How standards can better reflect consumer relevance on the example of range hoods

摘要

The EU's Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Regulations for domestic cooking appliances became legally binding in 2015. To determine the classes on the energy label, the regulations refer to the European Standard for performance measurements of range hoods EN 61591. The standard EN 61591 has been analysed and evaluated within the National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency (NAPE), a government programme that aims to increase the energy efficiency in Germany. The analysis revealed several drawbacks of the test standard. The standard used for the evaluation of range hoods is composed of methods for determining: (ⅰ) volumetric airflow, (ⅱ) odour extraction, (ⅲ) effectiveness of the lighting system and (ⅳ) grease absorption. Currently, the grease absorption class is obtained by heating up oil and water in a pot, which creates vapour and splashes of grease. In this paper different alternative methods for the evaluation of the grease absorption efficiency will be discussed. In the proposed test method an atomizer nozzle is used. Consequently, the exact amount of atomized oil is known and the ratio of filtered to atomized oil can be measured. Thereby the proposed new method is able to take into account aerodynamic designs and leaks. Furthermore, it enables to alter the classification guideline of the energy label to give more significant and consumer relevant declarations. It allows manufacturers to develop innovative grease absorption methods with little airflow. This study revealed that it can be beneficial to review more of the existing standards in the light of improving their consumer relevance.