Wallonia: Loan (Ecopack)

Updated: 08.02.2019

Author: Stijn Anciaux

Households willing to improve the energy performance of their houses may benefit from the Ecopack, which consists of a zero-percent interest instalment loan for the realisation of several energy saving works. In addition, the Ecopack grants the right to the energy subsidies as described in the corresponding section under “Primes Énergie”. The eligible works include the installation of certain renewable energy devices. The zero-per cent interest loan is granted for the construction of at least one energy-saving work. The loanable amount lies between € 1,000 and € 30,000, and is repayable over up to 15 years. The credit committee determines the repayment term depending on the financial situation of the applicant. The Walloon Housing Fund for large families (FLW) and the Walloon Social Credit Corporation (SWCS) were empowered by the Walloon Government to grant the zero-per cent loans.

Eligible technologies

The Ecopack is a support mechanism for the financing of works aiming at improving the energy performance of houses. The installation of heat pumps, biomass boilers, solar water heaters as well as pellet wood stoves is eligible for the zero-per cent instalment loan. The installation shall be carried out by an installer registered in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (“Banque Carrefour des Entreprises”). Moreover, the installation must comply with the technical requirements as defined by the Walloon regulation for the allocation of energy subsidies (Art. 3 of the Annex, Arrêté du 17 décembre 2015). For more information on the energy subsidies, please refer to the corresponding section under “Primes Energie”.

Aerothermal energy

The installation of aerothermal heat pumps can be supported under certain conditions regarding the coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump. For an exhaustive description of the conditions, please refer to the annex of the ministerial decree of 30 April 2015.

Solar thermal energy

The installation of solar water heaters can be supported as part of the Ecopack under certain conditions, including: 

  • The solar collectors shall comply with the requirements of the relevant European standards (Art.13, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015)
  • the installation includes solar collectors with an optical surface of at least 2m² (Art.13, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015)
  • The placement of the installation allows a solar fraction of at least 60% (Art.13, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015)
  • The installation shall meet several technical requirements concerning the minimum global performance level (Art.13, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015)
  • The solar water heater shall be installed by a registered installer (Art.13, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015)
  • More specific technical requirements can be found in the annex of the decree of 30 April 2015.

          Geothermal energy

          The installation of geothermal heat pumps can be supported under certain conditions regarding the coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump. For an exhaustive description of the conditions, please refer to the annex of the ministerial decree of 30 April 2015.

          Hydrothermal energy

          The installation of hydrothermal heat pumps can be supported under certain conditions regarding the coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump. For an exhaustive description of the conditions, please refer to the annex of the ministerial decree of 30 April 2015.

          Biomass

          The installation of biomass heating plants is eligible under certain conditions, including:

          • The plant shall be fully automated and shall meet the requirements of the European standard NBN EN 303-5 (Art.9, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015).
          • The plant shall have a thermal efficiency of > 85 % according to the NBN EN 303-5 standard (Art.9, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015).
          • The installation shall be fully undertaken by a registered installer (Art.9, Arrêté du 30 avril 2015).

          Amount

          The zero-per cent interest loan can be granted for all costs and services inherent to the eligible work. Its amount is determined on the basis of the cost estimates of the project upon acceptance by the Walloon Social Credit Corporation (SWCS) or by the Walloon Housing Fund for large families (FLW). Both institutions have the right to lower the amount of the loan, in case the cost estimates are deemed unreasonably high in comparison to the market price. The loanable amount lies between €1,000 and €30,000 (Art. 17 §1, Arrêté du 31 mai 2017 (FLW and SWCS)). Several loans may be granted consecutively under the following conditions (Art. 17, Arrêté du 31 mai 2017 (FLW and SWCS))

          • The total amount of credit granted shall not exceed € 60,000.
          • A new credit application file cannot be submitted until after full repayment of the loan and completion of the funded work.

          Addressees

          All individuals registered or in the process of registration in the population register with a reference address in Belgium are eligible to the Ecopack support. Individuals registered in the Register of foreigners with a right of residence of unlimited duration are also entitled to the Ecopack (Art. 1 §1(b), Arrêté du 31 mai 2017 (FLW) and Art. 1 §1(c), Arrêté du 31 mai 2017 (SWCS)). Moreover, the applicant has to meet following conditions in order to be eligible:

          • Be the homeowner, landlord or tenant of the house undergoing refurbishment works
          • Having received less than €93,000 overall taxable income for the year of reference
          • Be at least 18 years old or an emancipated minor
          • Be the reference person of a household with maximum 2 dependent children

          Procedure

          Process flow

            • Individuals wishing to benefit from the Ecopack support shall first contact the Ecopack call centre and submit a request for application
            • Once the application has been confirmed by the Ecopack application centre, the applicant receives all relevant information concerning the documents to be filled-in for his application as well as the address to which the application has to be sent. The application file is composed of several documents, including:
              • Application form
              • Certificate of income
              • Salary statements
            • The application is reviewed by a Credit Committee of the Walloon Housing Fund for large families (FLW) or the Walloon Social Credit Corporation (SWCS). Upon favourable decision by the Committee, the applicant receives a loan offer by mail.
            • The applicant signs the loan offer and sends it back to the Ecopack application centre, in order to establish a final version of the loan agreement
            • Once the final version of the loan agreement is signed, the applicant has two years to complete the refurbishment works foreseen within his Ecopack support.
            • The payment of the invoices related to the refurbishment works are directly taken over by the FLW or the SWCS upon receipt of the invoices and their corresponding form.

                Competent authority

                The competent authorities are the Walloon Housing Fund for large families and the Walloon Social Credit Corporation

                Distribution of costs

                State

                The Ecopack support is directly financed by the budget of the Walloon region.