Interview with Hans Vermeulen, CEO of Onesto

1. What are the biggest challenges you see in supporting sustainable energy and financing solutions for residential buildings today?

One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that a growing segment of homeowners and prospective buyers receive the right support to renovate quickly, thoroughly, and at a high-quality level. This is essential to meeting the EU’s climate goals, yet many of these households face obstacles in terms of financing, renovation planning, and execution.

This is why our long-standing collaboration with One-Stop Shops (OSS) is crucial. These partnerships ensure that homeowners get technical advice, financial planning and contractor support, increasing the success rate of deep energy renovations.

Regulatory complexity also remains an issue, as financing schemes and incentives differ across regions. More streamlined policies and integrated financing models are needed to make green renovation financing more accessible and attractive to homeowners.

2. Where do you see the most promising opportunities for companies like Onesto in the green mortgage and renovation market?

The demand for sustainable housing is increasing, yet many homeowners, especially those purchasing older, energy-inefficient homes, struggle to access suitable financing and renovation support. Companies like Onesto can capitalize on this trend by offering tailored financial solutions—green mortgages, renovation loans, and guidance—that directly address energy efficiency and affordability. By positioning ourselves as both a financial partner and an advisor, we can help homeowners navigate grants, subsidies, and best practices for sustainable renovations

At Onesto, we focus on the key moments—particularly home purchases. By structuring mortgage solutions that combine property acquisition and deep energy renovation, we ensure that the renovation happens immediately, at a sufficient depth and in a structured manner.

3. In what ways does membership in SEFA help you overcome obstacles and capitalize on opportunities?

Membership in SEFA is pivotal to addressing the challenges I’ve mentioned. SEFA’s ecosystem of financial institutions, project developers, and policy experts allows us to share insights and learn from best practices across the continent. This collective knowledge helps us refine our offerings, ensuring they are in line with the latest sustainability standards and regulations. SEFA’s training and capacity-building initiatives are essential for informing residential owners—and the industry at large—about the numerous possibilities for energy-efficient renovations and green financing. This broader awareness helps us provide more targeted guidance to homeowners, ensuring that they fully understand the value and return on investment for sustainable improvements.