Energy Efficiency Loan 

Improve the energy efficiency and living comfort of your house by making an energy renovation. 

Add energy efficiency and value to your house 

The energy renovation of your house can help you save in heating expenses, increase the value of your house and improve your living comfort.

A discount on home insurance and loan interest 

If you apply for an Energy Efficiency Loan from OP, you can get a discount on the home insurance of the renovated property as well as a discount of up to 0.3% percentage points on your loan margin.

Financing that suits your needs 

During the negotiations, you can select whether you are taking out a loan for yourself to pay bills or whether we will pay the bill for you.

As an OP cooperative bank owner-customer, you will earn OP bonuses from your Energy Efficiency Loan 

If you're an OP cooperative bank's owner-customer, you can earn OP bonuses worth hundreds of euros on your Energy Efficiency Loan. Earned OP bonuses are used to cover charges and fees related to personal banking and insurance services.

Apply for an Energy Efficiency Loan or consent to a joint application 

Start an Energy Efficiency Loan application or continue a previously started application

    

Apply for a loan

    

Approve a joint Energy Efficiency Loan application started by the other applicant

    

Go to consent

    

Start an Energy Efficiency Loan application or continue a previously started application

    

Apply for a loan

    

Approve a joint Energy Efficiency Loan application started by the other applicant

    

Go to consent

What is an Energy Efficiency Loan?

An Energy Efficiency Loan is a secured loan with which you can finance refurbishing and renovations intended to improve the energy efficiency of your house. You can apply for a loan by yourself or together with another person.

For what kind of renovation can I apply for an Energy Efficiency Loan?

An Energy Efficiency Loan is ideal for renovation projects aimed to replace the heating system or deploy renewable energy, including:

  • Shifting to geothermal heat
  • Purchasing an air source heat pump or air-to-water heat pump
  • Purchasing and installing solar panels

Other renovations you can finance with an Energy Efficiency Loan

You can apply for an Energy Efficiency Loan to finance, for example, the following purchases and renovations to improve energy efficiency:

  • Sealing a building and adding insulation
  • Electric vehicle charging stations
  • Replacing old windows, doors or light sources with more energy-efficient options
  • Planning costs for an energy renovation, including an energy audit and getting an energy certificate.

You can get an Energy Efficiency Loan if the following conditions are met

  1. You need a loan of at least EUR 10,000
  2. You have a collateral for the loan
  3. You use at least 50% of the loan for improvements that fulfil the energy renovation criteria and prove it with your project bills
  4. The property to be renovated is a one- or two-family house or a holiday cabin

 

Example of the financial benefit you will get from the discount on the Energy Efficiency Loan margin

The bar chart reflects the financial benefit of an Energy Efficiency Loan compared to a renovation loan. When calculated using the data in the example, a benefit of 0.3 percentage points on the Energy Efficiency Loan margin can mean a financial benefit of 514 euros from the loan interest expenses over the entire loan period.  The bar chart reflects the financial benefit of an Energy Efficiency Loan compared to a renovation loan. When calculated using the data in the example, a benefit of 0.3 percentage points on the Energy Efficiency Loan margin can mean a financial benefit of 514 euros from the loan interest expenses over the entire loan period. 

In addition to the discount on the loan margin, you will receive a 20% discount on your Pohjola Insurance home insurance for the property to be renovated for the first year. Data used in the calculation: Loan amount: EUR 30,000, repayment period: 10 years, repayment method: variable annuity, reference interest rate 2.921% (12-month Euribor on 18 September 2024).

What kind of collateral is required for an Energy Efficiency Loan?

The loan collateral can be the house to be renovated, for example. You can still send a loan application even if you don't have a clear idea of the collateral available to you. In the loan negotiations, your bank will review the need and availability of collateral with you in person.

Steps of the application process for an Energy Efficiency Loan

  1. Fill in a loan application online
    If you're applying for a loan with another person, state this in your application. We will send the other applicant a message so that they can consent to the joint application and add their personal information. Then, you can finalise and send the application.
  2. We'll contact you
    We will book an appointment for negotiating the loan and send a pre-appointment questionnaire regarding your project. Fill in the pre-appointment questionnaire.
  3. Loan negotiation
    In the negotiation, our specialist will discuss with you about the details of your home renovation, the costs involved and the collateral needed for the loan, among other things.
  4. If we need more information about your project, we'll ask you to provide relevant documents. 
  5. You'll get a binding loan offer
    The offer only binds the bank and does not oblige you to take out a loan.
  6. We'll send you a promissory note with special terms and conditions for you to sign
  7. Send us your project bills and further information via message
    We will check that the contents of the bill correspond to the terms of the promissory note.
  8. Payment of the renovation bill
    You can decide whether you want to draw down the loan to pay the bills yourself or whether we will pay the bills for you.

Tips for a successful energy renovation

  1. Plan your project carefully
    Consider what you are trying to achieve with the renovation, and which solutions would best suit your aim. Also think about the overall energy efficiency of your home. Is one of your household appliances a big energy hog, or are your home's exterior walls optimally insulated?
  2. Estimate the costs of the renovation
    Renovation costs range from the hundreds of euros needed for small improvements to the tens of thousands required for a basic renovation. Once you have decided the scale of your renovation, start requesting quotations from reliable experts. The quotations will allow you to estimate the costs of the renovation.
  3. Decide whether you will do the renovation yourself or hire a renovation firm
    Do research on home renovation companies and ask for bids from those that best suit your needs. Remember these words of wisdom: the cheapest offer isn't always the best. You must also find out if your renovation requires permission such as a building or action permit.
  4. Find out if your energy renovation is eligible for financial aid
    For example, contact the Finnish Tax Administration for more information on tax credit for household expenses.

When planning an energy renovation, you can also consult the energy advisory services for consumers.

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What are the benefits of an energy renovation?

An energy renovation can:

  • Increase the value of the house being renovated
  • Bring savings on heating expenses
  • Improve the comfort of living
  • Reduce the carbon footprint of the house

Other financing options for a renovation

If your project does not meet OP's Energy Efficiency Loan criteria, you can finance the renovation by taking out a Bank Loan or OP Tailored Consumer Credit, for example.

Customers who take out an Energy Efficiency Loan get a one-year 20% discount on home insurance

When you have been granted an Energy Efficiency Loan from an OP cooperative bank, you will get Pohjola Home Insurance for the property being renovated at a discount of 20% for the first year. The benefit applies to both existing and new Pohjola Home Insurance customers. In the loan negotiations, you will receive additional information on how to redeem the discount.

With Pohjola Home Insurance, you can tailor a home insurance that suits your home or holiday home. In case of loss or damage to your home, Pohjola Insurance's extensive network of partners will help you to repair the damage and claim compensation. As an OP cooperative bank owner-customer, you will benefit from your OP bonuses, as they can be used for your insurance premiums. In addition, as an owner-customer, the deductible for your home insurance can be as little as 0 euros in losses due to fire, natural phenomenon and criminal damage.

Housing company's energy renovation

Do you live in a housing company or are you a shareholder in a housing company? Our green housing company loan promotes responsible environmental acts by housing companies. Green financing is suitable for investments that reduce the environmental burden of housing companies, such as energy-efficient construction, renovation and refurbishment projects and the installation of electric vehicle charging points.

Example calculation

Energy Efficiency Loans are granted as bank loans, which are one-off loans. If the 12-month Euribor is 2.10% (17 April 2025) and the bank loan’s interest rate is a 0.95% margin plus the 12-month Euribor, the effective interest rate on a bank loan of EUR 20,000 with a ten-year repayment period would be 3.39%. A monthly servicing fee of EUR 2.50 per month would be charged. In addition, an origination fee of EUR 120 would be payable when the loan is drawn down. The estimated total loan repayment would therefore be EUR 23,505.23. This is based on the assumption that the entire loan is drawn down, the loan interest rate, fees and charges are constant throughout the loan term, and the loan is repaid in equal instalments of EUR 199 a month. The loan would be repaid in 120 instalments.

The bank loan is granted by an OP cooperative bank. The insurance is issued by Pohjola Insurance Ltd.

Bank loan terms and conditions, and forms