Efficiency labelling coming for pool pumps

Industry stakeholders from around the country got together in Sydney for a briefing on the upcoming Minimum Energy Performance Standards and the related Star Ratings for pool pumps.

 

Swimming pool pumps have been identified as major users of household energy, and have become targeted by the Federal Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA).

 

The aim is to ensure that only efficient pumps are put on the market, and that all pumps for sale are labelled with a star rating (similar to the star ratings currently used for whitegoods) so that consumers can make a choice about which pumps are the most efficient.

 

In terms of greenhouse emissions, the swimming pool pump is the single largest emitter that doesn’t have a labelling scheme, after TVs and household lighting. TVs and lighting are also being targeted. In the future, solar pool heating pumps may also come under the labelling scheme.

 

The standard label will have six stars, but pumps deemed “super efficient” will have a slightly different label going up to ten stars.

 

Some stakeholders raised concerns about the mathematical modelling for determining the ratings. This involves a “pool pump curve” (known as Curve D), which some manufacturers say is weighted heavily against larger pumps. Some of the concerns have been addressed by reducing the range of pumps the labelling system will apply to – now, only pool pumps equal to or less than 2.5KW will be affected.

 

A related concern was that consumers may buy pumps that are not powerful enough to manage the sanitisation requirements of the swimming pool, but this may be partly addressed by additional labelling.

 

The scheme will be tied to the new standard, AS5102 - 2009 Performance of Household

Electrical Appliances—Swimming Pool Pump Units – which will comprise two parts:

- 5102.1 Part 1: Energy consumption and performance

- 5102.2 Part 2: Energy labelling and minimum energy performance standard requirements.

 

Prior to the mandatory labelling of pool pumps, there will be an interim period in which voluntary labelling will be possible. This may start before the end of the year, and DEWHA expects that those manufacturers whose products are capable of achieving a high star rating will take advantage of the marketing potential of the voluntary labelling period.

 

The ministerial decision is expected around April 2010, with the mandatory labelling likely to commence in April 2011.

 

The printed version of SPLASH!, due out on October 2, will cover this story in more detail.

 

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