Sustainable insulation: five smart ways to improve your home’s energy-efficiency

Reading time: 4 minutes 14-08-2025 – 10:00

A house that takes forever to heat up, sky-rocketing energy bills… If this sounds familiar, improving your home’s energy-efficiency might be a smart next step. A good place to start is to explore the different materials available as they play an important role in how well-insulated your home is and, subsequently, what your EPC rating says about your energy consumption. But how do you get started? We’d be delighted to help you.

It all starts with your EPC

Your EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is a good starting point if you’re looking to improve your home’s energy-efficiency by reducing how much you consume. It shows your home’s current energy performance – rated from A+ to F – and includes clear recommendations for improving this rating. You can immediately see which parts of your home need better insulation, which measures would be most effective and approximately how much they will cost you. If you already have an energy rating, you can get started right away. If you don’t have an EPC rating for your home yet, you can easily apply for your certificate in KBC Mobile.

Improve your home’s energy-efficiency in five steps

Your first step should be to improve your home’s insulation as this will deliver the greatest benefits. These five changes will make your home more energy efficient, more comfortable and more valuable.

Insulate your roof. Your home loses up to 30% of its heat through a poorly insulated roof. PIR boards, glass wool or cellulose will help you retain that heat while also improving your EPC rating.
Fill your home’s cavity walls. In older houses, cavity wall insulation is often the missing link. EPS beads, PUR foam or Kooltherm provide a quick, affordable upgrade without any demolition work.
Upgrade your façade insulation. If there is no cavity, external wall insulation is an ideal solution. Combine insulation with a fresh new look by using PIR, wood-fibre or EPS boards.
Insulate your floor the smart way. A cold floor is not only unpleasant, it also drives up your energy consumption. XPS, PIR or flax boards will help you keep the cold out and the heat in.
Replace your windows. Old windows let out a lot of heat. New profiles and high-efficiency glass make a world of difference to your EPC rating as well as your energy bill.

Investing in sustainable materials offers many benefits

While sustainable choices might cost a bit more upfront, the benefits in the long term are worth the investment. For example, your home’s EPC rating will improve, which is important when you are required to renovate. You home will achieve a better score and it will comply with the renovation obligation more quickly.

Your choice to use durable materials that require little maintenance will also be reflected in your energy bill: lower consumption means lower costs. In addition, if you decide to sell or rent out your home, its value will increase. In other words, smart choices not only offer greater comfort, they benefit your wallet too.

Want to know more about the properties of different insulation materials? This article provides a convenient list of the pros and cons of the most popular types.

Keep your eye on the ball with KBC

Looking to get the most out of your home? KBC and ‘Impact us today’ give you access to a network of expert contractors from all over Belgium who will gladly help you every step of the way. Prefer to get an idea of the costs first? In a few clicks, you can get an estimate of what your renovation will cost you as well as any grants you can apply for, or you can work out your renovation loan.

Loan type: Instalment loan. Subject to your credit application being approved by KBC Bank NV. Lender: KBC Bank NV, with registered office at Havenlaan 2, 1080 Brussels, Belgium, VAT BE 0462.920.226, RLP Brussels.

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