BACS and tertiary decree compliance
A regulatory obligation, and an opportunity to cut consumption for good.
The BACS decree requires an efficient BMS in non-residential buildings. Kipsum brings you into compliance, then goes further with KiTwin.
Who is concerned?
French decree no. 2020-887 of 20 July 2020, known as the “BACS decree” (Building Automation and Control Systems), amended in 2023 and by a decree of 26 December 2025, applies to non-residential buildings — offices, education, retail, healthcare, hospitality, public administration… — new or existing, whose heating or cooling system, combined or not with ventilation, has an effective rated output above 70 kW.
Thresholds and deadlines
| Buildings | System output | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Existing | Above 290 kW | Since 1 January 2025 |
| Existing | 70 to 290 kW | 1 January 2030 |
| New (permit filed since 9 April 2024) | Above 70 kW | From construction |
| Replacement of the heating or cooling system | Above 70 kW | When replaced |
Exemption: the obligation does not apply if the system’s payback period exceeds six years, net of subsidies.
Source: BACS decree application guide, January 2026.
What a BACS must do
- Monitor, record, analyse consumption by use, kept at monthly intervals for five years.
- Adjust in real time: turn down heating in an empty zone, modulate ventilation according to occupancy or air quality.
- Detect and alert on drifts and malfunctions.
The system must also be interoperable with the building’s equipment and allow manual shutdown, with autonomous management then resuming. It is subject to periodic inspections.
BMS classes A, B and C
Standard EN ISO 52120-1 ranks building automation and control systems by performance, from D (non-energy-efficient) to A (high energy performance). A BACS-compliant system reaches at least class C. Classes A and B, more efficient, are required for CEE funding.
BACS and the tertiary decree: two complementary texts
The tertiary decree sets a results-based obligation for buildings above 1,000 m²: cut consumption by 40% by 2030, 50% by 2040 and 60% by 2050. The BACS decree sets a means-based obligation. A compliant BMS is the most direct tool to reach these targets and to feed the annual consumption declaration on the OPERAT platform.
Funding your BMS with CEE
Installing or upgrading a class A or B BMS in an existing non-residential building can be funded by energy saving certificates (CEE), under standardised operation sheet BAT-TH-116. Kipsum handles the application and deducts the premium from the price. More about CEE funding
What Kipsum does
- Initial audit: inventory of equipment and outputs, current control methods, occupancy schedules, existing BMS. The audit maps the route to compliance.
- Turnkey BMS: sensors, meters, actuators and controllers, preferably wireless (LoRa) to limit works; connection to existing equipment (BACnet, Modbus…).
- The three BACS functions in KiBoard: consumption monitoring and history, OPERAT-ready reports, optimised setpoints, email or SMS alerts with a diagnosis of the likely cause.
- KiTwin, the Kipsum digital twin: it anticipates weather and occupancy to go beyond compliance — on average 18% additional energy efficiency compared with a conventional BMS, based on our experience.
- Support and proof: team training, a monthly performance report and all the documents proving compliance in the event of an inspection.
Find out more
- Does the decree apply to your building? Take the three-question BACS test
- The Kipsum white paper on the BACS decree: download it from the Resources page
Let’s talk about your building
An audit to find out where you stand and what needs doing.