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SIA Urges for Ecodesign
Posted on Tue 11th Feb, 2020 in: Blog
The Stove Industry Alliance (SIA) is urging homeowners to consider replacing their older stoves and open fires with an advanced Ecodesign Ready model to help improve air quality and significantly reduce particulate emissions.
Independent tests carried out by Kiwa show that advanced Ecodesign Ready stoves produce up to 90% fewer emissions than open fires and up to 80% fewer than stoves of more than 10 years old.
Chair of the SIA, Morley Sage, commented: “With challenging air quality targets established by the Clean Air Strategy and the spotlight on domestic emissions, the simple act of replacing an older stove or an open fire can lead to a significant reduction in particulate emissions and an improvement in air quality. Furthermore, burning wood provides low carbon and sustainable hearing in line with the Clean Growth Strategy and meeting the UK’s carbon targets.”
Figures from the BEIS Domestic Wood Survey published in 2016 show that open fires and older stoves account for over 51% of the UK’s annual wood fuel consumption. In London it is estimated that 70% of wood that is being burnt for domestic heating purposes if being used on open fires.
It takes less than a third of the amount (of logs) to produce the same heat on an Ecodesign Ready stove than it does an open fire. Morley Sage added: “Not only are advanced Ecodesign Ready stoves highly efficient at burning wood, meaning you need fewer logs to produce the same amount of heat, but these new stoves have precision engineered fireboxes, which use advanced airflow systems and baffle arrangements to generate secondary and tertiary combustion before the gases exit the flue system. The result is that the excess hydrocarbons are burnt off in the firebox ensuring greatly reduced particulate emissions."
From 1st January 2022, stove manufacturers will have to meet tough new legislation setting new efficiency and emissions standards for woodburning stoves. SIA manufacturing members offer a comprehensive range of SIA Ecodesign Ready appliances that already meet these standards. Morley Sage concluded: “Woodburning has an important role in the future of domestic heating, particularly when considering the challenged that we face with climate change, fuel poverty and fuel security. Advanced woodburning appliances, used with quality wood fuel, such as ‘Ready to Burn’ accredited wood, which has less than 20% moisture content, can play a key role in helping reduce emissions and improve air quality.”
To help homeowners make informed choices by getting the best advice, the SIA has recently set up the SIA Retail Group. Members of this network of quality independent showrooms have made a commitment to ensuring that all the appliances they sell meet or exceed current legal requirements. They will offer personalised advice on choosing the right stoves, only use or recommend qualified and competent persons to carry out installations and provide advice on using the stove and choosing the right fuel as well as offer comprehensive after-sales support.
Article taken from Fires & Fireplaces magazine, February 2020.
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