The energy label has evolved in just a few years from a relatively unknown certificate to one of the most important factors in the commercial property market. Since 1 January 2023, the Netherlands has required office buildings to have at least energy label C. Buildings that do not meet this requirement may in principle no longer be used as offices. But what does this concretely mean for you as a tenant? How does the energy label influence rent, service charges, and the future value of the property?
What is an energy label for commercial buildings?
An energy label indicates how energy-efficient a building is. The scale runs from A++++ (very energy-efficient) to G (very energy-inefficient). The label is determined on the basis of an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), in which a certified assessor evaluates the building's insulation, heating systems, cooling, ventilation, lighting, and any sustainable energy generation such as solar panels.
For office buildings, the energy label is not optional. It is a legal requirement directly linked to the building's usage permit. A building owner who lets their property without a valid energy label risks enforcement action by the municipality, ranging from a warning to a penalty or even a prohibition on use.
The energy label is a snapshot of the building envelope and installations. It says nothing about the actual energy consumption by the tenant — that depends on usage intensity, opening hours, and the type of business activities. Nevertheless, the label is a reliable indicator of the fundamental energy quality of a building.
Legal requirements in 2026 and beyond
The minimum requirement of energy label C for offices has been in force since 2023. But legislation is not standing still. The Dutch government has announced that the standard will be tightened to at least energy label A by 2030. This means that building owners must invest heavily in sustainability improvements over the coming years.
Key facts about the regulations:
- Office buildings larger than 100 m² fall under the label C obligation. Smaller premises and listed buildings are (for now) exempt.
- The label A requirement in 2030 is expected to apply to all office buildings, and possibly to other types of commercial property as well.
- Enforcement lies with municipalities. Active inspections take place in the Randstad; in other regions, enforcement sometimes lags behind.
- EPBD IV (the revised European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive) sets additional requirements for the total CO2 emissions of commercial property, with interim targets in 2027 and 2030.
For tenants, this means that a property with label C meets current requirements, but may need to be upgraded again within four years. This can lead to renovation works, temporary disruption, or even a necessary relocation if the owner does not invest.
A property with label C meets current legislation, but by 2030 it must be at least label A. If you are signing a long-term lease, factor in this tightening of requirements.
Direct impact on rent
The energy label has a measurable effect on rent per square metre. Market analyses by NVM Business, Cushman & Wakefield and JLL show that in 2025-2026 there is a clear 'green premium' for sustainable buildings, and a 'brown discount' for energetically weaker properties.
The figures for the Dutch office market in 2026:
- Label A or better: on average 5 to 15 per cent higher rent compared to label C properties in comparable locations.
- Label B: on average 2 to 7 per cent higher rent compared to label C.
- Label C: the current legal minimum; this has now become the baseline standard.
- Label D or lower: technically no longer permitted for office use. In practice, these properties are let with a sustainability improvement agreement or repurposed as storage space.
In absolute terms, this translates as follows. In Amsterdam, you pay an average of EUR 385-450 per m² per year for a label A office in 2026, while a comparable label C property comes in at EUR 320-375 per m². In cities such as Utrecht and The Hague, the relative differences are similar, although the absolute rents are lower (EUR 225-295 for label A versus EUR 195-255 for label C).
Does this mean you are always better off with a cheaper label C property? Not necessarily. The lower rent may be offset by higher energy costs, and there is the risk that your landlord invests insufficiently to meet the future label A requirement.
Service charges and energy consumption
Where rent reflects the label indirectly, energy costs are directly influenced by it. A building with a better energy label simply consumes less energy for heating, cooling, and ventilation. This translates into lower service charges.
Average energy costs per m² per year for office space in the Netherlands (2026):
- Label A or better: EUR 18-28 per m² per year
- Label B: EUR 26-38 per m² per year
- Label C: EUR 34-50 per m² per year
For an office of 500 m², the difference between label A and label C can therefore amount to EUR 11,000-16,000 per year in energy costs. Over a five-year lease term, that is EUR 55,000-80,000. These are figures that put the seemingly lower rent of a label C property in a very different perspective.
Moreover, energy prices in the Netherlands have been structurally higher since 2022 than in the preceding decade. With the ongoing energy transition and rising CO2 levies, the expectation is that this gap will only widen in the coming years. The better the energy label, the better protected you are against rising energy prices.
A label A office of 500 m² saves you up to EUR 16,000 per year in energy costs compared to label C. Over five years, that adds up to EUR 80,000.
Negotiating around the energy label
The energy label provides surprisingly ample negotiating room when concluding a lease. As a tenant, you can use the label as leverage in several scenarios:
Scenario 1: The property has label C and you are signing a long-term lease. Ask the landlord to prepare a sustainability plan for the route to label A. Record in the lease that the landlord will make the necessary investments before 2030. Negotiate a rent reduction or rent-free period as compensation for any disruption during renovation works.
Scenario 2: The property has label A or better. Use the lower energy costs as an argument to accept a slightly higher base rent, but ask for transparency in the service charge settlement. Ensure that energy costs are settled separately on the basis of actual consumption, so that you genuinely benefit from the energy efficiency.
Scenario 3: The property has a BREEAM or WELL certification alongside the energy label. These certifications go beyond energy performance and also encompass air quality, water use, materials and health. This adds value for your employees, but does not automatically justify a significantly higher rent. Negotiate on the basis of the tangible benefits your employees will experience.
Want to know more about negotiating when renting commercial property? Also read our article on rent-free periods and how to use them as a negotiation tool.
BREEAM, WELL and other certifications
The legally required energy label is just the beginning. Increasing numbers of landlords and investors are investing in additional sustainability certifications to differentiate their properties in the market:
- BREEAM-NL: The most widely used sustainability certification in the Netherlands. Assesses buildings across nine categories including energy, health, transport, materials and water management. Classifications range from Pass to Outstanding.
- WELL Building Standard: Focuses specifically on the health and well-being of building users. Assesses air quality, water quality, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort and sound.
- LEED: International sustainability certification, less common in the Netherlands but relevant for international tenants.
- Paris Proof: A building is 'Paris Proof' if its energy consumption aligns with the goals of the Paris Agreement. This is currently the highest ambition in the Dutch property market.
A property with BREEAM Excellent or Outstanding typically has energy label A or better, but additionally offers benefits in terms of employee satisfaction, absenteeism reduction, and employer branding. Research by the World Green Building Council shows that employees in BREEAM-certified offices are on average 8-11 per cent more productive and have 15-25 per cent less sick leave.
Future outlook: towards label A by 2030
The tightening to label A in 2030 will profoundly change the office market. It is estimated that 40-50 per cent of Dutch office buildings currently do not yet meet the future label A standard. This means an enormous sustainability task lies ahead for the property sector in the coming years.
For tenants, this has various consequences:
- Renovation wave: Many landlords will start large-scale sustainability projects in the next three to four years. This may mean temporary disruption for sitting tenants.
- Market shift: Properties that are not upgraded will disappear from the office market. They will be demolished, repurposed, or converted into housing. This tightens the supply of office space.
- Price increases: Due to the tighter supply of quality, sustainable office space and the rising construction costs of sustainability improvements, rents for label A properties are expected to rise by 3-6 per cent per year on top of regular indexation.
- Financeability: Banks and investors are setting increasingly strict sustainability requirements for their property portfolios. Properties with a poor energy label are becoming harder to finance, forcing owners to invest or sell.
Anyone signing a lease now for five years or longer will be right in the middle of this transition by 2030 or 2031. It is therefore sensible to choose a property now that has at least label B, or to make contractual agreements about sustainability improvements.
Checklist for the tenant
Use this checklist when assessing the energy label of a potential new office:
- Request the current energy label and verify that it is registered with EP-online (the official database).
- Ask about the landlord's plan to meet the label A requirement by 2030.
- Calculate total occupancy costs: base rent plus estimated energy costs, not just the rent.
- Have the service charge budget specified, with a separate item for energy costs.
- Record sustainability agreements in the lease, including a compensation arrangement for disruption.
- Check whether the property has additional certifications (BREEAM, WELL) and what these concretely deliver.
- Ask for the actual energy consumption over the past three years (via the landlord or energy supplier).
- Enquire with the municipality about the enforcement policy around energy labels in the relevant region.
The energy label is no longer a side issue — it is a core component of every accommodation decision. By including the label in your considerations, you protect yourself against rising costs and future regulations. Want to learn more about all the costs involved in renting commercial property? Read our comprehensive article on hidden costs when renting commercial property. Or check out our article on service charges for a complete overview of additional costs.
