Luxembourg Parliament Adopts Law on Sub-Metering in Apartment Buildings

As reported by Luxembourg's Ministry of the Economy, the Chamber of Deputies (parliament) adopted Bill 8250 concerning sub-metering and the distribution of heating, cooling and domestic hot water costs on Thursday 14 November 2024.

Sub-metering consists of measuring energy consumption individually, rather than collectively. This law thus introduces an obligation for owners of dwellings located in apartment buildings to install individual meters for thermal energy - heating, cooling and domestic hot water at the level of each unit of the building - to the extent that this is technically feasible and economically justified. It also introduces an obligation for the owner to provide the tenant with precise monthly information on their actual energy consumption, as well as the amount billed.

Luxembourg's Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, commented: "With the entry into force of this law, tenants living in apartment buildings will be able to better monitor their energy consumption, which will allow them to adjust and optimise their behaviour in order to save energy and, consequently, reduce their costs. Our objective is clear: to inform and raise awareness to encourage people to reduce energy consumption, a gesture that is beneficial both for the environment and for household purchasing power."

In buildings equipped with individual meters that can be read remotely, tenants receive a monthly assessment note (at least once a month) containing information on billing and consumption. When individual meters are not read remotely, the result of the monthly reading of individual meters or heating cost allocators is communicated to tenants within two months of reading.

Except in exceptional cases, for example when this is technically impossible or would entail excessive costs, individual meter readings must be able to be carried out without having to enter the private units. Meters that are installed after the law comes into force must automatically be readable remotely.

More information on the law on sub-metering and tips for saving energy is available on the Klima-Agence website: https://www.klima-agence.lu/fr/comptage-divisionnaire-immeubles-collectifs.