Two years of important regulatory changes in the heating and air conditioning sector
FEGECA, the Association of Generator and Heat Transmitter Manufacturers, reviews the different regulatory changes in 2021 and 2022 in the heating and air conditioning sector and sanitary hot water production. These changes include the following.
Among the most important changes affecting the generator and heat transmitter manufacturing sector is Royal Decree 178/2021, amending the Regulation on Building Heating Installations (RITE) 2007. That also includes the clarifying note published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge in March 2022. In March 2021, RD 178/2021 was published, amending the 2007 RITE.
It is important to state that the RITE in force remains that of 2007. This is just an amendment of that RITE. This is the first phase of the complete review of the RITE in question. We are currently in the drafting of a second phase with further changes. RD 178/202 was published on 23 March 2021 but contained a number of errors that were remedied in the second final provision of RD 390/2021 of 1 June.
Among the most important amendments, the regulation was adapted to the European Ecodesign standards and energy labelling (ErP and ELD). All requirements relating to the performance of equipment are removed, imposing the requirements set out in European regulation. These include equipment that falls under the scope of application of the RITE.
Latest changes
On 14 June 2022, a new amendment of the Technical Building Code (CTE in Spanish) was published. Once again the Basic Energy Saving Document (DB HE in Spanish) was amended. The most important element of this RD is the amending of section HE5 and the creation of a new HE6 section that did not exist until now.
On 21 June 2022, a new regulation was published establishing the health requirements for the prevention and control of Legionnaires' disease.
On 1 August last, the government published a new Royal Decree Law, taking urgent measures to reduce consumption of, and reliance on, imported energy. Some of these measures affected our sector, and some even make temporary amendments to the RITE.
On 8 July 2022, Law 14/2022 was published, amending Law 16/2013 which established an additional tax on the sale of greenhouse gases. Most of the refrigerant gases in heating and air conditioning equipment are GHGs and therefore subject to this tax.