Renovate
Published on 1 February 202610 min read
Renovation Grants in Wallonia 2026
The Immolytics editorial team
Why Renovate in Wallonia in 2026?
Wallonia ranks among the European regions with the most energy-hungry housing stock. According to SPW Energy data, more than 65% of Walloon homes have an EPC certificate of category D or lower. Facing the climate emergency and rising energy costs, the Walloon Region has strengthened its grant system to encourage energy renovation.
In 2026, the Walloon grants system remains one of Belgium's most generous. Homeowners can recover up to 70% of renovation costs depending on their income and the type of work. Here is a complete guide to navigating this system.
What Renovation Subsidies Are and Who Pays Them
Renovation subsidies are public payments that cover part of the cost of improving an existing home, most often its energy performance.
In Belgium this support is organised by region, so the address of the property decides which rules apply. This guide covers the Wallonian schemes, detailed below.
Three principles run through all of them.
- The property must already exist and be used as housing; new builds follow separate rules.
- The support is calculated on the household situation, not on the works alone.
- The technical justification comes from an audit carried out before the works start.
Subsidies are also paid once the invoices exist, never in advance. Owners finance the works first, then receive the grant after the file has been accepted.
The Housing Premium: The Main Scheme
The Housing Premium (Prime Habitation) is the central renovation support mechanism in Wallonia. It has replaced the former energy and renovation grants since 2019.
How It Works
- You have a housing audit carried out by an accredited auditor (mandatory)
- The auditor produces a report with priority work recommendations
- You carry out the recommended works in priority order
- You submit the grant application after each phase of work
Grant Amounts by Income
Households are classified into 4 income categories:
- Category R1 (income ≤ 24,600 euros/year): grant covering up to 70% of works
- Category R2 (income ≤ 34,900 euros/year): grant covering up to 60% of works
- Category R3 (income ≤ 54,400 euros/year): grant covering up to 50% of works
- Category R4 (income > 54,400 euros/year): grant covering up to 35% of works
Ceilings by Work Type
- Roof insulation: up to 50 euros/m² (maximum grant 6,000 euros)
- Wall insulation: up to 65 euros/m² (maximum grant 9,000 euros)
- Floor insulation: up to 40 euros/m² (maximum grant 4,500 euros)
- Window replacement: up to 110 euros/m² of glazing (maximum grant 8,000 euros)
- Heat pump: up to 6,000 euros grant
- Biomass boiler: up to 4,000 euros grant
- Solar thermal panels: up to 3,000 euros grant
- Mechanical ventilation: up to 4,500 euros grant
The Housing Audit: A Mandatory Step
Since 2019, the housing audit has been a mandatory prerequisite for obtaining the Housing Premium. It costs between 800 and 1,200 euros, but the audit itself is also subsidised.
What Does the Audit Include?
- A complete diagnosis of the home's energy performance
- A ranking of works in priority order (this order must be respected to obtain grants)
- A cost estimate and expected energy savings
- The current EPC label and the target label after works
Grant for the Audit
- Category R1/R2: 660 euros grant for the audit
- Category R3: 440 euros
- Category R4: 330 euros
The audit is valid for 7 years. Find an accredited auditor on the SPW Energy website. Also check our EPC certificate guide to understand the implications of energy ratings.
EPC Obligations in Wallonia
In 2026, Wallonia is progressively tightening its energy performance requirements:
- Since 2023: the EPC certificate is mandatory for every sale or rental
- 2026-2030: target to renovate the Walloon housing stock to an average EPC of C
- Renovation obligation on sale: for properties rated F or G, the buyer commits to carrying out improvement works within 5 years (draft legislation)
These obligations increase the discount on poorly rated properties. According to the Notary Barometer, a property with EPC G sells on average 15 to 20% cheaper than a property with EPC A or B, for comparable surface area and location.
Complementary Grants
Triodos Bank RENO Loan
In partnership with the Walloon Region, Triodos Bank offers a reduced-rate loan (0 to 1%) to finance energy renovation works. Amount: 1,000 to 60,000 euros, term up to 30 years. Can be combined with the Housing Premium.
Property Tax Reduction
Some Walloon municipalities offer a property tax reduction for renovated homes achieving a good EPC score. Check with your local municipal administration.
Federal Tax Deduction
At the federal level, certain energy-saving works qualify for a tax reduction. In 2026, this mainly concerns roof insulation (30% reduction of the work amount, capped at 3,490 euros). This deduction can be combined with regional grants.
How to Check Which Subsidies Apply to Your Project
Checking eligibility is a sequence, not a single lookup: the region comes first, then the property, then the works.
Following that order avoids building a file that fails on a condition set earlier in the chain.
- Confirm which region the property belongs to, since each one runs its own scheme and forms.
- Check that the property qualifies as existing housing under the scheme described above.
- Have the audit carried out before ordering any work, because it sets the recommended order of the works.
- Keep quotes and invoices in the name of the applicant, and submit them before the stated deadline.
The complementary loan and tax measures described above can be combined with the main scheme, but each one is assessed on its own conditions.
How to Submit Your Grant Application
- Have the housing audit carried out by an accredited auditor
- Choose the works according to the audit's priority order
- Obtain at least 2 quotes from registered contractors
- Have the works carried out by a registered contractor
- Submit your application via the SPW Energy online portal within 4 months of the last invoice
- Attach the documents: invoices, proof of payment, audit report, before/after photos
- Wait for the decision: average processing time of 4 to 6 months
Applying Outside Wallonia: Where Each Region Takes Your Request
Where you apply depends on the address of the property, not on your own address. Each Belgian region runs its own scheme, its own forms and its own calendar.
In Wallonia, the route described above applies: the housing audit first, then the application to SPW Energy once the invoices are paid.
In Flanders, the scheme is Mijn VerbouwPremie and the request goes to the Flemish administration. Since 1 March 2026, the two highest income categories can only claim the heat pump or the heat pump water heater, while the lower categories keep access to insulation, windows and roofing.
In Brussels, check the current status before you build a budget around a grant: as of April 2026, no government decision had been announced on new forms of financial support for renovation.
One rule holds everywhere: the paperwork comes before the works, never after.
Complete Renovation Example with Grants
Semi-Detached House in Liege, EPC G to EPC B
- Roof insulation (80 m²): 8,000 euros → R3 grant: 4,000 euros
- Wall insulation (120 m²): 18,000 euros → R3 grant: 7,800 euros
- Window replacement (30 m²): 15,000 euros → R3 grant: 3,300 euros
- Heat pump: 14,000 euros → R3 grant: 6,000 euros
- Ventilation: 6,000 euros → R3 grant: 3,000 euros
- Total works: 61,000 euros
- Total grants: 24,100 euros (39.5% coverage)
- Net cost: 36,900 euros
This renovation would yield estimated energy savings of 2,500 euros per year, giving a return on investment of approximately 15 years. Not counting the immediate increase in property value. For more details on renovation costs, read our article on renovating an older property.
Practical Tips
- Always start with the audit: no audit means no grant. Works carried out before the audit are not eligible.
- Respect the priority order: insulation before heating, roof before walls. If you do not follow the audit's order, grants may be reduced.
- Choose registered contractors: only works performed by professionals registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises are eligible.
- Keep all documents: invoices, purchase orders, before/after photos. SPW can audit up to 5 years after payment.
- Combine support measures: Housing Premium + Reno loan + federal tax deduction. Maximise your financial coverage.
FAQ
What are renovation subsidies?
They are public schemes that cover part of the cost of renovating an existing home, mainly works that improve its energy performance. In Belgium the regions grant them, and each sets its own conditions and procedure.
Do renovation subsidies exist outside Wallonia?
Yes. Each Belgian region runs its own renovation support, and the address of the property determines which one applies. An owner located outside Wallonia follows that region's own procedure.
How do I apply for a renovation subsidy in Belgium?
Start from the region where the property stands, because that region sets the procedure. In Wallonia, have the housing audit carried out first, keep the order of works it recommends, then file the invoices, the proof of payment and the audit report with SPW Energy. In Flanders and Brussels the logic is the same, but the scheme and the administration differ.
Is there a deadline to apply in Wallonia?
Yes. Under the transitional Primes Habitation scheme, the audit, the works and the final invoice must all be filed by 30 September 2026. A project starting close to that date should be planned around the calendar rather than around the amount.
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