Boilers & water heaters

Strikingly, the stock of our heating equipment is responsible for 25% of all CO2 emissions, around the same level as road transport or industry. This is by far the largest source of energy consumption in our homes. Europe has been lagging behind for decades with no robust policies to ensure that only energy efficient heating equipment is sold and installed. This has led to a huge energy waste and billion of Euros of unnecessary spending on our energy bills.

What does the coolproducts campaign want?
This situation has to change drastically. The EU urgently needs a combination of appropriate policies including an overall goal to reduce energy consumption in buildings, energy requirements on boilers and water heaters, better information to consumers and adequate financial mechanisms. This was all explained in our ‘Warm Homes, Cool Products’ Manifesto (from 2009) which has the support from a wide range of organisations, businesses and policy makers. In particular, we request that:
•    all boilers and water heaters installed from now on should generally use renewable energy. Where this is not possible, they should be based on top-of-the market technologies using gas (i.e. at the level of "best condensing" technologies).
•    a simple A-G energy label based on the primary energy consumption is introduced to inform consumers and enable comparison between heating solutions across technologies and fuels. This label should become a mandatory tool which equipment installers should be trained to show and explain to users.
•    Air pollution is also limited through measures on NOx, particulate matters and other pollutants.

What is the European Union doing and what’s our position?
The European Commission has started discussions on Ecodesign and Energy Labelling rules for boilers and water heaters in 2007. However, since then the discussions have been slow and inconclusive due to several reasons (complexity of the technical approach, conservatism of the boiler industry, inconsistencies between some Member States’ national energy interests). Only in March 2011 have we seen a finalised draft for boilers, which will still need refinements before a potential adoption at the end of 2011.
It is now crucial that the EU moves forward swiftly and implements serious legislation as soon as possible. Even if the approach is not ideal in the first round and does not solve all issues, a first step is essential to launch a dynamic process and pave the way.

(Last update: May 2011)

Further reading:
-Read (and ask your organisation to sign) our Cool Products, Warm Homes Manifesto
-Our most recent position paper in reaction to the latest available draft on boilers
-Read one of our blog entries: "Thought boilers were un-cool? Think again!"
-Find out more about the EU process on our expert pages.