As of December 30, 2009, Manitoba will have the highest energy-efficiency standards in Canada for replacement furnaces and boilers used in homes and small businesses, Innovation, Energy and Mines Minister Dave Chomiak announced.
”Manitoba is the first province in Canada to require replacement furnaces and boilers to meet such high standards of energy efficiency,” Chomiak said. “This is a key step in reducing greenhouse-gas emissions and fulfils one of the requirements under the Climate Change and Emissions Reductions Act.”
It is estimated the new standards will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by more than 800 tonnes in the first year, Chomiak said, adding the reduction in emissions will increase yearly as older boilers and furnaces are replaced with high-efficiency models.
Under the new standards, furnaces will be required to have a minimum efficiency of 92 per cent, an improvement of 14 per cent from the current federal minimum standard of 78 per cent and two per cent better than the proposed federal minimum standard of 90 per cent.
Hot-water boilers will be required to have a minimum efficiency of 82 per cent and low-pressure steam boilers will be required to have a minimum of 80 per cent. This compares with the current federal standard of 80 per cent for hot-water boilers and 75 per cent for low-pressure steam boilers.
The regulations cover natural-gas or propane replacement furnaces that have an input rating not exceeding 65.92 kilowatts (kW) or 225,000 British thermal units per hour (Btu/h) and single-phase electric current. Furnaces up to this size would typically be installed in single-family residences and in some small commercial buildings.
The regulations also cover boilers that use natural gas or propane and are intended for use in low‑pressure steam or hot-water central-heating systems and have an input rating not exceeding 88 kW (300,000 Btu/h). These are small boilers typically found in residential dwellings and in some small commercial buildings.
”As well as making Manitoba a greener province, these new standards will significantly cut heating bills for homeowners and small businesses,” Chomiak said. “The savings for consumers and the benefits for the environment will compound every year the new standards are in place.”
There will be exemptions for gas furnaces intended for installation in mobile homes, through-the-wall gas furnaces, outdoor gas furnaces and gas furnaces that are made in Manitoba for the export market.
Efficiency standards for gas furnaces and small gas boilers in new construction are under consideration for inclusion in the Manitoba Building Code, which is currently under review.
