With a click of the mouse to the building application
Around two dozen Aargau municipalities have already introduced the digital submission of building applications. Reto Käch, Head of Support and Training eBau, from the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment, draws a positive balance.
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For around three years now, the canton of Aargau has enabled the digital submission of building applications with “eBau”. The Department of Construction, Transport and Environment is implementing this digitization step as part of the federal and cantonal eGov strategy. The advantages are obvious: "The entire building permit process from the applicant to the municipality to the canton can be processed electronically," explains Reto Käch, Head of Support and Training eBau, from the Department of Construction, Transport and Environment of the Canton of Aargau. The use of such online services enables efficient and less personnel-intensive processes, leaner work organization, more transparency and better networking of those involved.
As of today, a total of 22 municipalities are connected to eBau Aargau. "With the step-by-step roll-out and the training courses, we are gradually familiarizing the communities with the digital building permit process," says Käch. The support manager explains the lack of the majority of the 213 municipalities in Aargau as follows: «50 percent work with their own construction management software. These communities have to wait until the second quarter of 2022. " From then on, the connection without media discontinuity will be possible via a specially initiated eCH interface. According to the figures, the switch to the electronic processing of building applications is still making municipalities that already meet the requirements hesitant. “Maybe some people have different priorities in the corona crisis. Some may also find it difficult to replace old processes. We do not apply any pressure. We are happy to support and train interested communities in this regard, ”says Käch.
The feedback from those involved who work with eBau has been consistently positive. “The simple structure of the online form for submitting the application is particularly impressive. Mandatory fields prevent something from being forgotten when entering it. The time lost is significantly reduced, ”says Käch. And the municipalities also benefit: “In the eGov area, the standardized work processes are particularly valued. The successive work steps lead successively through the process. This means that administrative employees without specific industry knowledge can also process a building application. " Less administrative effort, better data quality and paperless work are the greatest trump cards for administrations.
A topic that concerns all cantons
Municipalities that are introducing eBau will only work electronically from this date. "Only a few applicants submit their applications in physical form," explains Käch. In such a case, the application would then be digitized by the administration. According to the eGov strategy, eBau Aargau should bring added value for everyone and save costs, as the administrative effort is reduced. The first cantons are already making it possible to publish a project that is subject to publication online. According to Käch, the current law does not take a position on digitization. "The Administrative Law Maintenance Act (VRPG) of the canton of Aargau only regulates when a public publication is required, how long and with what content the construction project has to be publicly published and who is to be informed in which publication medium," explains the trainer.
The canton of Lucerne, for example, handles the digital edition as follows: The municipalities have to make the application form with all attachments available for inspection on the Internet during the public edition, if the building application was submitted electronically and the municipality has the necessary infrastructure. "We deduce from this that an online edition is possible and that there are no federal legal bases that speak against it," concludes Käch. In such a case, however, in the interests of equal treatment, citizens without internet access would have to be able to view the planning applications in the municipal office.
The canton of Aargau did not consciously assume a pioneering role in the electronic submission of building applications. "Today all the cantons are concerned with implementing software, web applications or platforms that support the electronic submission of building applications," Käch is convinced. And adds: "It is a sign of the times that this issue is being dealt with across Switzerland." Architects, surveying and engineering offices as well as specialist planners have been working with 2D drawings, accessible 3D models, photo-realistic visualizations or digital building and terrain modeling for decades. "With the electronic building permit process, the basic understanding is changing from an administration-oriented service to a customer-oriented one," says Käch.
Last but not least, the corona pandemic makes it clear once again how important advancing digitization is: “During the lockdown, part of the administrative workforce was also sent to the home office. One of the challenges was not the organization around the equipment, but the fact that many dossiers in the administrations are only available in physical form, ”explains Käch. Customers also increasingly switched to digital channels: "The challenges that Covid-19 brings with it could turn out to be an opportunity for increased acceptance of digital administration over the long term."
The investment costs for the development of eBau were borne by the canton. There are no initial costs for municipalities that want to work with the digital solution. Operation, data archiving and support are paid for with an annual flat rate. The total costs for the application add up to a total of 50,000 francs per year. This amount is divided among the user communities. If all Aargau municipalities were to use eBau, this would result in a marginal contribution per year and municipality. The first three years of operation (2018-2020) were pre-financed by the canton.
