Financing sustainable renovations: how Crelan and Setle help customers live in energy-efficient homes

Sustainable home renovation is one of today’s biggest challenges. Banks play a key role, not just by financing, but also by guiding customers through the renovation process. We spoke with Viviane Verbiest, ESG Manager at Crelan, about climate goals, renovation regulations, and the role of digital solutions like Setle.

ESG as a driver for sustainable finance

Viviane Verbiest:
“ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance. As a cooperative bank, we focus on all three pillars, with particular attention to the environmental aspect because the climate crisis affects us all. Since the industrial revolution, the average global temperature has risen by one degree Celsius and sea levels by twenty centimetres. Extreme weather – from heavy rainfall to prolonged drought – is becoming more frequent.

"In line with the European Green Deal, Crelan aims to contribute to a climate-neutral EU by 2050. As a cooperative bank, we take our responsibility by promoting sustainable investments through loans for more energy-efficient homes.”

Ambitious climate goals and renovation requirements

Viviane Verbiest:
Our ambition is clear: to actively support the sustainable transition to a better climate, starting with ourselves — as a bank and employer — but also by supporting our retail and business customers.

Let's take a closer look at our residential mortgages, as these represent the largest part of our loan portfolio. We remain committed to reducing CO₂ emissions from financed homes by promoting transition loans for mortgages.

In Flanders, since January 2023, a renovation obligation requires homes with an EPC label of E or lower to be upgraded to at least label D. We aim to guide customers from the moment of purchase towards making their homes more energy efficient, ideally achieving label C or higher. This future-proofs the property and increases its value.”*

Planning renovations with Setle

Viviane Verbiest:
“Renovation is often essential for improving energy performance, but the process can be complex. That’s why we work with Setle, a digital renovation solution that makes the entire journey easier.

With Setle, customers can see:

• Estimated renovation costs

• Priorities for maximum energy impact

• Available subsidies

• The potential increase in value and the new energy label after renovation

The Setle renovation report is recognised as proof of investment for most mortgage loans, speeding up and simplifying the application process.”

Accelerating the transition to an energy-efficient housing market

Viviane Verbiest:
“We can only reduce CO₂ emissions from our housing portfolio if customers also take steps towards sustainable renovation. Digital tools like Setle make the process concrete, transparent, and achievable. Together, we can speed up the transition to a more energy-efficient housing market.”