From the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating:

Amendments to the Minimum Efficiency of Residential Storage Water Heaters Sold in Ontario

Residential Storage Water Heaters

Amendments to the Minimum Efficiency of Residential Storage Water Heaters Sold in Ontario

In August of this year, the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) and the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) prepared a proposal to the Ontario Ministry of Energy on options for enhancing energy efficiency requirements for water heaters.

The Province of Ontario has announced that an amendment to Ontario’s Energy Efficiency regulation under the Green Energy Act was released this morning (December 18, 2013) as O. Reg. 337/13. This amendment sets or enhances minimum efficiency standards for 25 products.

In summary, the amendment includes the following major changes to the proposals posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights in June 2013 in response to comments received from industry during the 59-day public review period:

– Proposed efficiency requirements for residential gas fired water heaters and residential electric water heaters have been revised.
– Compliance dates for a few products have been changed.
– A rolling incorporation (automated update) has been included for a test standard/method for one product (residential refrigerators/freezers).
– The amendment includes a provision for early compliance.
– One product was deferred to the next or future amendment – Battery chargers.

The new amendment will become effective on January 1, 2014.