Change brings opportunity: the new Ecodesign classification in force from 26th September 2017
Thermocold ready for the new EU legislation on Ecodesign
Over the last two years, Thermocold has been in the forefront to bring new high-efficiency and sustainable products to market, taking up the Ecodesign European challenge dedicated to heating equipment manufacturers.
Starting from the 26th September a new, higher, level of minimum efficiency requirements for reversible heat pumps will enter into force and once again, Thermocold will be fully compliant with this new legislation.
The implementation of the new European measures is not only a legal obligation but it represents a concrete opportunity and it signs a real turning point for heating systems market because it will direct the sales mix toward higher-efficiency devices.
In this perspective, all Thermocold units will be adapted to the new ErP standards ("Energy related Products" or "products related to the use of energy"), in force from 26 September 2017.
What is Ecodesign?
The Ecodesign framework directive 2009/125/EC provides consistent EU-wide rules for improving the environmental performance of products, including HVAC equipment.
A specific EU legislation is published under the framework directive 2009/125/EC for each product family (known as Lot). Each Lot has its own set of implementation dates, generally split into two phases (known as Tier).
On September 26th 2017, all air-cooled reversible chillers and water cooled chillers used as a heat pump, with rated heating capacity up to 400 kW, delivered in the EU-28 and other associated countries, requiring CE-marking will need to comply with minimum efficiency standards as defined in the Tier 2 tables of the regulation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Which Thermocold products will be impacted by the legislation effective September 26th 2017?
- Where can I find relevant documentation?
- How do I know a product is compliant?
- Which countries will be impacted by the new EU legislation?
- Are EcoDesign and Eurovent related?
- What if I have already quoted a non-compliant product?
- How can this be a competitive advantage?
- What level of efficiency will we need to comply with?
- What documents to be supplied with the product?
- What is the relation between ŋs,h and SCOP?
- I have more questions – who can I contact?
Which Thermocold products will be impacted by the legislation effective Sep 26th 2017?
From September 26th 2017, all air-water heat pumps, water-water and geothermal heat pumps with a nominal heating capacity ≤ 400kW will need to comply with minimum seasonal efficiency requirements in heating mode (SCOP).
Where can I find relevant documentation?
All documents, such as data tables and energy labels, required by regulation will be made available on www.thermocold.it under the respective product page. These can be shared when needed with our customers.
How do I know which Thermocold units comply with Ecodesign?
All units that do not meet minimum efficiency standards set by the EU legislation will be clearly marked as not compliant units to LOT1 in our literature, the Eurovent directory, and signaled with disclaimers in our selection tools to avoid any mistakes or confusion.
Moreover, only units which comply (as a minimum) with Ecodesign requirements will bear the CE marking. According to Article 3 of the Ecodesign Directive, 'products covered by implementing measures may be placed on the market or put into service, or both, only if they comply with those measures and bear the CE marking in accordance with Article 5.''
This implies that products non-compliant will no longer have a CE marking, and Thermocold is not allowed to sell these products within the EU and associated countries. Associated countries are for example Switzerland, Turkey and Norway. Starting September 26th 2017, all Thermocold available equipment will be compliant with Ecodesign.
For the competition, a good way to evaluate if they are compliant with the mandatory regulation is to ask if they have the proper documentation required by the law.
Will all countries be impacted by the new EU legislation?
Products shipped to jobsites located in the following countries require CE Marking, and therefore will need to comply with EU Ecodesign legislation:
For all other countries, we can still ship all models, even the ones not passing the new efficiency target. These units will remain available in our selection tools.
Are Eurovent and Ecodesign related?
Ecodesign is mandatory by law. In order to be CE certified, products must comply with the minimum efficiency standards dictated by the legislation. Eurovent certification is a voluntary scheme. Being certified by Eurovent is often requested by the market as a third-party guarantee of unit performances, but is not a legal requirement. Eurovent energy classes are in no way associated to the EU energy eco-labelling. They are defined by Eurovent, in agreement with participating companies.
In some certification programs, like the Chiller and Heat Pump program, some performance ratios like SCOP are already being tested and published online.
What should I do if I have quoted a unit that is no longer complying with the regulation?
Please contact Sales Support so they can propose to you the best option compliant with the regulation and create a new quotation based on a higher efficient product.
Be carefull, all the units manufactured and shipped after September 26th 2017 must comply the regulations. The result is that some open quotations will require revaluation in order to meet new regulation.
How can this be a competitive advantage?
We are aware that Ecodesign is complex and few people are fully aware of the different implications that it represents for Thermocold, for the industry, and for our customers, but we believe that being fully compliant with this new regulation can represent a competitive advantage versus other suppliers that have underestimated it or have done little to respect the new mandatory legal requirement for HVAC equipment. If you have to change a unit in your quotation, please suggest to your customers that they verify competitive units meet the same Ecodesign regulation and if they can supply required documentation and labels. Also important to note that competent national authorities (in each EU Member State) can prohibit or withdraw non-compliant products from the market and/or give high fines to companies not respecting Ecodesign regulation.
Which minimum level of efficiency will we need to comply with?
By September 26th 2017, all units falling under ENER Lot 1 will need to comply with the following performance requirements to be legally placed in the European market:
As you can see in the table above, the legislation sets minimum requirements for ηs,h (seasonal space heating energy efficiency), which can be directly translated into a ratio much more recognized by the industry: SCOP or Seasonal Coefficient Of Performance.
Testing methods for cooling and heating capacities have to be in accordance to the following European Standards:
- EN 14825:2016 for testing and rating at part load conditions and proper calculation of seasonal performances so called
Seasonal Coefficient of Performance or SCOP
- EN 14511:2013 -1 to 4
By law, all performance data must be calculated and published according to the Strasbourg climate condition.
What is the relation between ŋs,h and SCOP?
The relation between ŋs,h and SCOP is given by the following formula
where:
F(i) user temperature control contribution = 3% for air-cooled and 5% for water-cooled
CC or Conversion Coefficient = 2.5 (efficiency EU electricity production and distribution 40%)
SCOP = Seasonal Coefficient of Performance
The calculation of SCOP takes into account electrical input at four part load points according to a given seasonal profile, operating hours and bivalent temperature. The electrical input required even when the unit is not cooling or heating (e.g. for on-board controls) is also taken into account in the calculation.
What documents to be supplied with the product?
The documents required by the regulations are:
A. Energy label
B. Product Fiche
Regulation 811/2013 requires that the energy label, product fiche and technical documentation be supplied together with units up to 70kW. Regulation 813/2013 requires that the technical documentation be supplied together with all units up to 400kW.
A. The product energy label can be one of two types:
1) Heat pumps at low temperature (LT)
2) Heat pumps at medium temperature (MT)
- Name or trademark of the supplier.
- ID of the supplier's model.
- The room heating function is broken down by medium temperature applications (with 55°C hot water production) and low temperature (with 35°C hot water production).
- The arrow symbol indicates the seasonal energy efficiency class of the unit for the two applications of reference.
- The Thermal Power, including that of any supplementary heating units shown in kW, for the three climate zones.
- The map shows the three climate zones.
- The LWA sound emission level indoors (if applicable) and outdoors.
This label is supplied together with the technical documentation accompanying the product. It is the responsibility of the distributor or importer to place the label on the product on display.
B. Product fiche
Who can I contact if I need more information?
If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact the Sales support team, they would be able to assist you and answer your questions related to Ecodesign in general, the documentation that it requires or the selection of the units aligned with it.
