Catering Refrigeration legislation update from CESA
The Energy Related Products Directive, (formerly the Eco Design Directive) and the revised F Gas Regulations, two initiatives supported by Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA), will come into force in the next few years.
One of the key areas being considered is energy labelling which would mean that catering equipment would have to carry labelling similar to that found on domestic equipment, rating it A-G (with A being the most energy efficient).
Refrigeration is the first category of foodservice equipment to be considered under the Energy Related Products Directive and, clearly, energy labelling will be a major benefit to catering equipment buyers and specifiers.
Energy-Related Products Directive This aims to improve the environmental performance of energy-related products (ERPs) through eco-design. One of the key areas being considered is energy labelling.
This would mean that catering equipment would carry labelling similar to that found on domestic equipment, rating it A-G (with A being the most energy efficient).
At this stage no standards have been set to establish how labelling will be assessed, so no manufacturer can claim that its equipment meets the labelling criteria.
F Gas regulations The main focus of these regulations is to minimise emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gas (F gas) from products and equipment through containment, leak reduction, and repair and recovery.
The EU is currently discussing revisions to the F Gas Regulations, including a proposal to phase down the supply of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the most widely used of the F gases. This is to be managed by a freeze in supply in 2015 followed by further reductions from 2016 so that, by 2030, European HFC supply would be 21% of 2015 levels.
There is a variety of new refrigerants available that are both energy saving and less damaging to the environment. These include hydrocarbons, glycol, CO2 and HFOs - a new type of refrigerant with a
very low global warming potential (GWP). Buyers should look for refrigeration with the lowest GWP and ozone depletion potential.
This information has been supplied by CESA. More details atwww.cesa.org.uk
