Gas and Oil-Fired Commercial Boilers
February 2018
Technical bulletin on developing the standards
Please note: This bulletin is out-of-date. Stakeholders should visit the Amendment 15 page for the most recent developments.
On March 4, 2017, the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) issued a Notice of Intent to amend Canada’s EnergyEfficiency Regulations (the Regulations) to introduce fuel efficiency standards for gas and oil-fired commercial boilers. This technical bulletin has been released to initiate the consultation process and to collect stakeholder views on the requirements being considered.
Input received during this stage of the process will inform the development of the Amendment 15 proposal. In addition, NRCan will undertake a cost-benefit analysis using the best-available Canadian market data to assess the economic and environmental impacts of these updated standards and ensure Canadian consumers and businesses benefit from their implementation.
The Government of Canada intends to pre-publish a regulatory proposal in the Canada Gazette, Part I, within approximately one year of this bulletin.
Background
In Canada, commercial gas and oil-fired boilers are not currently subject to the Regulations.
Through the Pan Canadian Framework, and Energy and Mines Minister’s Conference, the federal, provincial and territorial governments have committed to working together to achieve climate change goals. Through this collaboration, governments agreed that standards for some heating products could, for climatic and market reasons, exceed the stringency of those in the United States.
Preliminary analysis by NRCan indicates that it is feasible for commercial gas hot water boilers to exceed the performance level of those in the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) pre-published final rule. In support of Canada’s climate change goals, NRCan is considering introducing minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) that exceed the stringency of the U.S. DOE requirements for small and large commercial gas hot water boilers.
In 2014, the Canada – United States Regulatory Cooperation Council committed to align new and updated energy efficiency standards and test standards for energy-using equipment, to the extent practicable and permitted by law. To this end, NRCan is considering introducing energy efficiency standards for small and large oil boilers, and for small and large gas steam boilers, that are aligned with standards in a U.S. DOE pre-published final rule.
NRCan is considering an effective date of January 1, 2023 for the proposed Amendment 15 MEPS for both gas and oil-fired commercial boilers.
Product description
NRCan, for the purposes of this proposal, considers a commercial boiler as one meeting the following criteria:
- has an input rate of 88 kW (300,000 Btu/h) or greater, but not more than 2930 kW (10,000,000 Btu/h);
- operates using low pressure steam or hot water;
- is used for building space heating applications, or for service water heating applications, or both; and
- would not be defined as a commercial water heater.
Commercial gas boilers are those which are exclusively fired using natural gas or propane. Commercial oil boilers are those which are exclusively oil-fired, or are capable of being fired by oil, and at the choice of the user, by some other fuel.
NRCan has not characterized the market for very large boilers, namely those with an input rate greater than 2930 kW (10,000,000 Btu/h), and is not considering introducing MEPS for very large boilers at this time.
Energy performance testing standard
NRCan is considering referencing the following energy performance testing standard for all gas and oil-fired commercial boilers:
This standard is available in English only through the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), and can be downloaded through the above link.
Energy performance standard
The proposed MEPS are summarized in the tables below for both gas and oil-fired commercial boilers.
| Energy-Using Product | Energy Efficiency Standard |
|---|---|
| Gas boilers that are intended for hot water systems, and have an input rate ≥ 88kW and ≤ 733 kW (≥ 300 kBtu/h and ≤ 2,500 kBtu/h) | Et ≥ 90% |
| Gas boilers that are intended for hot water systems, and have an input rate >733 kW and ≤ 2930 kW (> 2,500 kBtu/h and ≤ 10,000 kBtu/h) | Ec ≥ 90% |
| Gas boilers that are intended for low pressure steam systems, and have an input rate ≥ 88kW and ≤ 733 kW (≥ 300 kBtu/h and ≤ 2,500 kBtu/h) | Et ≥ 81% |
| Gas boilers that are intended for low pressure steam systems, and have an input rate >733 kW and ≤ 2930 kW (> 2,500 kBtu/h and ≤ 10,000 kBtu/h) | Et ≥ 82% |
1. Et is thermal efficiency.
2. Ec is combustion efficiency.
3. 1 kBtu/h = 1,000 Btu/h.
| Energy-Using Product | Energy Efficiency Standard |
|---|---|
| Oil boilers that are intended for hot water systems, and have an input rate ≥ 88kW and ≤ 733 kW (≥ 300 kBtu/h and ≤ 2,500 kBtu/h) | Et≥ 87% |
| Oil boilers that are intended for hot water systems, and have an input rate >733 kW and ≤ 2930 kW (> 2,500 kBtu/h and ≤ 10,000 kBtu/h) | Ec≥ 88% |
| Oil boilers that are intended for low pressure steam systems, and have an input rate ≥ 88kW and ≤ 733 kW (≥ 300 kBtu/h and ≤ 2,500 kBtu/h) | Et≥ 84% |
| Oil boilers that are intended for low pressure steam systems, and have an input rate >733 kW and ≤ 2930 kW (> 2,500 kBtu/h and ≤ 10,000 kBtu/h) | Et≥ 85% |
1. Et is thermal efficiency.
2. Ec is combustion efficiency.
3. 1 kBtu/h = 1,000 Btu/h.
Important dates
These regulations would come into force six months after the date of publication in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
NRCan is considering applying the proposed standards to gas and oil-fired commercial boilers manufactured on or after January 1, 2023.
Labelling requirements
NRCan is not considering labelling requirements for commercial boilers at this time.
Verification requirements
NRCan would require that commercial boilers carry a third party verification mark indicating that the product meets the MEPS and that information to be reported has been verified.
The verification mark is the mark of a Standards Council of Canada accredited certification body that operates an energy efficiency certification program for the product.
Reporting requirements
Energy efficiency report
The energy efficiency report required for commercial boilers would include the following information:
- name of product (i.e. commercial gas boiler);
- brand name;
- model number;
- name of the manufacturer;
- name of the certification body whose verification mark would be affixed to the product;
- input rate, expressed in kW (Btu/h);
- type of central heating system for which product is intended (i.e. hot water or steam);
- thermal efficiency (if applicable); and
- combustion efficiency (if applicable).
The Regulations apply to products imported or shipped inter-provincially for sale or lease in Canada. The energy efficiency report must be submitted, by the dealer, to NRCan before the product is imported into Canada or traded inter-provincially for the first time.
Import report
A dealer who imports these products into Canada would include the following information on the customs release document:
- name of product
- model number
- brand name
- address of the dealer importing the product
- purpose for which the product is being imported (i.e. for sale or lease in Canada without modification; for sale or lease in Canada after modification to comply with energy efficiency standards; or for use as a component in a product being exported from Canada)
Comments invited
The purpose of this bulletin is to provide stakeholders with the technical detail required to comment on the requirements under consideration for gas and oil-fired commercial boilers.
Additional information on Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations including a current list of Standards Council of Canada accredited certification bodies can be found on the Department’s website.
We welcome your comments by April 6, 2018. All correspondence should be forwarded to:
Natural Resources Canada
Office of Energy Efficiency
580 Booth Street
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E4
E-mail: nrcan.equipment.rncan@canada.ca
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