Heating accounts for a significant proportion of energy consumption in residential buildings. Figures from the federal government show that 13 % of total greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to residential heating. Switching from fossil fuels to heat pumps therefore offers significant potential for further reducing our CO₂ emissions.
However, for many people, switching to a heat pump remains a significant investment. That is precisely why the West Flemish company NON.energy has developed a solution. “We started out as installers over 10 years ago. In 2016, we decided to focus entirely on heat pumps,” explains CEO Roel Vaneeckhout. However, that market was slow to take off. “During discussions with property developers, we noticed the same thing time and again. Project developers wanted high-quality installations, but in the end they usually fell back on cheaper solutions so that they could stay within the allocated budget.”
"},"title":"Significant investment"},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"90 % opt for the rental model"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"right","extension":"png","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/7c9b59c4-8add-4e06-8179-93b47d508822/Nonenergy4.png","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/7c9b59c4-8add-4e06-8179-93b47d508822/Nonenergy4"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"“That made us realise that we shouldn’t just look at the purchase price of a system, but at the total cost over its entire lifespan,” explains Vaneeckhout. This is how the idea for the ‘Heat-as-a-Service’ concept came about. The company developed a subscription model whereby customers do not buy the heat pump, but purchase heat as a service. “Instead of a large one-off investment, the end customer pays a monthly fee. NON.energy remains the owner of the installation and also takes care of maintenance, monitoring and any necessary repairs.”
Thanks to the rental model, we can always offer the very latest technology from premium brands such as NIBE
This approach appears to be proving successful. The company has now installed 400 heat pumps, with a further 1,100 on order. “Property developers saw the potential in our model. Thanks to the rental model, we can always offer the very latest technology from premium brands such as NIBE, whilst keeping the cost affordable for the end user. In the construction projects that have been completed, around 90 per cent of customers have opted to rent the heat pump,” says Roel Vaneeckhout.
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Making the model financially viable"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"left","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/b85b111e-bec8-40ea-a92a-9adfa9cafc46/Sven-Schalckens.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/b85b111e-bec8-40ea-a92a-9adfa9cafc46/Sven-Schalckens"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"“Many companies talk about the energy transition, but NON.energy is actually putting it into practice, in an innovative way and with a scalable solution,” notes Sven Schalckens, Relationship Manager at ING Belgium. “In this way, they are making sustainable heating accessible to a much wider group of people. This ties in perfectly with our objective as a bank to accelerate the energy transition through the loans we provide.”
Through long-term financing, based on the service contracts, we are giving the company the opportunity to grow and supporting its solvency
The bank is financing the installations, but also helped devise the financial structure underpinning the subscription model. “We believed in this project from the outset, because the founders combine technical expertise with vision and innovation. ING has not only provided loans, but has also sat down with NON.energy to make their innovative model financially viable,” says Schalckens. “Through long-term financing, based on the service contracts, we are giving the company the opportunity to grow and supporting its solvency.”
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Heat pump becomes a smart energy hub"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Meanwhile, NON.energy has also developed its own digital platform, which enables it to monitor its heat pumps continuously. Each installation includes a controller connected to the cloud. This allows performance to be monitored continuously and adjusted where necessary. Roel Vaneeckhout: “That makes energy management a lot simpler. For example, we can adjust the settings remotely based on the demand for heating or cooling. When a heatwave is forecast, we start cooling the home a few days in advance. This ensures a much higher level of comfort.”
An additional advantage is that the company can also resolve issues remotely. “We can now handle around 70 % of service calls without having to send out a technician,” says Vaneeckhout. “And if someone does need to go on-site, we know in advance which part is required. Maintenance is therefore much more efficient, which is a good thing for both the customer and us.”
"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Standardisation for faster installation"},{"alignedImage":{"position":"right","extension":"jpg","original":"https://assets.ing.com/asset/a6457c67-a58c-4d5e-8934-28c74ee1a63e/Non-energy2.jpg","transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/a6457c67-a58c-4d5e-8934-28c74ee1a63e/Non-energy2"},"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Following the surge in popularity of solar panels, electric cars and home charging points in recent years, NON.energy is now seeing demand for heat pumps rise. “The heat pump is actually the central asset of a home. It makes heating more sustainable and far more efficient: a premium heat pump reduces energy consumption to one-fifth of that of a conventional heating system. Anyone wishing to keep their energy bills down in times of fluctuating prices, the capacity tariff and rising fossil fuel prices is thus making a forward-looking choice.”
By using its own modular frame, the pump can be installed and connected more quickly on site
To meet the growing demand, the company is also focusing on the industrialisation of the installation process. By using its own modular frame, in which the heat pump system is pre-assembled, the pump can be installed and connected more quickly on site. Roel Vaneeckhout: “We are working with the social enterprise Waak on this. The result of this standardisation is a shorter installation time and higher quality. This will enable us to scale up and grow to around 1,500 new installations per year in the new-build market. In the long term, we also aim to tap into the private renovation market in this way.”
"}},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Find out how ING supports businesses in the sustainable transition.
This article was previously published in Trends/Tendances.
"},"title":"Wondering what ING can do for you?"}]},"hasMacro":false,"id":"8552448a-726d-4209-9109-c4847e3d98d0","legalZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"Society is transitioning to a low-carbon economy. So are our clients, and so is ING. We finance a lot of sustainable activities, but we still finance more that’s not. See how we’re progressing on ing.com/climate.
This article is for informative purposes only and the information set out herein may change with time. We therefore recommend that you always reference specific regulations and requirements with the competent authorities for the latest information. Additionally, we advise that you seek professional advice on a case-by-case basis before making any decisions. Please note that ING Belgium SA/NV cannot be held liable for any decision taken on the basis of the information provided.
"}}]},"localeString":"en-GB","mainHeaderZone":{"backLink":{"textLink":{"text":"Sustainability is everyone's business","url":"/en/business/sustainable-business"}},"componentType":"editorialHeader","coreHeader":{"body":"The energy transition often revolves around solar panels, batteries and electric cars. Yet one of the biggest challenges today lies elsewhere: making our heating systems more sustainable. To make the switch to heat pumps easier, NON.energy has developed an ‘as-a-Service’ model for property developers and installers.","title":"Non.energy makes heat pumps affordable through an ‘as-a-service’ model"},"date":"2026-07-22","readingTime":0},"publishDate":"2026-08-18T10:29:51.093+02:00"}}