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Programme focus: Chillers (LCP-HP)
The Eurovent Certified Performance programme for Chillers and Heat Pumps (LCP-HP) is open to standard chillers and hydronic heat pumps used for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration. The programme attests the conformity of chillers to European and International Standards and provides independently verified product performance data via an impartial and vigorous certification process.
Why is chiller certification important?
The best designed and installed systems will underperform if expected product performance does not match manufacturer claims.
Choosing the right chiller ensures cost-effective operation, energy efficiency, and long-term reliability, while also supporting sustainability goals. Chillers operate across a large market as they are a key component in both comfort and process applications, and can be used across residential, commercial, or industrial projects. Therefore, there is no one-size-fits-all solution, and decision makers need accurate performance data to choose the best chiller size and type for the project.
Chillers that underperform:
- Increase energy consumption, carbon footprint and running costs
- Will struggle to meet cooling demands, leading to overloading and system failures
- Are unlikely to meet green building standards (LEED, BREEAM, etc.)
- Will not meet the precise temperature control necessary for applications such as data centres and hospitals
- Will not be scalable if requirements change.
If manufacturer data is inaccurate, resulting in a poor choice of equipment, the impact can be severe. The end user can be left with an underperforming system and high running costs, while the HVAC professional may be forced into spending time, money and resources trying to rectify a problem when they are not at fault. In the worst cases, those involved in the project could face litigation and ruined reputations if apportioned blame.
Third-party evaluation via Eurovent Certification removes all risk of incorrect product data. Proven performance allows for informed decision-making and precise system design, ensuring that chiller systems meet the specific needs of the client, deliver promised efficiency, and reliably maintain temperatures, even in sensitive applications such as data centres.
What products are included?
The programme applies to standard chillers and hydronic heat pumps used for heating, air conditioning and refrigeration. They may operate with any type of compressor (hermetic, semi-hermetic and open) but only electrically driven chillers are included. Only the refrigerants authorised in the EU, including the toxic and flammable ones, are considered. Chillers may be air cooled, or liquid cooled.
The following chillers can also be certified as an option:
- Polyvalent unit with 4-pipe or 2+2-pipe configuration for simultaneous cooling and heating
- High, Medium and Low Temperature Process Chillers
- Very High Temperature Process Chillers, with or without free cooling function as per Eurovent Association Recommendation 18/2 2024 “SEPR for Very High Temperature Process Chillers.”
- High ambient conditions for Middle East (Desert Certification) & India.
What is certified?
For the admission and surveillance process, a certain number of units will be selected by Eurovent Certification and tested every year, based on the number of ranges and products declared.
The selection software will be verified annually in comparison with the test results.
According to the last Ecodesign Regulations (No 811/2013 - No 813/2013 – No 2016/2281) the programme proposes the certification of Seasonal efficiency for heating (ηs & SCOP) or Chillers & Heat pumps with a design capacity below 70kW, Seasonal efficiency for cooling (ηsc & SEER) for all comfort chillers and the seasonal energy performance ratio (SEPR) for process chillers.
The programme proposes also:
- High ambient conditions for specific markets
- The certification of the Selection software
covering nonstandard conditions and units with options.
Main certified characteristics and acceptance criteria:
- Cooling & heating capacity, EER & COP at standard rating conditions, TE:< −5%, ISEER & Pdesign
- Seasonal efficiencies SCOP & ηs: automatically rerated when Part Load efficiency and/or auxiliary power consumption criteria fails
- Seasonal efficiencies SEER & ηsc: automatically rerated when Part Load efficiency and/or auxiliary power consumption criteria fails
- Seasonal efficiency SEPR: automatically rerated when Part Load efficiency criteria fails
- A-weighted sound power level: > +3 dB(A) (> +2 dB(A) for units with Pdesignh below 70 kW)
- Water pressure drop: +15%
- TER (Total Efficiency Ratio) for polyvalent units.
What are the testing standards?
Chillers certified under this Eurovent Certified Performance programme are tested to:
- Performance testing: EN 14511, SASO 2874, ISO 15042
- Seasonal Performance testing: EN 14825, IS 16590
- Sound testing: EN 12102.
You can find out more about the certification rules and requirements in the Technical Certification Rules and Certification Manual on our Eurovent Certified Performance programme for Chillers and Heat Pumps page.
The demands of data centre cooling are changing. Modern servers and IT hardware are designed to operate at higher ambient temperatures, which helps to lower the overall cooling demand. Very High Temperature Process Chillers have found an ideal place in the market to help improve data centre energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and support sustainability goals.
Very High Temperature Process Chillers operate at higher temperatures, reducing the compressor load and power consumption. This in turn reduces CO2 emissions and reduces wear and tear on compressors. Higher supply temperatures also allow greater use of free cooling, reducing reliance on mechanical cooling. Indeed, in cooler climates, Very High Temperature Process Chillers can reduce compressor operation for most of the year. As data centres push toward higher efficiency and lower carbon footprints, Very High Temperature Process Chillers play a crucial role in modern cooling strategies.
Therefore, the Chillers and Heat Pump programme now includes Very High Temperature Process Chillers, with or without free cooling function.
This is an exciting development for the programme which sees free cooling chillers Eurovent certified for the first time. Certification standards are based on Eurovent Association Recommendation 18/2 2024 “SEPR for Very High Temperature Process Chillers.” This recommendation presents the proposal for a dedicated index for Very High Temperature Process Chillers in the context of the revision of the Regulation (EU) 2016/2281.
Why choose Eurovent Certified Performance?
Eurovent Certified Performance for Chillers and Heat Pumps offers a comprehensive, independent and impartial certification programme, which goes far beyond laboratory testing alone.
- Independent laboratory tests
- Factory audits
- Software audits
- Full analysis and validation of all supplied data (including marketing materials)
- Surveillance process to ensure continued conformity.
Evaluation protocols are uniform to ensure the certification process is fair and equal for all manufacturers. Eurovent Certification:
- Evaluates all chillers 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
- Impartiality standards are kept high as manufacturers and laboratories have no direct contact, keeping the process clear of any bias
- Additionally, products to be tested can be taken from the production line, factory stock or point of sale, ensuring the product tested is exactly the same as those leaving the production line.
As all chillers go through the same process, decision makers can directly compare this data when making product decisions, via the free to access certified product directory.