Stronghouse

Cost Neutral Energy Renovation: A Holy Grail?

22 September 2020 - Published by Deirdre Buist
How can we stimulate and enable homeowners to energy renovate their homes? Effective, enabling instruments are the holy grail that many policymakers and Stronghouse partners are looking for. Therefore, national discussions about current instruments are important to the partnership.

 

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Stronghouse has been set up to develop support measures that lead to lower costs and thus make energy renovation more affordable.

Looking for answers

A recently published report by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving - PBL) has fed discussions amongst Dutch partners in Stronghouse and raises numerous relevant questions for the Stronghouse project and the goals each region aims to achieve.

For instance:

  • Which goals have been set for the costs (and affordability) of energy renovation?

  • What costs reduction can or should be realized on a neighbourhood level to enhance cost-neutral renovation?

  • How do the different regions assess the financial impact of energy renovation on the costs of living for different households?

  • What renovation levels, household sizes, and levels of energy consumption are used for calculating the financial impact of energy renovation?

  • Do other countries and regions also have a netting regulation or alternatives?

  • How do others deal with the demand for consistent policy and the need to innovate and adopt to find the most effective policy?

  • What are the interest rates per country for normal mortgages and special energy renovation loans/ green finance?

  • Can redesign of financial instruments, energy advice and other support measures help to lower the costs? 

  • How does the housing market value energy efficiency in the different countries/ regions? 

  • Do other countries and regions already work with voluntary leaseholds for energy renovation? And/or with such an energy service company?

  • Is insulation in other regions considered as cost-efficient? And under which conditions and on what periods?

    By looking for some answers to these questions and more, the Stronghouse partners will jointly develop a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that successfully stimulate homeowners to invest in energy renovation and the value of these investments for their purse, property… and ultimately the planet. 

    Read the Stronghouse Paper on the PBL Costs of Energy Renovation report by Hein Braaksma and Ugo Leever 

    Dutch readers can access the full assessment report from Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving here.

    https://www.pbl.nl/publicaties/woonlastenneutraal-koopwoningen-verduurzamen