Design for controllability and measurability
Honourable Members, Presidents, Homeowners!
We are informed that a grant will be available in the near future, and due to the high interest, it is worth to start preparing for it as soon as possible! Our company, Lizi London Ltd., has been a leading player in the condominium investment sector since 2005, with hundreds of successfully completed projects.
Progress:
Our buildings account for more than 40% of our country's emissions. In order to meet EU requirements, Hungary has taken a number of measures and launched a series of tenders to help modernise outdated buildings. Although the cuts in energy bills protect the public from high heating bills, the long-term solution is modernisation. This is particularly true for the development of controllability and measurability, where we are lagging far behind. It is unsustainable that expensive heat energy is not fully utilised. Unfortunately, to this day we still see buildings where the tenant 'controls' overheating by opening a window on the upper floors. For this reason, Parliament has adopted several laws:
For district-heated buildings, Act XVIII of 2005 on District Heating Services (District Heating Services Act) and its implementing regulation, Government Decree 157/2005 (VIII.15.), were amended by Act XCIX of 2023 and Government Decree 677/2023 (XII.29) (the latter decree has been repealed).
These laws set two important deadlines for the establishment of controllability and measurability (installation of thermostatic controllers and smart cost allocators), which can no longer be postponed.
- After the savings rate is set by the municipality, and then 12 months after the cost-effectiveness study is completed. This applies to one-pipe-through-pipe and two-pipe mechanical systems.
- Single-pipe heating systems are now likely to be exempt from this obligation, for which the deadline is 1 January 2027, i.e. before the start of the 2026 heating season.
In 2019 and again in 2020, the government has launched a call for tenders for complete heating upgrades and smart cost allocation in district-heated buildings.
The installation of smart cost allocators by 01 January 2027 at the latest is mandatory under the European Union directive.
Scope of renovation works:
- installation of flow controllers
- installation of splicing sections where none exist and replacement of 3/8" splicing sections where justified (blocked over the years)
- installing thermostatic radiator valve, thermostatic radiator head, bottom shut-off/return bolt
- installation of smart cost allocators, data loggers
- Radiator replacement (optional for those who want it). Steel or aluminium radiator
Information on how to carry out the renovation:
- will only commence if the general meeting and/or the written vote results in a positive outcome,
- first, a technical plan for district heating is drawn up, which takes about 15-30 days to complete, with a maximum of 60 days for approval,
- once the approval is granted, the work can actually start .
- All the apartments are surveyed before the work is carried out and individual radiator orders are taken at this time,
- Those wishing to purchase a radiator must transfer the price of the radiator and the installation costs to the Housing Association before the work starts. Itemised radiator price list, cost breakdown will be sent out. The price of the investment can only be paid by bank transfer or cheque, cash is not accepted by the colleagues.
- The contractor will inform the tenants in writing of the exact time of work in the apartments.
- The work will take 1.5-2 hours per apartment. To do this, the radiator must be cleared to within 1.5 m of the building.
Why this heating upgrade is good for homeowners:
- because there is now the possibility of a state subsidy,
- Because heating becomes controllable and measurable with the installation of string controls,
- Because everyone will have hot water with the installation of the bypasses, all apartments will be at the right temperature, some apartments will no longer be overheated and others underheated, thus increasing the comfort in these apartments,
- because heating costs will be fairly distributed,
- Because heating bills will be 15-29% lower, data available on the district heating website,
- because the market value of the renovated apartments will immediately increase and they will be more marketable,
- because it is possible to replace outdated radiators,
- Because district heating is a significant CO2 emitter and the savings in heating costs for homes also contribute to reducing pollution,
- because, in addition to being beautiful, a new radiator is more efficient and has better heat dissipation .
What happens if you don't bid or vote for this renovation now:
- if you don't bid now, you will lose the grant
- if the mechanical renovation is not completed, you will not be able to bid for the insulation tender
- prices will keep rising, so the cost of construction will keep rising
- the legislation could even lead to penalties, in which case they will have to pay 2.5 times the heating bill
If your building does not have smart cost sharing or if you have any further questions, you can email them to
