Every hotter summer brings back the same question: can you simply fit an air conditioner in your flat in Geneva or Lausanne? The short answer is no, not simply. In French-speaking Switzerland, a fixed air-conditioning system almost always requires a permit, and Geneva applies the strictest rules in the country. That is no reason to give up, but it is a reason to proceed in the right order, before buying the unit rather than after an inspector's visit.

Portable unit, split system or reversible heat pump

The rules do not treat every appliance the same way. Three cases arise in a home.

  • The portable air conditioner, standing on the floor with a hose through the window: no permit, but poor efficiency, noise in the room and high consumption for a limited result.
  • The split or multi-split system, with a wall-mounted indoor unit and an outdoor unit on the facade, a balcony or the roof: this is comfort air conditioning in the legal sense, and it requires a permit.
  • The reversible air-to-air heat pump, or cooling through an existing heat pump: as soon as it produces cold, it falls into the same category, even if it is mainly used for heating.

Fixed units sold as having no outdoor unit are not an exception either. They need two holes through the facade, and altering the facade is enough to trigger a procedure.

In Geneva: an energy permit within the building permit

In Geneva, comfort air conditioning is subject to an energy authorisation issued as part of a building permit application. The file is lodged with the building permits office, which passes it to the cantonal energy office for its opinion. A system installed without a permit can be the subject of a removal order.

The principle is that of last resort. The permit is granted when, despite compliance with the standards and the reasonable constructive and technical measures, minimum summer comfort is not ensured. Solar shading, night ventilation and the other passive measures must therefore be exhausted first.

A simplified route exists for low-power systems. In an existing building, the electrical power must stay below 12 W per square metre of cooled area. For an 80 m² flat that is cooled, this means less than 960 W of electrical power: it is the sizing and efficiency of the unit that decide whether you stay below the threshold, not its brand. The file then includes proof of this low power, the cooled area and the schematic of the installation.

If the building already has an air-conditioning system, connecting to it takes priority over adding an individual unit.

In the canton of Vaud and Lausanne: the municipality and energy

In the canton of Vaud, the outdoor unit is first a matter for the municipality. As soon as it is visible from public space or alters the facade, a municipal permit is generally needed, filed through the cantonal CAMAC platform. In Lausanne, the appearance and size of the outdoor unit are examined closely, especially in protected districts.

On the energy side, the canton requires the need for cooling to be demonstrated under the SIA 382/1 standard, and the revision of the Vaud energy law adopted in 2026 requires at least half of the electricity used by a new comfort air-conditioning system to come from renewable sources. In a house, a photovoltaic system on the roof is the most direct way to meet it. Processing times range from a few weeks to several months depending on the file.

Noise: the limit is measured at the neighbour's

The outdoor unit is a fixed installation under the federal Noise Abatement Ordinance. For a new installation in a residential zone, the night-time planning value is 45 dB(A), measured at the most exposed neighbour's window. It is the most frequently underestimated constraint.

  • A unit rated at 50 dB(A) may be fine eight metres from the neighbour and a problem at three metres.
  • A recessed balcony, an inner courtyard or a reflective niche increase the perceived level.
  • Models with a night mode and anti-vibration mounts make a real difference.

Most authorities ask for a noise certificate, prepared with the Cercle Bruit calculation tool. We prepare it together with the choice of location, not afterwards.

Tenant or co-owner: agreement before the file

Even before the authority, there is the owner. A tenant needs the written consent of the property manager: a split system alters the facade and the electrical panel, and restoring the premises at the end of the lease must be settled in writing.

In a co-ownership (PPE), the facade, balconies seen from outside and the roof are common parts. The location of the outdoor unit and the drilling are therefore decided by the co-owners' meeting, and the PPE regulations may contain their own rules. It is better to present a complete project, with the location, the noise certificate and a photo of the unit, than a simple request in principle.

What to do before asking for air conditioning

The authorities require it, and it is also what cools best for the least money.

  1. Shade the glazing from the outside: slatted blinds, shutters, awnings. An interior blind stops light, not heat.
  2. Ventilate at night, with cross-ventilation if possible, and close up during the day.
  3. Reduce internal gains: lighting, appliances on standby, a server or home office.
  4. Insulate the roof above a converted attic, often the hottest room in the home.
  5. Consider cooling through an existing ground-source heat pump, which cools at very low cost.

If summer comfort is still insufficient after that, the air-conditioning file is both stronger and easier to justify.

How it works with SmartHaus Swiss

An air-conditioning system that goes through without trouble is one designed first for the permit, then for the unit.

  1. Visit: areas, orientation, possible location of the outdoor unit, distance to neighbours, capacity of the electrical panel.
  2. Tight sizing, to stay below the power thresholds where possible.
  3. Noise certificate, plans and energy documents, a file for the property manager or the co-owners' meeting.
  4. Filing of the application and follow-up until the decision.
  5. Installation, commissioning by a qualified refrigeration technician, and annual maintenance.

Our teams combine air conditioning and electrics: the dedicated line and the protection in the panel are part of the same job.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a permit for a portable air conditioner?

No. A portable unit without a fixed outdoor unit, with a hose through the window, does not require a permit in Geneva or in the canton of Vaud. It remains inefficient and noisy in the room.

Can air conditioning be installed without a permit if the outdoor unit is out of sight?

In Geneva, no: the energy authorisation is required wherever the unit stands. In the canton of Vaud, a simple notification can sometimes be enough for a discreet unit, but the energy requirement remains. The municipality decides.

How long does it take to get the permit?

Allow from a few weeks to several months depending on the canton, the municipality and how complete the file is. To be cool in July, file in spring at the latest.

Is a reversible heat pump considered air conditioning?

Yes, as soon as it is used for cooling. A ground-source heat pump used for passive cooling, on the other hand, is treated far more favourably, because it uses very little power.

What is the risk of installing air conditioning without a permit?

The authority can order the system to be brought into compliance or removed at the owner's expense, and a fine may be added. A neighbour bothered by the noise can also assert their rights. The cost of a file is small by comparison.