Implementation of Energy Performance Requirements for Rental Housing and Utility Buildings

Minister Mona Keijzer has developed minimum requirements for the energy performance of rental housing and utility buildings such as schools and offices. Owners of rental properties with an energy label of E, F, or G must upgrade their property to at least energy label D by January 1, 2029. The requirements are an elaboration of the phase-out of the worst energy labels announced in 2022. Residents and users of homes and buildings will benefit from lower energy bills, while owners will increase the value of the building.

The new energy performance requirements for rental housing will be established in the Environmental Buildings Decree (Bbl) starting in 2026 and will apply from 2029. To maintain a good balance between the interests of tenants and landlords, there will be no rental ban for rental housing with an energy label of E, F, or G. Landlords can continue to rent out the property, but municipalities can intervene to encourage landlords to upgrade rental properties to at least label D.

Exceptions apply to specific categories of rental housing, such as monuments and small detached houses. The new requirements also apply to rental housing in a mixed Homeowners Association (VvE). Specific rules will be established for mixed VvEs with both rental and owned properties regarding this obligation.

To support landlords, Minister Keijzer offers the Support Package for the Sustainability of Private Rentals. Through this information and tools, landlords can improve collaboration between governments and the industry. Additionally, landlords can utilize the simplified and extensive Subsidy Scheme for Sustainability and Maintenance of Rental Housing (SVOH).

From 2030, new requirements will also apply to existing utility buildings such as shops, offices, schools, and healthcare institutions. These requirements reduce the so-called building-related energy consumption, for example, for heating the building. The requirements follow the European directive for the energy performance of buildings (EPBD IV). The premise is that these standards must be feasible, affordable, and implementable for property owners, without additional national regulations.

Exceptions apply to buildings with disproportionate investment costs, demolition in the short term, or conversion to housing. Additionally, some buildings, such as monuments, certain defense buildings, and places of worship, are completely exempt from the standards. However, from May 2026, owners of monuments will be required to have an energy label when renting or selling. The previous exemption position in the EPBD IV has been removed.

The requirements contribute to the sustainability of homes and buildings, an important part of the energy transition. Between 2021 and 2023, emissions from the built environment decreased from 24.5 to 17.3 megatons of CO2. The target from the Climate Agreement is to reduce this further to 13.2 megatons by 2030. This represents a reduction of 55 percent compared to 1990, when the built environment emitted 30 megatons of CO2.