To make every home in Flanders more sustainable, Woningpas is stepping up its game with a new feature aimed at accelerating the uptake of heat pumps in a community-driven manner. This latest initiative is a key part of the Horizon Europe initiative Demo-BLog, a European project that aims to modernise building data management and promote sustainable practices.
According to current renovation strategies, all houses in Flanders must have an A-label energy rating by 2050. However, many homes still rely on fossil fuels for heating, while a heat pump is a cleaner, more efficient alternative. To facilitate this transition, Woningpas, a free digital passport that centralises all relevant and digitally available information about a house, now offers a tailored invitation to help residents install heat pumps through local energy cooperatives. This invitation allows homeowners to attend no-obligation introductory meetings and get involved in community-led projects that support the purchase and installation of heat pumps.
Who will be invited?
From 25 June 2024, residents will receive automatic, but customized invitations based on the EPB and EPC data of their homes. This automated message will initially only be sent to residents who own a heat pump ready dwelling and are living in municipalities where the energy cooperatives Energent (East Flanders), Klimaatpunt (Flemish Brabant – Pajottenland), and Campina Energie (Antwerp – Kempen) are active. These cooperatives offer group initiatives to make heat pumps more accessible and affordable.
Key players behind the Woningpas upgrade
The development of this new functionality within Woningpas is the result of a successful collaboration between VEKA, VITO/EnergyVille, Rescoop Vlaanderen, Leapforward, and ACA Group. The Demo-BLog project, part of a wider effort to promote Digital Building Logbooks (DBLs) across Europe, aims to integrate and streamline building data to make it actionable for stakeholders across the construction industry. The new community-focused feature of Woningpas is a prime example of this vision in action.
How our expertise shaped the project
EnergyVille/VITO played a key role in the new functionality within Woningpas by conducting an in-depth analysis of the barriers, drivers, and stakeholder needs related to community-led decarbonisation. This research helped to identify the most effective ways to support the collective purchase of heat pumps. In addition, EnergyVille/VITO supported a co-creation process organized by Leapforward and VEKA to design the user experience and prototype for integrating these initiatives into the Woningpas system.
Future plans for Woningpas
In the future, Woningpas is expected to expand this initiative by involving new providers, including other energy cooperatives, energy communities, and local governments. Future developments may also include additional decarbonisation measures, such as insulation or solar panels, to further support Flanders’ energy goals.
As Flanders moves towards a more sustainable future, Woningpas’ increased focus on community-led projects is a step forward in making energy-efficient homes a reality for everyone.
Want to know more?
Interested in learning more about our involvement in Woningpas and the Demo-BLog project? Then feel free to reach out to our expert Nele Renders, she will be more than happy to help you further.
