Frequently asked questions about the Krimwijk

The Dutch government has decided to no longer use natural gas to heat buildings (such as homes) by 2050. Through this, our country combats global warming and reduces CO₂ emissions. For this reason, Voorschoten is also working towards a village without natural gas, in which we cook and heat our homes using sustainable energy and heat sources.

If you are a tenant, this depends on the plans of your landlord. If you are a homeowner, you can decide this yourself. There will come a time when natural gas is no longer supplied to your neighbourhood. But that is still a long way off. However, if you wish, you can switch to, for example, a heat pump, provided your home is sufficiently insulated for it.

In 2021, the municipality created a plan, the heat transition vision. This investigated which neighbourhoods offer opportunities to start. This analysis identified Bijdorp, Vlietwijk, and Krimwijk as promising starting neighbourhoods. It was decided to start with Krimwijk because many homes there are already well-insulated and could therefore transition relatively quickly. Furthermore, a residents' initiative is already active in the older part of the neighbourhood and has taken many steps.  

After drafting the neighbourhood implementation plan for Krimwijk, we will proceed with Vlietwijk and Bijdorp. When and in what order the other neighbourhoods will be addressed is not yet known.

Krimwijk was built primarily in two construction periods. The northwestern part (between Leidseweg and Krimkade) consists of older homes built around the war. On the other side is a newly built neighbourhood with homes constructed after 2005, which are therefore very well-insulated. This makes the new part of Krimwijk highly suitable for heating with an electric heat pump. For the older part, a heat network could be considered, but a residents' initiative there is also working on individual solutions independently.

We do not know that yet. Together with residents, housing associations, and all other partners, we will look at what is best to do. To this end, we will engage in discussions with as many residents, entrepreneurs, and organisations as possible in 2023.

We consider it important that everyone who wishes to has the opportunity to share ideas about the neighbourhood implementation plan. Therefore, we have sent every resident of Krimwijk a questionnaire containing, among other things, a question about how you would like to think/talk along. This input will be used to determine what the process for creating the neighbourhood implementation plan will look like.

Electric cooking is a good alternative to cooking on gas. The most well-known forms of electric cooking are induction cooking, ceramic cooking, and the (old-fashioned) electric hotplate. In terms of consumption, induction cooking is the most efficient:

• The induction hob is the most efficient: it uses 175 kWh per year.
• A ceramic hob uses 30 percent more: approximately 225 kWh per year.
• An 'old-fashioned' electric hotplate with a coil as a heat source consumes the most: approximately 260 kWh per year.

The type and brand of the hob determine what kind of connection you need. For smaller, simpler hobs, a 1-phase connection may suffice. However, a modern induction hob will quickly require a 3-phase connection. This means a heavy-duty power outlet must be installed in the kitchen to accommodate the hob's five-pin plug. 

If you rent a home, making it more sustainable on your own is more difficult. For example, you cannot simply install insulation or solar panels, but you can discuss this (and similar matters) with your landlord. It is often also possible to submit a request for electric cooking to your landlord. Please contact your landlord for this.

In addition, you can get started yourself by taking small, accessible energy-saving measures such as installing radiator foil, LED lighting, or a water-saving showerhead. For more information, visit Step-by-step plan | Sustainable Construction Desk.

For tenants, maintenance, sustainability improvements, and the transition to natural gas-free housing are carried out by the landlord. As a tenant, you do not need to take any action yourself. The housing authority or commercial/private landlord will discuss with tenants the process of making the homes natural gas-free and alternatives for heating the home. In many cases, making the homes natural gas-free will coincide with a renovation or maintenance project. Once there are concrete plans to make a complex or neighbourhood natural gas-free, the landlord will contact you. Of course, you can also contact your landlord directly if you want to know when your home (or complex) is scheduled for this transition.

If you live in a rental home, your landlord is responsible for making your home natural gas-free. Therefore, the landlord covers the cost of the transition.

Housing associations must obtain approval from at least 70 percent of tenants before they can renovate residential complexes. This also applies to making your home natural gas-free, as this is often combined with a renovation. If more than 70 percent of the tenants agree to the approach and you are among the 30 percent who voted against it, the association is still permitted to carry out its plans in your home.

If commercial or private landlords decide to make your home natural gas-free, you are required to participate.

Krimwijk (new): Because the buildings are already (very) well insulated, an electric heat pump is a suitable solution. If your boiler needs to be replaced, you can switch to an electric heat pump. Health However, this requires a low-temperature heating system, such as radiant floor heating or low-temperature radiators.

Krimwijk (old): Regardless of the heating solution you ultimately choose, insulating your home is always a good idea. The Dutch Energy Agency ( Rijksoverheid ) has established a standard for home insulation. This standard specifies when a home is sufficiently insulated to become natural gas-free. This standard is future-proof in the sense that if a home meets the standard, it will not need to be insulated again later, and major modifications to the radiators when switching to alternatives to natural gas will be avoided as much as possible. The standard also provides insight into the level of ventilation still required in the home. This allows homeowners and landlords to prepare their properties for the future, when heating without natural gas will be the norm in the built environment. For insulation advice, please contact Duurzaam Bouwloket or De Groene Grachten for historic buildings.

Additionally, there are other ways to make your home more sustainable that apply to all homes in Voorschoten:

• You can switch to electric cooking;
• If you want to generate sustainable energy yourself, you can have solar panels or a solar water heater installed;
• You can take small energy-saving measures, such as installing radiator foil, LED lighting, and a water-saving showerhead.

This depends on how you live, what you use gas for, and the measures you choose. If a major renovation is necessary, more investments will likely be required. These investments are often offset by savings, such as when insulating your home. By insulating properly, you can save energy and therefore costs. Additionally, there are ways to generate energy yourself, for example by installing solar panels.

The homeowner is responsible for covering the costs of switching to a sustainable option. If you are a tenant and want to switch, you must do so in consultation with your landlord. We understand that the changes to the home have financial implications, which is why we are in constant consultation with the “ rijksoverheid ” regarding financial arrangements and subsidies.

We cannot provide an answer to that. Lately, the energy markt is changing so rapidly that we do not know. The affordability of the energy bill and the energy transition play an important role in the Climate Agreement. A good step to take is to generate electricity yourself using solar panels.

Various energy loans are available. You can finance your investment in different ways. For example, via the National Heat Fund, a construction depot, a Sustainable Monuments Loan, or with a green loan from the bank.