More than 2.2 million homes in the Netherlands now have an energy label of A or higher, meaning four in ten properties with a registered label meet the country's highest standards for energy efficiency. The figure represents a steep increase compared with 2024, when almost 2 million homes carried the top sustainability rating.
The data comes from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), which maintains the national database of energy labels. According to the Compendium voor de Leefomgeving, a joint publication by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) and other research institutes, nearly 35 percent of all labelled homes now have an A rating or higher. Together with B-rated homes, energy-efficient properties make up over half of the labelled housing stock.
Since 2022, sellers have been legally required to provide a definitive energy label when selling a home. By the end of 2024, about 5.1 million of the Netherlands' 8.3 million homes had a valid label on record, representing 61 percent of the total housing stock.
How the labels work
Energy labels measure how efficient a property is on a scale from A (very low energy use) to G (least efficient). The scale extends up to A++++ for the most energy-efficient homes. Properties with an A label typically feature strong insulation and sustainable technologies such as heat pumps, solar panels or double glazing.
At the other end of the scale, about 3 percent of homes with an energy label fall into category G, making them the least energy-efficient dwellings in the country. Homes with a G label often have poor insulation, single glazing and outdated heating systems, resulting in high energy bills and less comfortable living conditions.
The number of homes with an A label has roughly doubled in the past five years. In 2020, only around 11 percent of Dutch homes had energy label A or higher. That figure has now risen to over 21 percent of the total housing stock, according to earlier research by price comparison site Independer.
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Why labels matter
Energy labels have become increasingly important in the Dutch housing market. Homes with A or B ratings sell up to 26 days faster than properties with poor labels and command prices 5 to 10 percent higher than comparable homes rated E, F or G. Research suggests that improving a home from label D to A can increase its value by up to €35,000.
Banks also factor energy labels into mortgage calculations. Buyers of energy-efficient homes can borrow more because lower energy bills free up income for mortgage payments. Some lenders offer interest rate discounts of around 0.2 percent for homes with a B label or better. Conversely, buyers of poorly rated homes face reduced borrowing capacity, though they can access additional funds specifically for sustainability upgrades.
EU targets loom
The improvements come as the Netherlands works to meet European energy efficiency requirements. Under the EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the average energy consumption of the Dutch housing stock must fall by 16 percent by 2030 compared to 2020 levels, with more than half of that reduction coming from the worst-performing 43 percent of homes.
The Dutch government aims to renovate 2.5 million homes by 2030. From 2027, homes with energy label G must be upgraded to at least label C. By 2030, all homes with label F or lower must meet the same standard. Rental properties with E, F or G labels will not be allowed to be let out from 2030, affecting an estimated 580,000 homes.
Analysis by ABN AMRO suggests the Netherlands is on track to meet the EPBD targets in a baseline scenario, with average energy consumption projected to fall 17.8 percent by 2030. However, the bank warns that the pace of improvement among the worst-performing homes is slowing. "Homes with the poorest energy labels risk falling behind, and this could jeopardise the achievement of all EU targets," said Mike Langen, Senior Housing Market Economist at ABN AMRO.
Policy shifts create uncertainty
Recent government decisions have added uncertainty to the trajectory. The Schoof administration reversed an earlier plan to make hybrid heat pumps mandatory from 2026 when replacing gas boilers. The popular net-metering scheme for solar panels, which allowed homeowners to offset energy they generated against their consumption, will be fully abolished in January 2027 rather than gradually phased out.
The government is providing financial support through the ISDE subsidy scheme, which covers insulation, heat pumps, solar boilers and connections to district heating. Around 500,000 households are currently connected to district heating networks, with a goal to double that figure by 2030. However, high connection costs remain a barrier, and demand for subsidies appears to have peaked.
Existing homes can move into a higher category if owners make sustainability upgrades such as better insulation, installing solar panels or switching to a heat pump. The challenge will be reaching households in the lowest-rated homes, who often have lower incomes and face higher renovation costs.
