What does GEG Section 61 say about individual room control?
Section 61 of the Building Energy Act (GEG) stipulates: In buildings with central heating or cooling systems, a self-acting device for room-by-room temperature control must be installed when the heating system undergoes significant alteration. For underfloor heating, this means: a thermostat + actuator per room, controlled via a control box at the heating circuit manifold. This requirement applies directly upon commissioning of the new heating system.
Who is affected?
GEG § 61 applies to: installation of a heat pump (air/water, brine/water, water/water), replacement of an old gas boiler or oil heating system with a new unit, installation of pellet or biomass boilers, as well as major renovations significantly impacting the heating system. Not affected: pure repairs, thermostat replacement without replacing the heat generator, or buildings without a central heating system.
What qualifies as GEG-compliant individual room control?
Every heated room must have its own automatic control. For underfloor heating, this means: one thermostat per room, which opens or closes an actuator on the heating circuit distributor. Wired systems (Easy-230 + ECB8), WiFi thermostats, and ZigBee systems (EONE-230V + ECB62-ZB) all meet this requirement. Important: control must be implemented per room – a central thermostat for the entire building is not sufficient.
What you need for GEG-compliant retrofitting
Required components
- →Actuator E30NC-230 (€9.50, M30×1.5) – one piece per heating circuit on the manifold
- →Thermostat Easy-230 wired (€24.90) or EONE-230V ZigBee (€64.09) – one per controlled room
- →Control box ECB8-230V (€54.43) – if not already present; controls up to 8 zones
- →Cable 3×0.75 mm² (approx. 3–5 m per zone) for actuator connection to control box
- →Screwdriver and 30mm wrench for actuator mounting (thumb screws)
Check prerequisites
- →Heating system replacement has taken place or is planned (heat pump, new gas/oil boiler, pellet heating system)
- →Existing buildings with underfloor heating without individual room control (only central thermostat control)
- →Heating circuit manifold accessible – manifold box or screed box openable
- →Clarify voltage at the distribution board: 230V (standard rooms) or 24V (bathrooms/wet rooms)
- →Note the number of heating circuits per manifold – actuators and control box must cover the number of zones
What are the costs of the retrofit?
A wired 4-zone system (4x actuator + 4x thermostat + 1x control box) costs approximately €192. The ZigBee equivalent for 4 zones is around €380–450. Both pay for themselves in one heating season with 20–30% energy savings.
Who exactly is affected?
- Heating system replacement (boiler, heat pump): Obligation for subsequent individual room control if none was previously installed.
- Substantial renovation of heating surfaces (renewing screed, replacing heating pipes): Obligation to retrofit control system.
- Window or insulation measures exceeding 10% of the building envelope: Room control must be adjusted.
- New constructions: Individual room control is mandatory from the start – no retrofitting issue.
- Existing buildings without intervention: No retrofitting obligation as long as no eligible intervention takes place.
Exceptions to the obligation
| Exception | Condition |
|---|---|
| Monument protection | If installation significantly alters appearance and monument protection authority objects |
| Economic unreasonableness | Amortization > 10 years according to GEG calculation (rare for underfloor heating control) |
| Technical impossibility | In historical buildings without cable routing – EONE-BAT wireless usually solves this |
| Single-pipe system without valves | If no separable heating circuits are available at the manifold (renovation required) |
Cheapest GEG-compliant solution
Thermostat per room
Actuator per room
Control box (8 zones)
GEG § 61 Retrofitting: 5 Steps to Individual Room Control
Step 1: Check applicability of GEG Section 61: GEG § 61 applies when there is a significant change to the heating system: replacement of the heating system (new heat pump, gas boiler, pellet heating), major renovation involving the heating system, or new construction. Simple thermostat replacement without replacing the heating system is not affected. Check the date of the last heating modernization and, if in doubt, get an assessment from a heating engineer.
Step 2: Count heating circuits and measure voltage: Open the manifold box and count the heating circuit connections. Each connection = one circuit = one actuator. Measure the voltage at the manifold with a multimeter: 230V (AC) or 24V (AC). Also note the thread of the valves: The standard is M30×1.5, compatible with the E30NC-230. Check if there are cable routes to the thermostat mounting locations.
Step 3: Mount actuators on the heating circuit manifold: Switch off the heating system. Unscrew old valve heads or handwheels (counter-clockwise). Screw on the new E30NC-230 actuator (clockwise, hand-tight). Connect 3×0.75 mm² cable to the L, N, PE terminals of the actuator. Route the cable through the cable guide of the box to the control box mounting location.
Step 4: Install control box and mount thermostats: Mount control box ECB8-230V next to the distribution box. Connect 230V power supply by an electrician (for fixed installation). Connect actuator cables to zone outputs 1–8. Mount thermostats in each room at a wall height of approx. 1.5 m and wire them to the corresponding zone of the control box (wired) or pair them via ZigBee.
Step 5: Commission the system and set up heating schedules: Switch the heating system back on. Boot up the control box and thermostats. Set target temperatures: Living room 20 °C, bedroom 17–18 °C, bathroom 22 °C, children's room 20 °C. Store weekly program with setback times. Observe 24 hours of test operation. The system is thus GEG § 61 compliant – no further official notifications required.
Cost of retrofitting individual room control 2026
| Component | Price |
|---|---|
| Actuator E30NC-230 (per zone) | €9.50 |
| Wired thermostat Easy-230 (per room) | €24.90 |
| ECB8-230V Wired Control Box (8 Zones) | €54.43 |
| 4 zones wired complete | approx. €192 |
| Thermostat ZigBee EONE-230V (per room) | €64.09 |
| ZigBee ECB62-ZB Control Box (8 Zones) | €95.43 |
| EGATE-PRO Gateway (one-time) | €61.81 |
| 4-zone ZigBee complete | approx. €380–450 |
230V mains connection of the control box: Have an electrician perform this task.
The mains connection (230V) of the control box must be carried out by a licensed electrician if the house installation is permanently wired. Plug-operated control boxes can be connected by DIY enthusiasts themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions about GEG § 61 and Individual Room Control
Components for GEG § 61 Retrofitting
Thermoelectric actuator Engo E30NC-230 for underfloor heating
Actuator
EONE-230V – Smart ZigBee Room Thermostat
thermostat
Control terminal strip ECB8-230 V wired 8 zones
Control terminal block
ZigBee control terminal block 8 zones ECB62-ZB
Control terminal block