Usable floor area: what counts — and what does not
The gebruiksoppervlakte (usable floor area, abbreviated GO) is the official floor area of a Dutch home, measured according to the NEN 2580 standard. It is the area you see in the BAG register, in property listings ánd on your energy label — and precisely because those sources measure slightly differently, this term raises a lot of questions.
What exactly is the usable floor area?
Put simply: all floor area inside the walls where you can normally stand and live, measured internally (between the walls, not across them). The most important rule is the headroom rule: only floor area with a clear height of at least 1.50 metres counts. Under a sloping roof the low part under the slope does not count, even though it is fine for storing boxes.
What does not count (as living area)?
- 🚫 Floor area with a clear height below 1.50 m (sloping roofs, low basements).
- 🚫 Outdoor spaces such as a balcony, garden or roof terrace.
- 🚫 An attached garage or unheated storage room: this falls under “other internal space”, not under the usable living area.
- 🚫 A detached shed or external storage on the plot.
Why are there different areas for my home?
The same home can have a (slightly) different area in different sources. That is usually not an error, but a difference in purpose and moment of measurement:
| Source | What it is |
|---|---|
| BAG | The municipal register (viewable via the BAG Viewer of the Kadaster). Can be outdated, for example after a renovation or extension. |
| Property listing (estate agent) | Measured according to the measurement instruction for “usable living area” based on NEN 2580. |
| Energy label | Measured on site by the advisor following the inspection protocol; only the area inside the heated zone counts. |
For the energy label, the thermal envelope counts. The label calculation uses the usable floor area of the heated part of the home. An unheated attached garage outside the insulation line therefore does not count — a heated, insulated extension does.
Why does the floor area matter for your energy label?
The label class is determined by the primary fossil energy use — expressed per square metre of usable floor area per year. The area is therefore directly part of the calculation under NTA 8800. That is why the advisor measures the home accurately during the inspection instead of blindly relying on an old registration. The area also determines a substantial share of the WWS points when renting out.
Frequently asked questions
What is the gebruiksoppervlakte?
The gebruiksoppervlakte, abbreviated GO, is the official floor area of a Dutch home, measured internally according to the NEN 2580 standard. Put simply: all floor area inside the walls where you can normally stand and live. It is the area you see in the BAG register, in property listings and on the energy label.
Does the attic count towards the usable floor area?
Partly. Under a sloping roof only the part with a clear height of at least 1.50 metres counts. The low part under the slope does not count, even though you can store things there.
Does the garage count towards the usable floor area?
Usually not as living area. An attached garage or unheated storage room falls under other internal space in the measurement instruction, not under the usable living area. For the energy label an unheated garage outside the thermal envelope does not count either.
Why does the area on my energy label differ from the BAG or the listing?
Because the sources differ. The BAG is the municipal register and can be outdated, for example after a renovation or extension. An estate agent measures according to the measurement instruction for property listings. For the energy label the advisor measures the home on site following the inspection protocol, where only the area inside the heated zone counts. Small differences between these sources are therefore normal.
Where do I find the official floor area of my home?
The BAG Viewer of the Dutch Kadaster shows the registered usable floor area per address. The area used for your energy label is part of the label registered in EP-online.
More in the knowledge base
- Primary fossil energy use: the core value of the label
- NTA 8800: the calculation method behind the label
- WWS points: the Dutch housing valuation system
- EP-online: the official label register
- Look up an energy label by address
Request an energy label?
At Hollands Duurzaam you pay from €220 for an official energy label including free improvement advice — with an accurate on-site measurement, a fixed all-in price and no travel costs within our service area. BRL 9500-MWA-W certified, registered directly in EP-online.