BACS Compliance Guide 2026: Requirements for Building Owners

The new year has started, and with it comes a wave of building automation regulations across Europe. Whether your compliance deadline has already passed, arrives this year, or lies ahead in 2030, the question isn't if BACS will affect your building but when.

Understanding BACS compliance now could save you from discovering costly gaps during a transaction, audit, or when your deadline suddenly approaches.

What's New in 2026

All EU member states must transpose the revised EPBD into national law by May 29, 2026. This means countries that haven't yet finalized their BACS requirements will be clarifying regulations and enforcement mechanisms throughout the first half of this year.

For building compliance deadlines, the Netherlands implemented GACS on January 1, 2026, while Germany and France passed their deadlines in January 2025.

Here's what's changing: throughout 2026, enforcement shifts from future planning to present reality. Technical due diligence now routinely checks BACS compliance status, and gaps discovered during audits directly impact valuations and deal timelines. Even if your building's deadline is years away, 2026 marks the year when BACS compliance moves from a regulatory checkbox to a standard expectation in real estate transactions.

What is BACS?

BACS stands for Building Automation and Control System. It continuously monitors, controls, and optimizes your building's technical systems, particularly HVAC, lighting, and ventilation.

Unlike traditional building management that relies on fixed schedules, BACS actively manages energy use based on actual conditions and occupancy.

Who Needs to Comply with BACS?

The requirement applies to non-residential buildings with heating or air conditioning systems of 290 kW or more. This includes offices, schools, hospitals, retail spaces, and hotels.

The threshold drops to 70 kW by December 31, 2030, significantly expanding the number of affected buildings.

BACS Requirements Explained

Why Your BMS Isn't Enough for BACS Compliance

Many building owners assume their existing Building Management System (BMS) automatically makes them BACS compliant. It doesn't.

Traditional BMS systems were designed primarily for operational control: turning equipment on and off, maintaining setpoints, and responding to alarms. BACS requirements go further by mandating continuous energy analysis, efficiency benchmarking, and active identification of improvement opportunities.

Your BMS might control your building perfectly well, but if it can't produce trend reports, benchmark energy performance against targets, or analyze efficiency losses across systems, it won't meet BACS requirements. The gap between operational control and compliance is where most buildings get caught.

The Three Mandatory BACS Functions

1. Continuous Monitoring and Analysis

The system must continuously monitor, record, and analyze energy consumption while enabling real-time adjustments to optimize performance. The specific monitoring parameters and data requirements vary by building type and classification level.

2. Energy Efficiency Assessment

The system must assess your building's energy efficiency, detect where technical systems are losing efficiency, and inform facility managers about improvement opportunities. While the system provides the data and identifies issues, translating this into actionable recommendations often requires expertise to interpret effectively.

3. Interoperability and Communication

The system must communicate with different building systems and be interoperable with equipment from various manufacturers. Your HVAC, lighting, and other systems need to work together as an integrated whole, not as isolated islands.

Class C Isn't Always Enough

Here's what catches building owners off guard: buildings are classified from Class A (most efficient) through Class D (inefficient), and the requirements aren't uniform. You need at least Class C overall, but energy management specifically requires certain Class B elements including trend reporting, analysis, and benchmarking capabilities.

Most existing building management systems operate at Class C for general functions but lack the Class B energy management capabilities that are mandatory under BACS. This gap is where many buildings fail compliance verification despite having automation in place.

How BACS Replaces Mandatory Inspections

Buildings with compliant BACS can replace mandatory EPBD inspection requirements, saving time, costs, and administrative burden. However, this only works if you achieve genuine compliance, not surface-level automation that fails verification.

How to Comply with BACS?

If your heating or cooling systems exceed 290 kW, verify your compliance status immediately. Many buildings have systems installed years ago that don't meet current requirements without upgrades.

The challenge is that compliance isn't binary. Having "some automation" doesn't mean you're compliant.

The regulations reference specific efficiency classifications, functional requirements, and technical standards that must be documented and verified. The difference between what most buildings currently have and what's actually required often comes as a surprise.

How to Get Started with BACS Compliance

The regulations reference standards like EN 15232 and EN-ISO 52120, use classification systems from Class A through D, and specify different requirements for different building functions.

Translating these into practical implementation steps requires specialized knowledge, particularly when dealing with legacy systems or multiple vendors.

Download our complete BACS Compliance Guide for the detailed information you need to verify compliance and plan your next steps.

The guide provides:

• Complete breakdown of BACS classification levels and requirements
• Country-specific deadlines and regulatory frameworks (Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium)
• Detailed explanation of the three mandatory functional requirements
• The specific advanced elements required for energy management that catch many buildings off guard
• Step-by-step assessment framework to determine where your building stands
• Implementation roadmap from assessment through verification

Want to know where you stand in terms of BACS compliance? Book a call with our Building Performance Experts: