ELVHIS as the European Association of Luminous Radiant Gas Heater Manufacturers was founded in 1994 as a non-profit association representing the technology and interests of European manufacturers of gas-fired infrared luminous radiant heaters. At its 43rd meeting in March 2011, ELVHIS decided to open its doors to the European manufacturers of gas-fired radiant tube heaters and to change its name to ELVHIS Leading Association of Radiant Gas Heater Manufacturers in Europe.

Following a second decision taken at the 43rd General Assembly in 2011, companies, organisations, associations, institutes and private individuals involved in the manufacture of components, trade, research or consultancy in the field of radiant heating can now join ELVHIS as associate members, in addition to manufacturers of radiators. This enables them to contribute to the shaping of important parameters for the future of radiant heat and to rely on an enhanced pan-European representation of their interests.

The 66th ELVHIS General Assembly on 2024-03-11 concluded the long process of merging the two associations EURO-Air and ELVHIS. The new association, ELVHIS e.V. has responded to the changes in the market and regulatory environment with its new statutes. With the new members, ELVHIS will become stronger and more diverse and will be able to represent the interests of its members in Europe and internationally. This is particularly important as current day-to-day policy often focuses only on the considerations of normal buildings, as residential buildings have a very high heat demand. After all, modern buildings are important for our cultural life and a prerequisite for production, trade and logistics. In this context, the cooperation of ELVHIS in standardisation and active communication with politicians is necessary. The cooperation with the Notified Bodies of the EU Member States and the exchange of experience with the relevant ministries in other countries are very helpful for the ELVHIS members. This close cooperation enables a solid exchange of experience and a level playing field for market partners.

ELVHIS supports the development of eco-design guidelines and provides up-to-date parameters.

The use of renewable energies in the form of PV electricity or hydrogen is a central task. Standardisation and regulation will be supported in this direction.

The harmonisation of specific standards is another key task, as this triggers the „presumption of conformity“ in the EU and thus represents a significant improvement in the legal position.

Developments in recent years have clearly pointed towards the use of renewable fuels, but applications in combination with conventional fuels are now becoming interesting again, where significant energy savings can be achieved with state-of-the-art technology. ELVHIS will provide the framework for these modern applications and thus promote the use of high-quality products.