Self-Assessment: Building Maintenance Technician with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education / Building Maintenance Technician with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education (FPE), Professional Bachelor’s Degree: Is this program right for me?

What is a typical workday like for a building manager with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education?

A building superintendent with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education is responsible for the cleaning, maintenance, and upkeep of a wide variety of properties. This includes operating and maintaining building systems, performing outdoor maintenance, interacting with customers, and managing staff. In doing so, they make an important contribution to preserving property value and ensuring trouble-free and safe operations. The duties of building maintenance technicians include:

• Building Cleaning and Compliance with Hygiene Regulations
• Care and maintenance of outdoor facilities and green spaces (including equipment maintenance and the use of fertilizers and pesticides)
• Maintenance and repair of building services systems (heating, hot water, ventilation, air conditioning, and water treatment systems)
• Building Maintenance (Electrical and Plumbing Components, Control and Regulation Systems)
• Repairs to buildings, machinery, furniture, and equipment
• Operate and monitor building management systems, locking systems, and security systems
• Workplace and Operational Safety
• Environmental Protection and Energy Conservation
• Proper Waste Disposal
• Leadership and Training of Employees
• Training and Supervision of Trainees
• Point of contact for tenants, occupants, customers, owners, property management, contractors, and cleaning staff (including apartment inspections and handovers, as well as handover reports)
• For more extensive maintenance tasks or repairs, the building manager contracts external service providers (including budgeting and budget monitoring).

Standard Terms of Employment for a Building Superintendent:

• Employment as a Management and Technical Specialist:
  • in the private sector with building operators, utility companies, or in technical facility management
  • at the municipality
  • with the canton
  • self-employment
• Building superintendents are responsible for properties such as:
  • Residential Properties
  • Commercial Real Estate
  • Industrial buildings
  • Public Buildings
  • Large facilities such as shopping centers, hospitals, schools, or sports facilities
• Mostly irregular work hours, including on-call duty at night and on weekends
• Partial remote work is possible
• Building managers are responsible for the properties entrusted to them, including organizing proper waste disposal and utility services, with a focus on quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Plan, coordinate, and monitor the deployment of trainees, employees, and external service providers
• Technical understanding, as well as knowledge of building systems, key types of contracts, accounting, and administration, are required
• With a Federal Diploma of Higher Education, you can take on more responsibility, assume leadership roles, and earn a more attractive salary

Do the job duties described here match what you’re looking for? Would you like to work as a building manager with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education?

The building maintenance technician training program is designed for individuals who are already working as building maintenance technicians and wish to receive continuing education, further training, or to retrain as building maintenance technicians. Upon passing the Federal Professional Examination, participants receive a federally recognized certification.

Important qualities for this profession include:

• High degree of independence and reliability
• Committed to responsibility and quality
• Discretion and communication skills
• Flexibility and resilience
• Assertiveness and organizational skills
• Technical understanding
• Are able to approach people

Requirements for admission to the Federal Professional Examination leading to a Federal Diploma of Higher Education (FPE):

To register for the Federal Professional Examination for building manager, you must, in accordance with the examination regulations:

• Have at least 2 years of professional experience as a building superintendent working 80% of full-time hours

The following degrees are required to take the exam:

• ECDL Certificate: European Computer Driving License - Base
• Certificate of Completion as a Vocational Trainer in Training Companies
• Special Permit for the Use of Plant Protection Products in Specific Areas
• Emergency Aid Card as described in the guidelines
• BLS-AED-SRC Complete Certification

The decision regarding admission to the examination will be communicated to the applicant in writing at least three months before the start of the examination. A decision denying admission will include a statement of reasons and information on the right to appeal.

Note: These certifications can be earned before or during the building superintendent course. Many building superintendent schools also offer courses on this topic.

Course Material and Content for the Building Manager Continuing Education, Further Training Program

The curriculum and content of the preparatory courses for the Federal Professional Examination to become a building manager with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education are based on the guidelines set by the responsible body of the Federal Professional Examination, theExamination Office for Federal Professional Examinations for Building Managers. The following labor market organizations make up the responsible body:

• Allpura - Association of Swiss Cleaning Companies
• BAH - Professional Association of Certified Building Managers
• CURAVIVA.CH - Swiss Association of Care Homes and Institutions
• SFH - Swiss Professional Association of Building Superintendents
• SKO Swiss National Team Organization
• suissetec - Swiss-Liechtenstein Building Services Association
• UNIA - The Union
• VPOD - Swiss Federation of Public Service Employees

The curriculum for the building manager further training program covers the following topics:

• Operations Management and Administration
• Building maintenance
• Building services
• Cleaning technology
• Landscaping and Gardening
• Environmental Protection, Energy Conservation

Costs and Financing of Continuing Education, Further Training:

The cost of the continuing education program for building superintendents varies slightly depending on the provider and the duration of the course. On average, you can expect the following costs for a four-semester part-time course:

• Course fees:between CHF 6,000 and CHF 12,000
  After the federal government reviews your application, you will receive a refund of approximately 50% of that amount.*
• Examination fees:CHF 2,200 (as at August 2025)
  The examination fee for building manager is set by the responsible body for the Federal Professional Examination. It is paid by the candidate upon confirmation of admission.
• Extra costs:At some building superintendent schools, the costs for items such as teaching materials, course handouts, fees, additional courses, external certifications (ECDL, vocational trainer, etc.), and mock exams are not included in the course fees. Please check directly with the provider of your choice to find out what additional costs you can expect for the continuing education program for building superintendents.

*Since January 1, 2018, preparatory courses for Federal Professional Examinations have received financial support from the federal government. Graduates of these courses may therefore receive a refund of up to 50% (max. CHF 9,500) of the course fees paid after passing the federal examinations. In cases of hardship, federal subsidies may, as an exception, also be paid in advance.

Duration of study, number of lessons and learning effort:

• The building superintendent training program takes about 2 to 2.5 years to complete while working and follows a traditional structure.
• Class schedules vary by provider and consist of approximately 500 lessons. Typically, the 6 to 8 class hours per week take place on one afternoon and one evening per week, one morning, two evenings, just one evening, one weekday, or on Saturdays.
• Many schools now offer a combination of in-person and online classes (online, hybrid, and blended learning) as well as self-study for their building maintenance technician training programs.
• Thanks to the part-time nature of this continuing education, further training program, you can immediately apply and reinforce what you’ve learned in a practical setting. Nevertheless, you should set aside enough time for preparing for and reviewing lessons, as well as for self-study—the amount of time required depends on your prior knowledge, work style, and learning pace. As a precaution, we recommend setting aside at least 4 to 8 hours per week. Additional hours should be allocated for the supplementary courses in the building superintendent training program: for the specialized certification in plant protection (approx. 4 hours), obtaining the first-aid certificate (approx. 16 hours), and the school’s internal diploma exam (approx. 10 hours).

Note: Some schools offer so-called “trial lessons,” which provide a glimpse into the classes and the learning environment. It’s best to contact the school of your choice directly for more information.

Certificate, Diploma, and the titles "Building Manager with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education" and "Building Manageress with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education":

The Federal Professional Examination for building superintendent with a Federal Diploma of Higher Education is held annually, provided there are at least 25 candidates. The examination is guaranteed to be held at least once every two years. It can be taken in any of the three official languages: German, French, or Italian.
Candidates for the Federal Professional Examination for building superintendents will be notified at least three weeks before the exam begins.

The Federal Professional Examination for building superintendent consists of six sections:

1. Cleaning (written and practical, 60 minutes each)
   • Written analysis of practical problem situations in the areas of building maintenance and cleaning—based on a given practical scenario, identify situations, draw conclusions, and propose measures
   • Performing practical tasks or solving problems related to cleaning—carrying out tasks properly, addressing or resolving issues, or providing verbal explanations of the tasks
2. Building Maintenance (written and practical, 60 minutes each)
   • Written analysis of practical problem situations in the field of building maintenance—based on a given, practical scenario, identify situations, draw conclusions, and propose measures
   • Performing practical tasks or solving problems related to building maintenance as a building superintendent—carrying out work professionally, addressing or resolving issues, or providing verbal explanations of tasks
3. Building Systems (written and practical, 60 minutes each)
   • Written analysis of real-world problem situations in the field of building maintenance within the area of building services engineering—based on a given real-world scenario, identify situations, draw conclusions, and propose measures as a building maintenance technician
   • Performing practical tasks or solving problems in the field of building services engineering—carrying out work professionally, addressing or resolving malfunctions, or providing verbal explanations of tasks
4. Sports, Outdoor, and Green Spaces (written and practical, 60 minutes each)
   • Written analysis of practical problem situations in the field of building maintenance and sports, outdoor, and green spaces—based on a given practical scenario, identify situations, draw conclusions, and propose measures
   • Performing practical tasks as a building maintenance worker or solving problems related to sports facilities, outdoor areas, and green spaces—carrying out work professionally, addressing or resolving issues, or providing verbal explanations of tasks
5. Administration and Leadership (written, 120 minutes; oral, 45 minutes)
   • Written examination of understanding and knowledge in the areas of law, accounting, and personnel management based on real-world scenarios
   • Oral examination based on given, practice-oriented scenarios; responding appropriately to the situation and developing and presenting proposed solutions
6. Networking and Communication (pre-recorded—oral, 30 minutes)
   Recognizing connections between different fields of study, as well as communication skills as a building manager—presentation and oral examination of the independently prepared written paper submitted

Diploma and Title “Building Manager”

Graduates of the Federal Professional Examination receive a federal certificate and are entitled to use the protected title “Building Manager with a Federal Certificate” or “Building Manager with a Federal Certificate” and the optional additional English title “Professional Bachelor.”

• In French: “Concierge avec brevet fédéral,” Professional Bachelor’s Degree
• In Italian: “Custode con attestato professionale federale,” Professional Bachelor’s Degree

In English (translation/recommendation, not a protected title): Building Custodian, Federal Diploma of Higher Education, Professional Bachelor's Degree