Making your home more sustainable? Here's how to finance it

Extra borrowing capacity for energy improvements

Lenders apply the statutory mortgage lending rules, and those rules include extra borrowing capacity for energy-saving measures. In 2026, how much extra you can borrow depends on the home's current energy label:

• Current label E, F or G: up to €20,000 extra
• Current label C or D: up to €15,000 extra
• Current label A or B: up to €10,000 extra

The worse the current energy label, the more extra room you get to improve it. This amount is specifically earmarked for energy-saving measures. Which measures qualify, and how much you can actually borrow, also depends on the lending rules, the property value and the lender's conditions.

NHG limit raised to €498,200

Buying with NHG? In 2026 the standard NHG limit is €470,000. If you finance energy-saving improvements, the limit can go up to €498,200. Everything above the standard limit must be spent entirely on energy-saving improvements. The exact financing options depend on the property value, the lending rules and the NHG conditions. The NHG guarantee fee in 2026 is 0.4% of the amount you borrow.

Subsidies through the ISDE scheme

On top of the extra borrowing capacity, many measures also qualify for a government subsidy through the ISDE (Investeringssubsidie Duurzame Energie), the Dutch investment subsidy for sustainable energy. It covers measures such as insulation, a heat pump, a solar water heater or a connection to district heating. The subsidy amounts differ per measure and are set each year, so always check the current figures on the website of RVO, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, before you sign a quote. In our mortgage advice we calculate how much borrowing capacity you actually need after deducting the subsidy you will receive, so you do not borrow too much for something that is partly reimbursed.

Upgrading when you buy vs. improving your current home

Buying a house in the Tilburg area and keen to make it more energy efficient right away? The cost of energy-saving measures can often be included in the mortgage, as long as the property value and the lending rules allow it. If you buy a home below its market value, the gap between the purchase price and the market value can create extra room. Whether that also lets you finance the buying costs or other expenses has to be calculated case by case.

Already settled in a home you now want to improve? Then we look at whether your current mortgage offers room, or whether an additional loan or a mortgage increase is the better route. Which option works out best depends on your interest rate, the property value, your income and the cost of the measures. Subsidies can be part of the calculation too.

Ready to get started?

Wondering whether energy improvements fit within your mortgage, or how much extra you could borrow in your situation in or around Tilburg? We are happy to think it through with you, with no obligation. Call 06 52 69 88 22 or email Martin@belderbrandt.nl and we will run the numbers together.