EED Compliance in Data Centres: Why Retrofitting Your PDUs May Be the Smartest Move!

The EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) has made energy measurement and reporting mandatory for organisations across Europe. The target is ambitious: at least 11.7% reduction in final energy consumption by 2030. For data centres, among the most energy-intensive facilities in Europe, this marks a turning point. What used to be encouraged has now become obligatory. Yet, many operators are still unsure how to comply efficiently. Most data halls are full of basic or ageing intelligent PDUs that deliver power reliably but provide little or no visibility into how that energy is actually used. And without measurement, there can be no insight. Without insight, no proof of efficiency improvement.

Schleifenbauer PDU

The challenge: replacing PDUs is costly and unsustainable

Upgrading to fully metered or managed PDUs across every rack can be a major investment, financially, technically and environmentally. It often means downtime, logistical complexity, and unnecessary waste of hardware that still functions perfectly well.

That’s why many operators are looking for ways to upgrade intelligence without replacing infrastructure.

The missing link: adding intelligence through retrofit

Here’s the good news: most data centres don’t need to replace their PDUs to achieve EED compliance.

With a Schleifenbauer Inline Meter, existing power chains can be retrofitted to provide precise energy measurement, without changing the rack layout or the PDUs already installed.

Mounted between the power feed and the PDU, the Inline Meter measures at input- and phase-level, recording:

• current, voltage, power and energy values

• real-time data through SNMP, Modbus/TCP or REST API

• hot-swappable communication modules

• integration with EnerTree DCEM software for analytics and reporting

The result? Every “basic” or legacy intelligent PDU becomes an EED-ready system, capable of delivering the same level of visibility as the newest generation PDUs.

Inline Meter 5.0 retrofit PDU to intelligent

Why this matters: from regulation to opportunity

The EED isn’t just another layer of bureaucracy. For data centres, it’s an opportunity to:

• uncover inefficiencies and “zombie” loads

• optimise rack power distribution

• reduce operational costs and carbon footprint

• build transparent, verifiable energy reports

Instead of treating compliance as a burden, the most forward-looking facilities are using it as a foundation for smarter operations.

For new builds: the next generation of intelligent PDUs

For new or expanding data centres, Schleifenbauer’s PDU 5.0 integrates advanced monitoring and control from the start.

It measures at input-, branch- and outlet-level, supports secure protocols (HTTPS, SNMP v3, REST API), and offers hot-swappable communication modules.

All data connects directly to EnerTree DCEM, the same software platform used with Inline Meters, enabling centralised monitoring and reporting across your entire facility.

Together, these technologies deliver full energy transparency and robust compliance with the EED.

Conclusion: energy visibility without replacement

The Energy Efficiency Directive makes energy measurement mandatory.

Schleifenbauer makes it achievable, through Inline Meters for retrofit and PDU 5.0 for new installations.

So before you plan a full PDU replacement, ask a simpler question: What if you could make your existing PDUs intelligent instead?

Source EED:

=> European Commission – EED overview

=> Directive (EU) 2023/1791 – full legal text (EUR-Lex)

=> Official announcement – European Commission, September 2023