Standards Australia is inviting public comment on proposed updates to AS/NZS 5125.1, the performance assessment standard for air source heat pump water heaters.
The revision comes as Australia accelerates its transition from gas boilers to heat pump systems for hot water. Industry stakeholders have long pointed to the absence of minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) as a barrier, with concerns that low-quality or inefficient products have been able to enter the market under electrification incentive schemes.
The updated draft introduces a new appendix describing a comprehensive performance test method for heat pump water heaters. It sets out procedures for measuring maximum hot water delivery and coefficient of performance (COP) for systems with a single heated water storage tank of up to 700 litres.
The test regime evaluates heating, draw-off and reheating cycles across three distinct climatic conditions representing cold, average and hot regions in Australia and New Zealand. By covering a broad range of operating environments, the method is designed to provide robust technical data that could underpin the development of MEPS in future.
While the appendix offers detailed test options, Standards Australia has clarified that not all of the collected information would necessarily be used when setting MEPS. Instead, the framework ensures regulators and industry have the flexibility to establish credible minimum benchmarks that reflect real-world operating conditions.
Public comment on the draft standard is open until Thursday, September 18. The document and submission portal are available via Standards Australia.
