It’s just under a month until the new ErP Directive comes into play, but it seems that many installers are still uncertain how to calculate a system’s energy efficiency rating.
We ran a short survey with installers and it showed that whilst most understand the purpose of ErP and energy labelling, over three quarters still do not feel confident in calculating and producing the required energy label for a system package to hand to their customer.
In response to this feedback, Nu-Heat has created a short instructional video to support installers in calculating a standard heating and hot water package energy rating and label themselves, without using any supplier tools that can be restrictive:
All an installer needs is the boiler and thermostat manufacturers’ product fiche, Figure 1 and Figure 5 forms and access to a computer to generate the system label via the official EU website. It’s that simple!
ErP FAQs
If you’re still unfamiliar with ErP, you might find our FAQs helpful.
What is ErP?
The Energy Related Products Directive, or ErP, aims to improve the efficiency of heating products and systems installed in properties throughout the UK. There are two separate parts to ErP:
- EcodesignEcodesign ensures that the products available on the market, such as heat pumps or boilers, meet strict efficiency requirements. Inefficient products will no longer qualify for a CE mark, meaning they cannot be sold in the UK. The responsibility for complying with this part of ErP lies with manufacturers and suppliers.
- Energy labellingEnergy labelling affects space and water heaters. The labels look similar to those you already see on white goods such as fridges or washing machines, providing a clear rating to show product efficiency.
Energy labelling applies to single products, such as a heat pump, as well as complete heating system packages.Individual product labels will be provided by manufacturers.Responsibility for producing the package system label lies with the installer.
What is a system package?
A system package is when a new heat source, such as a boiler or heat pump, is being installed together with a thermostat, hot water storage tank, solar collectors or a supplementary heater. If only one product is being installed, it does not count as a ‘package’, meaning that an energy efficiency label for the system is not required.
Does the heating system have an impact on the package efficiency rating?
No, the chosen heating system does not affect the package efficiency rating. Only the heat source e.g. boiler, thermostat, solar input or additional heat sources and controls have an impact on the system package rating.
When should the energy efficiency rating for a system package be calculated?
To comply with the legislation, an installer needs to show the system’s energy efficiency rating to the customer before they decide to purchase. Calculating the efficiency is simple and only takes a couple of minutes. Watch this short video to find out how to do it yourself.
Does the system package ‘label’ have to be displayed on the heat source?
No. The system package label must to shown to the customer but doesn’t have to be an actual sticky label. The label can be printed onto a standard A4 piece of paper, or even emailed over to the customer.