TÜV Rheinland Certifies aedifion Solution for Compliance With the German Energy Performance of Buildings Act

Since January 2024, the amended Buildings Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, GEG) has brought about significant changes. In addition to the much-discussed requirement to heat with renewable energies, Section 71a GEG finally focuses on building automation as a lever for ensuring energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and safety. As the leading provider of software solutions for optimizing the technical operation of buildings in Germany, aedifion has been certified by TÜV Rheinland to comply with these legal standards.

The Legal Framework at a Glance

According to Section 71a (1) GEG, existing non-residential buildings with a heating system or combined space heating and ventilation system of more than 290 kilowatts must be equipped with a building automation and control system and digital energy monitoring technology in accordance with Section 71a (2) GEG by December 31, 2024. The following requirements must be met:

• Continuous monitoring, logging and analysis of the consumption of all major energy sources and technical building systems
• Data access via common, freely configurable interfaces for company- and vendor-independent analysis
• Ability to set energy efficiency requirements for the building  
• Detection of efficiency losses in technical building systems
• Identification of improvement opportunities for facility management personnel

In addition, a person or company responsible for building energy management must be appointed or commissioned to analyze and exploit the potential for energy-optimized building operation in a continuous improvement process.

For existing non-residential buildings that already meet a certain minimum level of automation, Section 71a (4) GEG also requires communication between all networked technical building systems and other applications in the building that is independent of technology, device and manufacturer by the end of December 31, 2024. For more details on these legalrequirements, see our blog post “The German Buildings Energy Act – Mandatory Measures For Non-Residential Buildings”.  

TÜV-Certified Solution for GEG-Compliant Operation of Existing Buildings

As a BAFA-listed energy management software, aedifion's Optimization Bundle provides a scalable and cost-effective solution for efficient system operation in accordance with Section 71a (1), (2), and (4) GEG. This is now officially certified by TÜV (Technischer Überwachungsverein), Germany's leading independent provider of testing services for technical systems and products worldwide. Based on the cloud platform's documentation, offerings and sample use cases, the TÜV experts tested the services of the Optimization Bundle for plausibility, methodology, and functionality by comparing them with the requirements of Section 71a (1), (2), and (4) GEG.

The test protocol, and all evaluated software components are detailed in the corresponding test report. The certificate for our software solution is publicly available in the TÜV Rheinland database "Certipedia" under the ID number 0000086413.

Our Services

1. Data Availability and Open Interfaces

• Common and freely configurable interfaces via our publicly documented API for company-and vendor independent data analysis.
• Seamless communication between all connected technical systems and applications inside the building.
• Continuous monitoring, logging, and analysis of the consumption of all major energy sources and building systems.

2. Automated Action Recommendations

• Identification of energy efficiency requirements for buildings.
• AI-based analysis and real-time detection of efficiency losses in all technical building systems.
• Data-based recommendations for improving energy efficiency.
• Status and alert management function for the technical operations team via web, email or instant messenger.

3. Continous Improvement Process

• Full-service package: Comprehensive support to digitize and increase the efficiency of system operations.
• Ongoing monitoring and verification of recommended optimization measures for sustainable energy-optimized building operation.
• Regular processing, evaluation and prioritization of achieved savings in the building.

Additional Savings Through Autonomous Control

In addition to meeting the requirements of the GEG, we provide autonomous, self-learning control of system operation. This includes the use of data such as weather forecasts and room occupancy to optimize indoor air comfort and significantly improve energy efficiency. The innovative approach of our Optimization Bundle delivers remarkable results, with potential savings of up to 40 % in energy, costs, and CO₂ emissions. There are no additional operating costs, as in many cases, the licensing costs of our software solution can be passed on to tenants.

Easy Integration Without Costly Renovations

Modern buildings are usually already equipped with digital communication interfaces. That's why our cloud platform can be easily integrated into the building management system via plug and play. No additional operating costs will be incurred, as the licensing costs of our software solution can be passed on to tenants. If hardware upgrades are required due to analog interfaces or proprietary systems, additional but predictable costs will be incurred. Inthis case, we develop customized and economically viable retrofit action plans and provide full support throughout the implementation process together with our extensive partner network.

For new buildings, our support extends to providing tailor-made solutions such as object-related planning assistance, technical commissioning management and our technical monitoring services. Through targeted assessments and performance-based recommendations, we ensure seamless communication and functionality of interconnected building systems and applications, promoting sustainable operations.

Now Is the Time to Act!

Those who fail to retrofit their buildings in a timely manner are committing a misdemeanor under § 108 GEG and can be fined. Regardless, we urge owners and operators not to delay the digital transformation of their building technology. By doing so, owners and operators will not only be able to reduce their operating costs, but they will also set the stage for sustainability reporting and make their buildings more attractive to tenants and investors.

Regulatory Requirements Are Evolving

At the EU level, stricter regulations for building automation and energy management are already on the horizon. For example, the new amendment to the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) will extend the above-mentioned retrofit requirements to systems larger than 70 kW. As a result, further changes to the GEG can be expected in the near future. With the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) of January 6, 2023, the real estate industry must also prepare for a significant expansion of reporting requirements. In anticipation of these changes, we provide regular updates on relevant developments through our Regulatory Overview.

Let's get in touch! Together, we can ensure that your buildings operate in compliance with the GEG!