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What financial aid is available to improve the energy performance of a residential building?

When you renovate a building in Brussels and improve its energy performance, you can obtain various forms of financial aid:

  • energy grants for investments in insulation, ventilation, efficient heating, renewable energies, etc.;
  • renovation grants for work involving heat insulation, ventilation, the installation of a rainwater tank, etc.;
  • 0 %  to 2 % green loan for energy saving works;
  • grants from your commune (often as a complement to regional grants);
  • reduced VAT rate of 6 %

Most of these grants can be combined. But the total amount of energy and renovation grants may not exceed 90 % of the investment made.

Financial incentives for energy-conscious renovation

In addition to regional grants dedicated specifically to saving energy, you can obtain regional, municipal and federal aid for other work that has a direct impact on the energy performance of the building – and hence on its energy consumption. Make the most of them, you can combine them!

1. Regional aid

Energy grants

Renovation works

Energy grants are allocated by Bruxelles Environnement/Leefmilieu Brussel for both individual and collective housing units. For some time now the amount of these grants has varied depending on the income and composition of the household.  They are divided into 3 categories:

  • energy studies and audits;
  • insulation and ventilation; 
  • efficient heating (condensing boiler, thermostat).

How do you apply for an energy grant?

Consult the section 'Energy Grants 2018' (in French) at Bruxelles Environnement/Leefmilieu Brussel. Here you will find a technical form for each grant. Read the brochure 'Grants 2018' (in French) or take a look at the table for an overview of all the grants 2018. 

Please note that you can also apply online with IRISbox, your e-administration services in the Brussels-Capital Region. How do you apply online for an energy grant?

Renovation grants

These grants (website in French) encourage work relating to energy in particular:

  • ventilation;
  • damp treatment;
  • thermal insulation of floors, walls and roof;
  • heating installation;
  • appliances that produce domestic hot water.

Read the explanatory notice (in French) for more details.

N.B.: the housing unit concerned must be more than 30 years’ old when the application is made. It will benefit from higher grants if it is located in an EDRLR/RVOHR – an area for increased development of housing and renovation or in a District Contract area.

Brussels green loan

Bruxelles Environnement/Leefmilieu Brussel has entered into a partnership with CREDAL (alternative credit cooperative) to offer energy loans at 0 % to 2 % interest to limited-income households in Brussels. These loans (of maximum 25 000 €) can be used to finance insulation and ventilation work and invest in a more efficient heating system.

From now on you cannot only use this green loan for energy saving measures, but also for investements in sustainable energy (such as solar panels, solar boilers, heat pumps) .

To benefit from these loans, your professional income must be below certain limits and you must fulfil the conditions applicable to Energy grants. Full details can be found in the brochure on green loans.

2. Municipal aid

Some Brussels communes offer you financial support if you renovate a building in their area. The list of subsidised work is given on the Homegrade website. Such work is often linked to the building’s energy performance: fitting of a solar water heater, a green roof, etc. Sometimes the grant is conditional upon obtaining an energy grant and a renovation grant, making a further contribution towards your investment.

This aid varies from one commune to another; to find out more, ask the town planning service in your commune.

3. Federal aid

Reduction in VAT rate

If you own or rent a home that has been occupied for at least 15 years, you are entitled to a reduced VAT rate for your renovation work: 6 % instead of 21 %. To benefit from this reduction, the work must be carried out by a registered contractor. The contractor will draw up his bill with VAT at 6 % directly, provided that this bill or a certificate justifies the application of this rate.

Some of the work covered by this reduction in VAT is linked to the energy performance of your home. This relates mainly to the installation of central heating and insulation.

30% tax reduction (maximum) for insulating the roof of a housing unit

This tax reduction has been abolished both in the Brussels-capital Region and in Flanders. At the moment, only people living in Wallonia can still benefit from this measure.

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