Another addition to our team in Oberhausen

At the beginning of the year, we were able to welcome a new employee at the firm in Oberhausen. The 25-year-old Dogukan Piri will strengthen our laboratory as a technician. After his traineeship as an industrial mechanic in Essen, he then completed a six-month postgraduate training. Mr Piri will currently not only be schooled in 13240 and 13229 but also in the future 16510 series of standards. We are pleased to include him in our team as a support and we look forward to a good time together in our company.

Environmental Sustainability Information (ESI)

With the publication of standards series EN 16510-2-x:2022 in the Official Journal of the European Union and thus their harmonisation, an environmental sustainability information for fireplaces becomes mandatory as part of the Declaration of Performance. The European Green Deal sets requirements for the construction sector. This Green Deal results in a standardization mandate on “sustainable use of resources” for the European Committee for Standardization. A simplified approach has been developed that allows the creation of type-specific sustainability information based on generic information for main components of the appliances and various lifecycle phases.

The ESI considers the following lifecycle phases:

• Manufacturing phase

• Usage phase

• Disposal phase

• Reuse and recycling potential

The HKI Industry Association, in cooperation with service provider Kiwa, has developed a calculation tool for creating environmental sustainability information for domestic stoves for solid fuels according to the EN 16510-x:2022 standards series. The tool is a simple way to meet the requirement.

According to Annex ZA of the standards series, we, as RRF, are responsible for controlling the existence and completeness of the ESI in the context of creating a test report for a construction product.

For further information regarding the ESI, please feel free to contact us.

2023 – Our view of the new year

The RRF wishes all customers, delivers and our partners a happy new year. In the following we want to give you a look into our year 2023.

At our firm place in Oberhausen, we are looking forward to work with our new employees. They will enhance our already existing strong team and we look positively forward to their future development within our company.

An audit from the accreditation authority awaits us in February. In addition to the re-accreditation of the test laboratory, the focus is on expanding the certification body for exhaust systems and chimneys.

In addition to the traditional ISH fair, we will be part of the newly founded “World of Fireplaces” fair in Leipzig. We are excited to meet you there in person! Our stand is D57. We would be happy to meet you at your own booth or on the fairground. You can of course contact us at any time in the run-up to the trade fair or during the trade fair period to arrange a fixed appointment.

We continue to watch the development of the EN 16510 with interest. We have set course, both technically and administratively, to be successfully prepared for the challenges coming ahead. Even with the doubt of many, we are looking forward to a positive future. We are convinced that with you together we can overcome the obstacles in the implementation.

We will make further investments this year as well, which will form another cornerstone for our high standards. Looking back, we are very satisfied with the investments from the previous year and the future-oriented orientation of our company. This includes measurement data acquisition systems, scales, electric work platforms, software and hardware for both locations.

We as the RRF, are excited on what the coming year has for us and wish everyone a healthy and successful year 2023.

EFA – Future workshop in Leipzig for energy efficiency and emission reduction

Vom 17. bis 18. November 2022 lud die Europäische Feuerstätten Arbeitsgemeinschaft (EFA) und das Deutsche Biomasseforschungszentrum (DBFZ) zum gemeinsamen Zukunftsworkshop in Leipzig ein, um die zwei zentralen Herausforderungen der Branche, Energieeffizienz und Emissionsminderung, anzugehen. Vertreten wurde die RRF durch Christian Droll als Mitglied des EFA-Vorstands. Weiter nahmen nicht nur Mitglieder der EFA, sondern auch Vertreter der Forschung verschiedener Hochschulen und Einrichtungen, Prüfinstitute, Schornsteinfeger, Handwerksunternehmen, Verbände und das Umweltbundesamt teil. Das Ziel war es gemeinsam eine konkrete Strategie zu entwickeln, die die Ofenbranche mit den Produkten aus Industrie und Handwerk als festen Bestandteil in der Energiewende verankert.

Vorbereitet wurden die Teilnehmer in zwei fachlich ausgezeichneten wissenschaftlichen Keynotes. Vinzent Egenolf von der Universität Kassel begann mit einer Informierung über die Holznutzung und ihre Pfade sowohl national als auch global. Die wichtigste Erkenntnis aus seinem Beitrag ist, dass Deutschland noch sehr weit von einer Holzknappheit entfernt ist, aber in Zukunft trotzdem ein rationaler und deutlich reduzierter Einsatz von Holz dringend notwendig sein wird. Ebenfalls sind Wälder nicht automatisch CO2-Senken. Je nach äußerlichen Bedingungen und Lage können sowohl nicht-bewirtschaftete als auch bewirtschaftete Wälder zu unerwünschten CO2-Quellen werden. Als Beispiel sind äquatornahe Wälder eher dazu in der Lage CO2 bei hohen Temperaturen zu absorbieren, während Wälder in höheren Breiten eher CO2 abgeben bei erhöhter Temperatur. Demnach ist eine nachhaltige und kontrollierte wirtschaftliche Holznutzung für stoffliche und energetische Zwecke aus ökologischer Sicht notwendig.

Prof. Dr. Heinz Kohler von der Hochschule Karlsruhe informierte in seinem Vortrag über die Notwendigkeit der Emissionssenkung, als auch über die große Wirksamkeit von sensorgestützten Verbrennungsluftregelungen. Umfangreiche Untersuchungen im Labor und Feld zeigten, dass bereits vorhandene und markreife Technologien in der Lage sind, Luftschadstoffe, wie Staub wesentlich zu senken. Herausfordernd wird es sein, eine wirksame Kombination und Preisgestaltung zu schaffen. Einig war man sich, dass eine größere Marktdurchdringung gleichzeitig eine massive Senkung des Einkaufspreises der Komponenten bedeuten wird.

In fünf Gruppen wurde unter Moderation von Prof. Dr. Hartmann, DBFZ, und Dr. Johannes R. Gerstner, EFA sowie Christian Droll als Gruppenleiter, nach der Controlling-Methode des „Strategy House“ das Thema Ofenzukunft weitergedacht. Mit dem Wissen und Resultate der drei vergangenen Zukunftsworkshops wurden nun konkrete Handlungsfelder zu denen „Energieeffizienz“, „Emissionsreduktion“, „Ofenmehrwerte“ und „Innovation“ gehören, identifiziert. Die dazu notwendigen Verantwortlichen wurden ausgemacht. Neben Industrie und Handwerk soll nun in Zukunft auch Verwaltung, Landes- und Bundesministerien sowie Verbände in die Pflicht genommen werden.

Dr. Johannes Gerstner wies darauf hin, dass erst ein deutliches Signal der Politik dazu führen wird, dass Unternehmen investieren können. Die Rechtssicherheit mache die Sache erst Interessant für Unternehmen sich finanziell auf neue Produkte einzulassen. Dazu forderte er das Umweltbundesamt dazu auf, sich klar zu Holz als fester Bestandteil der Energiewende zu bekennen und ihnen dabei keine Steine in den Weg zu legen. So könne in einem konstruktiven Miteinander die notwendigen Rahmenbedingungen für eine ökologische Zukunft geschaffen werden, die es braucht, damit die Industrie ihren gewillten Beitrag dazu leisten kann. Herr Professor Dr. Hartmann bekräftigte noch einmal gegenüber allen Workshop-Teilnehmern, dass die Technologien, um die Ziele zu erreichen, schon bereits vorhanden sind und es jetzt an der Zeit ist, diese auch zu nutzen. Unterstützung, um diese Ziele zu erreichen haben alle bereits anwesenden Branchenvertreter versichert. Die Ergebnisse des Workshops werden nun sorgfältig ausgearbeitet und dokumentiert.

Die nächste EFA-Sitzung findet vom 27. bis 28. April 2023 in Würzburg statt und wird über den aktuellen Stand berichten.

World of Fireplaces 2023 (WOF2023)

New trade fair in Leipzig all about fireplaces!

From April 17th to 19th, the newly founded “World of Fireplaces” fair will take place in the Leipziger Messe. We from the RRF are of course also represented there and are available to you at our stand D57 in hall 5 at the fair.

The newly scheduled trade fair for fireplaces and a feel-good ambience is to become a business platform that focuses on European manufacturers of fireplaces such as fireplaces, pellet stoves and tiled stoves, heating fireplaces and decorative fireplaces, suppliers and service providers. The trade fair is organized by the independent trade fair organizer trendfairs GmbH. These focus explicitly on demanding industry events and special trade fairs. All groups, industry associations and industry players should see themselves as an important part of the new trade fair and get actively involved. This is the only way to ensure that all important topics in the industry are given attention.

There will also be a “special show” on the subject of “hybrid heat” at the fair. There they ask themselves the question that is currently on everyone’s mind, “How do we achieve the energy transition?”. The project is intended to be a platform to create a space for discussion between providers and visitors, to promote cooperation among each other and to present possible solutions to the decision-making politicians. There is also an expert hub for knowledge transfer and special services for trade fair guests.

The fair will be accompanied by a virtual edition, live streams with chats and lectures. Innovations and news on the live days of the trade fair will also be reported there.

Admission to the trade fair and the expert hub is free for all trade visitors.

We would like to invite you to visit us at our booth D57 at the fair and look forward to everyone who comes to visit us!

Your RRF-Team

Click on the banner below to be redirected to the WOF home page

EFA – The woodstove branch meets together with the RRF to exchange and look into the future in Salzburg

From 13.10. to 14.10.2022 the autumn conference was held in Salzburg, Austria by the European Fireplaces Association (EFA).

The RRF was represented by Mr. Christian Droll. As a member of the board of the EFA he took part of the earlier board-meeting at 12th of October.

At this symposium the current challenges were targeted. The EFA CEO Mr. Uwe Striegler opened the fully occupied conference. This time not only members participated, representatives of other associations, companies and research facilities.

Thomas Schnabel (HKI) began with the presentation of innovative heat combinations, within not only the HKI sees a sensible input to the energy shift in Germany. About the “draining condition” §19 der Bundesimmissionsschutzverordnung BImSchV informed Markus Schlichter from the ZIV. He showed us in his presentation that the impact is not as bad as expected. But there is still room to improve for some. He again said that only with the concentrated cooperation of the associations something much worse could be prevented. After that Dr. Volker Schmatloch form the company Spartherm informed everyone about the Eco-Design Regulation EN16510. He drew attention to the fact that politics and technical expertise must go hand in hand here so that the industries can prepare for this.

Prof. Dr. Ingo Hartmann from DBFZ told us about the project UVV. Research is being done here to sensors and clean combustion. He pointed out that only innovations will add an important input to the heating market. But also, it will take a supporting role. After that he invited everyone to the industry summit at 17th of November till 18th of November at the DBFZ in Leipzig. On this day a strategy offer is made from past workshops on the industry, politics and environmental organizations. The RRF will also attend at this appointment.

In closing a donation check over 5.500 € was handed to the association “Die Ofenmacher e.V.”. Their project is to support the building of new clay oven in Nepal and Africa so that the people who live there will be protected from the danger of cooking at an open fireplace. We from the RRF plan to donate to them in the future as well.

Friday, October 14th the general meeting took place at which internal topics were discussed. The Association’s year was prepared and the most important topics of the year were pointed out.

Two new faces at our location in Oberhausen

Since summer 2022 two new faces are bringing some fresh air into the company!

Since July 1st Mr. Mario Fieberg is with our company. He learned at a German mining company which fits perfectly with our history. With his competence he is bringing, he will reinforce our team of technicians. We are excited to have him with us and are looking forward to having him long-term.

Also, we’d like to welcome our new trainee. Since the 1st of August we will accompany Mr. Stefan Orwat for the next three years with his traineeship as an office management assistant. We wish him a successful and wonderful time during his apprenticeship with us!

The RRF is reforesting 100 trees!

We are on the way to make our company greener by renovations to the buildings, LED lighting, photovoltaic systems, and solar thermal systems in the past few years. Since the usage of biomass is an important part of our daily work, we would like to take responsibility for sustainable actions in this area as well. Our target is to reforest at least as much wood as is used in our company.

Since many forest areas were destroyed by the drought of recent years and the bark beetle infestation, we took this problem as an opportunity to get actively involved. Together with our families and friends, we have planted 100 seedlings, including protection against damage by game, in the woods at our laboratory in Drolshagen.

We would like to thank all employees, their families and our direct neighbour, D-Garage Drolshagen for their active help and a great autumn festival!

EFA – future workshop, board, and closed meeting

The past weekend from 25.06 to 28.06.2021 was all about the European Fireplaces Association (EFA).

It started on 25.06 with the board meeting in which our CEO Christian Droll took part as a board member. Interesting future projects, the associations work and basic organizational measures were discussed. The board met after the board meeting on that weekend for a closed meeting in Schönebeck at the Elbe. Current topics were delved into, tasks were discussed and distributed and a lot of input was processed.
In addition, Mr. Martin Zenker (SPD – speaker for energy, infrastructure, digitization, construction) gave an input from state and federal politics and the future meetings and events were planned.

On 28.06, the interesting and busy weekend was rounded off by the future workshop in combination with the FutureLab wood heating at the KUBUS Leipzig. Dr. Volker Lenz from the DBFZ gave the impulse: Energy transition without wood? Possibilities and limits of wood heating. Based on this information from politics and environmental issues, a future discussion was held. After many interesting points of view and a conclusion, they transferred to the FutureLab wood heating.
Interesting and new innovations from the industry were presented in 5 innovation slots. The focus here was on the companies DBI, Sfera Tec, Kutzner and Weber, ETE EmTechEngineering and the DBFZ.

24. Technical discussion of the working group wood firing

The annual technical discussion of the working group wood firing of the TFZ offers experts an opportunity to exchange information on current developments in our industry. This year, the RRF was again invited to the technical discussion on 09.06.2021 to get involved in the discussions.

As part of the working group, the TFZ offered space for interesting topics such as current standardization work, developments on the market of domestic wood firing or technical lectures on research and development.