Natural gas-free Amby

• Presentation on the affordability of making Amby natural gas-free (in Dutch)

Several Amby residents have received a letter from the municipality of Maastricht offering support for home insulation. This scheme is intended for a specific group of homeowners. To qualify, the property must have an energy label of D, E, F or G, and at least 2 parts of the home must be poorly insulated. In addition, the property’s assessed value (WOZ, 2022) must not exceed €353,000.

You can find more information about this scheme here (in Dutch).

On February 6, 2025, the first residents’ evening for the ‘Natural gas-free Amby’ project took place at Ambyerhoof, with over 210 local residents attending. The meeting marked the official launch of the District Implementation Plan (Wijkuitvoeringsplan, WUP), which will be developed together with residents to set out how Amby can move away from natural gas

What did we discuss?

The evening featured a mix of presentations and interactive sessions, giving residents the chance to share their views through various statements. There was also plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion.

• What is a District Implementation Plan (WUP)?

The evening included presentations and interactive sessions. Audrey Luhulima (municipality of Maastricht), the project leader, explained the District Implementation Plan, and Esther Snepvangers (Tauw) presented the technical alternatives to natural gas.

• What Are the Technical Options?

Esther Snepvangers (TAUW) provided an overview of the technical solutions available for making homes gas-free. She discussed the various types of housing and construction years found in Amby, along with the sustainable alternatives that may be suitable for each.

• What do residents value?

Residents were invited to share their views on issues such as costs, insulation and heat pumps through a series of discussion statements. There was also time for questions and open conversation, which created a positive and engaged atmosphere.

• What's next?

The insights gathered during the evening will help shape the next phase of the plan. Local working groups will also be set up, giving residents the chance to take an active role in exploring solutions for their district.

Working together for a more sustainable Amby

On 20 March, the first of 3 resident working group sessions on insulation and energy saving took place. With 28 enthusiastic participants, it turned into an inspiring evening full of valuable conversations. Amby residents shared their experiences with sustainability and helped shape ideas for the future — not just for themselves, but for the whole community.

Esther Snepvangers from TAUW, a consultancy and engineering firm specialising in sustainable solutions, gave a presentation on insulation options for different types of homes. This was followed by Maartje Meessen from CNME, who explained small, energy-saving measures you can take at home, and how everyday habits can contribute to lower energy use. The services offered by CNME through the Klimaathuis were also discussed.

Key outcomes

• Residents have already taken over 25 different steps to make their homes more sustainable.
• At least 20 more measures are being considered for the future, for example during home renovations.
• 20 questions were asked about subsidies, advice and potential joint purchasing arrangements.
• Residents raised over 15 points for the municipality to consider, such as improving resident involvement and concerns about the capacity of the electricity grid.

Towards a natural gas-free Amby, together

All the input from the working groups will be used to inform the next steps on the road to a natural gas-free Amby. The upcoming session will focus on exploring possible solutions for different types of homes and identifying practical, achievable options.

Want to join in or share your ideas? Get involved!

Send an email to aardgasvrij.amby [at] maastricht.nl. You can view the presentation slides from the meeting here (in Dutch only).

On 17 April, another residents' meeting was held about making Amby gas-free. We were pleased to see some new faces. Tauw presented the possible alternatives to natural gas for Amby, and we also looked at the main results from the residents' survey. We’ll share those results in more detail later.

There was time to talk together about solutions for the district. Energy coaches from CNME were also there. Residents could make an appointment on for personal advice and discuss any concerns.

The key takeaway from the evening: for homes built before 1992, proper insulation is the first step. Only after that can we start moving towards gas-free heating. For homes built after 1992, that transition can already begin. See also the presentation with the initial research findings (PDF, in Dutch).

Following the meeting, we’re getting to work. We’ll explore how to offer good advice and organise group purchasing schemes for Amby. We’ll also continue to improve local cooperation. At the next residents' meeting, we’ll talk about the costs of switching to a natural gas-free home.

Next meeting

The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 27 May at the Garner Hotel Maastricht (Pierre de Coubertinweg 3). The meeting starts at 19.30, with doors open from 19.15. Everyone is welcome, even if you haven’t attended before. You can sign up by emailing aardgasvrij.amby [at] maastricht.nl (aardgasvrij[dot]amby[at]maastricht[dot]nl) 

Would you like to get started at home already? Get in touch with the CNME energy coaches for personal advice. You can also visit them at the Klimaathuis.

The third and final residents’ working group for Amby took place on 27 May. This session focused on the feasibility and affordability of transitioning the district away from natural gas. Once again, there was a large turnout, with both familiar and new faces in the room.

The evening began with an explanation of what the transition means financially. We discussed the potential costs as well as the subsidies and loans available to help residents take this step. By approaching the transition gradually, there’s no need to invest a large amount all at once.

Participants then split into small groups based on housing types to explore which measures are needed for each type of home and what the process might look like.

Learning from neighbours

There’s already a lot of local knowledge and experience in the district – and that’s the real strength of this working group: the willingness to learn from one another and move forward together. Many participants said this was the most valuable part of the sessions: working as a community, helping each other along the way, and making the switch collectively.

Key discussion points

The group raised several valuable points – there was discussion about the reliability of the electricity grid and new technological developments, as well as the sometimes inconsistent policies of the government. In addition, residents expressed a need for better guidance in applying for subsidies and loans. These insights will be taken into account as we develop the Implementation Plan for Amby.

We’ll return to Amby in November to present the plan. Our aim is to involve as many residents as possible and take concrete steps toward a natural gas-free Amby. In the meantime, if you have any questions, visit our stand at the Amiese Dörpsmert (village market in Amby) or send an email to aardgasvrij.amby [at] maastricht.nl.