Project Case Studies

Make your old house more sustainable and energy efficient

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This household acquired their house in 2003. As with the majority of houses involved in the Eco n’Home project, the house was built in the 1900s and therefore had no insulation; implying a significantly large fuel consumption. Before they joined the project, the owners had already contacted the energy agency to enquire about the most relevant energy saving solutions for their house. A visit to a house with a solar hot water system, arranged by MVE, motivated the household to continue further with the renovation project they had in mind. They therefore decided to participate in the Eco n’Home project.

After an initial audit the householder’s first step was to carry out simple and low cost measures; indoor temperature was lowered from 22°C to 19-20°C during the day in the main living rooms and also in the sleeping rooms. This kind of action, very easy to put into practice, reduced annual gas consumption by 30%! After that, they decided to change the 35 years old standard boiler with an efficient, condensing boiler. There is also a contribution to heating hot water from a solar hot water system. Other kinds of energy efficiency measures are going to be implemented over the following years; simple glazed windows will be replaced by wooden double glazed windows with a high-transmission, Low-E glass and filled with argon. With these newly done measures, annual energy consumption might be 45% lower than the one initially measured. In addition, the household is replacing all light bulbs with low energy bulbs and ensuring that appliances are only ever switched on when in use.

Some of the measures installed have been funded through tax credit. Tax credit is on the total cost including VAT; installation costs are not included.
- 25% of the cost for the condensing gas boiler,
- 50% of the cost of the solar water heating system,
- 25% of the cost for the set of efficient windows.

Municipalities may also provide homeowners with subsidies. Therefore, the municipality paid 50% of the installation of the solar hot water system.

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