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Help for optimizing the indoor climate
The upcoming implementation of revised EU directives will require extensive changes in how Danish municipalities handle indoor climate monitoring and data logging in their buildings. New legal requirements are coming into force with significant consequences for both new and existing municipal facilities, where automated measurement and control systems will become mandatory within the next few years.
The revised Building Directive tightens the requirements for indoor climate monitoring
The EU has adopted a comprehensive revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), which for the first time defines and requires Member States to set specific standards for healthy indoor air quality. This marks a paradigm shift in the EU's approach to building regulation, where indoor air quality is now recognised as a critical factor for public health.
The revised Directive introduces mandatory requirements for Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS), which are to be significantly expanded in the coming years. For municipal buildings, this means lowering the threshold for mandatory BACS installation in non-residential buildings to 70 kW effective rated output by the end of 2029, from the current limit of 290 kW 3 . This change will affect a much larger number of municipal facilities, including smaller schools, kindergartens and administrative buildings.
Specific monitoring requirements and technical features
Particularly crucial for Danish municipalities is the requirement that building automation and control systems must be able to monitor indoor climate quality by 29 May 2026 at the latest 4 . The systems must continuously monitor, record and analyse indoor climate conditions and provide the possibility to adapt these in real time 4 . This requires the implementation of advanced sensors and data logging systems that can document and report indoor climate data continuously.
For zero-emission non-residential buildings, the requirements are even stricter. These must be equipped with measuring and control devices to monitor and regulate indoor air quality 4 . The requirement also applies to existing non-residential buildings when they undergo major renovation works, provided that this is technically and economically feasible 4 .
Implementation timeline and legal obligations
The most critical deadline for Danish municipalities is the transposition deadline of 29 May 2026, when Member States must have implemented the revised directive into national law 3 . This gives municipalities limited time to prepare for the new requirements and invest in necessary technology.
The Directive requires Member States to set requirements for the implementation of appropriate standards for indoor air quality in buildings in order to maintain a healthy indoor climate 4 . This creates legal obligations for municipalities as building owners, where non-compliance may result in sanctions and potential liability for health damage.
Economic and administrative consequences
The implementation of the new requirements will require significant investments from Danish municipalities. Installation and operating costs for advanced indoor climate monitoring systems must be incorporated into municipal budgets, while competences for operation and maintenance of the systems must be built up.
Municipalities must also establish procedures for continuous data collection and reporting, which requires new administrative routines and potentially additional staff resources. Smart technologies are recognized as essential for effective indoor environmental quality monitoring and reporting through the expansion of BACS capabilities 3 .
Broader EU regulation of air quality also affects municipalities
In parallel with the Buildings Directive, the EU has adopted Directive 2024/2881, which introduces stricter limit values for air pollution and requirements for extended monitoring 1 . This directive requires an increased number of measurement points, especially around sensitive areas such as schools and hospitals 1 . For municipalities, this means additional obligations to establish and maintain air quality measurement points near municipal facilities.
The new limits for particulate matter and other pollutants are significantly stricter than previous standards 1 . The PM2.5 limit is reduced from 25 to 10 μg/m³, PM10 from 40 to 20 μg/m³, and nitrogen dioxide from 40 to 20 μg/m³ 1 . These changes will require more precise and frequent monitoring around municipal buildings.
Specific technology requirements for indoor climate monitoring under upcoming EU regulations
The revised EU rules contain clear technical requirements for indoor climate monitoring systems that will influence technology choices in Danish municipalities. Although the directives do not prescribe specific brands or suppliers, they set detailed functional requirements and technical standards that de facto limit municipalities' freedom of choice to systems that meet specific interoperability and data quality requirements.
Mandatory building automation systems (BACS) with standardized functions
The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) Article 13 requires the mandatory installation of building automation and control systems (BACS) in all non-residential buildings above 70 kW effective rated output by 2029 1 3 . These systems must support at least four core modules:
- Continuous data collection via sensors for temperature, humidity, CO₂ levels and particle concentration (PM2.5/PM10)
- Automatic regulation of ventilation speed based on real-time measurements
- Energy benchmarking with automatic detection of efficiency losses in technical installations
- Interoperability between equipment from different manufacturers through open communication protocols 3 4
To meet these requirements, municipalities must implement systems that are certified to comply with the EN ISO 52120 standard for building automation, which specifies requirements for data package structures, measurement intervals and calibration procedures 1 .
Technical specifications for sensors and data logging
The European Commission has prepared detailed technical reports (such as CEN/TR 17621:2021) that establish:
- Minimum sensor accuracy requirements: ±0.5°C for temperature, ±3% RH for humidity
- Measurement intervals: Maximum 15-minute sampling for all parameters
- Data logging: At least 1 year of historical data retention with time stamps
- Alarm functions: Automatic notification when WHO recommended limit values are exceeded 2 3
Municipal buildings must also implement redundant measurement systems with at least two independent sensor arrays per 500 m² of floor area to ensure data continuity in the event of a failure 4 .
Requirements for system integration and data sharing
The new directive text emphasizes the need for interoperable solutions that support:
- BACnet/IP or KNX as mandatory communication protocols
- OpenAPI standards for integration with central municipal management systems
- Cybersecurity certification according to ISO/IEC 27001 for all data transmission components 1 3
In practice, this means that municipalities must choose systems with documented compatibility with national infrastructures such as the Danish Agency for Digitalisation's reference architecture for IoT devices.
Use ÅBN's SKYEN for legally required indoor climate measurement
ÅBN's SKYEN sensors meet all mandatory requirements of the revised EPBD and ISO 52120-1:2021, making them one of the few ready-certified solutions on the market. The implementation of these regulations will likely lead to widespread adoption of ÅBN's technology in Danish municipalities, although competing systems can theoretically be used if they meet the same standards.
