Make your home sustainable using your existing mortgage in The Netherlands

Make your home sustainable in The Netherlands via refinancing your current mortgage

Making your own house more environmentally friendly is an excellent way to minimise your carbon footprint and save money on energy prices. Because of its flat terrain and high winds, the Netherlands is a perfect site for wind turbines and solar panels. Furthermore, the country has a long history of water management and has developed several sustainable building principles.

Here are some ideas for making your home more environmentally friendly:

1. Insulation helps to keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. This can cut your energy use and heating and cooling bills. Insulation comes in a variety of forms, including fibre glass and foam. Select a kind that is suited for your home and environment.
2. Wind turbines and solar panels: The Netherlands is an excellent location for renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar panels. These can help you lower your carbon impact while also saving you money on energy expenditures. On your roof or in your garden, you may build a small wind turbine or solar panels.
3. The Netherlands is well-known for its water management techniques. Install a rainwater harvesting system to gather rainwater for usage in your garden or toilet flushing. This can assist you in reducing your water use and lowering your water cost.
4. Energy-efficient appliances: replacing outdated appliances with energy-efficient versions will help you minimise your energy use and expenditures.
5. A green roof is a layer of plants that is placed on top of a roof. Green roofs can assist to minimise heat island effect, water runoff, and air quality. They may also serve as a habitat for wildlife and enhance the appearance of a structure. Not very common in The Netherland though!
6. Sustainable transportation: the Dutch are well-known for their bike-friendly towns. Encourage environmentally friendly transportation through bicycling or walking instead of driving. Public transportation is another viable alternative.

Implementing these environmentally friendly techniques in and outside of your house may have a major impact on both the environment and your budget. In addition, the Netherlands provides several incentives and subsidies for homeowners who wish to make their homes more sustainable, below more information about it.

Options to consider when making your home more sustainable

There are a few alternatives to consider:

1. Energy-efficient mortgage (EEM): an EEM mortgage allows you to borrow more money to enhance your home's energy efficiency, such as installing insulation, solar panels, and energy-efficient appliances. The lender will use the savings on energy to justify the larger loan amount.
2. Green mortgage: a green mortgage is one that provides cheaper interest rates for residences that satisfy particular sustainability requirements, such as having a green roof or renewable energy systems.
3. Subsidies: The Dutch government provides a variety of incentives for energy-efficient upgrades, including the energy investment allowance (EIA) for insulation and the sustainable energy production subsidy (SEP) for solar panels and wind turbines.
4. Renovation mortgage: This sort of loan allows you to borrow money to undertake home modifications, such as energy-efficient upgrades. This basically means refinancing your current mortgage and receiving a certain amount of money for the sustainable renovations. You can pay off this new part together with your existing mortgage.

You may fund long-term home improvements while still paying down your existing mortgage by using these options. Remember that these possibilities may have various needs and conditions, so do your homework and compare them before making a selection. It is also critical to contact with a mortgage advisor and a contractor to ensure that the modifications you intend to make are both cost-effective and doable.

Dutch government and the subsidies they offer for a sustainable property

The Dutch government provides a number of incentives to support homeowners in making energy-efficient house improvements. A handful of the most popular grants are listed below:

1. The Energy Investment Allowance (EIA) is a financial aid program for homeowners who want to instal energy-saving house modifications including solar panels, heat pumps and insulation. Up to 45% of the renovations' expenses, or €4,000, are covered by the EIA.
2. Subsidy for Sustainable Energy Production (SEP): This financial aid is available to homes that want to build solar and wind power systems. The SEP will pay up to €10,000, or up to 50% of the cost of the renovations.
3. Low-income homeowners who want to perform energy-efficient house renovations are eligible for the Homeowners' Energy Efficiency Subsidy (ISDE). The ISDE will pay up to €10,000, or 100% of the cost of the renovations.
4. Green Deal Homeowners: The Green Deal Homeowners is a financial initiative for homeowners looking to increase their houses' energy efficiency. The government provides funding for the program, which is run by private businesses. Homeowners can get a low-interest loan for energy-efficient upgrades and pay it back over several years through their energy bill.
5. The Climate Agreement for the Building Sector is a program with the objective of reducing building energy use by 25% by the year 2030. The program provides a number of tax breaks and incentives for energy-efficient upgrades.

It's vital to remember that these incentives might alter and could come with restrictions, such as income caps or specifications for the renovations' energy efficiency. To be certain of the current status and terms of the subsidies, it is always a good idea to check with an expert.

Get in touch with one of advisors to discuss your options.