According to the Ministers of Energy Philippe Henry (Ecolo), and Housing Christophe Collignon (PS), this is both support to deal with the emergency, in a context of very high energy prices. energy, and the implementation of measures provided for in the recovery plan for Wallonia.
The planned budget is 16 million euros for the period 2022-2023.
Until now, in order to have access to housing grants relating to heating systems, carrying out an audit is a mandatory prerequisite, as well as respecting a work order, where heating systems often only intervene in the second or third packages of work recommended by the audit.
Consequently, the government of Wallonia has decided to temporarily withdraw the condition of the audit to access the heating premiums, in response to the energy price crisis.
The measure has already been adopted by the government for the people affected, in order to help them replace their heating system destroyed by the floods. For the latter, the measure applies to installation invoices between 07/13/2022 and 06/30/2023. It is now extended to all Walloon consumers, who will have installation invoices between the entry into force of the text (publication in June) and June 30, 2023.
According to Philippe Henry, this does not compromise the 2030 or 2050 objective included in Wallonia’s long-term renovation strategy and is not in contradiction with the objectives of the bonus system implemented in 2019. The use of an audit is still recommended in an overall renovation approach and support for the audit is confirmed.
To have access to the bonuses supporting more substantial energy renovation work, a prior energy audit is even compulsory, the minister stressed.
However, the cost of this audit is a hindrance for a number of households. Regional intervention is increased: depending on the category of income, the premium for the audit may range from 150 to 900 euros (compared to 110 to 660 euros currently). This increase in regional intervention in the cost of an audit is valid for installation invoices between the date of entry into force of the text, estimated in June 2022, and June 30, 2023.
