Higher Minimum Energy Efficiency Levels for Storage Water Heaters

Bulletin – September 2004

An amendment to the Energy Efficiency Regulations was approved in late August and registered on September 1, 2004. The requirements as proposed in the water heater bulletin issued in August 2003, are now in place.

The amendment has been published in the Canada Gazette Part II:

http://canadagazette.gc.ca/partII/2004/20040922/html/sor191-e.html

Product Description

This regulation applies to natural gas and propane gas storage-type water heaters having an input of 75 000 Btu/h (21.98 kW) or less and a storage capacity of 20 to 100 US gal. (76 to 380 litres).

This regulation applies to oil-fired storage tank water heaters with an input rating of 107 000 kJ/h or 30.5 kW or less and manufacturer's specified storage capacity of 190 litres (50 U.S. gal.) or less.

This regulation applies to electric storage tank water heaters with volumes of 50 to 454 litres (11 to 100 Imperial gal.).

V = rated storage capacity in litres.
* supply pipe external to tank and connection near the bottom.
Energy Factor (EF) and standby loss are defined in the CSA test procedures.

Energy Performance Test Procedures

The test standard for gas equipment is CAN/CSA-P.3-04, "Testing Method for Measuring Energy Consumption and Determining Efficiencies of Gas-Fired Storage Water Heaters."

For electric water heaters, the test standard is CAN/CSA-C191-00, "Performance of Electric Storage Water Heaters".

For oil-fired water heaters, the test standard is CAN/CSA-B211-00, "Energy Efficiency of Oil-Fired Storage Tank Water Heaters".

These standards are all available from:

Canadian Standards Association
5060 Spectrum Way, Suite 100
Mississauga, ON  L4W 5N6
Tel.: 1 800 463-6727
In Toronto, call (416) 747-4000
Web site: http://csa.ca

Reporting Requirements

The energy efficiency report for water heaters includes product identification information (product name, brand name, model number, manufacturer, and organization providing verification) and the following product information:

Verfication Requirements

Canada's EE Regulations apply to products that are imported into Canada or are shipped for sale or lease across provincial boundaries. The system for submitting product information and ensuring compliance has not changed with this amendment. NRCan requires that water heaters carry a verification mark indicating that the energy performance of the product has been verified. The verification mark is the mark of a Standards Council of Canada (SCC) accreditied certification organization that administers an energy performance verification program for this product. This organization must also be recognized by NRCan.

Compliance

To enforce the Regulations, NRCan engages in a number of activities including:

-Border monitoring of import activity for shipments of regulated products

- Monitoring dealers of regulated products to ensure compliance with their obligations under the Regulations including ensuring that the products meet the minimum performance, that the products bear the verification mark, that the energy efficiency reports are submitted, and that information is submitted to the Canada Border Service Agency.

- Investigating complaints from various sources, including other manufacturers, about non-compliant products.

- Testing water heaters for compliance, (in addition to the testing done by the accredited certification organization).

Effective Date

These efficiency requirements became effective when the amendment was registered on September 1, 2004.

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