Adopted in April 2024, the latest version of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) has updated the expectations regarding the building automation and control systems (BACS) on a European scale. To better understand the deployment of these ambitions ESREI took a deeper look at the national implementation of BACS-related regulations in 9 countries.
Europe sharpens its tools
In order to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, the European Union (EU) set an important milestone in 2021, with the package Fit for 55, planning on reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% by 2030 compared with their 1990 levels.
To reach this target, the EU must activate all the levers it can, and the real estate sector stands in the first ranks. The recast of the main regulation regarding energy performance in the building sector, the EPBD, consequently deployed ambitions regarding higher standards for new buildings, faster renovation rhythm, larger installation of renewables sources in buildings…
Among these tools the EU also intends to extend the spectrum of buildings concerned by building automation and control systems (BACS) obligations. The past version of the EPBD expected all buildings with an effective rated output for heating systems, air-conditioning systems, systems for combined space heating and ventilation, or systems for combined air conditioning and ventilation of over 290 kW, by 31st December 2024. But according to the latest version this threshold will be brought down to 70 kW, by 31st December 2029. The EPBD has significantly broadened the spectrum of application of BACS, making it a wide solution to reduce the GHG emissions of the real estate sector.
An unanimous answer at national scale
Since the latest version of the EPBD entered into force in May 2024 of this same year, the Member States have not transposed it in their national legislation at the date of this study. Most of the objectives stated in the EPBD must be implemented within 6 to 24 months.
Yet, given the legislations implemented at National scale – which ESREI studied in its latest publication – European ambitions regarding BACS have been taken into account by all the studied Member States. The BAC systems are also considered as a strong leverage towards energy savings and carbon emissions reduction in the UK, where thresholds of rated output have also been implemented to make sure that larger buildings could be equipped.
All countries have been following the EU guidelines, with even some with even a few zealous students. France, for instance, already brought down the threshold to 70 kW, whereas Germany left out any system of exception, making it an unavoidable obligation for subjected buildings.
The technical patchwork
There remain some differences between one country to another, but they lie on the technical side. The main one is the norm used at support to convert the regulation’s expectations into technical standards.
The European countries use three main norms which do not necessarily align, each norms underlining specific aspects of the BAC systems.
Fig. 1, Norms used in studied countries, ESREI (2024)
The consolidation challenge
The large-scale democratisation of BACS, to which all the countries studied seem ready to commit, will now face a number of challenges, as several limitations of this solution risk being accentuated by mass deployment. Indeed, in a recent publication, the French state organisation, pointed out limits regarding a lack of knowledge or skills regarding such systems, the lack of human resources, the often-difficult transmission of BACS management at the end of rental contracts… In 2015, the French state environment agency ADEME, estimated – on a short sample – that 70% of BACS systems were little or poorly used.
All these limits will be aggravated by the mass deployment of the solution. The challenge is now to make it efficient and avoid superficial consumption, turning this high-tech solution into the right tech for real estate decarbonisation.
The EU decided in spring 2024 to make BACS a key tool towards a carbon-neutral real estate sector; a path most European countries seem willing to take. Yet challenges lie ahead to avoid an inefficient expense, which could cost a lot to transition efforts.
