Waking a sleeping giant: Policy tools to improve the energy performance of the existing housing stock in the Netherlands

Panel: 5. Saving energy in buildings: The time to act is now

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Lorraine Murphy, OTB Research Institute for the Built Environment, The Netherlands
Frits Meijer, OTB Research Institute for the Built Environment, Jaffalaan 9, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands, Netherlands

Abstract

The Netherlands like many European countries has issued ambitious national targets to achieve climate change goals. It is recognised that to achieve these goals the energy saving potential idling in the existing housing stock must be exploited. To date the Dutch response is largely defined by the typical national repertoire of policy instruments including voluntary agreements, economic incentives and information campaigns. Alongside this, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) required under the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has entered the fold. Despite a controversial arrival and a low impact on much of the intended target group this tool is entering a new phase in Dutch policy circles. By providing an overview of the Dutch situation, this paper offers a contribution to the much-needed debate on policy instruments utilised to improve the energy performance of existing housing. Using policy instruments as a lens and drawing on stakeholder interviews, the Dutch national response to harnessing the energy saving potential of the existing housing stock is evaluated. Stakeholder interviews demonstrate consensus that the usual suspects from the policy toolbox are inadequate. Consensus on what an adequate toolbox should consist of is less forthcoming. Within this debate the EPC is materialising as a core component. But can manipulations of the EPC wake the sleeping giant that is the energy guzzling existing housing stock?