1. Check if your office must have energy label C
Check in the Decision tree Energy Label C of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) if you must meet the Energy Label C obligation. Does your office have to have an energy label C and your building does not meet the requirements on 1 January 2023? You may no longer use it as an office.
Exception
An energy label C is not mandatory for some buildings. The obligation does not apply if:
- the usable area of the office functions is less than 50% of the total usable area of the building;
- the usable area of the office functions in the building is less than 100 m2;
- it concerns national monuments as referred to in the Heritage Act or in the provincial or municipal monument ordinance;
- the office building will be used for a maximum of two years;
- the office building has been disowned or purchased under the Expropriation Act;
- the office building does not use energy to regulate the indoor climate;
- the measures required to achieve energy label C have a payback period of more than ten years.
2. Check your energy label
Check your energy label (in Dutch) to see if you need to take any measures. Energy label C means that you can use a maximum of 225 kWh of fossil fuel per m2 per year. Fossil fuels are, for example, natural gas and petroleum.
3. Request tailor-made advice
To get the energy label C, you have to use less fuel. With an energy performance advice (EPA, in Dutch) you know which measures to take to save energy in your office building. You can apply for an EPA from a certified EPA advisor (in Dutch) from the Central Register of Technology.
If you are going to take measures, see if it pays to immediately go for a higher energy label, such as B or A. This way you prepare your building for the future. It has been agreed in the Climate Agreement that offices will be energy neutral by 2050.
Ask your advisor for energy-saving measures
Does your company consume more than 50,000 kWh or 25,000 m3 of natural gas every year? Then you are obliged to take all energy-saving measures that you can earn back in 5 years. Ask the consultant to include these measures (in Dutch) in his advice.
4. Use the financial and tax schemes for energy saving
The government supports entrepreneurs to take energy-saving measures. There are various financial and tax arrangements for this, such as:
- The Energy Investment Allowance (EIA) offers a tax benefit when you invest in energy-efficient techniques and sustainable energy;
- The Investment subsidy for sustainable energy (ISDE) contributes to the purchase of energy-saving devices such as solar water heaters and heat pumps.
- The subsidy scheme for improving sustainability of SMEs (Subsidieregeling Verduurzaming MKB, SVM). This allows you to hire an energy consultant and you will receive support in the implementation of the advice. Please note: this arrangement will be temporarily closed as of 14 July 2022. It is not yet known when it will reopen and under what conditions.
There are other financial and fiscal arrangements for sustainable energy supplies. Check them in the energy subsidy guide for buildings (in Dutch).
5. Carry out the measures
Take the recommended measures before January 2023 to get your new label on time. Arrange energy-saving and energy-generating measures as much as possible. These contribute to a CO2-low office.
Renewable energy is mandatory for major renovations.
Are you going to thoroughly renovate your business premises? If you make major changes to your office building, new rules for renewable energy will apply from 1 February 2022. For example, you need to install solar panels or connect to a heat network.
6. Have a new energy label drawn up
A certified energy advisor must prepare and register an energy label (in Dutch) for you. The energy label is valid for a maximum of 10 years.
Want to improve your energy label even further?
Explore the possibilities of renewable energy
One of the possibilities to improve the energy label of your office is to use renewable energy. The government encourages these forms of sustainable energy with tax benefits and subsidies. For example:
- Solar panels or a solar boiler on the roof of your business premises.
- One or more wind turbines on your company site or a wind farm.
- The use of geothermal energy or geothermal energy (in Dutch) to heat or cool your building.
Find out if you can disconnect from gas
See if you can heat your premises without natural gas. All buildings in the Netherlands must eventually be free of gas by 2050. For example, you can install a heat pump or in some cases connect it to a heat network. Before you disconnect from gas, your property must be well insulated. Read about the various insulation measures and alternatives to gas (in Dutch) at KVK.
