To further stimulate the air filter industry to develop more energy-efficient air filters, Eurovent has decided for the addition of a new A+ energy class. The result is that the number of energy classes is increasing from 5 to 6, with energy class E remaining the least beneficial option. Following on these changes, the Eurovent energy label design for 2015 is slightly modified as well. In this powerpoint you can find the introduction to the revised Eurovent Guideline.
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An introduction to the revised guideline for 2015
1. An introduction to the
revised guideline for 2015
Eurovent Guideline: Energy
Efficiency Classification of Air
Filters
2. WHY ENERGY EFFICIENT AIR FILTERS?
High impact on your building’s energy costs in a changing world
Enforcing governmental policies
• EU Energy 2020 program
• EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD)
EU targets:
End 2018: public buildings to be nearly Zero Energy Buildings
End 2020: all new buildings to be nearly Zero Energy Buildings
(building produces at least the amount of energy it consumes)
Sources: REHVA, Eurovent, Eurostat. Energy costs are EU average per kWh.
Lifecycle costs air filters
Significant rise of energy costs
Lifecycle costs Air Handling UnitsShares of energy
3. WHY ENERGY EFFICIENT AIR FILTERS?
Limiting the air filter’s pressure drop lowers your energy costs
Air filters indirectly consume energy by causing a pressure drop in the air handling system.
The higher the pressure drop, the higher the required fan motor power to compensate.
A few considerations to reduce the filter’s pressure drop
• Select your air filters from an integrated system perspective
• Frequently monitor and register air filter pressure differentials
• Optimize air filter change frequencies for each filtration step
Select an air filter with a good Eurovent energy efficiency rating
Air pressure inlet Air pressure outlet
∆ = pressure drop
FanFilter element
4. WHAT IS THE EUROVENT GUIDELINE?
Energy efficiency classification of air filters for general ventilation purposes
A method to classify air filters, subject to EN779:2012, based on annual energy consumption.
Assisting customers in comparing and selecting the most energy-efficient air filters.
Guideline is mandatory for use by Eurovent certified participants since January 2013.
Calculation parameters and procedure
• Using a EN779:2012 laboratory test for a full size filter element
• Air filter tested at a nominal airflow of 0,944 m3/s (equivalent to 3400 m3/h)
• Challenged with test dust to final pressure drop (450 Pa for M- and F-class filters)
• Pressure drop curve recorded with ≥ 5 data points to calculate average pressure drop
• Energy consumption calculated with 50% fan efficiency, 6000 hours operating time
• Annual energy consumption compared to kWh limits for each EN779:2012 filter class
• Air filter is assigned to the applicable energy efficiency class
Rule of thumb: 1 Pa lower pressure drop ≈ 11 kWh lower energy consumption ≈ € 1 lower energy cost
5. WHAT HAS CHANGED FOR 2015?
A new A+ category and revised energy efficiency class limits
The most notable elements of the modified Eurovent guideline
• Addition of a new energy class: A+
• New color coding for energy class A
• Class limits have slightly changed for all energy efficiency classes
Source: Eurovent 4/21 2014 and RS 4/C/001-2015.
ME = Minimum Efficiency, being the lowest value of initial efficiency, efficiency throughout the test’s loading procedure and discharged efficiency.
6. WHAT HAS CHANGED FOR 2015?
A modified design of the official Eurovent energy label
Recommendation: only trust energy efficiency claims of Eurovent certified members such as AAF
Important considerations when searching for air filters certified for energy efficiency
• Only Eurovent certified members are allowed to carry the official Eurovent energy label
• Only energy labels including the Eurovent logo assure you that performance is independently validated
• Not all A-labels are the same: energy cost differences between average and excellent A-labels can be tens of euros per year
Label 2014 Label 2015
7. HOW DOES AAF PERFORM?
Low energy consumption without compromising Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
8. ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS?
Answers to 4 frequently asked questions
Question 1: Why do certain air filters not have an energy efficiency rating?
Answer: The air filter manufacturer might not be Eurovent certified or the concerning air filter is tested at an airflow different than
the nominal airflow of 0,944 m3/s on which the energy classification is based.
Question 4: Why do some air filters have energy efficiency class E without exact kWh values?
Answer: It can be that the air filter did not meet the test dust loading requirement as defined by the Eurovent guideline. In such
case, the air filter will by default receive an E rating for energy efficiency with mentioning of the corresponding kWh range (e.g. >
1200 kWh). It should be noted that this test dust loading procedure takes place in a laboratory environment for classification
purposes only. The air filter’s actual performance in practice may deviate.
Question 3: What energy efficiency rating do non-full size filter elements get?
Answer: The non-full size air filters may carry the same energy efficiency class as their full size equivalents (i.e. 592 x 592 mm
according to EN15805), be it that the actual annual energy consumption values in kWh can then not be displayed.
Question 2: Why do pocket filters with lower pocket depths sometimes have worse energy labels?
Answer: Irrespective pocket depth (e.g. 640 mm or 390 mm), filters have to be laboratory tested at 0,944 m3/s for energy efficiency
rating. Applying the same airflow to a smaller filter media surface increases the pressure drop and therewith energy consumption.