Noise protection versus housing – for years, this conflict effectively blocked construction projects. But starting April 1, 2026, new rules will take effect in Switzerland. The revision of the Environmental Protection Act (USG) and the Noise Abatement Ordinance (LSV) clears the way for the infill development sought under spatial planning policies. The goal of the revision: Building should become easier without sacrificing peace and quiet.

In the past, exceeding noise limits often meant the end of an entire project. The new rules are designed to address this and bring about a pragmatic shift. Effective immediately, residential buildings can now be approved even if the noise limits are not met at every single window or if no proportionate measures are available to ensure compliance.

A permit will now be granted if one of the following conditions is met (Art. 22(2) USG):

• Controlled ventilation: The apartment has a controlled ventilation system and is air-conditioned, or alternatively, at least one room is guaranteed to remain below the limit values.
• The 50% rule: At least half of the noise-sensitive living spaces have a “quiet window.” In an apartment with three noise-sensitive rooms, at least two of these rooms must comply with the noise exposure limits.
• Breathing fresh air outdoors: The apartment combines a room that complies with the noise exposure limits with a private outdoor space that also meets this requirement.

The revision represents the long-awaited bridge between urban densification and public health. While the requirement for noise abatement at the source (e.g. road surfaces) remains in place, architects and developers are granted greater design flexibility. The previously scarce exemptions are set to become a thing of the past, and projects in noise-polluted areas once again have a good chance of surviving objection or appeal proceedings “unscathed.”