What does EcoDesign mean?

If you have been looking at getting a wood burning stove this year, then you may have heard the term ‘EcoDesign ready’ being used as well as a lot of media coverage on the environmental impact of wood burning stoves. These issues, however, have raised quite a few questions. What does EcoDesign actually mean? Do you need an EcoDesign wood burning stove and why should you consider buying one?

Well, here at Glowing Embers, we thought we’d guide you through everything you need to know about EcoDesign wood burning stoves, their benefits and the implications for stoves of in the future.

The Government and EcoDesign

With recent Government legislation aimed at improving air quality and creating a benchmark of environmental standards for wood burning stoves, it is important to know what is changing.

The Government have already made some moves towards making Britain’s air cleaner, including talks about clean air zones and introducing a ban on the sale of wood burning stoves that don’t meet environmental standards. Furthermore, a specific certification has recently been introduced for wood burning stoves, denoting whether they are eco-friendly or not.

These stoves have been checked by DEFRA (Department of Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs) and awarded an ‘EcoDesign’ certificate. This means they produce less smoke and particle emissions than other woodboring stoves. Part of a European wide programme to lower harmful emissions in the atmosphere, the Government aims to make nearly all wood burning stoves DEFRA approved by 2022.

In the case of smoke control zones, which are currently being talked about by the Government and local authorities, such as Sadihiq Khan’s latest proposals for London’s pollution problem, having an EcoDeign wood burning stove may not only be beneficial but soon necessary.

EcoDesign Wood Burning Stoves

Wood burning stoves that have met the regulations set down by DEFRA differ from conventional stoves in a number of ways. Firstly, EcoDesign wood burning stoves are designed to allow as much air to the fire as possible, ensuring the fire is not ‘starved’ and, hence, smoky. According to the independent researchers SIA, Ecodesign stoves can reduce particle emissions by up to 90% when compared to an open fire and 80% when compared to a traditional stove.

Not only does this design reduce the amount of smoke and harmful particle pollution emitted by the fire, but it also increases its burning efficiency (over 70%) of the fire creating more heat with less fuel, creating less emissions and saving fuel in the process.

Here are a few examples of EcoDesign wood burning stoves you can buy today:

Jydepejsen Senza Steel Stove

Featuring a very modern and sophisticated design, the Jydepejsen Senza Steel Stove is also an incredibly efficient burner with an output of up to 5 kW and a fully DEFRA approved status. The stove comes with options for side glass panels and incorporates Jydepejsen’s own DuplicAir fire control system which allows you to control the primary and secondary air intakes to improve the efficacy and heat production of the fire further.

Aduro Asgard 2

Compact and contemporary, the Aduro Asgard 2 is the perfect EcoDesign wood burning stove for small properties or small spaces in households. Developed alongside the Danish Technological Institute, this wood burning stove has achieved DEFRA certification due to its high efficiency and incredibly low smoke emissions which also make it an ideal wood burner for smokeless zones.

Flavel Arundel Multifuel Stove

The Flavel Arundrel is a brilliant example of an affordable yet incredibly efficient wood burning stove which meets DEFRA’s EcoDesign standards. With an output of 4.9 kW and an efficiency of 78.4%, this wood burning stove is both cost effective and eco-friendly, with its low emissions making it more than suitable for smoke control areas.

Here we have highlighted just a few of the wood burning stoves that are EcoDesign ready and at Glowing Embers we have a wide selection of these eco-friendly stoves to choose from. If you would like to browse our range of DEFRA approved, EcoDesign wood burning stoves then flow the link here. For further information on how to reduce your stove’s emissions and help the environment, DEFRA have put together a useful guide which is full of useful tips for maintaining a wood burning stoves and keeping them eco-friendly:

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/cat07/1712041200_171010_open_fires_wood_burning_stoves_FINAL.pdf

27th July 2018

 

Comments

James says:
31st October 2018 at 11:54 am
Great post. We should all look to be more eco friendly in everything we do.

John says:
5th April 2021 at 11:24 am
It still does not explain anything as requirements. So, I buy a fire that is DEFRA approved, does that mean that it is eco-ready/friendly? and will it meet requirements for the rules in 2022, this is very confusing!! I am about to fit a inset stove in my old fireplace and new liner, I will be wasting my money if I have to change it next year? Is it region specific, what? I don’t live in the city but in a coastal town. I need an answer quickly. John

Andrew Shuttleworth says:
23rd June 2021 at 3:26 pm
DEFRA and EcoDesign Ready stoves are two different things and so no, your DEFRA stove is not necessarily EcoDesign 2022 compliant. However, a stove purchased prior to Jan 1st 2022 does not need to be replaced when the new regs come into force (correct at time of writing). And no, this is not region specific, it is UK wide.