Dirk & Mike - Energy Potential Report

Dirk and Mike bought the apartment in 2016, they carried out a series of renovation activities, including upgrading the floor, kitchen, bathroom, and staircase. However, due to their lack of awareness, they ignored thermal insulation and failed to incorporate energy label and energy efficiency aspects into the renovation.

They approached Terra Maxima to understand how to prognose their apartment’s current energy label (it was E when they bought it) to a higher rating, and to explore further renovation opportunities for making this energy transition.

Upon conducting a house inspection, our energy label advisor realized that their apartment is prognosed to be C with the new roof insulation and window upgrades of HR++, but it has high ceilings and a large staircase, which become cold spots, especially during the winter. This was a major challenge in improving the energy efficiency of the house, along with the couple's budget constraints. Since they had already invested in remodeling the apartment, they were hesitant to spend more on renovation expenses associated with the energy label improvement.

Understanding their situation, our energy label advisor and specialists offered to provide a holistic and cost-effective solution to Dirk and Mike so they could have a comfortable and pleasant environment in their apartment during the winter.

 House hunting in the Netherlands can get really daunting! Especially if you are trying to find one close to Amsterdam city with a budget constraint, chances are that you would probably end up coming across potential options with a lower energy label. Isabella and her boyfriend had been on a house hunt for the past couple of months and had an exclusive reservation on a large apartment they could purchase. However, they realized there were a few complexities around the heating system of this potential apartment, and before they could commit to the offer, they wanted to be sure that this was the ONE for them!

Isabella contacted Terra Maxima to conduct an ad-hoc analysis of the heating optimization and the cooling capacity with the air conditioning. Terra Maxima was more than happy to guide the couple in understanding the energy consumption scenario within the apartment, as this would have a huge impact on their purchase decision, given it would be a significant investment for them at the moment.

As expats, Isabella and her boyfriend found it challenging to understand the concepts around energy labels in the Netherlands and the possible renovation options to make their new home a comfortable space. Terra Maxima offered a quick response to their request and made an analysis based on floor plans and briefing from the customer.

After conducting a thorough home inspection of the top-floor apartment in Amsterdam, Terra Maxima made the couple aware of the complexities associated with the heating and air conditioning. They were informed that the apartment would need two to three air conditioners to have a comfortably cooled space during peak summers and a massive renovation to extend the current city heating system. Despite the fact that their ultimate decision was not to purchase the apartment, Isabella and her boyfriend were extremely happy because they could make a better informed decision together with feedback from Terra maxima.

Oliver & Emily recently bought a 1920s semi-detached house in a commuting town from Amsterdam, with a current energy label of E, and were looking for a full-service renovation and energy label solution for the project. They were very interested in understanding the potential home improvement works they could implement to improve the thermal efficiency as well as the energy efficiency of the property.

Since the current energy label is very low (energy label E) and considering that the previous owner of the property didn’t undertake any renovation or insulation activities other than filling the ground floor with concrete, Oliver & Emily reached out to Terra Maxima to explore potential renovation opportunities to increase the energy efficiency and improve the thermal efficiency of the house.

As both are working professionals with one toddler having busy schedules, they have trusted Terra Maxima and our specialists with the planning and execution of the complete renovation project.

Following the initial home inspection and discussions our team had with Oliver and Emily, we are currently crafting a comprehensive renovation plan, including roof insulation, insulating the extension building, and possibly changing the heating system to a hybrid heat pump. The project is currently underway. Follow us on our social channels to receive more updates on the renovation services we are undertaking to improve the energy label and thermal efficiency of their beautiful home!