Heat pump testing standard open for comment

As Australia moves from gas boilers to heat pumps for hot water, one major issue has been the lack of minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for hot water heat pump systems. This has allowed what many perceive as low-quality and inefficient products to enter the market, often within incentive schemes set up to support building electrification.

To address this issue, industry stakeholders have been working to update the performance assessment standard for heat pump water heaters, AS/NZS 5125.1. Once this is finalised, it can be used as the basis for hot water heat pump MEPS.

Specifically, a new appendix has been added to the standard to describe a performance test method for heat pump water heaters. It specifies methods for testing and reporting of the maximum hot water delivery and COP of heat pump water heaters with a single heated water storage tank of storage capacity up to and including 700L.

The product performance test assesses heating, draw-off and reheating cycles. Three climatic test conditions are specified. The climatic conditions represent a cold, average and hot climatic region within Australia and New Zealand.

The test method is comprehensive in order to offer a full range of options for setting of minimum performance standards; it is not envisaged that all of the information in the appendix will be used for MEPS.

Public comment on the standard is open until Thursday, September 18.

To view the draft standard and provide comments, visit the Standards Australia comment portal.

Photo by Pixabay.

---