Energy label for professional refrigerators and freezers
EU introduces new energy label for professional fridges and freezers
The European Energy Label provides information on the electricity consumption and energy efficiency of an appliance. Energy labels have been applied to household appliances for years, and since 1 July 2016, the EU has introduced them to professional refrigerators and freezers.
From 1 March 2021, an energy label will also be introduced for another product group, namely refrigerated appliances with a direct sale function (i.e. appliances from which the end customer takes the selected goods himself), including display coolers, beverage coolers (so-called refrigerated display cabinets) and freezer chests.
In this article, we present the most important things you need to know about the new energy labels on appliances for professional use.
More than 20 years after the regulation of the European energy label for household refrigerators and freezers, it is being introduced for appliances in the professional sector.
Professional refrigerators and freezers are used in hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, warehouses, etc. In these cases, the issue of electricity consumption is particularly important due to the fact that several appliances are used in a facility with a busy operating mode, which also means increased electricity consumption.
How will the introduction of an energy label help?
When did the labeling requirement for professional appliances come into force?
European Union Regulation 2015/1094 on “energy labelling of professional refrigerated storage cabinets”, which entered into force on 1 July 2016, was adopted in order to reduce the EU’s electricity consumption as well as to promote the sale of energy-efficient professional refrigeration equipment.
However, the mandatory labelling requirement does not apply to all refrigerators, but only to those with tightly closed doors that are intended solely for storage.
Exception to the labelling rule for professional appliances
The exceptions to the energy label rule are statically cooled (fanless) appliances and those with a direct sale function, which fall under the new EU Regulation 2019/2018 on energy labelling.
Thus, energy labels are divided into 2 types:
- Energy labels for professional appliances
- Energy labels for appliances with direct selling function
What information is provided on the energy label for professional appliances
The energy label of professional appliances must contain the same information as household appliances:
- manufacturer details;
- product model;
- energy efficiency class (energy class);
- energy consumption for 365 days;
- net (usable) volume and climate class.
On the image you can see:
I. Name of manufacturer;
II. Model Name;
III. Energy class;
IV. Annual electricity consumption in kWh;
V. Useful volume in the cooling compartment;
VI. Useful volume in the freezer compartment;
VII. Climate class.
The energy label for appliances with a direct sale function looks slightly different and is closer to that of household appliances.
On the image you can see:
I. Name of manufacturer;
II. Model Name;
III. Energy class;
IV. Annual electricity consumption in kWh;
V. Useful volume in the cooling compartment;
VI. Average operating temperature of the device;
VII. The maximum ambient temperature at which the appliance maintains its set operating temperature.
Energy efficiency classes
On 1 June 2016, energy efficiency ratings for professional refrigerators and freezers were introduced for the first time.
They have energy ratings ranging from A to G, which has not been well received by retailers and consumers because energy efficiency in household appliances is measured in the A+++ to D range.
The reason for this difference in energy efficiency is the specificity of the testing conditions for appliances for domestic and professional use. However, the A+, A++ and A+++ classes are to be introduced for professional appliances from 1 July 2019.
- Power Consumption – The label also includes information about the power consumption of the appliance for one year. The value marked on the label is the result of 24 hours of testing multiplied by 365.
- The net (usable) volume of refrigerators and freezers shall be determined in accordance with EN 16825.
- Air-conditioning class – Consumers identify the air-conditioning class of appliances as a significant advantage of the energy label. The climate class indicates to what maximum ambient temperature the required internal temperature for food storage can be guaranteed. There are the following climate classes:
- Climate class 3 (low energy consumption): ambient temperature: +10 °C to +25 °C relative humidity: 60%
- Climate class 4: Ambient temperature: +10 °C to +30 °C Relative humidity: 55 %
- Climate class 5 (high energy consumption): ambient temperature: +10 °C to +40 °C relative humidity: 40%
Can the energy label of household appliances be compared with that of professional appliances?
The method of energy efficiency testing for domestic and professional appliances is not identical.
Therefore, no comparison can be made between a given energy class in household appliances and the same energy class in professional appliances. The energy label indicates the energy efficiency and consumption of the product.
In the case of professional appliances, these parameters are determined by tests in conditions such as a professional kitchen.
Due to the different nature of the tests for domestic and professional appliances, the energy class values and kWh per year ratios for these appliances are not comparable.
