Energy-related Products Directive (ErP) regulations aim to reduce energy use in European countries. ErP standards require an energy performance label when a new boiler and thermostat are installed at the same time. The Google Nest thermostat is ErP Class IV, and Class VI when connected with OpenTherm. You’ll also find information about Boiler Plus, including which standards are met below.
Learn about ErP
ErP is short for Energy-related Products Directive. It’s sometimes also called the EcoDesign Directive. This set of regulations covers products that impact energy consumption such as refrigerators and aims to reduce energy use in European countries.
These labels are similar to those you find on refrigerators and dishwashers, but the one your installer will provide shows the overall energy efficiency of the boiler and thermostat working together.
The efficiency of your heating system takes into account how your boiler and thermostat work together. So the overall efficiency will vary depending on your specific boiler model and type (combi, system, etc.), and how your Nest thermostat can communicate with it and control it (OpenTherm, On/Off, etc).
It’s important to note that the ErP rating does not account for many Nest thermostat features that help save energy such as Auto-Schedule, automatic switching when you leave or come home, how it adjusts to the weather forecast, and more. So if you have a Nest thermostat, you may get even more efficiency out of your system than the ErP rating indicates.
The ErP class of Nest thermostats
To give you an accurate energy performance label, your installer needs to know the ErP class of your boiler and the Nest thermostat. They’re listed below for easy reference:
Nest Thermostat E
- Class IV when connected to heating system through On/Off (+2%)
- Class VI when connected to heating system through OpenTherm (+4%)
3rd gen Nest Learning Thermostat
- Class IV when connected to heating system through On/Off (+2%)
- Class VI when connected to heating system through OpenTherm (+4%)
2nd gen Nest Learning Thermostat
-
Class IV: Room thermostat with Temperature Proportional Integrated (TPI) used with On/Off heating system (+2%)
You can also read complete details about each thermostat in the user guide. Download thermostat user guides below:
Learn about Boiler Plus in the UK
In April 2018, new standards called Boiler Plus took effect in the UK. These new standards apply for new installations or whenever a boiler is installed in an existing heating system. These standards are designed to reduce fuel consumption while still maintaining consumer comfort.
Nest thermostats meet the following Boiler Plus standards for gas and oil installations:
- Minimum control requirements - Programmable thermostat that allows the system to come on and off at set times as well as set a target temperature.
Additional requirements met for gas installations:
Note: Your installation only needs to meet one of the following requirements to comply with Boiler Plus standards.
- Smart controls - Smart thermostat with automation and optimisation functions.
- Automation - Thermostat that uses sensors or geolocation to only heat when people are home.
- Optimisation - Thermostat that calculates how long it takes the home to reach the desired temperature.
- Load compensation - Your boiler will use less fuel if it only needs to raise the temperature a little bit. Nest thermostats meet this requirement when connected to an OpenTherm compatible boiler and are configured to use OpenTherm.