Brussels Renovation Premium 2026: Grants Are Paused — Here's What's Left (ECORENO + 6% VAT)

If you have been searching for a Brussels renovation premium 2026, here is the news no one likes to deliver: the regional grants are paused. The RENOLUTION premiums that used to fund roof insulation, windows, heat pumps and more are suspended, with no government decision on a replacement. That sounds like a dead end — but it is not. Two real, active supports remain: the ECORENO low-interest loan and a 6% VAT rate. And the clock is ticking on a separate obligation, the PEB targets, which make renovating a question of when, not if. This guide lays out exactly what you can still use in 2026.

Key facts (2026)

• RENOLUTION premiums are suspended. The official portal states there is no government decision on new support; only 2024 final-invoice files are still being settled.
• ECORENO loan is active: reopened on 1 January 2026 at 2.5% or 3.5% interest, depending on your income.
• 6% VAT applies to heat pumps (delivery + installation) through 2026–2030, even in dwellings under 10 years old — but hybrid heat pumps are excluded.
• Fossil-fuel boilers now carry 21% VAT on supply and installation (since 29 July 2025).
• PEB obligation: every Brussels dwelling must reach class E (≤ 275 kWh/m²·yr) by 2033 and, provisionally, class C (≤ 150) by 2046.
• The federal green-loan interest deduction has been abolished — do not count on it.

Why the premiums stopped — and what that means for you

For years, Brussels homeowners leaned on RENOLUTION primes to part-fund energy work. As of 2026 those grants are suspended: the region has not renewed them, and the official RENOLUTION page is explicit that there is no government decision regarding any new form of support. Old premium amounts are kept online only as a historical reference, and the only files still being paid are 2024-dated final invoices that were already in the pipeline.

What this means in practice: you should plan your 2026 project without assuming a regional grant. That is a real change from previous years, and it is the single most important thing to get right. The good news is that the two supports below genuinely lower your cost — and the PEB calendar means the work pays for itself in compliance as well as comfort.

The ECORENO loan: your main lever in 2026

The ECORENO loan, run by the Fonds du Logement, reopened for new applications on 1 January 2026. It is the centrepiece of what Brussels still offers. The headline is the rate: 2.5% or 3.5%, well below a standard renovation loan.

How the two rates work:

• 2.5% if your income is below the lower scale — for example, an isolated person or single-parent household up to about €45,600, or another household up to about €60,600 (with €5,000 added per dependant).
• 3.5% for incomes between that lower scale and the upper access ceiling.

There are two variants. The consumer version lends from €1,500 to €25,000 over up to 10 years, with no fees. The mortgage version can fund up to 120% of your post-works property value over up to 30 years, with modest fees (a €324 expertise fee plus a €60 file fee). A few conditions apply throughout: you must reside permanently in Belgium, the property must be your only fully-owned home, and your contractor must be properly registered and VAT-liable. The loan covers a broad menu of works — insulation, ventilation, heating and heat pumps, solar, electricity, sanitary, roofing and more.

You can apply directly to the Fonds du Logement, or get free help from Homegrade or the Réseau Habitat, who will analyse your project, check eligibility and help draft the request. One note: ECORENO is currently aimed at owner-occupiers and future buyers (with a tenant variant), and is not at present open to landlords renting out or to co-owner associations.

The 6% VAT rate: use it on the heat pump

The second active support is fiscal. A 6% VAT rate — instead of the standard 21% — applies to heat pumps, covering both the unit and its installation, for VAT due between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2030. Re-introduced by federal circular 2026/C/19, it even reaches dwellings under 10 years old and new builds during this window.

Two limits matter:

• Hybrid heat pumps are excluded — that is, a heat pump combined with a fossil-fuel system that can run on its own, including all-in-one hybrids in a single box. These are treated like fossil installations.
• Going the other way, installing a fossil-fuel boiler now attracts 21% VAT on supply and installation (gas, oil or coal), in force since 29 July 2025. The "non-specific" distribution parts — hydraulic pipes, underfloor heating, radiators — can still qualify for 6% in a dwelling over 10 years old, but your invoice must split the items clearly, or the whole bill is taxed at 21%.

The direction of travel is unmistakable: the tax system now rewards electrification and penalises new fossil heating. Replacing a heating system in Brussels, a heat pump is both the cheaper VAT choice and the better move for your PEB label, which is measured in primary energy.

The PEB obligation: the deadline behind it all

Even with grants paused, Brussels homeowners face a hardening PEB obligation that makes renovation unavoidable over time. Every dwelling — whether sold, rented or owner-occupied — must meet minimum energy targets set by its PEB certificate:

• Class E (≤ 275 kWh/m²·yr) by 2033.
• Provisionally, class C (≤ 150 kWh/m²·yr) by 2046 (public operators by 2040).
• The longer-term regional aim is roughly class C+ (around 100 kWh/m²·yr) by 2050.

A reform of the PEB calculation method also lands in 2026 (for instance the electricity primary-energy factor moves from 2.5 toward 1.9). The practical message stands: if your home is in the worst classes today, the 2033 target is closer than it looks, and the cheapest way to meet it is fabric-first work — roof, walls, airtightness — before you touch the heating.

How to play 2026 in Brussels

Putting it together, a sensible plan for a Brussels owner this year looks like this:

1. Check your PEB class and your 2033/2046 gap first — that tells you how much work is genuinely required.
2. Finance the project with ECORENO at 2.5% or 3.5%, ideally after a free eligibility check with Homegrade.
3. Choose a heat pump, not a fossil boiler, to capture the 6% VAT and improve your label — never a hybrid if you want that 6% rate.
4. Do not budget for a RENOLUTION grant in 2026, and ignore any advice to use the abolished green-loan interest deduction.

Before you commit a euro, it pays to see your likely PEB class jump and the financing that fits. Qote gives you an instant renovation estimate with a label-jump projection for your address, so you can size an ECORENO application with confidence. If you also own or are buying in Wallonia, the time-limited rules there differ — see our guide to the Wallonia renovation grants 2026, or start at the Qote homepage.

Frequently asked questions

Are there still renovation premiums in Brussels in 2026?

No. The RENOLUTION premiums are suspended, and the official portal confirms there is no government decision on new support. Only 2024 final-invoice files are still being settled. The active supports are the ECORENO loan and the 6% VAT rate.

What interest rate does the ECORENO loan charge?

2.5% or 3.5%, depending on your income. The lower 2.5% rate applies below a defined income scale; 3.5% applies between that scale and the upper access ceiling. The loan reopened on 1 January 2026.

Does the 6% VAT apply to my heat pump in Brussels?

Yes, for VAT due between 2026 and 2030, including in dwellings under 10 years old. Hybrid heat pumps (combined with a fossil-fuel system) are excluded. Installing a new gas, oil or coal boiler instead attracts 21% VAT.

When must a Brussels home reach a given PEB class?

Every dwelling must reach class E (≤ 275 kWh/m²·yr) by 2033 and, provisionally, class C (≤ 150) by 2046. This applies whether the home is sold, rented or owner-occupied.

Can a landlord use the ECORENO loan?

Currently, no. ECORENO is aimed at owner-occupiers and future buyers (with a tenant variant) and is not at present open to landlords renting out or to co-owner associations. Check fonds.brussels for any updates.

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