End of Central Heating and Individual Metering Requirements
A regulation concerning central heating is set to take effect within a year. Originating from a Brussels directive implemented in 2012, the goal is to curb energy use and ensure each home pays for the heat it consumes. This means homes will need individual meters or cost allocators that can accurately track consumption by unit or by radiator where possible. In A Coruña, located in climate zone C, there are two deadlines: larger buildings with more than 20 dwellings are required to install the new metering system before March 1, 2023, while smaller buildings have a delayed deadline of May 1, 2023. The regulation primarily affects buildings constructed before 1998, since buildings built after that year already complied with a requirement for metering under prior laws.
There is an expectation that communities of owners have begun seeking proposals. Carmela Lavandeira, vice president of the Galician College of Property Management, notes that a substantial number of buildings are already adapting to the rule, with some having completed the conversion and others still in progress. The city must align with these changes, and the pace varies across neighborhoods and buildings.
Under the new regime, centrally heated buildings must install a separate meter to measure the exact consumption attributable to each floor, or, if that is not feasible, use cost allocators on each radiator. The aim is to replace the old practice where a single shared bill was charged to all units regardless of actual use. This system intends to promote fairness by ensuring each owner pays for the energy they actually use, Lavandeira explains.
Another key consideration is consumption patterns. In many houses, heating is kept high to offset cold indoor conditions, and residents might even open windows to cool down. Before central heating is switched on, occupants can feel the chill and desire warmth, but the new framework requires transparent accounting of who consumes how much energy. Each owner will bear the cost corresponding to their own usage, which Lavandeira emphasizes as a core feature of the reform.
Who bears the responsibility for the transition? Communities of owners will fund the installation of meters or cost separators, devices that quantify the individual consumption of each radiator, according to Lavandeira. Installers and managers alike have delegated the task to the owners, stressing the need for timely compliance. Penalties for noncompliance can range from nominal to substantial, highlighting the importance of taking action.
The regulation targets older buildings in particular, especially those from the 1980s and 1990s, because the 1998 framework established mandatory thermal distribution indicators and allowed energy costs to be allocated according to actual consumption. However, certain exemptions exist: not every central heating system requires a retrofit if meters are technically or economically unviable. If the investment cannot be recovered within four years or does not lead to savings, the building may qualify for an exemption. Lavandeira cautions that about 5% of buildings in climate zones C, D, and E may be exempt when the standard is fully enforced, a figure that could rise over time.
The regulation also requires a formal report demonstrating whether the building meets the criteria and is exempt from changes. District administrations may request more comprehensive documentation to verify compliance, and building owners must ensure that the report is filed along with a declaration from the head of the community responsible for the assessment. This ensures proper recording, especially since some communities have neglected to submit the necessary paperwork in the past.
Lavandeira adds that remote meter reading is part of the original rule, with full remote reading becoming mandatory from 2027. Older installations will need to upgrade to this system to enable accurate accounting and future-proof the building. The transition to central heating metering has sparked debate. Some owners argue that the system is more economical in aggregate, while others prioritize fairness and accountability, since everyone would pay according to actual consumption rather than equally sharing a fixed cost.