation, storage tank and hydraulics. Removal of the old heating and permits are not explicitly included. The individual quote is binding.

Heat pump incentives in the Canton of Aargau

The replacement of an oil, gas or electric heating system is subsidised, not new builds. For systems up to 70 kW, CHF 3,000 plus CHF 60 per kW of thermal output applies for an air-to-water heat pump and CHF 6,000 plus CHF 180 per kW for brine-to-water or water-to-water. Above 70 kW, the rates rise to CHF 6,400 plus CHF 240 per kW and CHF 9,600 plus CHF 720 per kW respectively. Anyone who replaces an oil, gas or electric heating system with a heat pump up to around 15 kW also receives a refund of CHF 350 (excl. VAT) for the heat pump system module.

If you replace decentralised electric resistance heating – i.e. individual heaters without a hydraulic distribution system – the first installation of the heat distribution system is added: a flat rate of CHF 15,000 up to 250 m² of energy reference area, and CHF 60 per m² above that. This is often the largest single item in the application and is regularly overlooked. Rates and conditions: incentive programme of the Canton of Aargau, version of 1 May 2026.

Two points decide between approval and rejection. First, the sequence: the application must be submitted to the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment before construction starts – anyone who orders first loses the contribution. Second, the district heating area: if the property is in a designated district heating area, the heat pump is generally not subsidised. There are exceptions if the network operator or municipality confirms that no connection is planned, if the network solution is at least 10 percent more expensive than the heat pump, or if the connection itself is not eligible for incentives. We clarify both for your address before planning.

What has the revised Energy Act required since April 2025?

Since 1 April 2025, replacing the heat generator in Aargau has been subject to notification (§ 7a para. 1 EnergieG). The notification is made with the EN-103-AG certificate via the digital energy enforcement system. Anyone switching to a heat pump, wood heating or a heating network connection automatically meets the requirements – for you, it's a form, not a certification project.

It's different if fossil heating is to be installed again: that is only permitted if it is proven that a renewable solution is not available or not economically viable. This is checked via a comparison of annual costs – energy, operation and annuity of the investment – with a flat factor of 1.1 for fluctuations (§ 22 EnergieV). If the proof succeeds, 10 percent of energy consumption must still be saved or provided renewably in residential buildings: via a Minergie certification, proof of GEAK class D or better, or one of the standard solutions. Standard solutions SL1, SL7 to SL9 and SL11 must be implemented within three years.

For electric heating: new fixed electric resistance heating for space heating is not permitted, and replacing a central resistance heater with a similar unit is also excluded. Owners of existing buildings with central or decentralised resistance heating must have a GEAK Plus prepared within five years of the revised Act coming into force, showing how the heating could be replaced.

And the good news for the procedure: air-to-water heat pumps within the building zone without protected status can be implemented under the notification procedure – provided the noise protection certificate is available and the distances under § 49b BauV are observed. What this means for placement: Location and noise. Basis: enforcement guideline on heating replacement under the Energy Act from 1 April 2025, Energy Department, 6 February 2025. The current provisions apply.

Replacing an oil heating system in Aargau: application, notification, tank

Anyone replacing an oil heating system in Aargau in 2026 has three things to do in the right order: first, the incentive application before construction to the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment – for an air-to-water heat pump CHF 3,000 plus CHF 60 per kW, for a ground probe CHF 6,000 plus CHF 180 per kW (systems up to 70 kW); second, the EN-103-AG notification via the digital energy enforcement system, which has been mandatory for every heat generator replacement since April 2025; third, the decommissioning or removal of the oil tank – a separate item missing from many quotes. Anyone who wants to heat with fossil fuels again must prove via the annual cost comparison that no renewable solution is economically viable.

As a guideline, according to SwissEnergy, switching from oil to an air-to-water heat pump in a single-family home costs CHF 45,000–60,000 before incentives, with a ground probe CHF 55,000–80,000 – including storage tank and hydraulics, excluding tank removal. What to consider regarding the tank, heating load and hot water: Replacing an oil heating system: obligations, costs, tank. In the districts of Baden, Brugg and Lenzburg, we plan from Zurich with short distances for site visits and service.

References

Our documented reference systems are photovoltaic and storage projects, including a system in Schneisingen – see Projects & references. For heating replacement, we show you comparable properties from the region in the consultation instead of stock images.

How your project works

1. Inventory. Heating, distribution, hot water and consumption – ideally while the old system is still running.
2. System and legal clarification. Air-to-water or ground probe, district heating area, noise distances, notification or permit procedure.
3. Heating load calculation & quote. Sizing based on calculation, quote with individually listed items.
4. Incentive application before construction. Submit to the BVU and wait for confirmation of receipt – only then is anything ordered.
5. EN-103-AG notification. The legally required notification of the heating replacement via the digital energy enforcement system.
6. Removal & installation. Old heating out, heat pump in – a few working days for a single-family home.
7. Commissioning & fine-tuning. Set the heating curve, instruct, readjust – the point at which efficiency is decided.

Frequently asked questions

Guides on heating replacement

• Heat pump costs Switzerland: the items
• Heat pump incentives Switzerland: overview
• Heating replacement: the process in 7 steps
• Replacing an oil heating system: obligations, costs, tank
• Heat pump or gas heating: the comparison
• Air-to-water or ground probe?
• Location and noise: the regulations
• Heat pumps in older buildings
• Combining a heat pump and photovoltaics