ANALYSIS: Introducing the ErP directives will change the thermal heating systems

After two years of relative stabilization on the Romanian market of heating and air conditioning systems, the HVAC segment has shifted on a slightly downward trend in 2014, despite the stabilization estimates made by the operators in the sector. According to most managers of the companies in the industry, the thermal heating systems sector remained, in quantitative terms, at about 140,000 units, which shows that the estimated reduction was achieved by value, due to price pressures, situation claimed by most providers in the field. In terms of value, thermal heating systems segment stood at about 75-100 million euros in 2014, but it should be noted that it is very difficult to estimate the exact value of the specific market, given the complexity and the relatively large number of importers and distributors whose turnovers include various types of equipment. HVAC total market (including systems for industrial sector and air conditioning and ventilation segment) exceeds 200 million euros per year. For 2015, the estimates of most operators in the industry are positive, mainly due to changes in international law related to the labeling and comercializing the thermal heating equipments for the residential sector. Also, the sector will benefit from the continued and improved program Casa Verde, recently announced by the Romanian Government. The introduction, in September 2015, of the new directive ErP (Energy-related Products Directive) the heating equipment market will totally and definitivelly change. The legislation provides that, from that date, the European markets (including Romania) would forbid the selling of equipments that does not reach a certain level of energy efficiency. Basically, this fall will be permitted to be sold exclusively condensing technology systems, which alone fulfills all requirements of new European rules.