Rabobank invests in energy-efficient homes for middle‑income households

The Brainport region, Eindhoven and its surroundings, is home to many high-tech companies, including ASML. Global demand for innovative products and services is very high. As a result, companies in the region are growing fast and new businesses are being established. This is driving an increasing demand for housing. For young people and middle-income households in particular, finding an affordable and suitable home has become increasingly difficult. That’s why Rabobank wants to invest in high-quality, affordable, and more sustainable newly built rental homes.

To meet demand for affordable rental housing in this region, more than 16,000 mid-rent homes need to be added by 2033. Demand for owner-occupied homes is also rising. Housing associations cannot solve this problem alone. This is why other investors are needed.

BPD Woningfonds is part of BPD, a subsidiary of Rabobank. BPD aims to build more sustainable and affordable new homes for middle-income households, including first-time buyers, families, and seniors. With Rabobank’s investment, the company can developa dditional homes in Eindhoven and the surrounding area.

BPD Woningfonds focuses on newly built homes. This way, the fund not only provides more affordable mid-range rental homes but also ensures more homes are built. BPD Woningfonds often buys homes at the beginning of a construction project. This means developers know early on that part of the homes are already sold. This makes it easier for them to arrange financing for the entire project.

Several construction projects in the region have stalled due to lack of funding. The fund wants to explore whether it can also purchase homes later in the process, so that projects can continue, and the homes will still be built. To achieve this, the fund works together with developer BPD | Bouwfonds Gebiedsontwikkeling. They can look at stalled area developments as a whole, ensuring not only more affordable rental homes are built, but also more owner-occupied homes.

Through BPD Woningfonds, Rabobank supports municipalities and housing associations in making affordable homes accessible to more people.Rabobank and BPD Woningfonds also want to help create neighborhoods that are pleasant places to live. In new areas, a sense of community often needs to develop. That’s why Rabobank and BPD Woningfonds look for ways to encourage this. For example, by creating shared spaces where residents can come together to play games, have coffee, or socialize.

In 2025, the fund rented out more than 200 homes to middle‑income households in the Brainport region, and more than 500 additional homes are currently under construction. To ensure all 2,750 planned homes can be delivered, acceleration is needed. Therefore, BPD Woningfonds is not only purchasing homes developed by BPD itself but also homes from other project developers.