Final regulation for circulators in buildings entered into force 12 August 2009. A new working document proposes amendments of the regulation. Comments shall be submitted not later than 27 May 2011.

The measure defines circulator as a glandless impeller pump up to 2500W used primarily for central heating systems. A standalone circulator is a circulator separate from the boiler, glandless means that the circulator has the shaft of the motor directly coupled to the impeller (the motor is also immersed in the pumped medium).

The covered standalone circulators are mainly used for the circulation of water in heater applications in buildings. From 2015 the requirements also cover boiler-integrated circulators that form an integral part of a boiler.

The measure applies an "energy efficiency index" (EEI), which is the ratio between annual consumption of the appliance and a standard consumption of a typical similar model. The regulation will only allow high-efficiency (“intelligent”) circulators, i.e. circulators that can adjust their speed according to their need.

Some of the requirements are:

• From 2013: minimum energy performance of EEI 0,27 (with some exceptions, see Annex I and II)
• From 2015: minimum energy performance of EEI 0,23

The Commission recommends complementary measures to be taken at national and local authorities in public procurement and encourages Member states to set the requirements for circulators with minimum energy efficiency values of EEI equal or less than 0.20 (which is the benchmark for best products).

When the energy labelling and performance requirements for circulators reach their full impact, they are estimated to save 23 TWh per year (corresponding to an annual reduction of 11 Mt of CO2 emissions or the annual electricity consumption of Ireland) within the EU by 2020.

The regulation  shall be reviewed before 1 January 2017. The methodology for calculating the energy efficiency index shall be reviewed before 1 January 2012.

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