Boiler Manufacturers – SEDBUK To Go

It’s all change for boiler manufacturers in a couple of years time when the European Commission get their hands on the way that efficiency levels are calculated.

At the moment UK boiler manufacturers adhere to the SEDBUK ratings. SEDBUK – not the best acronym of course – stands for Seasonal Efficiency of a Domestic Boiler in the UK. In deference to the end of its useful life, the SEDBUK ratings changed in October 2010 and, much to the annoyance of some boiler manufacturers, effectively dropped many ratings down a couple of percentages for boilers currently on the market. And also a couple of bands were dropped.

Prior to the changes, SEDBUK had seven bands: A, 90% and above; B, 86% - 90%; C, 82% - 86%; D, 78% - 82%; E, 74% - 78%; F, 70% - 74%; and, G, below 70%. These have now been withdrawn and only bands A to E exist. Also, as bemoaned by some boiler manufacturers, some boilers which were in higher bands have effectively been demoted, ending up in a lower band.

But within two years it’s all set to change again when the EuP Directive finally comes into force. It has spent some years in the planning and consultation stage, and is due for ratification in the spring and adoption in the autumn.

When it was first mooted, boiler manufacturers cried foul as the previously regarded Premier Division – Band A – was going to be relabelled the Championship Division, Band B. The manufacturers quite rightly pointed out that this would cause a large degree of consumer confusion, as the industry had been striving to ensure that all boilers met the Band A standard. To have them suddenly all demoted to Band B would in effect create a second class product overnight.

So after weeks of lobbying by the boiler manufacturers, European commissioners saw the light and decided to reach a compromise which would suit all parties. Rather than scrap Band A, they have created two further bands above: A+ and A++. So most UK boilers will remain in the Band A, but the two further bands will allow the proper grading, as the European Commission see it, of improving technologies such as recyclables.

Even before the son of SEDBUK was born, SEDBUK was criticised in many circles as being too lenient and was based on data that was simply not demanding enough. Some carbon emissions experts were quick to point out that it was strange how once the figures had been formalised, almost all boilers being produced were either in Band A, or Band B, as though the industry has set a standard which they could easily achieve.

Yet other independent observers maintain that the boiler manufacturers have earnt some praise for embracing condensing technology and dramatically improving the efficiency of their boilers.