The ErP is comprised of two Directives: Ecodesign and Energy Labelling. Ecodesign sets a minimum energy performance and environment criteria for energy related products, and Energy Labelling requires that products display a label showing the product’s efficiency band (between A+++ to G). Energy labels are also required for a complete installed system. Heat pump installers are responsible for providing the package label that will display performance data when installing a package of heat pump, temperature control and solar device. The European Commission has produced an online Energy Label generator that can be found online at http://eepf-energylabelgenerator.eu/.
In preparation for the new rules, MCS has updated the scheme heat pump standards: MIS 3005, MCS 007 and MCS 021 to align with ErP. The new requirements stipulate that any heating and hot water products placed on the market from September 26 2015 must be ErP compliant. However, MCS has stipulated that any MCS heat pump product commissioned on or after March 26 2016 must be ErP compliant, allowing a six month grace period for any non ErP compliant heat pump products to be installed and commissioned.
It is important to note that, whilst non ErP compliant heat pumps may be sold, provided they were placed on the market before September 26 2015, non ErP compliant heat pumps installed after March 26 2016 will not be eligible for MCS Certification or the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) support.
Some heat pump manufacturers are providing ErP guidance and training to installers that use their products, so if you are unsure about what you will need to do when ErP comes into force, manufacturers may be able to provide this additional guidance.
If a heat pump is MCS Certified before September 26, MCS Contractors are allowed to use the SPF value from the HEG (MCS 021 V2.0) up until March 25 2016. From 26th March 2016, MCS Contractors will be required to comply with MIS 3005 Issue 4.3, calculating product specific SPFs using either the Seasonal Co-efficient of Performance (SCOP) for electrically driven heat pumps and Seasonal Prime Energy Ratio (SPER) for gas absorption heat pumps.
If a customer is looking at investing in a heat pump or in the process of getting a heat pump installed that is currently on the MCS website, then make sure it will be installed and commissioned before March 25 2016 as any product that does not meet the new MCS standards will be removed on March 26 2016 and they would no longer be able to claim the RHI.