Most energy inefficient homes in Heemstede, Bloemendaal

Heemstede and Bloemendaal relatively have the most homes with the low energy labels E, F, or G, according to a study by the environmental organization Natuur & Milieu, RTL Nieuws reports. That is remarkable, as Heemstede and Bloemendaal are both in the top three municipalities with the most expensive homes.

According to Natuur & Milieu, the two municipalities have many houses built before 1945. The homes are also often detached and semi-detached, which are more challenging to insulate than terraced homes. The same applies to the municipalities of Westerwolde, Laren, and Haarlem, which make up the top five for most energy-inefficient homes.

The best performing municipalities are Zeewolde, Almere, Lelystad, Houten, Dronten, Heerhugowaard, Nieuwegein, Barendrecht, Duiven, and Purmerend. These ten municipalities each have 3,500 or fewer homes with an energy label E, F, or G. In these cities, most homes were built after 1975.

Natuur & Milieu found that housing corporations are working hard to insulate their homes. They generally have the smallest share of homes with a low energy label at 10 percent. Private landlords are lagging, with 22 percent of homes having an energy label of E, F, or G. Owner-occupied homes are also often energy inefficient at 19 percent. On average, 16 percent of the homes in the Netherlands have a low energy label.

In the Climate Agreement, the Netherlands agreed to insulate 1.5 million homes before 2030. That goal is far from being reached, Rob van Tilburg of Natuur & Milieu said to RTL. “It is an enormous task, but it is possible. Some measures, such as installing double glazing, can be done quickly.”

The Cabinet has already negotiated with housing corporations about improving their homes’ energy labels. It also wants to force private landlords to do something about draughty homes. From 2030, the government wants to ban poorly insulated homes from the rental market.

The government must really work on that now, Van Tilburg said. “A rental ban for homes labeled E, F, or G has been announced, but it is still very unclear. Our call to the Cabinet is: make the rental ban concrete as soon as possible.”