New rules for condominiums with central heating systems: from 1 January 2027 the systems used to measure individual heat consumption must be equipped with devices that allow remote reading. The objective is to overcome manual readings of consumption, making it easier to monitor the energy used and the distribution of condominium expenses. But what should families actually do? And who will have to change the devices already installed?
What changes
The change could lead to additional expenses for some homeowners. The deadline is set by a 2020 legislative decree which implements European legislation on energy efficiency. The provision establishes that supply meters, sub-meters and individual heat metering systems are equipped with devices that allow remote reading by 1 January 2027, without prejudice to the conditions of technical feasibility and economic efficiency.
It is not a question of installing a new heating system, but of making the systems already present compatible with remote reading, which allow the consumption of individual real estate units in buildings served by centralized systems to be measured: in practice it will allow heating costs to be traced back on the basis of real consumption without dumping the excesses of the careless condominium on the virtuous one.
Devices installed after 25 October 2020 must already be set up for remote reading, those installed previously will have to be adapted if they do not have this functionality. For the predisposed models, the addition of a radio module will be sufficient, while for the obsolete ones it will be necessary to replace them with costs of around one hundred euros per radiator, deductible at 50% through the house bonuses for condominium interventions.
What to do
The first thing to do will therefore be a technical check of the devices present in the building: the condominium administrator can contact the company that manages the accounting or the system maintainer to ascertain whether the systems are already compatible with remote reading. Only after this verification will it be possible to establish whether interventions are necessary and quantify any costs.
In fact, it must be verified whether the adaptation or replacement is worth it: we are talking about 70-90 euros for each new remote-readable distributor, to which the replacement of the valves may also be added, for another 35-40 euros per element.
Fines of up to 2,500 euros: what the law provides
The legislation provides for sanctions of up to 2,500 euros for specific violations of the obligations to install measurement and thermoregulation systems.