Netherlands: EIB supports Sint Trudo foundation for energy neutral social housing

Dutch Social housing foundation Sint Trudo and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have today signed a financing agreement of EUR 150 million. The facility made available by the EIB will be used for new, largely energy neutral, housing as well as making existing social housing more sustainable.

With her investment programme for the years 2016-2020 social housing association Sint Trudo answers to the lack of affordable social housing in de Eindhoven region, where population is still on the rise. The programme will create around 1.800 new, largely energy neutral, housing units. Also, existing rental housing with a relatively low energy label will be made more sustainable, up to an average “level B” Dutch energy label. The construction of new housing will take place on various locations in the region around the city of Eindhoven.

Vice-President Pim van Ballekom of the EIB said: “This operation with Sint Trudo is a good example of the EIB’s commitment for social housing in the Netherlands. Especially now, affordable housing is very important, but the facilities do have to meet certain criteria when it comes to environmental and sustainability concerns. We are glad to support Trudo in filling a gap in the housing market and happy to do so in the most energy efficient way possible.”

Sint Trudo’s CEO, Thom Aussems, added: “With this loan Sint Trudo finances a substantial part of her investment programme, with an emphasis on the construction of new, affordable, energy neutral rental housing, so-called “Near Zero Energy Buildings” (NZEBs), as well as on making existing housing more energy efficient. This fits very well with European objectives for urban renewal and sustainable communities and thus was a very good fit for EIB financing.”