The Hydraulic Institute (HI) has announced that Circulator Energy Rating labels are now available. The labels appear on circulator pumps and help HVAC professionals understand and quantify the benefits brought by the advanced technology and on-board controls found on the latest circulators. The Label also helps installing contractors communicate these benefits to the end user.  

"Pumps drive the comfort and convenience we are accustomed to today," said Michael Michaud, executive director, Hydraulic Institute. "Informative Energy Rating labels make it easy to identify a pump's energy performance and opportunity for energy savings. As the industry strives for more energy-efficient solutions and to make a substantial impact toward sustainability targets, implementing the right pump technology is critical."

Circulator Energy Rating labels are only applied to the most efficient circulator pumps in the market. The higher the Energy Rating, the more savings the circulators can provide the end-user. In addition, with the Circulator Energy Rating label and database, utilities and energy efficiency program administrators can streamline their rebate programs for the selection of energy efficient circulators. Rated circulators save energy, maximize overall system efficiency, cut operational costs, and reduce carbon emissions. Since these pumps have integrated variable speed controls, additional benefits include optimized performance and improved comfort through more even space heating or cooling.

The Energy Rating label enables the comparison of selected circulator pumps based on average power consumption. It can be used to estimate the power savings or to estimate and compare the power savings of multiple circulator pumps. When looking to replace a circulator pump, for example, selecting a labeled pump can achieve up to 80 percent power savings compared to a traditional circulator. This is made possible by replacing traditional motors with advanced ECM motors. While the improved efficiency alone provides a significant reduction in energy consumption, ECM motors also include integrated variable speed control, which allows the circulator to adjust the system requirements by speeding up or slowing down to meet demand. This reduces energy costs even further and improves overall comfort.

"HI is committed to growing its collection of data and insights that can better inform the pump system community and allow professionals to make the best possible decisions," Michaud said.

The Hydraulic Institute's Energy Rating Program supports the increased adoption of efficient products into the market. The Energy Rating label serves as the industry's recognized symbol for energy efficiency and can be used by utilities and energy program administrations as part of a program to incentivize the selection of energy efficient circulator pumps. Learn more about HI's Circulator Energy Rating Program and search the database of rated pumps here. HI's full ecosystem of energy efficiency solutions includes training, certification programs, and standards. For more information on these programs, please visit pumps.org/Circulator.