To combat climate change, it is important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Act stipulates that the Netherlands must be climate neutral by 2050. For the built environment, this means that the use of natural gas must be phased out. Municipalities have a leading role in this. To support municipalities in the choices they must make in their heating programs, the PBL has created the Start Analysis for gas-free neighborhoods. The Start Analysis is intended as a starting point for municipalities to gain insight into the national additional costs for various technical possibilities to heat buildings without natural gas. The Start Analysis, first created in 2020, was updated in 2025.
The Update of the Start Analysis 2025 (ASA2025) provides information on four strategies for heating buildings without natural gas and can be used in developing a heating program by municipalities in 2026. The update provides a large amount of information through various products. On the Get Started page of the website, an overview of these products is provided, along with an explanation per product.
Some of these products are reports and they are compiled here. These products include:
- Core report “Update Start Analysis Gas-Free Neighborhoods 2025, core report with the national results at a glance”: This report briefly explains the ASA2025. It also discusses the outcomes of the ASA2025 at the national level.
- User Manual: This is a practical explanation of the use of the ASA2025. This includes an explanation of indicators and codes used in neighborhood tables, as well as points to consider for interpreting the data.
- Information sheet grid reinforcement and grid congestion: This information sheet discusses the role of electricity grids in the ASA2025.
- Information sheet cooling demand: This information sheet provides an explanation of the role of cooling demand in relation to the ASA2025.
- In-depth report [Draft]: This report describes the substantiation of the ASA2025. It elaborates on the adjustments in strategies, parameters, and model changes. The report is still in draft form, but is already being shared to make as much information available as possible for local enrichment by municipalities. The final report is expected to be published before the summer.
- Document | March 13, 2025 | PDF, 1.71 MBUser Manual. Explanation on using and interpreting the results of the Update of the Start Analysis 2025
- Document | March 13, 2025 | PDF, 540.42 KBCooling Demand in the Built Environment. Explanation of the cooling demand within the update of the Start Analysis
- Document | March 13, 2025 | PDF, 600.38 KBInformation sheet grid reinforcement and congestion. Explanation of how electricity grids are reflected in the Update of the Start Analysis
- Document | March 13, 2025 | PDF, 238.43 KBDetermination of Insulation Costs for Homes Start Analysis 2025 (TNO)
- Document | March 13, 2025 | PDF, 939.01 KBAdvice validation sessions individual installations and heat networks. Update Start Analysis 2025 (CE-Delft)
- Document | March 13, 2025 | ZIP, 1.59 MBdownload the figures and data
- Document | March 13, 2025 | PDF, 5.34 MBDraft In-Depth Report on the Update of the Start Analysis; Explanation of the applied assumptions in the 2025 version of the Start Analysis