Frequently asked questions

As a third-party certification body, Eurovent Certification works independently of manufacturers (first-party) and their customers (second-party), with no bias towards or against any other party. The value in third-party certification is that HVAC product performance is verified by an independent body without a vested interest, with no preconceptions or prejudice. For Eurovent Certification this means guaranteeing that all products will be evaluated transparently and fairly, creating a level playing field for manufacturers large and small.

Our certification marks provide an unbiased guarantee that products deliver verified and certified performance data.

Eurovent Certita Certification is an accredited certification body, recognised by Cofrac with accreditation number 5-0517. The scope of accreditation is available on www.cofrac.fr. 

To gain accreditation, COFRAC audits every aspect of Eurovent Certification as an organisation, from documentation and record keeping, to certification processes and complaints procedure. The accreditation also assures that Eurovent Certification staff possess the correct skills and qualifications to competently fulfil their roles, and most importantly, abide to the highest levels of impartiality and confidentiality. 

Our website holds detailed information on each of our certification programmes, which can be filtered by certification mark. Simply head over to the Certification Programmes page for an overview of each programme, search result definitions and to download technical information, such as Certification Manuals and Technical Certification Rules.

Eurovent Certita Certification awards internationally recognised certification marks for HVAC and refrigeration products. Eurovent Certita Certification offers various certification schemes tailored to the needs of manufacturers and stakeholders in their specific markets, and provides certified performance data needed to implement regulations.

Our quality marks include Eurovent Certified Performance, NF, QB, Keymark, CE Trade mark and MCS for Heat Pumps, providing certified performance data required for regulatory compliance and market transparency.

The Eurovent certification process is a structured third-party evaluation designed to verify product performance objectively. First the participant puts in a certification request. Next their certification application and reported data is analysed and validated.

Then we get onto the testing and evaluation of the product(s) to be certified, which may vary slightly between programmes. This can include the physical testing of products in a laboratory, production site auditing, a check of product selection tools, desk study etc. Once the evaluation is complete, the results are reviewed and a decision on certification made.

Once certification is granted, products are subject to ongoing surveillance to ensure continued compliance with certification rules and declared performance. Successful participants will then move onto a surveillance process, which may include annual factory and software audits, to ensure products continue to meet the certification requirements. This also ensures a more streamlined certification renewal approach.

We use state of the art evaluation protocols including independent tests, manufacturing audits, control of selection software, product sampling, product purchase, data consistency algorithms crossed by product family and product disassembly after testing. Find out more on the certification process page.

Eurovent certification tests are carried out by independent laboratories according to harmonised and standardised test protocols. All tests are carried out according to a single protocol as defined in the Technical Certification Rules of the programme.

The same protocol is used by laboratories, for all tests, and applies to all manufacturers without exception, ensuring fair comparison, reproducibility and equal treatment for all manufacturers.

Standardised testing conditions are essential to objectively compare HVAC product performance. Standard test conditions allow benchmarking of certified performance data on a level playing field.

Installation and operating conditions vary so much from one project to another, there is no way to test for every eventiality. However, many Eurovent Certified Performance programmes also include metrics that allow for testing that more accurately mimics 'real-world' performance. The Technical Certification Rules of each programme specify testing requirements.

Certified data is therefore extremely useful for product comparison, while installation conditions still remain essential for project-specific design decisions.

If a product fails a test, the participant has three choices:

1. They accept the first test result and rerate their products according to the test result.
2. They can ask for a second test of the same unit.
3. Or they can ask for a second test of a new unit.

Participants can only re-test once. In serious cases, test failures can result in certificate suspension.

In cases where the rerate result is accepted, the participant has a defined deadline to update their data according to the test results. Eurovent Certita Certification will regularly check that the rerates have been applied correctly and will issue penalty tests to ensure data integrity.

Failing a test does not automatically prevent certification, but corrective measures are required.

New participants must pass all the tests to be certified.

Failure during test generates additional tests and/or re-rating of performances according to test results. Performance data are therefore correct.

Campaign failure rate is monitored for each participant. Underperformance can lead to additional product sampling, and up to a certificate suspension for a year.

Mass production products coming from ISO 9001 manufacturing plants may not need to be audited again.

‘Certify All’ requirements, as well as pre-declaration of performance, provide proper rules to process a high quality product selection for test.

A random test point procedure and a multiple test point protocol already deliver very stringent certification rules to respect, hence adding a plant audit will only deliver a marginal improvement to those certification programmes.

Based on certified data, the energy label developed by Eurovent Certita Certification is a clear and reliable solution to quickly identify the energy efficiency of a product. Energy classes are from A+ for the most efficient products to E for the least efficient. It makes it easy to compare products at a glance, with the same classification rules for all types of products.

Beyond product certification, Eurovent Certification provides manufacturers with added services and market visibility.

Certified manufacturers can access the following services:

• Sales force training
• Networking opportunities
• Access to events such as the Eurovent Summit
• Annual and quarterly collection results from Eurovent Market Intelligence (EMI) containing total market estimations, market trends and analyses for manufacturers in participating programmes

Certification also provides access to digital tools (PIM, BIM, databases) through the ProdBIM platform.

Digitalisation tools include:

• A PIM tool automatically updated with the Eurovent Certification database of certified performances
• Connection to online public BIM product libraries
• Connection to private BIM libraries for key worldwide customers (e.g. Bouygues, Mercadona, China State Construction, etc.)
• Connection to technical database
• Connection to BIM software (Revit).

Plus promotion to industry professionals and end users via:

• The online certified product directory
• Participation at trade shows
• Participation at seminars and technical events
• Magazine articles
• Internal and industry partner newsletters
• Our social media channels

The duration of the certification process depends on the certification programme and product type. Different programmes hold different requirements, so it can vary from programme to programme, especially in the evaluation phase.

Once you apply for a programme you will be allocated a client manager who can take you through the full process and what to expect.

Yes. All data provided during the certification process is treated as strictly confidential. Your data is used purely for certification purposes.

Auditors are bound by a confidentiality commitment, so you can rest assured that sensitive information such as sales records are safe throughout the process.

Eurovent Certification requests data to be updated during a defined month, as set out in the certification schedule. Eurovent Certification will send the Participant its current list of products in .xlsx format, as recorded in Eurovent's database (internal and website data). The closing date for sending back the list will be clearly stipulated.

If a participant makes substantial changes to a product, or a model under development moves into regular production (outside of the regular updating period), the manufacturer can request the Eurovent Certification's current list of products to update and return accordingly.

Yes. As long as products meet the criteria, manufacturers can apply for as many programmes as they like. In some cases there may be multiple programmes available for the same product (e.g. heat pumps certified under the NF414 certification mark can also be certified under the Eurovent Certified Performance programme for heat pumps, Heat Pump KEYMARK and MCS for Heat Pumps).

If you have already applied for, or are already part of a certification programme, please contact your client manager. If you are new to certification you can email apply@eurovent-certification.com.

Send your request to apply@eurovent-certification.com or fill in the how to apply form from our website.

Please go to the ‘Restricted area’ section where you can find all relevant information.

As an ISO/IEC 17065 accredited body, Eurovent Certita Certification is not allowed to perform any consultancy activity. Accreditation is a guarantee of impartiality.

Certified products have their performance data proven independently by an impartial organisation. By choosing a certified product that matches your specification, you can guarantee products not only comply with the latest Standards and Regulations, but will also perform as advertised.

The trademark incident list helps protect the integrity of Eurovent certification marks.

It is a non-exhaustive list of manufacturers who do not present products certified by Eurovent Certita Certification.

The list supports market transparency and helps specifiers and authorities identify non-compliant use of certification logos.

Criteria for entering the list include:

• No contract signed with Eurovent Certita Certification in the last 12 months
• Existence of a document where the company misuses the Eurovent Certified Performance logo
• Procedure proposing amicable resolution within 15 days has not succeeded
• Repetition of misuse (in this case, no notification of 15 days)

View the trademark incident list

Participants may challenge certified ratings of competitors’ products and request a verification test.

You can search the Certified Product Directory and search for products using the certificate number. If the information provided in the certificate is not consistent with the information available on the website, it is likely that the certificate is fake. In case of doubt it is possible to send a request to Eurovent Certification through the contact form available on the website in order to check the truthfulness of a certificate or the certification status of a specific product.

Choosing Eurovent certified products ensures reliable, verified and comparable HVAC performance data. Certification enables you to compare products objectively to make an informed decision.

Benefits of choosing a certified product include:

• Transparent, accurate, universally understood performance data, with internationally applied quality controls
• A guarantee that products comply with regulations, standards and codes
• Assurance that HVAC&R systems will perform as expected, because they are designed on verified performance, rather than manufacturer claims alone
• This means that certified products can be trusted to build sustainable buildings, helping to reach decarbonisation and energy efficiency goals
• The ‘certify-all’ principal (attached to a large number of Eurovent Certified Performance programmes), means that manufacturers cannot pick and choose flagship models for certification. Every model in the range is submitted and has to pass set criteria to be certified
• Access to government and financial incentives as products have proven energy efficiency
• Certified products can also be seen as less risky by those providing finance
• Plus our Certified Product Directory allows you to quickly and easily view and compare product data, so you can confidently find the right product for your project, in the shortest timeframe
• Certification maintains a level of requirements. Any drop in performance or quality will result in a change to certified data at best, or at worst removal of product certification
• Certified products can safeguard your reputation. There is no having to ‘take a chance’ on manufacturer claims for performance or reliability.

Eurovent Certita Certification has developed an international network of independent testing laboratories and agencies, which are regularly assessed according to ISO/IEC 17025.

View testing laboratories & agencies

Performance data certified by Eurovent Certita Certification is instrumental for State authorities to enable compliance monitoring. For Governments and the industry as a whole, certification provides valuable data to document and track market information, trends and uptake in new technologies.

Learn more about institutions & performance data

A product is certified when shown on the Certified Product Directory. Manufacturers can put the certification logo on the nameplate of certified units and on their documentation, but have to make sure non-certified products are clearly identified. If unclear, our website is the reference.

The certificate is granted for a given period of time, from 1 to 3 years depending on the product. Should a manufacturer fail to meet the certification requirements, the certification is suspended immediately, and the products withdrawn from our website.

Yes. Certified data is comparable because Eurovent Certification:

• Evaluates all products within a programme according to the same criteria
• Expresses results in the same unit of measurement, regardless of the country where the products are manufactured or marketed
• Ensures all products within the programme go through exactly the same certification, auditing and surveillance process
• Ensures products with components manufactured across multiple sites (sometimes in different countries), all reach Eurovent certification standards.

Try it for yourself - view and compare certified data in the Certified Product Directory.