GEN – 1178.00. The European Building Automation Controls Association (eu.bac) has released its guidelines on the transposition of the EPBD and the role Building Automation Control Systems (BACS) have in this context. It has complemented the guidelines with a checklist for self-declaration of BACS conforming to the EPBD.
EPBD – BACS requirements from 2025 for installations over 290kW
The Energy Performance of Buildings Directives requires in its article 14 and 15 that respectively heating, and air conditioning systems are inspected. In these articles it is stated that:
Member States shall lay down requirements to ensure that, where technically and economically feasible, non-residential buildings with an effective rated output for heating systems or systems for combined space heating, air conditioning, systems for combined air-conditioning and ventilation of over 290kW are equipped with BACS by 2025.
BACS shall be capable of all of the following:
- Continuously monitoring, logging, analysing and allowing for adjusting energy use.
- Benchmarking the building’s energy efficiency, detecting losses in efficiency of technical building systems, and informing the person responsible for the facilities or technical building management about opportunities for energy efficiency improvement.
- Allowing communication with connected technical building systems and other appliances inside the building and being interoperable with technical building systems across different types of proprietary technologies, devices and manufacturers.
In both article 14 and 15 it is stated that buildings equipped with BACS shall be exempt from the requirement of regular inspections defined in paragraph 1 of these articles.
eu.bac checklist
The checklist eu.bac has developed is a tool for national compliance inspectors, building owners, BACS designers and policymakers to help them understanding what systems need to be implemented, to comply with EPBD BACS.
The self-declaration designed by eu.bac is intended to be used by the building owner or a technical expert representing the building owner.
To identify the if the building falls under the scope of the EPBD BACS compliance requirements a sample HVAC architecture demonstrates the scope of the equipment covered by the checklist.
eu.bac webinar
eu.bac is planning to organise a webinar, probably on 10 December, to inform the European Commission and national stakeholders about its initiative. Eurovent will inform its members when this webinar is announced.
Recommended actions
Manufacturers of Air Conditioners, Air Handling Units, Chillers, Fan Coil Units, Variable Airflow Volume, Ventilation and related heating and cooling equipment are recommended to take note of the introductory note and compliance verification checklist.
It is recommended to address this in the upcoming Product Group meetings to consider possible impacts on systems above 290kW and their relation to BACS.
Related documents and links
All related documents and articles can be found in the respective sections in the right sidebar.
- EU website EPBD: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/topics/energy-efficiency/energy-efficient-buildings/energy-performance-buildings-directive_en
- Ecodesign lot 38 preparatory study BACS: https://ec.europa.eu/energy/studies_main/preparatory-studies/ecodesign-preparatory-study-building-automation-and-control-systems_en
- eu.bac website: https://www.eubac.org/home/index.html
- eu.bac guidelines on the EPBD transposition: https://www.eubac.org/cms/upload/eu.bac_guidelines_on_revised_EPBD_June_2019.pdf
- Press Release: https://www.eubac.org/cms/upload/downloads/BACS_COMPLIANCE_Press_release_Draft_clean.pdf
- Introductory notes: https://www.eubac.org/cms/upload/downloads/BACS_COMPLIANCE_VERIFICATION_CHECKLIST_INTRODUCTORY_NOTES_Draft.pdf
- Compliance verification checklist: https://www.eubac.org/cms/upload/downloads/BACS_COMPLIANCE_VERIFICATION_CHECKLIST_Draft.pdf
- The Compliance self-declaration: https://www.eubac.org/cms/upload/downloads/BACS_COMPLIANCE_SELF_DECLARATION_Draft_clean.pdf
