NTA 8800 method 2026: what changes to your energy label?
From 29 May 2026 a renewed version of the NTA 8800 — the calculation method behind every official energy label — applies. Online sources are somewhat contradictory about this, with some bold claims about disappearing label classes. We checked the official sources and clearly list what really changes, what it means for your home, and what only plays out much later.
💡 Need an energy label? The price does not change because of the new method — calculate it directly.
Calculate your price →What is the NTA 8800 again?
The NTA 8800 is the legally required calculation method used to determine every official energy label. Since 1 January 2021 it replaced the older, simpler energy label: a BRL 9500-certified advisor inspects the property and calculates the energy performance according to this method, after which the label is registered in EP-online. That foundation does not change in 2026 — but the standard itself is updated on a number of points.
What exactly changes from 29 May 2026?
On 15 November 2025, a new, limited version of the NTA 8800 was finalised (often referred to as «NTA 8800:2026» or «method 2026»), with an intended legal designation date of 29 May 2026. This is the first phase of the Dutch implementation of the European EPBD IV directive. According to industry body BCRG the changes are «very limited» and mainly concern:
- Home batteries and heat storage — count towards the calculation for the first time, with a policy correction factor that can result in around a 2% improvement until 2030.
- Building automation (GACS) — a correction for legally required building management systems; missing this where required can result in around a 5% less favourable outcome.
- Fixed sun shading — is now valued separately in the calculation.
- Insulation values for bio-based materials — adjusted values, for example for reed roofs.
- New label indicators — alongside the familiar letter, the label now also shows the calculated annual energy use (electricity, heat, cooling) and CO2 emissions.
- New A0 indication — for (near) zero-emission new-build, in preparation for a later, stricter standard.
- Monuments — are no longer exempt from the energy label requirement (see also our article on the energy label for monuments).
Quite a bit also changes for advisors: mandatory refresher training between 1 January and 28 May 2026, stricter measurement-accuracy requirements, and an explicit independence requirement (no financial interest in a contractor, estate agent or landlord for whom a label is drawn up). At Hollands Duurzaam we naturally work with the current, certified calculation software.
Do I need to update my existing energy label?
No. An already issued energy label simply remains valid for 10 years and is not automatically revised, adjusted or reissued because of this change. You do not need to request a new label yourself. Only for a new application — for example when selling, a new rental, or after making sustainability improvements — will the advisor be required to use the new method from 29 May 2026.
Note: this is not the major 2030 system overhaul
Two different changes are regularly mixed up online. Reports about the disappearance of the plus labels (A+ to A++++), a stricter valuation of solar panels (less compensation for a poor building envelope) and large class shifts (for example a label shifting from C to D or B) do not belong to the 29 May 2026 change. According to the official EPBD IV timeline of the Dutch Information Point on the Living Environment (iplo.nl), that larger overhaul — with a fully renewed energy label and a modernised calculation method — is only planned for 1 January 2030. We will keep you informed as soon as more is known.
Have solar panels and considering a home battery?
One concrete, practical consequence of the 2026 change: a permanently connected home battery of at least 5 kWh, combined with solar panels, counts positively towards the energy label calculation for the first time from 29 May 2026. Considering solar panels and a battery? That could make just the difference at a label boundary. Note: this only applies to permanently connected systems, not loose «plug-and-play» batteries.
What does this mean for the price of an energy label?
Nothing concrete has been announced in the official and industry sources consulted about a price change due to the new method. At Hollands Duurzaam the fixed price per property type from €220 simply continues to apply, including inspection, calculation and registration in EP-online.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to update my existing energy label because of the 29 May 2026 change?
No. An already issued energy label simply remains valid for 10 years and is not automatically revised, adjusted or reissued. The new calculation method only applies to labels newly requested or renewed from 29 May 2026, for example when selling, renting, or after making a home more sustainable.
What exactly changes in the NTA 8800 calculation method in 2026?
The changes are limited: a new valuation for home batteries and heat storage, corrections for mandatory building automation, adjusted insulation values for certain bio-based materials, and clarified definitions. The energy label itself also gets new mandatory indicators: the calculated annual energy use and CO2 emissions, alongside the familiar label letter.
Is it true that the plus labels (A+ to A++++) disappear in 2026?
No, that does not happen in 2026. The disappearance of the plus labels, a stricter valuation of solar panels, and large class shifts belong to an announced, much larger system overhaul currently planned for 1 January 2030. Many online reports confuse these two changes.
Does my home battery count towards the energy label?
From 29 May 2026 it does, under conditions: the battery must have at least 5 kWh storage capacity, be permanently connected in the meter cupboard, and the home must also have solar panels. Loose «plug-and-play» batteries do not count. The effect is generally an improvement of around 2% on the energy performance score.
Is an energy label now required for listed monuments?
Yes. Since 29 May 2026 monuments are no longer exempt from the energy label requirement: a valid label registered in EP-online is now also required for monuments when selling or renting. They remain exempt from the minimum energy requirements themselves.
Does an energy label become more expensive due to the method 2026 change?
Nothing concrete has been announced about this in the official and industry sources consulted. At Hollands Duurzaam the fixed price per property type from €220 simply continues to apply.
Read also
- What does an energy label cost in 2026?
- Energy label for monuments: required from 2026
- Look up or calculate your energy label
- How long is an energy label valid?
Request an energy label?
At Hollands Duurzaam you pay from €220 for an official energy label including free improvement advice — a fixed all-in price, with no travel costs in our working area. We are BRL 9500-MWA-W certified, member of AVEPA and register directly in EP-online according to the current standard.