Energy retrofitting of existing buildings is a central challenge for national and international climate policies. Although many countries have formulated national goals and policies for this, it is often on a local level and typically in a municipal context that these policies are implemented. In Denmark there are 1.1 million single family houses, representing 44% of all existing dwellings in the country. In this regard, this area is considered to have a huge energy saving potential. A growing number of municipalities have ambitions on reducing energy consumption in these buildings, and several municipalities have established initiatives for this. The paper presents the findings from a survey-based project on local initiatives to encourage Danish house-owners to save energy through energy renovation. The paper outlines actors, governance incentives and experiences related to local renovation-based policies. Based on a literature review on international research regarding home-owners motivations for energy retrofitting, the paper discusses how the municipal initiatives can promote energy renovation of detached housing. Methodologically, the research is based on interviews with municipalities and energy suppliers, whom are considered as some of the major actors to provide energy renovation among private house owners.