How do I improve my energy label?

Here's how to improve your energy label ... and thus save energy

Whether you buy a house with energy label G or you want to bring your current house from label D to A, with the right measures you can save energy. By making your home as energy-efficient as possible, you will immediately improve your energy label.

If you don't think your energy label is that important, for example because you don't plan to sell your home, remember that a higher energy label is also a smart investment. Measures to save energy provide more living comfort and lower energy bills. Ultimately, an energy-efficient house with an energy label can even have a positive impact on the sale value of the house - just in case you ever do want to sell it.

Saving energy starts with insulation

Roof, cavity wall, floor and window insulation can combine to make a big step up the energy label ladder. If you implement all these measures in an uninsulated or poorly insulated house, you will save considerably on heating costs and your energy label will soon shoot up to B or even A. If you want to be sure to achieve a certain energy label, have an energy consultant visit you. They will put all the measures of interest to you in a report.

Cavity wall insulation

Houses built between 1925 and 1980 often have a cavity wall. This is an open space between a double wall, which is usually not insulated. It is different with later houses, which received cavity wall insulation directly during construction. By having insulation material injected, you already save on heating costs immediately, making the measure pay for itself in a few years.

Roof and floor insulation

If you want to make a label step anyway, roof or floor insulation is a good idea. Heat rises and disappears through the roof. Therefore, if you insulate the roof, you often save a lot of energy. Especially if the floor below the roof is heated. Roof insulation is more expensive than floor insulation, but usually delivers more.

Glass insulation (double or HR glass)

With insulation glass, you not only retain more heat in your home, you also reduce noise pollution from outside. Many homes in the Netherlands already have double-glazing. High-efficiency glass (HR++ glass) insulates many times better thanks to the double glass with gas in between.

Energy-efficient house with renewable heat and solar panels

If your home is (already) sufficiently insulated and there is no more improvement to be made here, the following steps are good contenders for saving energy and improving your energy label.

Heating boiler

Old central heating boilers can be real energy guzzlers. If your boiler needs replacing, you can opt for a high-efficiency boiler (hr boiler). That can save an average household 200 to 400 euros a year. If you want to do it right, go for a combi boiler that can be connected to a solar boiler. Then you can heat tap water with solar energy.

Heat pump

For a heat pump, your home must be reasonably well insulated. A hybrid model extracts heat from the air, water or soil, converts it into usable heat for the home and releases it via tap water, for example. For such a heat pump, your home must have at least energy label C. If you want an electric heat pump, you need label B. With an all-electric heat pump, you no longer need gas. That's totally sustainable!

Solar panels

With solar panels, you generate your own energy. You quickly climb one or two energy label steps up. The larger your living area, the more panels you need to qualify for a better energy label.

Ventilation system

With a well-insulated house, good ventilation is also important. You will save energy if you use a ventilation system that recovers heat. Such a heat recovery system recovers heat from the exhausted ventilation air and uses it to heat the fresh, incoming air. In this way, no heat is lost.

Sources consulted

 

• funda.nl
• Energylabel.nl
• Verbeterjehuis.nl