KNOWLEDGE BASE · SUSTAINABILITY
Going green with your VvE: solar panels, insulation and EV charging
Many owners want lower energy bills and a more comfortable home. In an apartment building, you often cannot do that alone. The roof, the walls and the installations belong to everyone together. Here is how to approach it as a VvE (owners’ association, Vereniging van Eigenaars).
Start with a plan
Making the building more sustainable is easiest when you combine it with maintenance that has to be done anyway. Does the roof need replacing in a few years? Then that is a good moment to insulate it as well. So first look at the long-term maintenance plan (MJOP, meerjarenonderhoudsplan). Then have an adviser investigate which measures suit your building, what they cost and what they deliver.
Also set up a small working group of owners who are keen. They can collect quotes and answer questions from other residents. Then the board does not have to do everything itself.
Who decides?
Measures affecting shared parts, such as the roof or the walls, are decided by the general meeting (ALV, algemene ledenvergadering). The majority needed is set out in the regulations (splitsingsreglement). Ordinary maintenance often needs a simple majority. For an improvement or change to the building, many regulations require a larger majority. Whether solar panels or insulation count as maintenance or as an improvement depends on the situation and on your regulations.
Involve residents early. Organise an information evening, show what it costs and saves per apartment, and leave room for questions. A well-explained proposal is more likely to win a majority.
Solar panels
A flat roof often has room for solar panels. Agree in advance who gets the electricity: the shared areas, such as the lift and the lighting in the hall, or the apartments themselves. That difference matters a lot for the technical set-up and for how the costs are shared. Also have it checked whether the roof can carry the weight and whether the insurer needs to know.
Insulation
Insulating the roof, walls or floor is often the foundation. It lowers the energy demand for everyone. Make sure the work is done well, because poor insulation can lead to damp and mould. So ask for good ventilation to be part of the plan.
EV charging points
More and more residents want to charge their car at home. A charging point in a shared garage or car park almost always needs the association’s permission. It is wise for the association to make one plan instead of handling each request separately. Think of the capacity of the grid connection, fire safety, who pays for the electricity and how you measure the use per charging point. If the association refuses permission without good reason, an owner can in some cases ask the subdistrict court (kantonrechter) to grant permission instead.
Source: Article 5:121 of the Dutch Civil Code (Burgerlijk Wetboek, BW), substitute authorisation by the subdistrict court. See wetten.overheid.nl (in Dutch).
Subsidies and loans
For owners’ associations there is the Subsidy scheme for making VvEs more sustainable (SVVE, Subsidieregeling verduurzaming voor VvE’s) from RVO, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. It covers, among other things, insulation, heat pumps and sustainability advice. The National Heat Fund (Nationaal Warmtefonds) has a special loan for associations. Municipalities and provinces sometimes have their own schemes too. Conditions and budgets change regularly. So always check the website of the scheme itself before you apply, and apply before you place an order if the scheme requires it.
Source: rvo.nl and warmtefonds.nl (in Dutch).
Arrange this in Ledenhuis
In Ledenhuis you add the maintenance plan and open a vote with its own deadline. Residents see their share per apartment and can ask questions in advance. The first year is free, with no payment details needed.