Building automation requirement for non-residential buildings
Under the EPBD, non-residential buildings above 290 kW must monitor, log and analyse their energy use. ModbusCloud covers that part, with the meters and installations already in place.
Which buildings the requirement covers
BACS stands for building automation and control systems. The requirement comes from the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and each member state sets it in national law.
The rated output is on the nameplate of the installation. The EPBD applies the rule where it is technically and economically feasible.
- Buildings
- Non-residential buildings
- Installation
- Heating or air conditioning, also combined with ventilation, with an effective rated output over 290 kW
- Deadline
- 31 December 2024
- By 31 December 2029
- Also installations over 70 kW
- Rules
- Directive (EU) 2024/1275, Article 13(9) and 13(10)
- National law
- The Netherlands in the Bbl, Germany in § 56 GModG, Belgium per region, Austria per state
What applies when
- 31 December 2024
Over 290 kW
Non-residential buildings with heating or air conditioning over 290 kW must have building automation, where technically and economically feasible.
- 29 May 2026
Indoor environmental quality
The system must also monitor indoor environmental quality. It is also the date by which member states had to transpose the recast EPBD.
- 31 December 2027
Automatic lighting controls
Non-residential buildings over 290 kW must also have automatic lighting controls.
- 31 December 2029
Threshold down to 70 kW
Building automation and automatic lighting controls become mandatory from 70 kW.
What the rules ask and what ModbusCloud delivers
The EPBD names no protocol and no brand. It asks for interoperability across manufacturers and for four capabilities.
| What the system must be able to do | What ModbusCloud delivers |
|---|---|
| Continuously monitor, log and analyse energy use, and allow adjusting it | Readings from energy meters and installations, with history of up to 12 months, charts and PDF reports. Adjusting works by writing Modbus registers, on request per Gateway. |
| Benchmark energy efficiency, detect efficiency losses and inform the person responsible | Threshold alerts, fault codes and Automatic monitoring, which flags deviations from the learned norm, stuck values and counter faults. The person responsible gets an email and a notification in the portal. |
| Communicate with connected systems, across manufacturers | Modbus RTU and Modbus TCP, from different brands at the same time on one Gateway. The data is available through the REST API. |
| Monitor indoor environmental quality | Temperature, humidity and CO2 sensors that speak Modbus, with history and alerts on limits. |
ModbusCloud is the monitoring and analysis part of a BACS
A BACS usually consists of several parts. Control sits in the installations, monitoring and alerting can sit in ModbusCloud.
In the installations
Control of heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting, with time schedules and room temperature control.
In ModbusCloud
Monitoring, logging and analysing energy use, detecting deviations and informing the person responsible, for every installation and building in one portal.
For schools, offices and care buildings without a building management system
By the end of 2029 the threshold drops to 70 kW, so much smaller buildings fall under the requirement.
A large building management system is often too much for them. A Gateway reads the meters and installations already in place, and the portal monitors, logs and alerts.
For the owner or facility manager
You see energy use and installations per building, with an alert on deviations and a PDF report sent by email automatically.
For the installer
You monitor the buildings of all your customers remotely, in one portal. Each customer gets their own customer portal in your branding.
For the energy consultant
You fetch the readings from meters and installations through the REST API or as a CSV file, for your own analyses.
Connecting a building in three steps
Connect
Connect the Gateway to the energy meters and installations, over RS485 or over the building network.
Scan
Start a scan in the portal. The Gateway recognises the devices that are in the library.
Monitor
You see energy use and installations per building. Alerts and Automatic monitoring flag deviations to the person responsible.
Price per gateway, annual or lifetime
Gateway
€295 one-off
€275 from 10 units, €249 from 25, quote from 50
Portal
€149 per year
Including 4G data up to 30 MB per month
€495 one-off
4G data with a lifetime licence
Only when 4G is used
€1 per month
€95 for ten years
All prices excl. VAT. White label customer portal included. All prices
100-day money-back guaranteeIf the gateway fails to connect to a Modbus device from our template library, you get your money back.
Questions about the BACS requirement
Do I need BACnet for BACS?
No. The EPBD prescribes no communication protocol. It asks that systems from different manufacturers can work together.
How is the requirement set in my country?
Each member state sets it in national law. In the Netherlands it applies above 290 kW since 1 January 2026. Germany requires it above 70 kW by 31 December 2029. Flanders and Wallonia set 31 December 2025 above 290 kW, Brussels 1 January 2025. In Austria each state sets its own rules.
Who is responsible?
National law decides. In the Netherlands and Germany it is the building owner. In Flanders it is the owner of the installations, which can be the tenant.
Is ModbusCloud a complete building automation system?
No. ModbusCloud monitors, logs and analyses energy use and flags deviations to the person responsible. The control of heating, cooling and ventilation stays in the installations.
Does EN ISO 52120-1 apply?
The EPBD lists EN ISO 52120-1 only in its annex on the calculation method. Classes are set in national law, such as the Dutch Omgevingsregeling and the German DIN/TS 18599-11.
What changes by the end of 2029?
The threshold drops from 290 to 70 kW, so smaller offices, schools and shops fall under the requirement too.
How long does ModbusCloud keep readings?
The portal keeps the history for 12 months. With the CSV export or the REST API you keep the readings for as long as you want.
Want to see how it works?
