Table of Contents

Heating - Heating and Water Metering

1. Connection Diagram

Individual counting of heating and hot water allows for the fairest distribution of heating costs among the occupants of a building.

According to the requirements of the Individual Accounting of Energy and Water Costs of the Swiss Confederation (DIFEE) in effect since 2017, the following must be installed:

  • A thermal energy meter (heating) for each apartment
  • A hot water meter for each apartment
  • A thermal energy meter at the boiler outlet to measure total consumption and deduce the share for communal areas
  • A thermal energy meter at the entrance of the water heater to measure the energy needed for hot water production

If one wishes to fairly distribute the costs of consumption and water purification, a cold water meter is installed for each apartment as well as for communal areas (laundry, irrigation, etc.).

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2. Meter Connections

The way in which meters are connected has an impact on how the charge accounts are made afterwards. See below.

Connection of Thermal Meters

The diagrams below also apply to other types of boilers other than a heat pump (wood, gas, etc.).

Scenario A: A general meter at the boiler outlet, a meter for hot water production, and a meter for each apartment.

This is the correct diagram as recommended by the official guidelines.

Consequence for distribution:

  • Heating costs are distributed among each occupant according to the consumption measured by the individual apartment meters.
  • Costs for hot water production are distributed based on individual hot water consumption, measured via individual hot water meters.
  • Heating costs for communal areas are distributed based on the surface areas of the apartments.

Scenario B: A meter only for each apartment.

Not everything is measured.

Consequence for distribution:

  • Heating costs for communal areas are estimated.
  • Costs for hot water production are estimated.

If the general meter at the boiler outlet is omitted, it is strongly recommended to install at least one meter for hot water production.

Nevertheless, without this meter, the usual estimation is 25% of the total costs dedicated to the production of sanitary hot water.

Scenario C: No meter.

No thermal consumption is measured.

Consequence for distribution: heating costs are allocated based on the surface areas of the apartments.

Connection of Electrical Meters

If the heating system is a heat pump (PAC), it is powered by electricity.

Scenario A: One meter for the PAC and one meter for communal areas.

Consequence on distribution: the electric consumption of the PAC is separate from the communal areas. No estimation is necessary.

Scenario B: A single meter for the PAC and communal areas.

Consequence for distribution: the electrical consumption of the communal areas must be estimated.

See heating and water meters
See how to establish a charge account

3. Installation Example

It is strongly recommended to position the heating manifold as well as the heating meter in an access hatch located at the entrance of the apartment, rather than at the back of a piece of furniture. This configuration greatly eases access to the meter for maintenance.

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