The Solar Industries Association, on behalf of the solar water heating industry, has introduced an Accreditation system. The scheme is based on product that comply with the New Zealand standard for product durability and safety, and SWH Dealers and their Installers who meet the minimum criteria for installation.
The SIA recommends that only complying products be purchased for installation and that those be from an accredited SWH Dealer who is trained to specify, supply and install a SWH System using a Registered Installer.
The SWH Dealer is the person who the homeowner contracts with to supply and install the SWH System. They may install the system themselves or they may contract with a Registered Installer to undertake the installation. The Association makes no comment or guarantee on individual company products or services. For information on each system available you should visit their website and make direct contact.
The full list of accredited suppliers and installers is available here.
Accredited for Supply and Installation
SWH Dealers who are accredited for supply and installation of solar water heating systems have provided documentation that indicates their experience and competence to specify, supply and install the complying SWH systems in compliance with the Code of Practice for SWH Manufacture and Installation in New Zealand. An independent SWH Accreditation Administrator appointed by the SIA has reviewed information provided by the SWH Dealer as to their competence and practices and has approved their application. However accreditation offers no guarantee that Dealers or their Installers meet those requirements. Purchasers should ensure that their SWH system is installed within the requirements set out in the Code of Practice available here by a Registered Installer. Information on the Accreditation Scheme is available here and the criteria for accreditation are available here.
View accredited suppliers here.
Benefits of purchasing from an Accredited SWH Dealer
Accreditation is a measure of competence that the SWH Dealer will specify, install and set up for optimal energy performance the appropriate system for the application in question. The measure of competence is made by an independent party and an industry established benchmark for quality products, installation, and business practices that meet best practice standards.
Accreditation also provides customers with confidence that the product they purchase is supplied and installed to the appropriate standards, that the SWH Dealer contracts installers who are capable and have been trained appropriately, and that the company they purchase from has a proven track record.
The benefits of the accreditation process that will flow on to the customer include:
- Differentiation of quality SWH Dealers and their product from those of poor quality.
- The assurance to customers of the continued quality of services and products provided, leading to improved customer relationships.
- The use of trained, experienced and competent solar water heating system dealers and installers.
- The reliability of the system, the dealer, and the installers used.
- Certainty that they are buying from the best.
- That the energy performance of the system is reliable.
- Confidence provided by the independent vetting that the scheme provides.
A SWH Dealer generally undertakes to specify, supply and install the SWH System and are thus covered by consumer legislation that requires that the system is fit for purpose and meets the durability requirements of the Building Code.
Purchasers of SWH systems should ensure that their Sale and Purchase Contract clearly specifies the product to be supplied, the expected performance and who will be undertaking the installation. Purchasers of SWH systems should note that it is important to be clear on the responsibilities of the SWH Dealer as it is important that if anything goes wrong that they know who is responsible for fixing the problem.
Registered Installers
A Registered Installer is an installer who has met the minimum criteria for registration by the SIA. A Registered Installer may be independent or contracted to a SWH Dealer.
Complying Solar Water Heating Product
Solar Water Heating systems that have been tested and meet the New Zealand manufacturing standard AS/NZS 2712:2007 with regard to durability and safety are listed below.
SWH Product relates to a full system including collector, pump, controllers and tank. The individual items must be identified and are referred to as packaged. The standard allows components from a packaged system to be used in a custom built application such as connection of collectors, pumps and controllers to an existing hot water cylinder, or where a collector is inset into a roof. Information on packaged and custom built systems is available here.
A custom built application complies with AS/NZS 2712:2007 if it uses components that themselves individually comply with the standard. However a custom built application also has to comply with a requirement that the tank volume to collector aperture area ratio is no greater than 50L/m2.
For information on the standards system to be built to, click here.
View complying products here.
Distributors of complying solar water heating systems who wish to have their product assessed by an independent party and listed on this website may make application using the form available here. The criteria for listing as a Complying system are available here.
A Complying SWH System must also not discharge on a daily basis more than three times the sum of the volume of water in the collector array plus the thermal expansion volume of the water contents of the tank.
