Glossary of Swiss parcel and zoning terms

Short definitions of the terms that appear on the geopool map and in its parcel panel. Exact definitions and limits differ by canton and municipality; the local building regulations always apply.

EGRID

The federal parcel identifier (Eidgenössischer Grundstücksidentifikator), for example CH123456789012. Every parcel in Switzerland has one, and it stays the same when the parcel number or address changes. geopool puts it in the link to a parcel, so the link keeps opening the right parcel.

AV (cadastral survey)

The official cadastral survey (amtliche Vermessung) maintained by the cantons. It defines parcel boundaries and building footprints and is the legal basis for the land register.

GWR (building register)

The Federal Register of Buildings and Dwellings (Gebäude- und Wohnungsregister), run by the Federal Statistical Office. It records every building and dwelling with details such as construction year, number of dwellings and, for many buildings, a registered volume.

Building volume ratio

Above-ground building volume divided by the parcel area, in cubic meters per square meter (Baumassenziffer). Many zones cap it; geopool compares the current value with the estimated maximum.

Site coverage ratio

The share of the parcel covered by building footprints (Überbauungsziffer). A ratio of 0.3 means buildings cover 30 percent of the parcel.

Utilization ratio

Gross floor area divided by the parcel area (Ausnützungsziffer). It is still used in many cantons, while others have replaced it with the building volume ratio or the site coverage ratio.

Unused building volume

The difference between the maximum building volume the zone allows on a parcel and the volume already built. geopool estimates it from the zone rules and the measured buildings, so it can point to parcels worth a closer look; it is not a permit assessment.

LoD2

Level of Detail 2: a 3D building model with real roof shapes but without facade details. geopool's Detailed view shows LoD2 buildings from swisstopo swissBUILDINGS3D.

sonBASE

The federal noise database of the Federal Office for the Environment. It models road and railway noise in dB(A) for day and night across Switzerland.