Reliable Condensation Protection.
The European ErP-Directive 2009/125/EG (Energyrelated-Products-Directive), also called the Eco-Design Directive, defines the minimal requirements for energy-related products.
Know How
The objective of the ErP-Directive is the reduction of energy consumption and the CO₂-emission rates as well as an increase of the overall share of renewable energies. This directive applies for all products placed on the market within the European Economic Area (EEA).
Answers to most important questions concerning AHUs:
The directive applies to ventilation units that exchange used air (impurified by persons or building emissions) in a building or part of a building by use of ambient air - typically for those persons present. This does not include applications, during which at least one air flow is defined by an industrial or production process.
AHUs with nominal air volumes ≥ 000 m³/h will be deemed non-residential ventilation units (NRVU). AHUs < 250 m³/h count as residential ventilation units (RVU). The declaration for units between 250 and 1,000 m³/h are left up to the manufacturer. In general, other requirements apply to residential ventilation units than to non-residential ventilation units.
AHUs that have been delivered since 1 January 2016 (arrival at the construction site) must comply with the ErP Directive. More stringent requirements have applied since 1 January 2018.
The EU Commission is planning further requirement levels. However, it has not yet been decided exactly how the requirements will be further tightened. A precise date has not yet been set and the Commission is working on it.
For example, the following segments have been exempted from the regulation's area of application:
- Agricultural applications (greenhouses, stables)
- Carriage of goods or persons (ships)
- Professional kitchen exhaust hoods (grease and steam extraction in commercial kitchens)
- Room loaded into thermal energy (Data centers, server rooms, compressor rooms, CHP rooms, foundries, forging processes, …)
- Machine Exhaust Air (garage exhaust air)
- ATEX (explosive areas)
- Exhaust air not from rooms or supply air not for rooms of a building (chemical fume hood)
- Exhaust air of or outdoor air for process applications
- Unit with air/air heat pump, if the heat pump works like an HRS
- Recirculation units with a maximum outdoor air fraction lower than 10% of the nominal air flow