From switch to system
The shift is conceptual. Until now, automating lighting often meant a timer or a stand-alone sensor. The new approach calls for systems that measure, record and analyse consumption, and adapt to how the building is actually used.
The key threshold: automatic occupancy-based lighting control in non-residential buildings with thermal installations above 290 kW of nominal useful power. Most mid-size and large hotels exceed that figure, so in practice the measure will be almost universal across the hotel sector.
Interoperability: one signal, three uses
Perhaps the most interesting requirement for engineers is system communication. Lighting must talk to HVAC, ventilation and the BMS through open protocols. A single occupancy signal can switch off the light, relax the temperature set-point and reduce airflow in an empty room. That is the difference between saving in one system and optimising the whole building.
This fits the wider EPBD framework, whose transposition deadline for Member States was May 2026 and which, as far as we know, expects building automation and control systems in non-residential buildings with large HVAC systems by around 2030. Final deadlines should be confirmed as each national text is published.
The real challenge: the guest room
Common areas are easy. The room is where projects are won or lost. Technical recommendations point to a master PIR detector near the entrance, secondary detectors in the bathroom or at the headboard, and high-density Fresnel lenses so that a small movement while sleeping does not switch the light off, plus turning indicator LEDs off at night. Details that, from the site-supervision side, separate real savings from guest complaints.
What it means for owners and operators
- Design with data from day one. Choosing sensors, protocols and BMS at design stage is far cheaper than redoing it on site.
- Plan refurbishments in phases. In operating hotels, scheduling works floor by floor protects occupancy.
- Supervise commissioning. A well-designed but poorly commissioned system saves nothing. Site supervision and commissioning are part of the return.
Our take
At TALAT we believe every hotel is a different challenge: there is no standard solution, only a studied one. Regulation sets the minimum; the opportunity is to turn compliance into a data platform that improves guest experience, cuts operating costs and moves the building closer to certifications such as BREEAM.
Is your hotel ready for the new control and monitoring requirements? Get in touch and we’ll study your case, no templates.
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