Holy Folie

Mission

Holy Folie’s mission is to make student housing more sustainable by providing practical energy-saving solutions and raising awareness about energy consumption.

The challenge

After the war in Ukraine, energy prices in Europe and the Netherlands rose significantly, worsened by the extreme cold of winter 2022. This has made home sustainability more urgent, yet student housing is often overlooked. The Social Impact Hub aims to address this by improving sustainability in student homes and raising awareness of energy consumption. Many student houses are in historic buildings with strict renovation rules, making insulation difficult. Students, who stay temporarily, often see little reason to invest, while landlords lack incentives since students pay the bills. This creates a gap that requires targeted solutions.

The solution

Student houses near TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam join the Holy Folie project by filling out an online form with details about their home. A four-person Holy Folie team schedules a two-hour visit to explain the project, demonstrate small sustainability measures (radiator foil, window film, and draft strips), and guide residents in applying them. The team provides materials, an info sheet on energy-saving tips, and a landlord letter. After two months, houses send photos of their efforts and join a video call for evaluation. This initiative helps student homes reduce energy consumption during colder months.