Improving the energy efficiency and reducing emissions produced at home is a high priority for all Australians. Not just concerned with reducing energy bills, the general public are also increasingly becoming more environmentally conscious. For the Architects, Designers and Builders, the responsibility is to specify products which are more efficient and environmentally friendly.
With heating and cooling accounting for 40% of household energy use, it is the largest energy user in the average Australian home. Heaters and air-conditioners have come under particular scrutiny for energy efficiency improvements.
Wood heaters
Solid fuel burning appliances, such as wood heaters, are a popular way of heating a home. Wood is an effective, renewable fuel when burnt efficiently. However, poorly designed wood heaters can be a contributing source of air pollution, and the need to improve efficiency of these appliances has recently come to the fore.
This increased need is reflected in recent updates to Australian Standards AS/NZ 4013 Domestic Solid Fuel Burning Appliances – Method for Determination of Flue Gas Emission, which focusses on requirements for wood heater emissions and efficiency.
Prior to the updates, which will come into effect 8th of August 2015, there were no minimum efficiency requirements for wood heaters, and the maximum emissions allowed were set at 4g/kg (4 grams of particulate emissions per kilo of wood burnt).
Commencing from 8th of August 2015, all wood heaters must have:
- An overall efficiency of at least 55%
- A particulate emission factor of no more than 2.5g/kg
Within 5 years these requirements will requirements will again evolve, with minimum requirements becoming:
- An overall efficiency of at least 60%
- A particulate emission factor of no more than 1.5g/kg
The document also recommends any wood heaters manufactured prior to 1992 be replaced.
These new requirements place wood-burning heaters substantially better environmentally than 5-star gas heaters and 6-star reverse cycle air conditioners, and are far more cost-effective to operate.
Lopi Wood Heaters
Lopi Wood & Gas Fireplaces provide a range of highly efficient, environmentally friendly wood heaters that exceed requirements AS/NZ 4013.
With emissions as low as 0.9 g/kg and up to 83% efficiency, Lopi wood heaters help Architects and Specifiers ensure compliance as well as contributing to a sustainable future.
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Lopi Large Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre™ – A revolutionary combination of wood combustion and stainless steel secondary combustion which leaves virtually no smoke exiting the appliance.
Lopi Cape-Cod™ – One of the world’s cleanest burning cast iron wood stove.
Both heaters feature the optional GreenStart™ Igniter Technology that lights the fire at the touch of a button. It also instantly elevates combustion temperatures within the heater and immediately establishes a draft. This eliminates the slow and smoky typical wood fireplace start up.
