Solar panels in Lausanne

Are you looking for solar panels in Lausanne, to produce your own electricity or heat your hot water with the sun? Between Lake Geneva and the upper districts, Lausanne’s buildings offer very varied situations: a villa on a hillside, an apartment block near the centre and a building in the old town are not handled in the same way. This page describes the solar installations possible in Lausanne, the procedures to expect and how to compare quotes.

Photovoltaic or thermal: what can go on a Lausanne roof

Two families of products exist. Photovoltaic panels produce electricity. Thermal collectors, for their part, heat domestic water. On the same roof, you may hesitate between the two, or combine them on part of it, and this is precisely what the quote should make clear.

The most common works are similar from one roof to another:

• installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof, either integrated or mounted above the roofing;
• connection to the electrical panel, with an inverter;
• possible addition of a storage battery;
• installation of thermal collectors linked to a hot water tank;
• replacement or relocation of existing elements (chimneys, dormer windows, aerials) that get in the way of the installation.

In Lausanne, villas in the hillside districts and rental apartment blocks do not have the same needs. In a block of flats, the question is often how to share the electricity produced between the occupants and the communal areas. In a detached house, the starting point is rather the household’s consumption.

A city on a slope between Ouchy and the upper districts: what it means for solar

Lausanne is built on a slope, from Lake Geneva, on the Ouchy side, up to the upper districts. This terrain has concrete consequences. Depending on the location, a roof may receive full sun or sit in the shade of a neighbouring building, a tree or another part of the hillside. The orientation of the roof and nearby obstructions weigh more in the decision than the address itself: a professional must come and look at your roof, not just rely on a plan.

The same terrain complicates access. In steep streets, equipment sometimes has to be brought in and hoisted with special means, and a site set-up (scaffolding, crane lorry) may require the use of public land. This point is worth raising from the first visit, as it affects the price and the organisation of the works.

As for climate, the lakeside remains relatively mild, but the canton of Vaud rises to the Jura and the Vaud Alps, where snow is a far more serious matter. In the upper districts, the question may arise to a lesser degree; even so, ask the installer how the fixing and tilt take snow and wind into account on your particular roof.

The Cité and protected buildings: solar near the cathedral

The old Cité quarter, around the cathedral, is an area where built heritage matters a great deal. For a solar installation, the general rule of Art. 18a LAT provides that an installation sufficiently well adapted to a roof in a building or agricultural zone in principle only requires a notification. This rule comes with a reservation: it does not apply in the same way to a cultural heritage building or in a protected site.

In practical terms, if your building is in the Cité, or if it is listed or recorded in the heritage inventory, do not assume that a simple notification will be enough. The project will be examined more closely, notably regarding the visibility of the panels from the street or from viewpoints over the city. Put the question to the municipality before requesting detailed quotes, so you know what is feasible. If there is any doubt about the status of your building, the municipality is also the one to confirm it.

Outside these sensitive areas, the installation remains subject to a check, but the procedure is lighter.

Notification, permit, landlord’s consent: the procedures in Lausanne

In the canton of Vaud, the building permit is issued by the municipal authority (the municipalité) of the commune. When cantonal services have to give an opinion, the file goes through the cantonal authorisations centre (CAMAC). On energy matters, the framework is the Vaud energy law, with the cantonal energy department, which runs a subsidy programme.

In practice, the steps to follow depend on your situation:

1. Your building is in a building zone, outside a protected site: a notification to the municipality is generally enough, under Art. 18a LAT.
2. Your building is in a protected site or is a cultural heritage building: a building permit may be needed, with review by the competent services.
3. You rent your home: the owner’s written consent is essential.
4. You are in co-ownership: the project generally has to be put to the co-owners’ community, which decides according to the rules of your regulations.

Do not rely on this list to settle your case. It gives landmarks; the municipality and the competent cantonal service remain the only ones who can confirm what applies to your roof.

Subsidies should be checked before ordering: a one-off federal payment exists for photovoltaics (Pronovo), the canton of Vaud has its own subsidy programme, and municipal support is possible. The timing of the application, relative to the start of the works, may matter: find out before you sign.

Requesting and comparing solar panel quotes in Lausanne

A good quote starts with a good description of your situation. When you request a quote, specify:

• the type of building (villa, rental block, co-ownership, business premises) and its approximate address in the city;
• the condition and nature of the roof, its orientation and the shadows you can see;
• your aim: produce electricity, heat water, or both;
• your status: owner, co-owner, or tenant with the landlord’s consent;
• whether the building is in an old or protected area.

To compare offers, check that each one details:

• the preliminary roof visit and the analysis of sunlight;
• the equipment (panels, inverter, fixings, possibly a battery) with its references;
• the ancillary works: scaffolding, electrical connection, any work on the roofing;
• the procedures handled for you (notification or permit, subsidy application) and those that remain your responsibility;
• the warranty terms for the equipment and the installation, as the supplier states them in writing.

Several factors make the cost vary: the usable roof area, the difficulty of access in a steep street, the condition of the roofing, the connection to the electrical panel, the presence of storage and the subsidies you are entitled to. Two offers that seem far apart should therefore be compared item by item, not on the total alone.

Other works and useful pages around solar panels in Lausanne

A solar project is often accompanied by other works on the same building. Here are the useful pages:

• the trade page: solar panels;
• the city page: works in Lausanne;
• the canton page: canton of Vaud;
• windows and double glazing in Lausanne;
• heat pump in Lausanne;
• kitchen renovation in Lausanne.

If you are also considering a heat pump, the electricity produced on your roof can be part of the overall thinking, to be discussed with the professionals who respond to your request.