# Financing Sustainable Home Improvements

> Financing insulation, solar panels or a heat pump through your mortgage? We calculate how much extra you can borrow. Independent mortgage advice in Tilburg.

https://www.belderbrandt.nl/en/mortgage-advice/financing-sustainable-home-improvements · English

Insulation, solar panels, a heat pump: making your home more sustainable costs money, but it can lower your energy bills and make your home more comfortable for years to come. The good news is that you can often include the cost in your mortgage. There is [extra borrowing capacity for energy-saving measures](https://www.belderbrandt.nl/en/mortgage-advice/energy-saving-measures), and the Dutch National Mortgage Guarantee (NHG) adds further options on top. On this page we explain how it works, whether you are buying a house in Tilburg and want to upgrade it straight away, or want to improve the home you already own.

## 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.

**From our experience: Live in the house first, decide on upgrades later**

One of our clients wanted to make her home more sustainable, but preferred to live in the house first. That way she could see which improvement would make the biggest difference in practice, or decide to leave things as they were. We advised an EBB, an energy-saving budget (Energiebespaarbudget): an extra pot of money within the mortgage, reserved for energy improvements. If she ended up not using it, the budget could simply be repaid on the mortgage. She was happy with this approach because it kept her options open. She also felt that buying the house already involved more than enough decisions, and she did not want this one on her plate at the same time as all the others.

## 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.