The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021

Interpretation

1.  In this Schedule and Schedules 14 and 15—

“2-star section” means part of a 3-star or 4-star compartment which—

(a)

does not have its own individual access door or lid; and

(b)

has a target temperature and storage conditions of -12 °C;

“airborne acoustical noise emission” means the sound power level of a refrigerating appliance, expressed in A-weighted decibel referred to 1 pico watt (dB(A) re 1 pW);

“ambient controlled anti-condensation heater” means an anti-condensation heater where the heating capacity depends on the ambient temperature or the ambient humidity, or both;

“annual energy consumption” (“AE”) means the average daily energy consumption multiplied by 365 (days per year), expressed in kilowatt hours per year (kWh/a), as calculated in accordance with paragraph 3 of Schedule 14;

“anti-condensation heater” means a heater which prevents condensation on the refrigeration appliance;

“auto-defrost” means a feature by which compartments are defrosted without user intervention to—

(a)

initiate the removal of frost accumulation at all temperature-control settings; or

(b)

restore normal operation,

where the disposal of the defrosted water is automatic;

“auxiliary energy” (“E_aux”) means the energy used by an ambient controlled anti-condensation heater, expressed in kilowatt-hours per year (kWh/a);

“built-in appliance” means a refrigerating appliance that is designed, tested and marketed exclusively to be—

(a)

installed in cabinetry or encased (top, bottom and sides) by panels;

(b)

securely fastened to the sides, top or floor of the cabinetry or panels; and

(c)

equipped with an integral factory-finished face or to be fitted with a custom front panel;

“built-in factor” (“B_c”) means a compensation factor that takes into account whether the refrigerating appliance is built-in or freestanding, with values as set out Table 19 in Schedule 14.

“cellar compartment” means an unfrozen compartment with a target temperature of 12 °C and storage conditions ranging from 2 °C to 14 °C, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“chill compartment” means a compartment which is able to control its average temperature within a certain range without user-adjustments of its control, with—

(a)

a target temperature equal to 2 °C; and

(b)

storage conditions ranging from -3 °C to 3 °C, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“climate class” means the range of ambient temperatures, as set out paragraph 1(10) of Schedule 14, in which the refrigerating appliances are intended to be used, and for which the required storage temperatures specified in Table 17 in Schedule 14 are met simultaneously in all compartment(s);

“combi appliance” means a refrigerating appliance that has more than one compartment type of which at least one is an unfrozen compartment;

“combi parameter” (“C”) means a modelling parameter that takes into account the synergy effect when different compartment types are combined in one appliance, with values as set out in Table 18 in Schedule 14;

“daily energy consumption” (“E_daily”) means the electricity used by a refrigerating appliance over 24 hours at reference conditions, expressed in kilowatt hours per day (“kWh/24 h”), as calculated in accordance with paragraph 3(4) of Schedule 14;

“declared values” means the values provided by the manufacturer, importer or authorised representative for the stated, calculated or measured technical parameters in the technical documentation, in accordance with the conformity assessment procedure referred to in regulation 29;

“dedicated refrigerating appliance” means a refrigerating appliance with only one type of compartment;

“defrost and recovery period” means the period from the initiation of a defrost control cycle until stable operating conditions are re-established;

“defrost factor” (“A_c”) means a compensation factor that takes into account whether the refrigerating appliance has an auto-defrost or a manual defrost, with values as set out in Table 19 in Schedule 14;

“defrost interval” (“t_d-f”) means the representative average interval, expressed in hour (h), between—

(a)

one time of activation of the defrost heater and the next in two subsequent defrost and recovery cycles; or

(b)

where there is no defrost heater, one time of deactivation of the compressor and the next in two subsequent defrost and recovery cycles;

“defrosting type” means the method to remove frost accumulation on the evaporator of a refrigerating appliance, being either auto-defrost or manual defrost;

“dispenser” means a device that dispenses chilled or frozen load on demand from a refrigerating appliance, such as ice-cube dispensers or chilled water dispensers;

“door heat loss factor” (“D”) means a compensation factor for combi appliances according to—

(a)

the number of different temperature compartments; or

(b)

the number of external doors,

whichever is lower, as set out in Table 19 in Schedule 14; for the purposes of this definition “compartment” does not include sub-compartment;

“energy efficiency index” (“EEI”) means an index number for the relative energy efficiency of a refrigeration appliance expressed in per cent, as set out in paragraph 7 of Schedule 14;

“equivalent model” means a model which has the same technical characteristics relevant for the technical information to be provided, but which is placed on the market or put into service by the same manufacturer, importer or authorised representative as another model with a different model identifier;

“fast freeze” means a feature that can be activated by the user according to the manufacturer’s, the importer’s or authorised representative’s instructions, which decreases the storage temperature of freezer compartment(s) to achieve a faster freezing of unfrozen foodstuffs;

“freestanding appliance” means a refrigerating appliance that is not a built-in appliance;

“fresh food compartment” means an unfrozen compartment with a target temperature of 4 °C and storage conditions ranging from 0 °C and 8 °C, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“guarantee” means any undertaking by the retailer or a manufacturer, importer or authorised representative to the consumer to—

(a)

reimburse the price paid for the appliance; or

(b)

replace, repair or handle refrigerating appliances in any way,

if they do not meet the specifications set out in the guarantee statement or in the relevant advertising;

“incremental defrost and recovery energy consumption” (“ΔΕ_d-f”) means the extra average energy consumption for a defrost and recovery operation, expressed in watt hour (“Wh”);

“load factor” (“L”) means a factor accounting for the extra cooling load from introducing warm foodstuffs (beyond what is already anticipated through the higher average ambient temperature for testing), with values as set out in paragraph 3(7) of Schedule 14;

“low noise refrigerating appliance” means a refrigerating appliance—

(a)

without vapour compression; and

(b)

with airborne acoustical noise emission lower than 27 A-weighted decibel referred to 1 pico watt (dB(A) re 1 pW);

“manual defrost” means not having an auto-defrost function;

“maximum temperature” (“T_max”) means the maximum temperature inside a compartment during storage testing, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“M_c” and “N_c” are modelling parameters that take into account the volume-dependence of the energy use, with values as set out in Table 18 in Schedule 14;

“minimum temperature” (“T_min”) means the minimum temperature inside a compartment during storage testing, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“model identifier” means the code, usually alphanumeric, which distinguishes a specific product model from other models with the same trade mark or the same supplier’s name;

“network” means a communication infrastructure with a topology of links and an architecture that includes physical components, organisational principles, communication procedures and formats (protocols);

“pantry compartment” means an unfrozen compartment with a target temperature of 17 °C and storage conditions ranging from 14 °C to 20 °C, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“professional repairer” means a person who provides services of repair and professional maintenance of refrigerating appliances;

“refrigerator-freezer” means a combi appliance that has at least one freezer compartment and at least one fresh food compartment;

“spare part” means a separate part that can replace a part with the same or similar function in a product;

“standard annual energy consumption” (“SAE”) means the reference annual energy consumption of a refrigerating appliance, expressed in kilowatt hours per year (kWh/a), as calculated in accordance with paragraph 4 of Schedule 14;

“steady-state power consumption” (“P_ss”) means the average power consumption in steady-state conditions, expressed in watt (“W”);

“thermodynamic parameter” (“r_c”) means a modelling parameter which corrects the standard annual energy consumption to an ambient temperature of 24 °C, with values as set out in Table 18 in Schedule 14;

“transparent door” means an external door made of a transparent material which allows the user to see items through it where—

(c)

at least 75 per cent of the internal cabinet height; and

(d)

75 per cent of the internal cabinet width,

measured at the front of the cabinet, are transparent;

“unfrozen compartment” means a compartment type with a target temperature equal to or above 4 °C, including a pantry, wine storage, cellar or fresh food compartment with storage conditions and target temperatures, as set out in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“vacuum insulation panel” (“VIP”) means an insulation panel consisting of a firm, highly-porous material encased in a thin, gas-tight outer envelope from which the gases are evacuated, and which is sealed to prevent outside gases from entering the panel;

“variable temperature compartment”—

(a)

means a compartment—

(i)

intended for use as two or more alternative compartment types (for example a compartment that can be either a fresh food compartment or freezer compartment); and

(ii)

which is capable of being set by a user to continuously maintain the operating temperature range applicable for each declared compartment type;

(b)

does not include a compartment intended for use as a single compartment type that can also meet storage conditions of other compartment types (for example a chill compartment that may also fulfil the requirements of a 0-star compartment);

“wine storage appliance” means a dedicated refrigerating appliance for the storage of wine, with precision temperature control for the storage conditions and target temperature of a wine storage compartment, and equipped with anti-vibration measures;

“wine storage compartment” means an unfrozen compartment with—

(a)

a target temperature of 12 °C;

(b)

an internal humidity range from 50 per cent to 80 per cent; and

(c)

storage conditions ranging from 5 °C to 20 °C, as specified in Table 17 in Schedule 14;

“winter setting” means a control feature for a combi appliance with one compressor and one thermostat, which—

(a)

according to the manufacturer’s, importer’s or authorised representative’s instructions can be used in ambient temperatures below +16 °C; and

(b)

consists of a switching device or function that guarantees, even if it would not be required for the compartment where the thermostat is located, that the compressor will continue to maintain the proper storage temperatures in all compartments.