Now imagine the same principle applied to all air handling units, pumps, chillers, and so on. There is a distinct possibility we could be seeing performance labelling on plant equipment. The reason for this is a recently proposed EU Directive on the energy performance of buildings. One of the objectives of the Directive proposal is: "The establishment of a general framework of a common methodology for calculating integrated energy performance of buildings."
The word 'integrated' is key, as it implies that as well as calculating the efficiency of the building insulation, the energy efficiency rating will also include heating installation and hot water supply, air conditioning installation, ventilation system, and lighting. The calculation will also take into account the positive influence of energy efficient installations such as solar systems and chp units.
The Directive is due to come into force in 2003 and will have significant implications for engineers and manufacturers alike in terms of product quality and specification.
The proposal was recently seen by leading figures and institutions in the services sector.
Terry Wyatt, head of research of development at Hoare Lea and vice president of CIBSE, acted as a consultant on the proposal, and explains: "I and several others were consulted on the Directive and asked to give ideas on the best way to calculate a buildings efficiency performance.
"We all agreed that the task of working out how well a building performs is not simple, and that any means of making that easier should be welcomed. We then came up with the idea that if the services were to receive a similar performance labelling it would make the calculation process more straightforward."
It is important to point out that at this stage product 'grading' is purely hypothetical. Yet, as Wyatt explains: "It is an opportunity for leading manufacturers to show that their products are as good as they say they are."
Alan Tyson, commercial director at Carrier agrees: "We would gladly welcome the introduction of a mandatory standard. Our products already carry energy efficiency rating labels as standard in America, while in Britain we carry the Eurovent label." Tyson is convinced that in time product grading will happen: "Ultimately it will come. Although its difficult to predict if all products, whatever their size, will be graded. It is a lot easier, and less expensive to test smaller appliances."
For manufacturers, the testing will add to the cost of developing new products. However, many are already putting cash into researching and launching energy efficient equipment. Jane Dawson, managing director of the building services division at pump specialist Howard Anderson says: "We are already launching more energy efficient products, and this is the way the market is going now."
Dawson points out that the European electrical motor industry went through a similar process of product grading for efficiency. "Motors were either F1 – highly energy efficient, and the rest were F2. Engineers simply didn't specify F2." She adds that the process of working out how such grading would work took about five years.
However long it takes, there can be not doubt such a system will have a dramatic impact on engineers, manufacturers and buildings.
Source
Building Sustainable Design
