Knowledge Centre

What does this involve?

Searching for houses, setting a budget, determining the location, viewing houses, weighing choices, drafting rental contracts, signing them, moving, buying new furniture, and on top of that, considering the energy label. As you can see, there is plenty to keep you occupied if you plan to rent a new home. The energy label might not be the first thing you think of when looking for a new place to live, but it's certainly not unimportant. Perhaps you haven't given it much thought before if you're moving out on your own for the first time. Or maybe you've never really considered what the energy label means. Here, you'll read more about the energy label and what you definitely should know about it when you receive the keys to your new home.

What is an energy label?

An energy label is a certificate you receive when renting a new home. This label is established according to European Union guidelines and serves as a standard to observe how energy-efficient your home is. The label provides information on how environmentally friendly and economical the electricity usage of the home is. Such labels are also present when selling (or renting) buildings (including homes), cars, lamps, and other electrical appliances.

The usefulness of an energy label

As a tenant, it's important to ask about the energy label. This label gives you an immediate view of how environmentally friendly the home you want to live in is. On the label, you’ll see a classification from most efficient to least efficient. These categories are indicated by letters and colors. The letter ‘A’ and the color green are the most efficient, while the letter ‘G’ and the color red are the least efficient. The home you live in is placed on this scale and compared to other similar houses. But why does it matter if your house is less efficient than other comparable homes? Well, an environmentally unfriendly home doesn't just have disadvantages for the world, but also for yourself. Firstly, a more efficient home leads to less energy usage. When less energy is consumed, a lower energy bill will appear on your doormat. This can make a difference of thousands of euros over the years compared to inefficient houses. Keep in mind: the more environmentally conscious the home, the lower the costs. Furthermore, an eco-friendly home will lead to more living comfort. An efficient house has more facilities that make living in the home pleasant. More on this later. Lastly, an efficient house produces less CO2 emissions, allowing you to contribute to the environment.

Aspects of an efficient home

By now, it's clear what an energy label is and why an efficient home is important, but what factors make a home efficient? In other words, what aspects does a home need to be closer to that greenest box on the energy label? An environmentally friendly, energy-saving home, first of all, has good insulation. The warmth should stay inside; we don't heat for the birds. So, look carefully at the condition of the insulated floors, walls, cavity walls, and the roof in the home. Additionally, double glazing also contributes to a greener energy label. Installing solar panels scores high on the label as well. In rental properties, you can't just purchase these, but it's certainly something to consider with the landlord. Other factors included in the energy label are things like the boiler, ventilation, construction year, and a heat pump.