The Netherlands has over 6 million homes that mostly use natural gas for energy, but efforts are being made to transition to carbon zero neighborhoods by 2020. Previous block-by-block renovation programs were successful for social housing but not private homeowners who want more customization. A new neighborhood approach puts homeowners in charge - facilitating financing, legal support, and choices for renovations in order to motivate emissions reductions through collective action and seeing results from neighbors.

1. carbon zero neighbourhoods
home owners take charge!

3. The Netherlands
 16,000,000 people
 Over 6,000,000 houses
 Majority below sea level
 Carbon zero?
 Still far away

4. Energy Consumption Reduction
 1973: Oil Boycott
 Drastic measures in 1973
 Campaigns stayed
 Reduction natural gas
since 1975 steady

5. Results and efforts
But:
 Growing electricity consumption
Last five years:
 Increase in efforts
2020:
 new houses to be zero Energy
How about older houses?
 Most will live in those, even after
2020

6. Block-by-block
 Building industry initiative
Idea:
 use the facct that houses were
built in series =>
 Renovate them in series
 Reducing cost in investments

7. Evaluation
 Block-by-block evaluated:
“Success!!!”. Yes:
 It works for big social landlords
But:
 Not with home owners
 “to much custom fit”
While:
 Over 50% of houses are owned by
the people living in it
So:
 Big succes?????

8. How to motivate home owners?
Dont they know?
 About energy conservation
 About climate change?
 About alternatives for Mr. Putins gas?
 About saving their own money?
Of Course they DO!!! BUT:
 They feel pushed
 They only believe it when they see it
 They just don’t trust the building industry
 Untill they see it with their neighbour…

9. Neighbourhood approach
The concept:
 Put home owners at the helm
 Facilitate them to be principal
 Help them with finance and
legal stuff
 Let them articulate their needs
(in any field concerning their
homes and surroundings)
 Let them choose concepts
 Let them choose an architect
and designs
 Let them choose contractors
and installation companies

10. What do WE do?
 Put home owners at the helm
 Facilitate them to be principal
 Help them with finance and legal stuff
 Let them articulate their needs
(in any field concerning their homes and
surroundings)
 Provide them with flexible concepts to choose from
 Help them choose architects and other designers if
necessary
 Help them choose contractors and installation
companies (or help them make it DIY)
 Help them to do it themselves
 Reap the fuits of scale as a collective
WE:

11. Home owners go carbon zero!
 Edwin van der Wel
 edwin@je-impuls.nl