Introduction

Welcome to the official webpage of the European Quality Label for Infrared HeatingTM! This Quality Label is developed by the European Infrared Heating Association (EIHA). The label is developed to assist making well-informed choices for efficient, sustainable, and comfortable heating solutions. Whether you’re a consumer seeking the finest heating option for your home, a professional in the construction sector, or an installer aiming to deliver top-quality to your clients, the quality label stands ready.

By implementing the Quality Label, consumers and professionals can benefit from enhanced safety, improved performance, reliable quality, warranty support, standardized industry practices, and better education about the product. The label plays a vital role in ensuring that consumers can make informed choices and enjoy the benefits of the efficient and effective heating solution.

What are infrared heating panels?

Infrared heating panels are a type of heating technology that uses infrared radiation to heat objects and surfaces in a room. These panels emit infrared waves that directly transfer heat to objects, including people, floors, walls, and furniture, without significantly heating the air in between. This process is similar to how the sun’s rays heat the Earth.

Infrared heating panels are typically made of materials that efficiently emit infrared radiation, such as ceramic, carbon, or quartz. They come in various sizes and shapes, including wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, or freestanding units, making them suitable as main heating system or local heating system in different applications.

The main advantages of infrared heating panels include:

  1. Heating Efficiency : Infrared heating panels are effective heating systems due to the focus on direct object and person heating, rather than air volume. Due to this unique property, when applied correctly, infrared heating can also be very energy efficiency as main heating system.
  2. Comfort: The heat produced by infrared panels is often described as more comfortable compared to traditional convection heating, as it creates a gentle, soothing warmth that doesn’t lead to air drying or stratification.
  3. Quick Heating: Infrared panels can reach their full heating capacity almost instantly, providing rapid warmth when turned on.
  4. Zoned Heating: Infrared panels allow for zoned heating, where specific areas or zones in a room can be heated independently, providing customized comfort and potentially reducing overall heating costs.
  5. Low Maintenance: Infrared heating panels have no moving parts, reducing the need for regular maintenance.
  6. Silent Operation: These panels operate silently, making them suitable for bedrooms, offices, or any space where quietness is desired.

Infrared heating panels find applications in various settings, including residential spaces, offices, industrial areas, outdoor heating for patios and terraces, and even in healthcare facilities. However, the effectiveness of infrared heating panels can vary depending on factors such as room size, insulation, and the position of the panels. It is essential to consider factors like the panel’s wattage, size, and placement to ensure optimal performance and efficiency. As with any heating system, it is advisable to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and safety precautions for installation and usage.

Why a Quality Label?

The label has been developed on the basis of industry standard IEC 60675-3 and with the following key aspects in mind:

  1. Consumer Safety: The infrared heating panels qualifying for the Quality Label have undergone rigorous testing to meet safety standards. Infrared heating panels involve the direct transfer of heat to objects and people, and it is essential to ensure that they are designed and manufactured with safety in mind. A quality label provides consumers with confidence that the panels they purchase have met specific safety requirements.
  2. Performance and Efficiency: The Quality Label establishes minimum performance standards and efficiency requirements according to the IEC 60675-3. This way, it helps consumers and professionals identify infrared heating panels tested for performance in terms of heat distribution, heating capacity, and energy efficiency. By choosing labeled panels, consumers and professionals can ensure that they are investing in products that are effective in delivering comfortable warmth.
  3. Quality Assurance: The Quality Label signifies that the product has been thoroughly tested and meets certain quality benchmarks. This assurance gives confidence that the panels have undergone rigorous manufacturing processes and adhere to industry standards.
  4. Industry Standardization: The Quality Label promotes standardization within the industry by establishing consistent benchmarks for infrared heating panels. This encourages manufacturers to meet or exceed those standards, driving innovation and product improvement.
  5. Consumer Education: The Quality Label serves as an educational tool. It helps raise awareness about the benefits and advantages of infrared heating panels and provides valuable information about the product’s features, performance, and safety considerations.

What are the requirements for the Quality Label?

The Quality Label is a label that sets criteria for an infrared heating panel range and its manufacturer or supplier. The following criteria are selected to have a simple yet effective means of assessing quality.

CE Certification of the product: Products must be verifiably certified or registered by a recognized, independent testing institute (TÜV, ÖVE, VDE or equivalent) according to EN 60335-1, EN 60335-2-30 as well as EMC, RoHS and WEEE. The test reports and registration confirmations must be available on request.

Production monitoring by notified body: Annual production monitoring by notified body serves to ensure the certificate and the product components of the products, i.e. compliance.

Classified and tested according to IEC 60675-3:2020: The product has been tested in accordance with the test procedure defined in IEC60675-3:2020 and, based on the product properties, can be classified as an “fixed electric low temperature infrared heater. The radiation efficiency of the series, tested in accordance with the test procedure defined in IEC60675-3:2020, is over 40 %.

ECODESIGN – Efficiency factor: The efficiency factor of the tested electric infrared heaters according to the Ecodesign directive (2009/125/EG) is greater than 38%.

Assessment of applications

EIHA and Binnenklimaattechniek have partnered with Peutz for the assessment of application for the Quality Label. Peutz have developed a thorough application form with required documentation by a applicant, to streamline the application process and allow effective assessment.

Peutz is a group of independent consultants specialised in a wide range of fields related to the design and building of any type of architectural or industrial development. The solid reputation of Peutz is based on the quality of its consultancy work, with the use of advanced measuring and computing techniques and the availability of its own laboratories. now and in the future.

Quality Label: official launch and registration

The Quality Label has officially been launched during an industry event in Würzburg, Germany, on April 11th 2024! Starting from this date, application for the Quality Label Infrared are possible. The register of Quality Labels will be uploaded on June 1st 2024.

Does your Quality Label Infrared also need to be included in the registry? Then sign up.

Registration in the Quality Label Infrared Register can take place if a number of requirements are met. These requirements are clearly stated in the questions included in the form.

DISCLAIMER

Application for the Quality Label Infrared requires that suppliers and their products meet a number of requirements. When registering, the supplier must declare for each requirement that he and the product meet that requirement and needs to provide documentation as proof or  substantiation. After answering all questions about compliance with the requirements and providing the documentation, the supplier must declare that he has answered the questions truthfully. The foundation relies on the expertise of Peutz for the assessment of the application. Peutz will provide an expert judgment based on the application and provided documentation.  The foundation that manages the register of Quality Labels cannot therefore guarantee the accuracy of the application. By using the register as a source of information about suitable infrared heating panels, the user accepts that the foundation does not control the correct answer and that the foundation and all organizations and persons involved cannot be held liable for any damage resulting from the unsuitability , whether or not on the basis of non-compliance with any requirement, of registered infrared heating panels.

The foundation appreciates any complaints regarding the registration of suppliers and products, provided they are well-founded and documented. The foundation will then decide at its own discretion on any measures to be taken. By using the registry as an information source for suitable infrared heating panels, the user accepts that the foundation may, for its own reasons, decide not to take any measures or to take different measures than those advocated by the complaining party.