The SIA (Stove Industry Alliance) recently used the services of a research company, Kiwa Gastec whose report shows that modern clean burning Ecodesign stoves, including those in the Charlton & Jenrick range, can reduce particulate emissions by up to 90% compared to an open fire, and 80-84% compared to an old stove.
This finding is so important that SIA have begun an “Ecodesign Ready” labelling scheme verified by HETAS to promote stoves meeting the efficiency and emissions regulations early. The scheme is due for official launch in Parliament on 28th February.
This is a very significant milestone for the stove industry and for the environment. The fact is that whilst old stoves might produce a useful amount of heat within the home, they are not combustion efficient, not by a long way, and are not anywhere near as kind on the environment as newly developed high efficiency clean burning stoves. At 15-20% efficiency open fires needlessly remove a huge amount of warm room air up the chimney from their open throat, and at the same time don’t give the optimum burning conditions to minimise escape of smoke and unwanted residues into the environment.
Charlton & Jenrick invested in the design and development of the Purevision range of Ecodesign ready stoves as long ago as 2013 to prepare for future tightening of regulations. In doing so new combustion optimisation ideas and techniques were perfected resulting in a patent covering the tertiary air inlet system and several other innovations which were added within the products. The result was three initial fireboxes available in six inset and freestanding formats, which all passed the Ecodesign criteria nine years ahead of official introduction of these tough new rules – which consumers and the environment can benefit from right now. The range has since expanded to include classic cast iron clad models plus a slimline and cylindrical model under development. All models have been amongst the very first to be registered with the new SIA Ecodesign Ready scheme as demonstrated on the HETAS appliance listing website.
Managing Director Peter Mintoft commented;
“As any stove development engineer will testify, achieving all the Ecodesign criteria simultaneously for log burning fireboxes isa very difficult task indeed. For example the objective of 0.12% average CO or below during 3 consecutive burn cycles is a reduction of 88% from current permitted levels, and every aspect of a firebox from the details of the tertiary air inlets to the air wash and even firebox shape itself has an influence on the burning performance and must therefore be optimised.
This is time consuming work taking many hours of thought, design, iteration, samples and hundreds of further hours of testing and modifications to perfect. The results for the environment and the stove user are great news but it is definitely not something to be taken lightly!”
Many other ideas are being worked on continuously to further bolster the Ecodesign compliant range of wood burners offered by Charlton & Jenrick and keep abreast of market developments in the future.
From 2017, the industry’s main manufacturers, including Charlton & Jenrick will ensure that all newly-designed wood burning stove models will meet European environmental standards for particulate emissions, which are not due to be enforced until 2022.
With the advent of BREXIT there has been speculation that the rules might be relaxed but SIA discussions with DEFRA indicate that there is such huge pressure on Government to reduce emissions of all kinds that there is unlikely to be any easing of what will be international agreements on pollutant and particulate release – including Ecodesign for wood burning stoves.
There are significant benefits to using a highly efficient stove, which include:
* You only pay for the wood you burn – no gas bills or standing charges to worry about
* Burning wood in a highly efficient stove is virtually carbon neutral
* It’s a renewable energy source
* They produce a wonderful flame
* Plenty of heat output from modern stoves
* They make a wonderful, welcoming feature in a home
So there is no reason to delay installing a stove – future-proof Ecodesign compliant models are available today!
Charlton & Jenrick Ltd are leading manufacturers and suppliers to the fire, fireplace, and stove industry. We have a number of industry leading brands – these are Katell, Paragon and Infinity Fires.
We supply local independent showrooms, local government (social housing), high street retail chains, and nationwide house builders. As a group, we are committed to the research and development of highly efficient, environmentally friendly, innovative, and attractive products for the fire, fireplace, and stove industry. We are ISO 9001 and 14001 accredited.
