Energy-saving heating: sustainability and cost efficiency for your home

What is energy-saving heating?

Heating means converting a type of energy into heat. This can be achieved using fossil fuels, various forms of wood or environmental energy from the air, ground or water. Regardless of which fuel you use, energy is required for heat, but in different forms and quantities.

Some of the benefits of energy-saving heating include cost savings on heating and utility bills, reduced environmental impact and improved quality of life thanks to a more comfortable indoor temperature.

In order to heat your home properly and efficiently, you need to consider three basic aspects: room temperature settings, heating duration and heating system maintenance. All the information you need regarding room temperature and heating duration is available in this article.

The energy saving potential is basically the same for all heating technologies and can be summarised as follows:

1. Use the correct settings and regularly maintain the system

Establish the correct temperature for every room and the most important heating times. This will vary depending on when your home was built and the heating technology used. Simply by using the correct settings, you can make considerable energy and cost savings. Regularly maintaining the heating system is also crucial to ensuring optimum efficiency and extending its service life.

2. Monitor your individual heating behaviour

Your heating behaviour has a significant impact on energy consumption. So monitor and control your behaviour and use the correct heating system settings. An efficient way of saving energy is to turn down thermostats when rooms are not in use or when less heat is required.

Turning down thermostats

Turning down thermostats can be an effective way of saving energy, both at night and at other times. Here are some things to consider:

• During the day and changes of season: if your home is empty during the day, the heating does not need to be on full. The same applies to the changes of season in spring and autumn, when temperatures are milder. Adjust your heating in line with the daytime temperatures during these periods.
• Lowering the temperature overnight: turning down the thermostat overnight can lead to significant energy savings, especially in older or poorly insulated buildings. There is no need for the temperature in the living room to be a constant 22 °C overnight. But the temperature differences between day and night shouldn’t exceed 4 °C to 5 °C, otherwise, too much energy is required to reheat rooms the next day.
• Heating system and heat distribution: the type of heating system and heat distribution efficiency play a crucial role in the effectiveness of turning down thermostats. Radiators heat up and cool down faster than underfloor heating systems, so turning down the thermostats on radiators can be more effective.
• Automation thanks to smart home technologies: modern programmable thermostats and smart home systems can automatically lower and raise temperatures in unused rooms or at certain times. This ensures greater comfort and also saves energy.
• Responsible use: being aware of your heating habits and actively implementing energy-saving strategies, either by making manual adjustments or using smart home technologies, is crucial to reducing energy consumption and heating costs.

Practical tips for energy-saving heating

Here are some more practical tips on how to save energy on heating:

1. Seal your windows and doors:

Check your windows and doors for drafts and seal them to prevent heat loss. Even small gaps can add up to significant energy losses over time. Sometimes simply closing the curtains in the evening is enough to retain more heat in the room.

2. Improve your insulation:

Do you own your own home? Then you should carefully examine the insulation in your home. Good insulation reduces the need for heating energy. Consider whether it makes sense to install additional insulation in your walls, roofs and floors.

3. Make use of sunlight:

Take advantage of free heat from the sun by opening the curtains during the day and closing them in the evening in order to retain heat.

4. Curtain and furniture placement:

Make sure that curtains and furniture are not blocking the heat from the radiators. Free heat circulation is crucial for efficient heating.

5. Consider energy-efficient heating systems

If you are looking to upgrade your heating system, we recommend finding out about energy-efficient options such as heat pumps, solar panels or biomass heating systems. By using modern, efficient heating systems, you can save a significant amount of heating energy. Studies have shown that modern heating systems can reduce heating energy requirements by up to 30 percent.

Official ‘erneuerbar heizen’ programme

The ‘erneuerbar heizen’ programme launched by the Swiss government is an initiative aimed at promoting the transition to more sustainable heating systems. This programme is part of the national commitment to reduce carbon emissions, especially as Switzerland’s housing stock produces around a third of all the country's carbon emissions. 

The EnergieSchweiz initiative has been helping to promote the switch from fossil fuels to domestic, renewable energy since 2020. Renewable heating systems are more economical in the long term. There is a suitable solution for every type of house. The programme not only supports homeowners and leaseholders, but also installers and consultants in their day-to-day work to accelerate the switch to renewable heating systems.

The ‘erneuerbar heizen’ programme uses voluntary measures to implement Switzerland’s energy policy. It supports innovative projects and ideas, establishes incentive systems and promotes knowledge and expertise in energy matters.