INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Latest on labelling I
n September 2015 the UK implemented European legislation with regard to the labelling and energy performance of water heaters and hot water
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storage tanks. This first phase of the legislation required that all manufacturers of hot water tanks and water heaters had to provide energy labels and relevant technical information in the form of a product technical fiche at the point where the product was first placed on the market. In the case of hot water tanks the energy label was simply based on the standing heat loss of the product. The products were rated on an A to G scale with A being the best insulated. The label used specific colour bands according to the energy rating with the A band allocated dark green and the G band red. In the case of hot water tanks there were no minimum performance requirements in 2015. Thus it was perfectly legal to sell tanks in any band as long as they were labelled correctly. For water heaters including hot water tanks sold with fitted immersion heaters, the energy label was based on actual energy efficiency with the product being tested against specified draw off cycles, the most common being the so called ‘M” or medium cycle providing 100 litres of hot water a day or the “L” (large) cycle at 200 litres a day. The labels have A to G colour bands and look similar to those for hot
water tanks but it should be remembered that the bands are based on efficiency, not heat loss, and so are not directly comparable. Unlike hot water tanks there were minimum efficiency standards set for water heaters back in September 2015. To make matters more difficult the EU decided that electricity should have a carbon factor of 2.5 regardless of its means of generation. Bearing in mind this factor, then even if it were possible to make a simple resistance heated water heater 100% efficient, it would only be rated at 40%, thus limiting the available bands. The legislation does make some provision for the fitting of “smart” control to the water heater which can boost efficiencies by up to three percentage points. As from September 2015 the minimum efficiency for water heaters rated on the both the “M” and “L” profiles was 30% signified by Band E. On September 26, 2017 we entered phase two of the legislation. This will introduce minimum requirements on the heat loss of hot water tanks and more stringent efficiency requirements for water heaters. Hot water tanks will have to meet at least the Band C heat loss requirements. In most cases this is already the case since they are already meeting quite stringent and separate
Martyn Griffiths, technical consultant to the Hot Water Association (HWA), talks about the latest ERP changes
UK Part L Building Regulation requirements. Water heaters will have to meet higher efficiency
requirements with a minimum of 36% (Band C) for the “M” profile and 37% (Band C) for the “L” profile. In addition to the changes in minimum
requirements, the labels for both hot water tanks and water heaters will be changed. In effect the lower Band G will be dropped and an additional band designated A plus (A+) will be added at the top end.
It is important to note that the actual values of the bands do not change. In other words, a product that was say Band C in 2015 will still be Band C following the change. There will however be a change in the colour designation for the bands so the Band C will change from pale green to yellow. Inevitably, due to production changeover logistics and stocking of products in the supply chain there will be period of several months where both labels are in circulation. As the actual values have not changed this should not cause a problem. It should be remembered that the legislation is applied at the point when the product first enters the market which in effect is when it leaves the factory. This means that it is perfectly OK for a merchant to sell and an installer to fit a product with the 2015 label, provided it left the factory prior to September 2017.
SafetyMatters N
APIT has responded to recent reports of faulty smart meter installations which have, in some cases, supposedly led to fires.
In 2011, the Government set a target to install
around 53 million smart meters in homes and businesses across Great Britain by 2020. Whilst the rollout has been going to plan so far, these recent reports have raised questions about the quality of some installations. The main benefit of smart meters is that they
provide users with consistent information on their energy usage and costs. Smart meters are also directly installed by the customer’s energy company free of charge. The Government hopes that smart meters will contribute to its environmental targets and improve energy efficiency. Whilst statistics show that the rollout is on
track, there have been recent incidents which have raised questions about the safety of smart meters. In June, BBC Watchdog included a feature on smart meters and instances of house fires. A spokesman from the Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy stated, “In the first half of 2017, there have been only 18 reported installation issues in the fitting of more than three million meters during the same period.” Whilst this fact will be comforting for many people, there is clearly still a small chance of poor installations. So, the question is, what regulations are in place
to ensure the proper installation of smart meters? In essence, everything that someone would need to know about the installation of smart meters is featured in the Smart Meter Installation Code of Practice (SMICoP). The Code of Practice lays out very strict guidelines on the installation process, including the necessity for members to recruit qualified installers and the procedure for fault resolution. The SMICoP website also features a list of all energy companies who can conduct smart meter installations.
Despite the strictness of the Code of Practice,
faulty installations do still happen. At this point further issues could arise unless additional steps are taken. These steps would ultimately need to be
taken by customers, however there is no reason why tradespeople and industry can’t raise awareness and give advice if asked. The Smart Energy GB website provides a lot of information in this regard, so it is recommended customers are directed to the website if they have any concerns. To assist with the issue of faulty installations,
NAPIT believes that an assessment and/or inspection programme of smart meter installations would contribute significantly in solving the issue of faulty installations. Chairman of the NAPIT Trade Association,
Frank Bertie, said: ‘The smart meter rollout will make a massive difference to the way we monitor our energy bills and usage. For this reason, NAPIT welcomes the rollout with open arms and hopes that everyone has a smart meter installed. Despite this, the report of faulty installations and fires did catch our eye. NAPIT hopes that industry and tradespeople play their part to help customers gain an awareness of smart meter installations and the steps they can take to ensure their safety.”
www.heatingandventilating.net
October 2017
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