Building law Aargau government wants to relax distance rules for heat pumps

In the canton of Aargau, homeowners should be allowed to build heat pumps closer to public roads. The government supports a corresponding proposal from parliament for air/water heat pumps. However, the distance rules for geothermal probe heat pumps should remain in place

In a motion, Grand Councillor Gian von Planta (GLP), together with co-signatories from the Greens, SP, FDP, Mitte and EVP, called for the Spatial Development and Construction Act (Building Act) to be amended so that heat pump systems "at a distance from roads" should be granted an exemption permit more easily.

Heat pumps contribute a great deal to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus slowing down climate change. In the next few years, many houses will have to be converted from fossil fuel heating systems to heat pumps.

The cantonal government is prepared to accept the motion as a postulate, as it writes in its response published on Friday. However, this only applies to air/water heat pumps, as these can be relocated relatively easily. An amendment to the Building Act should allow the municipalities to approve exceptions.

For brine/water heat pumps that work with a geothermal probe, however, the acquisition costs are higher and subsequent relocation is very expensive or even impossible, according to the cantonal government. For this reason, there should be no simplified exemptions.