Gas water heaters
To be sold in New Zealand, gas water heaters must meet minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), effective from 9 June 2011.
If you're an importer, manufacturer, retailer or seller of an affected product, this page tells you what you need to know.
Why have standards for gas water heaters?
The MEPS encourages improvement in the efficiency of gas water heaters and prevents poorly performing products from entering our market.
Gas water heaters are typically purchased on the consumer's behalf, rather than by the actual consumer, so the MEPS can protect them from unknowingly ending up with a product with high ongoing costs.
As Australia also intends to introduce the MEPS, it will promote a common market that keeps compliance costs low, which benefits both industry and consumers.
The MEPS for gas water heaters follows a comprehensive consultation and development process, and takes into consideration public comment.
Which products are affected
As a general guide, the MEPS applies to most:
- external storage heaters with a nominal gas consumption of less than 50 MJ/h and storage capacity of over 30 litres
- internal and external instant gas water heaters with a nominal gas consumption of less than 250 MJ/h and a heat output of less than 13.1 kW (equivalent to a delivery rate of 7.5 L/min raised through 25°C)
that are manufactured or imported for sale into New Zealand.
A detailed description of which gas water heaters are affected by the MEPS is in the Standard AS/NZS 4552.2:2010, available from Standards New Zealand.
How to meet the regulatory requirements
If you import, manufacture or sell gas water heaters affected by the MEPS, there are regulatory requirements you must meet under the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002.
For manufacturers and importers, this means testing your products (as outlined in the Standard AS 4552:2005), checking your products meet the energy performance requirements (as outlined in the Standard AS/NZS 4552.2:2010), registering your products, and providing annual sales data to EECA.
- Find out more about the steps for importers and manufacturers.
- Go straight to product registration on the energy rating website.
For retailers, this means ensuring that the products you're carrying are legal for sale.
- Find out more about steps for retailers.
Note that gas water heaters still need to comply with all other relevant New Zealand regulations for example, gas safety standards, and the Building Code.
Which Standards apply
The energy performance standards for gas water heaters are:
- AS 4552:2005, which covers the test method.
- AS/NZS 4552.2:2010, which includes the scope and MEPS requirements.
Standards are available for purchase from Standards New Zealand.
Voluntary labelling
Gas water heaters on the New Zealand market may voluntarily display the energy rating label administered by the Australian Gas Association (AGA). More information is available from the AGA website.
