Elta Fans has published a 48-page document entitled 'How fans are affected by the ErP Directive'. The Directive was implemented in EU member countries by the European Parliament, on November 20, 2010 and adopts the European Commission's (EC) proposal to widen the scope of the Eco-design Directive 2005/32/EC to include energy-related products.
The aim of Elta Fans' document is to offer a straightforward, no-nonsense guide for potential purchasers to understand the implications of the new legislation, now and in the future.

Elta Group technical manager Alan Macklin said: 'The introduction of mandatory, energy-efficiency legislation is the biggest issue the fan industry has ever faced. Despite its importance, there is still a lack of understanding in many quarters and this document is designed to help dispel the confusion, to cut through the complexity of the legislation and to spell out simply what it means for the industry. I urge anybody involved in specifying fans to get a copy as ignoring or not understanding the legislation is not an option.'

The significance of the new ErP regulations is that manufacturers such as Elta Fans are now required to review their product range in order to attain new efficiency levels. Inefficient fans are being taken out of production by legislation, in the same way that inefficient, old-style light bulbs are being phased out for energy-efficient 'compact fluorescent lamps' (CFLs) as part of the EU's eco-design for energy-saving products regulations.

Mr Macklin added: 'Although the legislation will not become mandatory until the start of next year, we are working hard to ensure we meet the requirements now. We are members of a number of trade and industry organisations within the ventilation industry so are well aware how critical this is for our business throughout Europe.'

The guide can be viewed at erpfans.co.uk or you can request a printed copy by calling 01384 275800.