As of January all businesses are required to adhere to the latest ErP Directive for Warm Air Heaters. But what is the ErP Directive? What does it mean for businesses and what do businesses need to do to be compliant?
The ErP (Energy Related Product) Directive was launched in 2009 and is aimed at lowering carbon emissions across Europe as well as phasing out low efficiency heating products in the market place. The current targets set for 2020 are a 20% reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions (when compared to 1990 levels) and a 20% improvement in the EU’s energy efficiency.
On the 1st January 2018 the ErP Directive for Warm Air and Radiant Heaters came into force, requiring all businesses with heaters and air handling units, which provide thermal comfort for people, to have a minimum efficiency. This efficiency must be at least 72% and covers all oil, gas, LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) and bio fuel heaters.
As well as efficiency, the directive was aimed at lowering the NOx emissions from these devices, requiring they do not exceed 100 mg/kWh if they are gas fire heaters and 180 mg/kWh if they are oil. However, this latter directive will not come into force until 26th September 2018.
If you want to read the full ErP Directive, click here to view a copy of it.
For businesses the ErP directive means they will be required to review and upgrade any inefficient heating systems currently in use or face penalties for not doing so. As long as the heaters provide comfort for human beings they will have to be compliant however, if they agricultural or horticultural heating, they will not have to meet the minimum 72% efficiency required.
All suspended and cabinet heaters that need to comply with the directive will have to be configured to operate with high/low output as standard. This applies to NVx, CPx/CPxEA. OUH and HEM appliances. However, if NVS, CP+ or TE products are installed these will already by compliant with the directive so will not have to be changed.
By reviewing their heating and air handling units and calculating their seasonal efficiency and NOx output, businesses can ensure that their heating systems are compliant with the new regulations. As the directive came into force on the 1st January, these calculations and any changes need to be completed as soon as possible.
One of the key outcomes of the changes will be with the way new heaters now need to be controlled to achieve the greater levels of seasonal efficiency.
Older warm air heaters were simply on or off (full heat or nothing at all). Modern heaters will now either require staged (high/low fire) or modulating burner control, so consideration must be made about the implementation of an existing control system or any future upgrades required.
The Essential Control E-Magine BEMS is fully compatible with both legacy and modern heaters. Contact us today to find out more about Essential Control solutions.
