A group of manufacturers and certification bodies, coordinated by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA), has agreed to the terms of the Heat Pump Keymark, which the participants say they expect to become the single certificate for heat pumps in the European market.

The Keymark is a quality assurance standard, like the well-known kitemark, backed by third party testing and factory inspection. It is a true ISO type 5 system according to ISO 17065 and should fulfill even the toughest requirements for product quality and efficiency in the marketplace, the EHPA noted.

The EHPA said participants are comprised of Atlantic, Daikin, Emerson, Dimplex, Nibe, Stiebel Eltron, Vaillant, and Viessmann on the manufacturing side and DIN CERTCO, BRE Global, and SP Cert on the side of the certification bodies.

The Heat Pump Keymark, open to all interested parties, covers all heat pumps in the scope of Ecodesign Lot 1 and Lot 2.

It is based on:

• A single set of requirements

• Third party testing

• Annual factory inspection

• A quality assurance system

The application for official recognition of the scheme has been sent to the CEN Keymark  management.

The EHPA said it will also complement the value of the Energy Label, which is currently based on self-declared data. “In combination with the Keymark, the end user can trust that the declared efficiency values have been verified by an independent party.”

The scheme is open for certification bodies and test institutes to voice their interest in participation from January 2016 onwards. Once these bodies are empowered, manufacturers can apply for the certificate.

Content for the European Spotlight is provided courtesy of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Magazine, London. For more information, visit www.racplus.com.

Publication date: 1/4/2016

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