The significance of the ErP Directive is that manufacturers like Elta Fans are required to review their product range comprehensively in order to achieve new efficiency levels established under the Directive.
Elta Fans continues to endeavour to exceed the requirements of industry specific legislation, with an environmental drive at the very heart of everything we do.
As a company, through the development of new and existing product ranges to meet the legislative directives, Elta is well positioned to provide the Best Available Technology (BAT), by creating a range of quality, reliable and highly efficient products, encompassing longevity in the field, lower life cycle costs, and of course the environmental benefits and product integrity this brings to our customers today and for the future.
Find out more about the Energy Related Products Directive and what it affects by clicking on the links below
WHAT DOES ERP MEAN?
The Directive 2009/125/EC for the Eco design requirements of Energy Related Products (ErP) provides a framework for establishing minimum eco design requirements for energy using and energy related products. The Directive was updated from the Framework Directive for the Eco design of Energy Using Products (EuP) to widen the scope of the Directive 2005/32/EC to include energy related products.
The Directive requires manufacturers like Elta Fans to demonstrate compliance with the Directive’s product-category-specific requirements outlined in so called Implementing Measures (IMs).
WHAT DOES ERP STAND FOR?
Quite simply, it stands for Energy Related Products (ErP).
WHAT IS THE SCOPE OF THE DIRECTIVE?
The Directive covers all energy using products, except transport and will now start to include energy related products. However, for a product to be considered for an implementing measure it should:
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Have a significant volume of sales and trade, indicatively more than 200,000 units a year within the Community.
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Have a significant environmental impact within the EU.
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Present significant potential for improvement in terms of it’s environmental impact without entailing excessive costs, taking into account:
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The absence of other Community legislation or failure of market forces to address the issue properly;
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A wide disparity in the environmental performance of the energy using products available on the market with equivalent functionality.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE ENERGY RELATED PRODUCTS DIRECTIVE?
In essence, regulations are being introduced under the Energy Related Products (ErP) Directive in order to assist the Kyoto Protocol obligation to safeguard the environment in which we live,
by increasing the total share of renewable energy in the EU to 20% by 2020, whilst increasing energy efficiency by 20%.
HOW ARE FAN MANUFACTUERS AFFECTED
The Directive has set out minimum efficiency levels for fans, which includes all the principal fan types between 125W and 500kW input power. Where fans do not comply with the efficiency guidelines under the ErP Directive in 2013 and 2015, they will not be permitted to be marketed throughout Europe after these dates.
In effect, those manufacturers producing fans operating independently, or used as a component within a system or other equipment, which is less efficient than that specified by the ErP Directive, means you will not be allowed to purchase this fan following those respective dates. The consequences of which means fan manufacturers having to cease production of that product or offering an alternate product to meet efficiency criteria.
When does the ErP Directive become mandatory?
January 2013 – First Phase.
January 2015 – Second Phase.
What is the relevance of the ErP Directive to fans………..
The emphasis placed on fans with this legislation is to establish minimum efficiency standards for the various types of fans that are commonly in use, by introducing minimum efficiency standards in two phases.
With effect from January 2013, the first phase of the new requirements for efficiency levels for fans become mandatory, the implications of this will mean that certain fans will no longer be marketable within the European Union.
The legislative regulations will be strengthened even further by 2015, which will have even wider consequences for fan manufacturers, since the bar is raised, and the minimum efficiency standards required in this phase are far more onerous than the standards set for 2013.
With fan equipment manufacturers providing increasingly energy efficient products, the environmental benefits are representative of the industries contribution. Needless to say, some fan manufacturers will be left behind if they do not address the changes required in complying with new, stringent regulatory standards.
Elta fans environmental drive is directed at continuously educating its customers on how improvements in fantechnology benefit the wider environment in which we live.
The ErPfans.co.uk web site is dedicated to outlining the connotations of the ErP Directive and its particular relevance to the fan industry.
How do you know if your fans meet the requirements?
At the end of the day, it is the responsibility of the fan manufacturer to evaluate its own products to verify whether or not the fan complies with the Directive, and subsequently advising the customer of alternate options in those instances where the fan does not meet the efficiency requirements with those that do.
which fans are affected?
The ErP Directive encompasses a significant range of fan types, most notably,
Axial flow fans, Centrifugal fans, which comprise Forward and Backward curved variants, as well as Mixed flow and Cross flow fans, where there is a power input of between 125W and 500kW.
As you would expect, fan types are characterized by different efficiency levels, which are divided into specific fan categories, each of which are affected by the Directive, namely;
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Axial flow fans
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Centrifugal backward curved fans with housing
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Centrifugal forward curved fans without housing
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Centrifugal forward curved fans
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Mixed flow fans
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Cross Flow fans
Does the ErP Directive affect the fan or the motor?
Both the motor and the fan are affected by this legislation.
Where a motor is used on its own, it should comply with the efficiency standards under the Directive, with the first legislation implemented June 16th 2011, where motors cannot be less efficient than the IE2 level efficiency.
With fans, under the ErP Directive set out for 2013, this is pertinent to the complete fan impeller and motor arrangement, whether this be an external rotor motor assembly, where the motor is an integral part of the fan, or a separate impeller and motor arrangement, whereby the fan is driven either by a shaft or drive belt mechanism.
How is the efficiency of a fan determined?
TBA
How does one know if the fan passes or fails?
TBA
What is the timetable for the implementation of the ErP Directive?
All 27 member states of the European Union agreed to the basic conditions of the Directive June 11th 2010,
with the Directive for fans embraced in October 2010. The first phase of legislation to affect the fan industry comes into effect January 1st 2013,
with the second stage following in 2015.
With existing system installations, do these have to be converted?
The ErP Directive does not require existing system installations to be replaced or modified prior to the ErP Directive start date.
However, there is a period of time for the changeover of replacement fans, which means that fans that are non compliant with the ErP Directive may be
installed as retrofits up to and including 31st December 2014, although with effect from January 1st 2015, these fans will also have to comply with the ErP Directive’s requirements.
Are there any exceptions within the ErP Directive?
There are exceptions.
The most notable being fans used in high specification environmental conditions, in particular ATEX and emergency use only Smoke Extract fans where higher ambient temperature applications are required, or fans used in transportation applications, such as railway technology are all currently excluded.
In addition, the ErP Directive does not have an impact on kitchen hood applications where fans consume power ofless than 280 Watts, as well as fans used in clothes dryer applications.
How do I obtain the specific data on the fans?
Simply contact Elta Fans internal sales staff for more information on the specific data for each of our products, or our external sales engineers who are at hand, or use the up to date web site www.erpfans.co.uk for
specific product information on ErP compliant fans as more product groups satisfy the legislative requirements of the ErP Directive.
How do I identify whether a fan is ErP compliant or not?
The recognition and identity of energy saving fans which satisfy the
requirements of the ErP Directive is signified through a CE mark, which represents energy efficiency in the
same capacity as the compliance to EMC and Low Voltage directives.
In addition to the CE symbol, all Elta Fans products will display their own distinctive logo on the product which signifies the particular fan is ErP compliant, ensuring product recognition is straightforward, making the choice easier for customers, thereby avoiding any confusion. The ErP Compliant logo will also appear in sales brochures, fan selection software, packaging and anything deemed appropriate in assisting the customer.
Does it mean that fans are likely to become more costly through changes in the legislation?
Although the technological advances in fan engineering and design culminate in higher development costs and more sophisticated components, as a consequence of mandatory modifications to the fans, this provides a far higher level of energy efficiency for the fan, which means quicker refinancing of the initial investment in the fan system design over a shorter timescale.
In effect, from Elta fans to the end client, everyone benefits from the cost savings through more energy efficient consumption levels, thereby benefiting the environment through more
eco friendly products and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
What are the implications of the ErP Directive globally?
At present, the ErP Directive is only obligatory to all relevant components and products that are within the European Union (EU), which includes products that are either manufactured in the EU as well as imports from non EU countries.
At this stage, although the ErP Directive does not include products for export outside the EU, it is envisaged that other non EU countries will take up these legislative issues.
Does the ErP Directive affect fans only?
The ErP Directive is significant legislation in that it affects all products which consume energy in some form or another.
What is the European Ventilation Industry Association (EVIA)?
The EVIA was founded in July 2010 and aims to promote highly energy efficient ventilation applications across Europe, with high consideration for health and comfort aspects. Fresh and good indoor air quality is a critical element of comfort and contributes to keeping people healthy in buildings.
The EVIA takes the view that the ventilation sector can contribute to the energy efficiency targets set by the EU.
As a member of the EVIA, Elta attends regular meetings, contributing actively in its requests and concerns on the regulations and guidelines that shape the European ventilation industry legislative standards.
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