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Improve your energy label: the most effective measures

Which measures give the biggest label jump, and how do you make sure they count?

In short

The essentials at a glance

You improve your energy label most with measures that structurally lower energy use per m²: roof, wall and floor insulation, better glazing, a (hybrid) heat pump, solar panels and ventilation with heat recovery. Then have a new label recorded. Keep invoices and product data: they count in the calculation.

First: insulate (roof, walls, floor)
Then: glazing and ventilation
After that: heat pump and solar panels
Important: keep invoices as evidence

7 measures for a better label

1
Roof insulation
Heat rises: an insulated roof prevents a lot of heat loss.
2
Cavity wall insulation
In many homes from the 1920s to 1970s the cavity can be filled relatively easily.
3
Floor insulation
Insulation under the ground floor improves comfort and label.
4
HR++ or triple glazing
Replace single and old double glazing.
5
Heat pump
A (hybrid) heat pump strongly reduces fossil energy use. Get a heat loss calculation first.
6
Solar panels or solar water heater
Own generation counts in the label.
7
Ventilation with heat recovery
A good ventilation system with heat recovery limits heat loss in a well-insulated home.

The right order

Insulate first, choose the heating afterwards. A well-insulated home needs a smaller (cheaper) heat pump. Tailored energy advice calculates which combination gives the biggest label jump for your budget.

Make sure it counts

Keep invoices, product sheets and photos of completed measures. Without evidence the adviser uses default values, so your improvement may not fully show in the label.

There may be an ISDE subsidy for insulation and heat pumps. Check the current conditions with RVO.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions we are asked most about this topic.

1. How many label steps does insulation give?

It depends on the home and its starting point. In poorly insulated homes, roof, cavity and floor insulation combined can give several label steps. Tailored advice calculates it for your home.

2. Do I automatically get a new label after upgrades?

No. You need a new inspection. The new label replaces the old one.

Last updated: 7 October 2026 · by Hasibo Ingenieurs & Adviesbureau

Sources: RVO — ISDE subsidy (Dutch)