Frequently Asked Questions: Klundert-East

The goal is to heat all homes in the Netherlands without natural gas by 2050. To achieve this, it is important that we start now. That is why, in the coming years, municipalities and landlords throughout the Netherlands will be exploring how villages (or, in larger towns, by neighborhood) can be heated in a different way.

Natural gas emits CO₂ and thus contributes to climate change. As a result, extreme weather, droughts, and floods are occurring more frequently. We are also becoming increasingly dependent on expensive and unreliable gas from abroad.
Becoming natural gas-free helps make homes healthier, more comfortable, and in some cases more affordable, while also making us less vulnerable to price increases. So it’s better for the climate and for our future in Klundert.

No, all villages and towns in the municipality are looking for a natural gas-free solution. In Helwijk, Langeweg, Zevenbergschen Hoek, and Moerdijk-dorp, people have already begun this process. The eastern part of Klundert was chosen because De Niervaert is becoming natural gas-free and a shared heating system might offer advantages. In addition, there are many rental homes that Woonkwartier can make natural gas-free in a single large-scale operation. Many homes in Klundert were also built around the same time, which means they require similar improvements, such as better insulation. This presents opportunities for a collaborative approach, which is why we’re exploring this option.

Making an entire village natural gas-free is a complex process. The municipality (in collaboration with Woonkwartier) also wants to take great care in the preparations. After all, it’s important that all residents feel comfortable in their homes.
How long this process takes depends on the choice of the new heating system. Collective solutions often take longer—about 8 to 12 years. If Klundert chooses an individual solution, in which everyone has their own system (heat pump), then the pace of implementation will depend on the homeowners and Woonkwartier.

No. All residents of Klundert will receive a questionnaire asking what they consider important. The responses will help guide the decision-making process. Residents who attend meetings will contribute their ideas on how the process should be organized.

The results of the survey will help us understand what matters most to Klundert residents. Based on these findings, we will further explore which system would be best suited for Klundert. Everyone will also have the opportunity to join a focus group to discuss how we can engage residents and how we can make even better use of the survey results.

No. Residents, the municipality, and Woonkwartier will work together to find the best solution for the eastern part of Klundert. The residents themselves will determine what that solution must entail. If the solution is technically and financially feasible and 70% of the tenants agree to it, Woonkwartier will implement it in the rental properties. Homeowners can choose for themselves whether to participate. Ultimately, the gas supply will be shut off in 2050, so anyone who does not participate in the collective solution will have until then to arrange their own solution.

That depends on the type of system. There are roughly three types:

• Individual systems
  Think of a heat pump in your own home. You use only electricity and choose your own energy provider, just as you do now.
• Collective systems without individual equipment in the home
  Heat is delivered directly to you, for example, via a district heating network. The heat comes from a single provider. You have less freedom of choice, but often more convenience: maintenance, management, and delivery are handled centrally.
• Collective systems with their own heat pump
  Your home is connected to a network from which your heat pump draws heat (just as a central heating boiler currently draws gas from the network). You pay a fixed rate for the connection to that network. For the electricity your heat pump uses, you choose your own energy supplier. This is similar to how the gas network works today: you pay for the network connection and choose your own supplier for your consumption.

That depends on the type of system you choose. With individual solutions, such as your own heat pump, you decide which installer to choose and how long you’re committed to a contract. With collective systems, such as a district heating network, you usually sign a long-term contract—often 10 to 15 years. This is necessary to recoup the investment and also ensures stability in pricing and maintenance. We understand that this can be a concern for some residents. That’s why we’re working together to identify which conditions are important to Klundert, including the duration and flexibility of contracts.

The process begins with everyone together, but we may take a different approach with homeowners and renters in later phases. For example, we may hold specific meetings or provide information that is useful only to homeowners or renters. We’ll make sure everyone always has enough information.

Woonkwartier and the municipality are involving residents of rental properties in the decision regarding the new heating system. Woonkwartier is responsible for making the rental properties more sustainable, but wants to do so in consultation with the tenants. Ultimately, at least 70% of the tenants must agree before the work can be carried out.
Homeowners always have the freedom to choose which heating system they prefer.

This depends on which system is chosen. More information on this will follow later. There are grants and low-interest loans available for a wide range of measures.
Woonkwartier is the owner of the rental properties. Some modifications may result in higher rent for a tenant. However, this may be offset by a reduction in monthly energy costs. Once it becomes clear which natural gas-free solutions are feasible for Klundert, the calculations can take into account what this means for tenants.

It is difficult to predict what the future costs will be, both with and without natural gas. If residents consider the most reliable solution to be important, then we will look for that. We will also determine this based on the questionnaire. If the costs turn out to be different than we previously thought, we will clearly communicate that.

The municipality is working on a new building for De Niervaert. This building will be sustainable and natural gas-free. This presents an opportunity to explore whether a natural gas-free heating system is feasible that could also be used to heat homes in the De Niervaert neighborhood. Ultimately, we are investigating how we can heat homes throughout Klundert without natural gas by 2050. 

You can find this on the Technology page.

Solar panels can still be useful, even if a district heating network is installed. The electricity they generate can be used for household purposes or fed back into the power grid.

Woonkwartier is preparing all homes for the transition to natural gas-free living. This is being done step by step. A few years ago, the company began improving the Energy Label, with the goal of having all homes meet at least Label C by 2026. This will be followed by further insulation to achieve natural gas-free status. By 2030, Woonkwartier aims to have 30% of its homes ready; by 2040, 80%; and by 2050, all homes should be ready. This is technically feasible.

If you are experiencing flooding, please contact the Woonkwartier Customer Service Center at 0168 350 000. The neighborhood technical management coordinator will then visit you to assess what needs to be done. It is possible that this work will need to be carried out by an external contractor hired by Woonkwartier.

The answer to this question depends on which system we choose. Some heating systems simply require more electricity than others. That’s why we’re coordinating closely with the grid operator Enexis, as well as with Woonkwartier, residents, and other stakeholders. It’s precisely this coordination that makes the task complicated, because everyone has different interests. In other areas, we’ve seen that it takes an average of 8 to 12 years before the first homes can make the switch.

The schedule for the process is posted on the website, which also indicates when meetings will be held, as soon as the dates are known. For each meeting, we also send residents a letter containing the invitation and information about the next meeting.

No, the municipality has not yet made a decision. We are working with the residents of Klundert to determine which solution best aligns with what the residents consider important.

Through the Energie Klundert website. This page is regularly updated with new information. You will receive a letter inviting you to residents' meetings.