Ecodesign: the new EU draft revises the requirements for gas boilers and changes the perspective on 2029

The revision of the Ecodesign Regulation for heat generators is redrawing the path of the thermal transition in Europe.

The new draft regulation, now under consultation, significantly changes the regulatory horizon for gas boilers : no longer a clear phase-out from 2029 , but a more complex framework based on updated efficiency requirements.

For manufacturers, designers, and installers, a more gradual transition phase is opening up, but one that still requires planning and attention to future developments.

From the call for tenders to realignment: what the new draft provides

Previous regulatory proposals aimed to make gas boilers non-compliant by 2029, due to very stringent efficiency requirements.

The new draft, however, eliminates this possibility: gas boilers will be able to continue to be placed on the market even beyond that date , provided they comply with the new energy standards set by the updated Regulation.

The approach no longer focuses on a specific release date, but on a system of minimum requirements more consistent with the current state of technology, combined with enhanced energy labeling and the need to ensure greater transparency for end users.

Relevance for the sector: more flexible, but no less decisive transition

The reformulation of the draft changes the pace, but not the direction, of the transition. The market will be able to count on:

• greater operational continuity for installers and the production chain,
• more time to reorganize technological solutions ,
• space for hybrid boilers and combined systems , increasingly in demand in complex redevelopments.

At the same time, the centrality of high-efficiency technologies, such as heat pumps, hybrid systems, and integration with renewables, remains evident, and they represent the backbone of the decarbonization of the thermal sector.

An open scenario, between efficiency objectives and climate neutrality

Although the new draft does not introduce an explicit ban, the European approach continues to favor a progressive shift away from fossil fuels through higher performance requirements and regulatory tools that promote energy efficiency.

For HVAC operators, this means moving in a scenario where gas boilers remain present, but in a competitive landscape where electric, renewable solutions and integrated systems will play an increasingly important role.

The ability to interpret this evolution, both in the design phase and in the commercial proposal, will be crucial to responding to customer needs and the next stages of the energy transition.