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What is submetering

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How it works

In multi-unit buildings, submetering measures individual consumption of utilities, including cold and hot water and heating and cooling energy. Instead of splitting costs by apartment size or surface area, each resident pays only for what they actually use. Digital energy and water submeters send their readings wirelessly via a radio signal allowing data to be collected remotely.

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Why it matters

It improves fairness, fosters efficiency, and gives occupants greater control over their consumption. Submetering can reduce energy use by up to 20% and cut water consumption by as much as 25% in buildings.

Learn more about digital submetering

How digital submetering drives energy and water savings

Energy Efficiency: Building optimisation and behavioural change

Numerous studies show that metering and submetering can also deliver additional energy savings through consumption-based billing. It can reduce energy use by 15–30%, depending on building characteristics and consumer behaviour.

 

Key findings include:

  • Felsmann & Schmidt (2013) Found that consumption-based billing leads to energy savings of 20% in existing buildings and up to 30% in new buildings.

 

 

  • Felsmann, Schmidt & Mróz (2015) Conducted a potential assessment across multiple EU member states, confirming an average 20% reduction in energy consumption with metering and submetering.

 

  • Eurac Research (2019) Reported savings ranging from 8% to 40%, depending on climate conditions and building characteristics.

 

  • Canale et al. (2023) Found that individual metering in residential buildings led to a 14% decrease in daily energy consumption for domestic hot water and a 32% reduction in DHW volume usage.

Additional savings due to psychological and Behavioural Impacts

  • Stumpf (2014) reported that behavioural changes alone accounted for a 9% reduction in energy consumption.

Submetering data can unlock even more savings, as many buildings are operating inefficiently. Our real-world case studies from Germany, Denmark, and Spain show how using submetering data for heating optimisation unlocks up to 40% additional energy savings without major investments or compromising comfort. By optimising heating settings and reducing waste, we ensure energy is used only when and where it’s needed.

Download our Optimisation case Studies

Water Efficiency: Leak detection and real-time feedback

A pan-European study conducted by VITO (2025)  and commissioned by WE Data Europe demonstrates that digital water submetering, combined with leak detection and real-time feedback, can reduce household water consumption by up to 25%. This directly supports the EU’s Water Resilience Strategy target of a 10% improvement in water efficiency by 2030. Digital meters not only detect leaks but also provide households with actionable insights to prevent waste and use water more mindfully.

Why It Matters

  • Proven savings: Up to 40% energy and 25% water reductions.
  • Smart technology: Digital meters enable close to real-time feedback and leak detection.
  • Policy alignment: Supports EU goals for energy and water efficiency.
Download our Water Study

EED Implementation Analysis

This analysis presents an overview of how EU Member States implement submetering requirements set out in the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). It covers 15 countries and examines their national rules on individual metering, remote readability, feasibility assessments, allocation methods, billing practices, penalties, and identifies best practices on the use of consumption data to improve system performance and support building renovations.

The best practices reflect a range of approaches identified across Europe. They illustrate how clear legislation, transparent criteria, and the use of submetering data can support consumer empowerment and contribute to improved energy management in multi‑unit buildings. The analysis showcases why the successful implementation of EED provisions on submetering are essential to improve energy efficiency on the ground.

Our Analysis of the EED Implementations
Why Energy Efficiency
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EED Heat Cost Allocation Guideline

Developed in 2016 as part of a European Commission study, the Guidelines on Good Practice in Cost-Effective Cost Allocation and Billing of Individual Consumption of Heating, Cooling, and Domestic Hot Water in Multi-Apartment and Multi-Purpose Buildings support the implementation of Articles 13-15 of the recast Energy Efficiency Directive (EU/2023/1791) (formerly Articles 9-11 of Directive 2012/27/EU).

The guidelines provide a framework to help Member State authorities and building owners correctly implement consumption-based cost allocation and sub-annual billing requirements, ensuring that building users receive the right incentives and sufficient information to adopt energy-efficient practices. The approach is based on a multi-level assessment of cost allocation methodologies, considering technical feasibility, cost-effectiveness, building characteristics, and climate conditions.

View the 2016 guidelines
View the 2019 guidelines
Techem

Techem is a leading service provider for smart and sustainable buildings. The company’s services cover energy management and resource conservation, residential health and process efficiency in real estate. Founded in 1952, the company is now active in 18 countries with a strong focus on the EU, where we are present in 15 member states. Techem has over 4.000 employees and services more than 13 million dwellings. Techem offers efficiency improvements along the entire value chain of heat and water in real estate. As the market leader in remote radio detection of energy consumption in homes, Techem continues to drive networking and digital processes in real estate. Modern radio smoke detectors and modern multi sensor devices with remote inspection and services related to improving drinking water quality in properties complement the solution portfolio for the housing industry.

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Techem.com
Ocea
Ocea Smart Building is a leading French company specializing in sub-metering for collective housing. With 550 employees and 29 agencies across the country, the company offers solutions for sub-metering on cold water, hot water, and heating for condominiums and social landlords. Ocea provides remote reading solutions along with data analysis and processing platforms. Additionally, Ocea offers complementary IoT solutions and financed solutions for replacing gas or fuel collective boilers with heat pump systems, particularly geothermal ones.
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Ista

We give buildings a future. We make this happen with products and services that help to reduce the CO2 emissions of buildings. We manage data and processes that make properties more climate-friendly, safer and more comfortable. The base for our products and services is digital. We ensure that we make it easy for everyone to switch to our sustainable technologies. This allows everyone to make their contribution to climate protection.

We already have over 45 million wireless devices in operation around the globe and develop solutions for energy-efficient and futureproof buildings. We employ over 6,300 people across 20 countries and our products and services are used in over 14 million homes and commercial properties worldwide – by more than 460,000 customers. In 2024, the entire Ista Group recorded sales of EUR 1,220 million euros.

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Ista.com
Kalorimeta

KALO (Kalorimeta GmbH) is the partner for the smart energy transition in residential properties. As a Hamburg-based pioneer in the digitalization of building infrastructure with over 60 years of experience, we provide end-to-end solutions for the housing industry to make energy consumption transparent and energy and CO₂ reduction actionable.

Our broad service portfolio is ranging from submetering and smart metering to digital services that provide building owners and managers with the necessary data to comply with legal requirements, optimize energy efficiency, and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions. Our product portfolio is complemented with smoke detector services as well as smart heating solutions and intelligent central heating control systems. With our modern gateway infrastructure, we not only connect our metering devices but also integrate IoT applications for energy transition in buildings like smart heating, e-mobility and solar panel infrastructure.

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Kalo.de
Brunata Metrona

As a partner to the property industry, the BRUNATA-METRONA Group enables efficient and responsible use of the environment and resources. Transparent consumption and energy data form the basis for intelligent and future-oriented energy management to maintain the value of buildings. We help to operate properties in a resource-efficient and future-proof manner, use energy efficiently, reduce CO2 emissions in buildings and cut energy costs. In doing so, we play a leading role in our industry by providing the highest quality and customised products for our customers. Our innovative solutions, services and expertise have made us a trusted partner to the building industry for more than 70 years.

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Brunata-metrona.de
Brunata Denmark

Brunata – Smart Energy – Solutions for a Greener Future

Brunata is dedicated to transforming our buildings, homes, and cities into smarter environments.

Wherever people reside, we diligently measure heat consumption, monitor water usage, manage energy, oversee the indoor climate, protect properties and much more. We are committed to delivering intelligent solutions for at sustainable future, leveraging over a century of expertise in the metering industry.

With a history spanning over 100 years, our roots are firmly Danish. Today, Brunata is part of the German-owned Brunata-Minol-ZENNER Group, which employs over 4,200 individuals worldwide.

Our headquarter is situated in Herlev, Denmark, where we collaborate closely with our subsidiaries and partners across most of Europe.

Brunata has transformed into a service provider, offering meters with services that simplify our customers’ daily operation – e.g., our digital platform Brunata Online – the online uses interface for administrators, residential buildings, utilities, sub-users and residents.

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