06 Mar 2018

What is Ecodesign Lot 20?

Lot 20 is a new Ecodesign legislation which came into effect on 1st January 2018. It mandates that all electric space heaters and electric radiators comply with a set of minimum efficiency guidelines, and use enhancing features. Here Salvatore Cirasuolo, Director at IntelliHeat, explains how this legislation may affect you.

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This new legislation from the EU 2015/1188 is set to bring about the biggest shake-up in electric space heating to-date. 1st January 2018 heralded the largest upheaval the electric heating industry has experienced in decades, with new energy efficiency regulations coming into play that will likely change the landscape of available products and manufacturers. Lot 20 states that: “All local space electric heaters manufactured for sale in the EU after 1st January 2018 which use electricity, or liquid fuels, must comply with a minimum efficiency standard. This includes electric radiators, electric underfloor heating and electric and gas fires.”

What does this mean?

In very basic terms, from 1st January 2018 all electric space heaters sold in the UK must meet a set of minimum efficiency standards, this means that at the very least all heaters will have to incorporate intelligent room temperature controls to minimise wasted energy and comply with Energy-related Products regulations (ErP).

What are intelligent electric heating controls?

Intelligent controls managing the running times of your electric heater will incorporate three key features:

• 24-hour or timer control
This could be an integrated programmer, or as with the latest Cali I-Sense, a Wi-Fi-connected, internet-based smartphone app controller.

• Thermostatic control
Accurate room temperature measurement by an electronic digital thermostat.

• Smart start control
V27, open door or window recognition, presence detection technology reduces wasted energy when a thermostat detects a drop in temperature, and the use of presence sensors to enable the heater to automate heating cycles.

Essentially, Lot 20 demands that all electric space heaters sold after 1st January 2018 must incorporate intelligent room temperature controls to minimise wasted energy.

Why is compliance to become mandatory and how does that benefit you?

The EU Commission and the UK Government has recognised that the lack of efficient controls on electric heating has, for the past decade, been contributing to wasted energy and poor heating efficiency. As such, this directive provides a legal framework to force manufacturers of electric heating products to meet a series of efficiency requirements which IntelliHeat has been designing into its products for a number of years now.

Half of the energy used in our homes is used in the form of heat; as such, this legislative change will ensure first, that you as a consumer benefit from the assurance that the electric radiators you purchase, from 1st January 2018, will deliver improved efficiency in your homes. And second, that carbon emission targets are improved across the UK by minimising the amount of energy wasted through inefficient and poorly controlled domestic heating systems.

Further information....

Electrical products affected

• Electric 'commercial' local space heaters
• Electric 'storage' local space heaters
• Electric 'fixed' local space heaters
• Electric 'portable' local space heaters
• Electric 'underfloor' local space heaters
• Electric 'radiant' local space heater.

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