BENG requirements: a guide for businesses
Direct answer
The BENG requirements are the energy performance requirements that all new construction in the Netherlands must meet since 1 January 2021. BENG stands for Bijna Energieneutrale Gebouwen (nearly energy-neutral buildings). It has three indicators: the maximum energy demand of the building, the maximum primary fossil energy use and the minimum share of renewable energy. In addition, the TOjuli requirement limits the risk of overheating.
- Clear definition
- Data-driven assessment
- Risks and opportunities visible
- Practical next steps
BENG requirements: scattered information versus Energy Intelligence
If your organisation builds or renovates a property in the Netherlands, the BENG requirements determine how energy-efficient the building must be. They replaced the old EPC standard on 1 January 2021 and stem from European rules on the energy performance of buildings. For a developer, client or facility manager this means the energy performance already counts at the drawing-board stage. The design choices largely determine whether the building meets the requirements.
- BENG applies to every new-build permit since 1 January 2021, for both residential and non-residential construction.
- The three indicators are: maximum energy demand (kWh per m2 per year), maximum primary fossil energy use (kWh per m2 per year) and minimum share of renewable energy (in per cent).
- The limit values differ per building function; the calculation runs via the NTA 8800 assessment method and is registered on EP-online.
Insight
Traditional approach
Information is scattered across portals, documents, invoices or separate spreadsheets.
Modern approach
Data, context and interpretation are brought together into a clear decision picture.
Decision-making
Traditional approach
Choices are made based on averages, assumptions or occasional analyses.
Modern approach
Scenarios, KPIs and current measurement data make the trade-off more concrete and repeatable.
Follow-up
Traditional approach
Actions often stay non-committal or disappear into separate reports.
Modern approach
Follow-up actions, monitoring and reporting are linked to the same energy data.
What do the three BENG indicators mean?
Under BENG the energy performance of a building is tested against three requirements that must each be met separately. The first indicator is the maximum energy demand: how much energy the building needs for heating and cooling, expressed in kilowatt-hours per square metre per year. The second is the maximum primary fossil energy use, in the same unit. The third is the minimum share of renewable energy, expressed as a percentage. The first indicator concerns the structural quality, such as insulation and compactness. The second and third concern the installations and generation. All three are calculated with the NTA 8800 assessment method.
- Indicator 1: maximum energy demand of the building, in kWh per m2 per year.
- Indicator 2: maximum primary fossil energy use, in kWh per m2 per year.
- Indicator 3: minimum share of renewable energy, as a percentage.
- Each of the three requirements must be met separately, calculated via NTA 8800.
- The TOjuli requirement additionally limits the risk of summer overheating.
When will you encounter the BENG requirements?
You encounter BENG as soon as you apply for an environmental permit for new construction. The requirements have applied since 1 January 2021 to all new construction, from homes to offices and industrial halls. The exact limit values differ per building function, because a home has different usage patterns than, say, an office or a shop. Alongside the three indicators, the TOjuli requirement against overheating applies. It tests the risk of excessive temperatures per calculation zone and per orientation, and is intended for spaces without an active cooling system. This prevents a building from being energy-efficient on paper while becoming uncomfortably warm in summer.
- BENG applies to every new-build permit since 1 January 2021.
- The limit values differ per building function, for example home versus office.
- The TOjuli requirement tests overheating per calculation zone and orientation.
- TOjuli mainly applies to spaces without an active cooling system.
What does this mean for your building project?
For your project, BENG means the energy performance counts early in the design. The shape of the building, the insulation, the installations and the generation together determine whether you meet the requirements. So have a qualified adviser calculate the energy performance with NTA 8800. That calculation underpins your permit application and is registered on EP-online. On completion, each usable space receives a final energy label based on the actual situation. Take the requirements into account from the first sketches, because changes afterwards are more expensive and sometimes technically difficult. A municipal assessor checks at the permit stage whether the registration is correct.
- Take the energy performance into account from the first design, not afterwards.
- Have a qualified adviser calculate the performance with NTA 8800.
- The calculation is registered on EP-online and underpins the permit.
- On completion, each usable space receives a final energy label.
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