Stronghouse

Sustainable Energy Renovations – Homeowners in Drenthe hold Open House

09 November 2021 - Published by Deirdre Buist
On 30th October and 6th November Stronghouse joined the Open Sustainable House Route in the province of Drenthe, where a few dozen homeowners in the region opened their doors to share personal energy renovation stories and raise awareness in terms of the implementation of sustainable measures. These ‘energy ambassadors’ endeavour to inspire others and guide them towards taking the next steps on the costumer journey towards energy efficiency.

Small groups were invited in to hear the why, where, how and who.  Personal motivation, technical aspects, challenges and financing options all  passed the review. One interesting fact that surfaced during discussions with these hospitable homeowners was that during their own retrofitting journey contractors played an important role regarding advice and suitable measures. However, such advice was often outdated - the sector is not always  aware of the latest technological developments.

 

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Open House in Drenthe - Energy renovation 'ambassadors' share their customer journey stories

Nationwide Open House Route

As social awareness for sustainable home living raises the need for examples and impartial information, what better way than to let homeowners tell their own renovation story. During the Nationale Duurzame Huizen Route (DZHR), a nation-wide Open House Route for energy retrofitted houses, more than 1,800 homeowners share their personal experiences. Some by telling their stories on the website, with short  movies, others open their home to showcase their retrofit measures.  

Collaboration & communication

Stronghouse partners from the Province of Drenthe and the Drents Energieloket project  collaborate closely with the 12 municipalities in Drenthe (including Noordenveld) to communicate the various aspects and possibilities in terms of retrofit and energy efficiency to their citizens.  

Authentic accounts

During the pandemic the Open Sustainable House Route was held online, but now the doors are open again and participating homeowners proudly share their stories with neighbours and like-minded people in the area who are looking for inspiration and practical advice. This peer-to-peer ‘show-and-tell’ approach, with authentic accounts, has proved very effective.

 

Take a look here and meet a couple of these welcoming retrofit ‘energizers’.