What GEAK does

GEAK (Gebäudeenergieausweis der Kantone) is the Swiss association that develops, manages, and promotes the official building energy certificate system recognized by all 26 cantons. Founded as Verein GEAK-CECB-CECE in 2015 (the system itself launched in 2009 by the Conference of Cantonal Energy Directors and the Federal Office of Energy), the organization is governed as a Swiss not-for-profit association under Art. 60ff ZGB, with members comprising the heads of the cantonal energy departments. Its headquarters are in Basel, with regional agencies in Sion (Romandie) and Bellinzona (Svizzera italiana), and it shares joint offices with the Minergie association across all three language regions.

GEAK's core product is the official A-G energy label assessing building envelope efficiency, total energy efficiency, and direct CO2 emissions, based on the SIA 380/1 demand-based calculation methodology rather than consumption data. GEAK Plus extends the label with up to five tailored renovation variants including cost and annuity-based economic calculations; GEAK Neubau serves new construction projects. All certificates are produced through the GEAK Tool, a browser-based platform featuring a 3D-Wizard that uses SwissTopo federal 3D building models, a U-Value Calculator with a central material database, PVopti Online photovoltaic optimization, and integration with the federal GWR/EGID building register. An XSD/XML interface is also published for third-party integrations. Quality assurance covers approximately 15% of experts and their publications annually.

GEAK generates revenue primarily through transaction-based publication fees (CHF 60 for initial publications, CHF 20 for updates, CHF 90 for GEAK Plus consulting reports), one-time expert certification fees (CHF 2,000 plus CHF 450 for training), and recurring biennial recertification training. Pricing is publicly disclosed and the association is supplemented by cantonal and governmental support. Distribution relies on a nationwide network of 1,982 certified experts, supported by partnership with Minergie, regional offices in three language regions, the Label-Finder tool bridging GEAK with Minergie/SNBS/MPI standards, and participation in industry events such as Swissbau. By November 2025 the system had certified over 200,000 buildings, covering approximately 8% of all heated Swiss buildings.

Name

GEAK

Legal name

Verein GEAK-CECB-CECE

Website

https://geak.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GEAK is the Swiss not-for-profit association that develops and manages the official, government-backed building energy certificate system recognized by all 26 cantons, serving property owners, certified energy experts, and cantonal authorities through standardized A-G building labels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Basel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. GEAK Publication Fees: Property owners or experts pay publication fees for registering certified GEAK documents. Initial publications (version .01) cost CHF 60, updates (version .02+) cost CHF 20. First generation of editable Word report costs CHF 90 per object (one-time).
2. Expert Certification Fees: Energy experts pay certification fees: training course CHF 450 plus certification fee CHF 2,000. Certification is indefinite pending continued education requirements (2 initial publications every 2 years plus 1 training course every 2 years).
3. Expert Training Courses: Ongoing professional development courses for certified GEAK experts covering topics like building envelope, PV systems, historic buildings, electric heating replacement, and GEAK Plus consulting reports. In-person format with practical exercises in the GEAK Tool.
4. Cantonal Subsidies: Most cantons and some municipalities subsidize GEAK and GEAK Plus creation. These subsidies must be applied for before construction begins. GEAK acts as the qualifying standard that enables subsidy access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GEAK is a Swiss non-profit association that develops, manages, and promotes the official building energy certificate system used by all 26 Swiss cantons. It offers the GEAK energy label (A-G rating across building envelope, total energy efficiency, and direct CO2 emissions), the GEAK Plus advisory report with up to five renovation variants and economic analysis, and GEAK Neubau for new construction. Certificates are issued by 1,982 certified experts using the proprietary GEAK Tool software platform, with results stored in a centralized database valid for up to 10 years.

Product overview

GEAK (Gebäudeenergieausweis der Kantone) is Switzerland's cantonal building energy certificate system offering a portfolio of related products. The core product is GEAK, the official energy label showing building envelope efficiency, overall energy efficiency, and CO2 emissions in seven classes (A-G). GEAK Plus extends this with up to five customized renovation variants and advisory reports with cost and economic viability analysis. GEAK Neubau serves new construction by recording planning-based energy efficiency targets. All GEAK documents are created using the GEAK Tool, an online platform featuring 3D-Wizard for building surface capture, U-Value Calculator, and integration with Swiss government building registries. Additional offerings include the Label-Finder tool and professional expert certification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEAK: The base product GEAK is the official energy label of the cantons, showing the quality of the building envelope, overall energy efficiency, and direct CO2 emissions in seven classes (A to G).
• GEAK Plus
• GEAK Neubau

Products and services

• GEAK (Building Energy Certificate of the Cantons) The official energy label of the Swiss cantons displaying three scales — building envelope efficiency, overall energy efficiency, and direct CO2 emissions — in seven classes (A to G). It provides a standardized demand-based calculation based on SIA norms, enabling objective comparison of buildings regardless of occupant behavior. The certificate is valid for up to 10 years and is stored in a centralized database.
• GEAK Plus (Advisory Report) An enhanced advisory report that, in addition to the GEAK energy label, presents up to five building-specific renovation variants for energetic modernization. Includes detailed consulting with cost estimates, economic viability calculations using the annuity method, and location potential analysis for property owners planning renovations.
• GEAK Neubau (New Construction Certificate)

Quantifiable outcome

• 200,000+ buildings certified representing ~8% of all heated Swiss buildings
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hauseigentümerverband (HEV) SchweizminorOthers · 1 January 2019HEV (Swiss Homeowners Association) represents building owners and is represented on the GEAK association board. HEV provides expertise on homeowner perspectives and helps communicate GEAK to property owners.
• Verein MinergiecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Since 2017, GEAK and Minergie operate in close partnership with shared business offices in all three Swiss language regions (Basel, Sion, Bellinzona). Both associations collaborate on building energy standards, and GEAK integrates Minergie system renewal certification into its tool. This partnership maximizes synergies between the two leading Swiss building energy labels.
• Konferenz Kantonaler Energiedirektoren (EnDK)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009EnDK commissioned GEAK development in 2007 and represents all 26 Swiss cantonal energy departments as association members. The EnDK publishes GEAK standards and regulations (Normierung, Kodifizierung) that govern the system. Cantonal energy offices implement GEAK in cantonal legislation and subsidy programs.
• Bundesamt für Energie (BFE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009The Swiss Federal Office of Energy co-developed GEAK with EnDK as the national building energy certificate standard. BFE supports policy alignment with European NZEB requirements and integrates GEAK into federal energy strategy 2050.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Green Building Council (LEED): US-based global building sustainability certification (LEED) covering new construction, existing buildings, and communities across more than 180 countries. Comparable as a broader incumbent in building certification with similar energy/CO2 assessment scope, operating at global scale rather than a single national market.
• BREEAM: UK-origin global building sustainability certification covering commercial, residential, and infrastructure across 80+ countries. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering building energy and sustainability assessments with similar A–G-style rating logic, though operating at much larger global scale than GEAK.

Regional players

• NABERS: Australian government-backed building performance rating system covering offices, hotels, residential, and data centers with a 1–6 star scale. Comparable because it provides a national, government-recognized building energy/carbon rating that integrates with policy mechanisms, but operates in Australia rather than Switzerland.
• dena (Deutsche Energie-Agentur): German energy agency coordinating building energy certificates (Energieausweis), efficiency programs, and heating-replacement advisory services in Germany. Comparable because it administers the German national building energy certificate equivalent to GEAK and runs expert certification and subsidy pathways in a parallel regulatory environment.
• IGBC (Indian Green Building Council): Indian green building rating system covering new construction, existing buildings, and cities with CII/CAGBC partnership. Comparable as a national sustainable building certification with parallel rating logic, though serving India's distinct construction and policy environment rather than Switzerland.
• HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale): French sustainable building certification and association covering environmental performance of new and existing buildings across France and francophone markets. Comparable as a regional building sustainability certification with similar assessment dimensions and stakeholder structure, but operating in France rather than Switzerland.
• DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen): Germany's leading sustainable building certification system covering new buildings, existing buildings, and districts with a holistic performance-based approach. Comparable because it offers a national building sustainability label with similar assessment dimensions (energy, emissions, lifecycle), though serving the German market rather than Switzerland.

Direct peers

• SNBS (Standard Nachhaltiges Bauen Schweiz): Swiss standard for sustainable construction covering ecological, economic, and social criteria across the full building lifecycle. Comparable as a directly competing Swiss building certification label marketed alongside GEAK within the same "Label Family," targeting similar property owners and cantonal stakeholders.
• Minergie: Swiss building energy and comfort standard (Minergie, Minergie-P, Minergie-A) operating as a direct peer with shared offices since 2017. Comparable because it offers a parallel Swiss building certification product targeting similar property owners and cantonal subsidy pathways, while cooperating as part of the "Label Family."

Emerging players

• Passive House Institute: International research institute driving the Passive House energy-efficiency standard for ultra-low-energy buildings across many national markets. Comparable because it addresses building energy performance via certified experts and component certifications, but with a narrower energy-efficiency focus rather than a comprehensive national energy certificate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3shCydrPECJoYg_GW2xS4A
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/geak-cecb-cece
• Facebookfacebook.com/geakcecbcece

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GEAK