LGE Response to Revision of EcoDesign and Energy Labelling Regulations for Space and Water Heaters

Liquid Gas Europe has submitted four separate consultation responses to the European Commission on the revision of EcoDesign and Energy Labelling regulations for space and water heaters. Together, these contributions assess how the proposed rules may affect off-grid and rural heating solutions and highlight the importance of maintaining a technology-neutral, proportionate, and consumer-focused regulatory framework. 

While supporting higher efficiency and clearer consumer information, our responses underline that EcoDesign thresholds and energy labels must reflect real-world heating services, avoid misleading cross-technology comparisons, and prevent unintended market exclusions. In particular, we call for recognition of appliances that can operate on renewable liquid gases, which already enable substantial greenhouse-gas reductions while relying on existing infrastructure and limiting costs for households and SMEs. 

 

Summary of Liquid Gas Europe’s key asks 

EcoDesign – Space heaters 

Avoid boiler bans 

• Problem: Some efficiency thresholds and test rules would effectively make several common boiler types fail on paper, which could remove them from the market. 

• Consequences: Fewer compliant liquid gas boiler options, disruption for manufacturers/installers, and less ability to decarbonise off-grid heating using renewable gases. 

• Solutions: Adjust the draft requirements and tests so they match real products (especially for larger boilers and hot-water “combi” boilers), and rely on the existing boiler testing standard. 

Compare what is comparable 

• Problem: Boilers and heat pumps efficiencies are measured in different ways, but the draft can make it look like they are directly comparable. 

• Consequences: Consumers may misread results and unintentionally disadvantage liquid gas boilers, especially where high-temperature/off-grid heating is common. 

• Solutions: Add clear wording in the regulation that these scores are not a simple ranking between technologies, especially in off-grid contexts. 

Set realistic requirements for the turndown of liquid gas boilers 

• Problem: The draft asks for stricter “low-demand operation” performance that can be harder for LPG burners (particularly small home boilers) while still meeting air-quality and safety needs. 

• Consequences: Some liquid gas boiler models could become non-compliant, reducing market options and raising costs for off-grid customers. 

• Solutions: Create realistic liquid gas-specific requirements (or exempt very small liquid gas boilers) instead of copying expectations from premium natural-gas systems. 

  

Energy Labelling – Space Heaters 

Avoid misleading cross-technology comparisons 

• Problem: Boilers and heat pumps sit on the same A–G scale even though the underlying calculations differ, which can create an unfair comparison. 

• Consequences: The label may mislead consumers and weaken motivation to improve efficient boiler designs if many end up in the same class. 

• Solutions: Add plain-language warnings that the scale is based on standard tests (not a universal technology scale), and create sub-categories for better boiler differentiation. 

Show the temperature a system can deliver 

• Problem: The label misses a key practical question: “Can it deliver the high temperatures my home needs?” (common in older/rural homes). 

• Consequences: People may buy systems that don’t work well with existing radiators, leading to extra costs (upgrades, backup heating). 

• Solutions: Add a simple, mandatory temperature icon/info showing the max flow temperature and the test temperature used. 

Protect off-grid and renewable-ready choices 

• Problem: Off-grid liquid gas boilers can be judged using label bands shaped around a low-temperature heat pump, sending the wrong signal. 

• Consequences: Rural consumers may think “no boiler is acceptable” even where heat pumps aren’t viable, which can unfairly shrink liquid gas markets. 

• Solutions: Add a “renewable-ready liquid gas” indicator and/or an off-grid suitability field so the label better reflects real-world use. 

  

 Ecodesign – Water Heaters 

Keep minimum efficiency rules realistic 

• Problem: Minimum efficiency levels are set in a way that’s much easier for heat pumps than for combustion water heaters (including liquid gas). 

• Consequences: Some liquid gas models (especially compact/on-demand types) could disappear from the market, reducing choice and raising replacement costs. 

• Solutions: Adjust thresholds or add a fair correction so combustion water heaters aren’t indirectly “banned” by design. 

Allow sensible default hot-water settings 

• Problem: The draft points toward a one-size “factory default” hot-water temperature that may not match real-life needs for many liquid gas installations. 

• Consequences: Products may be forced into sub-optimal settings, confusing users and skewing performance claims. 

• Solutions: Allow flexible default settings and clearly reflect high-temperature capability where it matters for the user. 

Make circular-economy obligations proportionate 

• Problem: Some repair/spare-part/disassembly and update obligations are written as if every product is a complex digital device, which isn’t true for many simple liquid gas heaters. 

• Consequences: Disproportionate admin and cost burdens, especially for smaller manufacturers—leading to fewer models and higher prices. 

• Solutions: Apply simpler, proportionate requirements for low-electronics combustion appliances. 

Recognise “renewable-ready” liquid gas appliances 

• Problem: Appliances that can run on renewable liquid gas without modification still don’t get visible credit in the framework. 

• Consequences: A ready-to-use decarbonisation option stays invisible, slowing uptake of renewable liquid gases. 

• Solutions: Add a renewable-ready marker (or allow a renewable fuel declaration), so consumers and policymakers can see the option clearly. 

    

Energy Labelling – Water Heaters 

 Avoid making all LPG water heaters look the same (A–G rescaling) 

• Problem: Moving to a single A–G scale would place all liquid gas water heaters in the same class, so the label stops helping consumers compare liquid gas products. 

• Consequences: Consumers can’t distinguish better from worse liquid gas appliances, and liquid gas options may look like they “got worse” even if nothing changed. 

• Solutions: Add a clear statement that rescaling is not a judgment on product quality, and improve differentiation within the scale for fuel-fired appliances. 

Stop the label from implying heat pumps are always “better” (Efficiency thresholds) 

• Problem: Some class thresholds are built around heat-pump physics (values above 100%), which can make combustion heaters look automatically worse even if they deliver good hot-water service. 

• Consequences: The label can mislead consumers and policymakers, pushing choices that don’t match real needs (like high temperature or fast hot-water delivery). 

• Solutions: Require a simple explanation in the product information that “above 100%” reflects how heat pumps work, not automatically better hot-water service. 

Make noise information fair and consistent (Noise class) 

• Problem: Adding a noise class could create unfair results for flued/fan-assisted gas appliances if the test setup and checks aren’t crystal clear. 

• Consequences: liquid gas water heaters could look worse due to inconsistent measurement rules rather than real-world nuisance, affecting sales and perception. 

• Solutions: Clarify how noise is measured (setup/distance), what counts as indoor vs outdoor noise, and verification tolerances for flued gas appliances. 

Prevent scope changes from hurting off-grid users (Bigger systems + CHP) 

• Problem: Expanding the label scope to very large hot-water systems and some CHP units can hit off-grid and light-commercial liquid gas users disproportionately. 

• Consequences: These users may face label-driven market restrictions or poor-fit recommendations, despite limited alternatives. 

• Solutions: Add a “service capability” statement (e.g., service temperature and how fast it delivers hot water) for the biggest categories so the label reflects real usefulness.