Energy labelling and ecodesign for building services

It is mandatory for all manufacturers and importers to follow ecodesign and energy labelling regulations when placing certain building services products on the EU market. Learn more about the relevant regulations to ensure compliance.

The European Union (EU) requirements for energy labelling and ecodesign pave the way for more energy efficient products to enter the market. These requirements have been established through the EU Energy Labelling Regulations, the EU Ecodesign Directive and and relevant product specific regulations.

These regulations set the rules that economic operators must adhere to when placing products on the market.

Your obligations for energy labelling

Under EU energy labelling rules, manufacturers and importers of building services products are legally required to:

  • provide dealers and consumers with an energy label and product information sheet (also sometimes called product fiche) for each product within scope of the requirements
  • ensure the accuracy of the labels and product information sheets
  • enter the relevant information in the public and compliance parts of the product database (EPREL) before placing a unit of a new model on the market
  • keep information concerning a product model for ten years after the last date of placement of units on the market
  • display energy related information (label and product information sheet when products are sold directly to consumers or advertised (websites, brochures, etc.)
    • Following a European Court of Justice ruling in October 2023, the European Commission published a notice in relation to the display of energy-related information within visual advertisements and technical promotional material for non-rescaled products.

Additional guidance and resources (such as nested display design files) are available directly on the European Commission website.

For comprehensive legislation and guidelines, refer to the EU Commission's website

Product category requirements

EU energy labelling and ecodesign requirements are mandatory for the following categories of building services:

  • space and water heating
  • solid fuel local space heaters
  • ventilation units
  • air heating and cooling products

Find more information about regulations for each product category below:

Space and water heaters

Energy labelling requirements

Space and water heaters come with energy labels that are rated from G (least efficient) to A++ (most efficient). Combined technologies can even achieve an A+++ rating.

Ecodesign requirements

These regulations focus on energy efficiency, nitrogen oxide emission limits, storage volume for water heaters, and heat loss controls.

Energy savings

Efficient heaters could save EU consumers over €60 billion by 2020. For example, upgrading to a condensing gas boiler can result in annual savings of €275 and pay back its cost in seven years. Potential electricity savings stand at 600 TWh per year, reducing CO2 emissions by 135 million tonnes.

Detailed guidance for each product category can be found by clicking the links below:

Space Heating

Water Heating

Local Space Heating

Solid Fuel local space heaters

Energy Labelling

This labelling informs consumers about the energy efficiency and environmental performance of the product. The label typically includes details on energy consumption and emission levels, among other variables.

Ecodesign requirements

As of January 2022, ecodesign standards have become mandatory for manufacturers and suppliers. As a result, Solid Fuel Local Space Heaters must comply with these standards to be sold within the EU. These regulations set out criteria that manufacturers are obliged to meet, including:

  • Energy efficiency: Minimum energy performance standards are in place to limit the waste of energy.
  • Emissions: A reduction in emissions of particulates, organic gaseous compounds, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides is mandated.

Energy savings

Compliance with these standards could lead to savings of up to 63 petajoules annually by 2030, and reduce particulate emissions by approximately 500,000 tonnes per year.

Detailed guidance for each product category can be found by clicking the links below:

Solid fuel local space heaters

Solid fuel boilers

Ventilation units

Energy Labelling

Residential ventilation units have energy efficiency labels ranging from A+ (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Ratings consider specific power input (SPI), heat recovery efficiency, and ventilation control type among additional factors.

Ecodesign Requirements

Standards focus on energy efficiency and product information for units sold in the EU, both for residential and non-residential use.

Energy Savings

Ventilation units make up over 2% of the EU's electricity consumption. More efficient units could save Europeans up to 1300 PJ annually by 2025, resulting in up to €26 billion in consumer savings.

Detailed guidance for each product category can be found by clicking the links below:

Air heating and cooling products

Ecodesign Requirements

Standards apply to a range of products and cover energy performance, energy efficiency, and nitrogen oxide emissions.

Energy Savings

Using more efficient products could lead to significant energy savings and reduce CO2 emissions by 9 million tonnes by 2030. Detailed guidance for each product category can be found by clicking the links below:

Air conditioners and comfort fans

Air heating and cooling products

Circulators

Water Pumps

Recent updates

European Commission sought feedback on ecodesign rules for air heating and cooling products.

The Commission had opened a call for evidence on updating EU rules on the ecodesign of air heating and cooling products, allowing the public and stakeholders to provide feedback on possible changes. With the original measures setting minimum energy-efficiency requirements for air heating products, cooling products, high-temperature process chillers, and fan coil units agreed back in 2016 - and taking effect in 2018 and 2021 - the aim is to review the rules to consider changes in recent years.

For example, the exercise mentioned feedback on technological developments, such as heat recovery and free cooling, and changes to EU legislation, such as the fluorinated greenhouse gases regulation and rules on the circular economy. In particular, the aim is to collect qualitative (technologies available, consumers' and environmental organisations' opinions, etc.) and quantitative (market data on sales and prices or test results) data to conduct the necessary analysis. The overall intention is to adopt the updated ecodesign rules on air heating and cooling products by the second quarter of 2026.

The Ecodesign Regulation is considered to have reduced the energy consumption of air heating and cooling products. Nevertheless, they remain significant contributors to energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, with an estimated 600 TWh of primary energy consumption per year in 2020, with cooling equipment consuming a major part of this (~400 TWh/a). This is approximately 5.6% of the EU-27's overall primary energy consumption.

The target audience of this feedback was experts and representatives of any relevant interested parties, including industry associations (manufacturing, retail, installation, and repair businesses), individual companies, environmental and consumer organisations, EU countries, and private individuals. The call for evidence ended on 31 August 2024 (midnight Brussels time) and is therefore over. However, keep posted on the EU Commission website for future updates.

Related links:

New EU rules for local space heaters

The European Commission has adopted new EU rules to reduce energy consumption and facilitate the repair of local space heaters (both electric and those fuelled with gaseous or liquid fuels). Typical examples of these products are electric radiators, towel rails, infra-red radiant heaters, electric underfloor heaters and gas stoves.  

The new rules will replace the existing ecodesign measures and their adoption follows an extensive stakeholder and public consultation and scrutiny by the European Parliament and the Council, which took place from 14 November 2023 to 14 February 2024.

The new rules in particular extend the scope of ecodesign to additional types of appliances such as electric towel rails and large tube heaters (typically in open plan factory areas). So-called 'slave heaters' (electric resistance heaters without inbuilt controls), which were previously excluded from ecodesign, are now also covered by the new requirements. In addition, the new measures introduce maximum energy consumption levels for low-power modes, such as the off or standby mode, for the products covered.

EU consumers will benefit from new provisions boosting a circular economy given that manufacturers will be required to make available spare parts and related information for the purpose of repairing local space heaters.   Certain local space heaters (but not electric ones) are also covered by EU Energy Labelling requirements. These are currently also under review, but this process is only expected to be finalised in 2025.

Related links:

Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/1103

Energy efficiency - ecodesign requirements for local space heaters (review)

Energy label and ecodesign

Heat pump testing

We are pleased to share that our Building Services team is actively involved in ENERTP2020, a comprehensive four-year programme that runs from December 2021 to December 2025. Coordinated by PROSAFE, ENERTP2020 is committed to testing various energy-related products to ensure they meet Eco-design and Energy Labelling standards.

Our team's specific focus is on the testing of air-to-water heat pumps. Joining forces with 12 accredited laboratories from 9 EU Member States, the initiative seeks to strengthen market surveillance and lower non-compliance rates for energy-related goods.

This engagement aligns seamlessly with ENERTP2020's overarching goals: to help Market Surveillance Authorities evaluate current market practices, ensure the attainment of the 2030 Energy Efficiency Targets, and boost consumer confidence in the energy-saving capabilities of products on the market.

Enhancing energy efficiency of water heaters

The Building Services team is engaged in EEPLIANT3, a comprehensive European initiative centred on market surveillance for energy-efficient appliances. Supported by the EU's Horizon 2020 programme, the EEPLIANT3 project is operational from June 2019 until November 2023 and is overseen by PROSAFE.

Significantly, the Building Services team is responsible for Work Package 9, which zeroes in on enhancing the energy efficiency standards for water heaters. This specialised focus aims to bolster market compliance and advance energy-saving measures in hot water systems.

Monitoring compliance

Market surveillance campaign reports

As the MSA, we regularly conduct campaigns on product categories available on the Irish market. Results from campaigns in the building services category can be found in the summary reports below:

 

Useful links and publications

Have questions?

If you have any questions about energy labelling and ecodesign in Ireland, our team is here to help. Contact a member of the MSA to learn more about EU requirements.

Call: 01 8082100

Email: [email protected]

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