CO2 reduction by means of energy conservation is an important topic in the Dutch governmental environmental policies. With new construction accounting for a fraction of the total building stock, existing dwellings are of great importance in the Dutch sustainable building policies. With 35% of the total housing stock in the Netherlands, the social rented sector, and therefore housing associations, could play a major role in energy conservation. However, the large energy conservation potential that is present in the existing stock owned by the housing associations is only to a minor extent exploited. Barriers and incentives for housing associations to implement energy conservation into their asset management are taken into account. From 2006 the European EPBD (Energy Performance Building Directive) legislation should be implemented in the European Member States. The consequences and resulting opportunities of the European EPBD legislation are considered in relation with the asset management of housing associations. This paper presents a method for housing associations to implement energy conservation in their asset management, in order to come to an integration of energy conservation measures into their maintenance and renovation practice.@en