The New Ecodesign Directive and Fireplaces - What is it about?

At the beginning of this year, the EU Ecodesign Directive came into force throughout the region of European Union (EU). Its goal is to help consumers choose energy-efficient and environmentally friendly products. The directive also affects firewood users, as it introduced significant requirements for the efficiency and emissions of new fireplaces on sale.

What is the new Ecodesign Directive?

The goal of the Ecodesign Directive is to guide and help consumers to choose products that are better for the environment. Ecodesign is regulated at the EU level in the Ecodesign Directive.  Ecodesign Directive establishes a framework for defining concrete requirements for individual products through so-called implementing measures. As a framework directive, it requires definition of regulations on the European and implementation on the national level. 

The goal of ecodesign is to improve the energy efficiency of products by ensuring that environmental aspects and life cycle thinking are always taken into account already in the product design phase. The energy efficiency requirements of the products can help to significantly save electricity both at the national level and in individual households. 

The Ecodesign Directive as such does not directly affect consumers, but specifically obligates product manufacturers and importers. If the product does not meet the requirements of ecodesign set for it, it can not be brought to the EU Market at all. 

Ecodesign Directive and Fireplaces

When the Ecodesign Directive came into force at the beginning of 2022, it brought significantly stricter requirements for fireplaces. The new Ecodesign Directive defines the following emission limits for fireplaces:

• CO: 1500 mg/m3 (previous requirement 3750 mg/m3)
• OGC: 120 mg/m3 (no previous requirement)
• NOx: 200 mg/m3 (no previous requirement)
• Particles: 40 mg/m3 (no previous requirement)

The Energy Label helps consumers make better choices

Like said, the goal of the Ecodesign Directive is to help consumers make better choices. The directive obligies every manufacturer to demand for their products the Declaration of Performance according to the EU Construction Product Regulation and  the EU Declaration of Conformity according to the Ecodesign Directive.

Declaration of Performance indicates the performance levels for the product i.e. the basic features. With Declaration of Conformity the manufacturer of the product confirms that the product in question meets the requirements of all applicable legislation. In addition, the product must be affixed with a CE marking in accordance with the EU Construction Product Regulations.

A separate regulation on EU energy labeling also stipulates that a new fireplace must always be accompanied by an energy label. The regulation on energy labeling tells what information the energy label must contain and what information about the product must be given.

The energy label must always be visible to the consumer before a purchase decision, so that the consumer can actually use this information when making a choice. The energy label tells about the environmental impact thus helps consumers to choose more energy-efficient products.

With energy efficiency level A stoves the operating costs are lower since the wood burns longer and produces more heat. More energy efficient modern stoves heat up faster and recover more heat with the same amount of wood than older fireplaces with lower energy class. 

Modern efficient combustion technology also significantly reduces particle emissions as the wood burns more cleanly.  Today there are different types of modern fireplaces on the market with different solutions to make burning cleaner and heating more efficient.