In Slovenia, gas-equipment installation is regulated by three legal instruments: the Construction Act (ZGO), the Act on Technical Requirements for Products and Conformity Assessment, and the Regulation on Technical Requirements for Gas Installations (SIST EN 1775). Each defines who may perform what and under whose liability.
Three mandatory accreditations
A contractor working on a gas appliance in an industrial hall must hold all three:
- NPK for gas installations (National Vocational Qualification, code 5226.039.5.1 or 5226.040.6.1 for the upgraded category). Issued after examination at the State Examination Centre. Open-ended validity, with re-training when regulation changes.
- Licence with the relevant gas distributor (Geoplin for natural gas, LPG distributors for propane). The distributor maintains a public register of qualified contractors on its grid. Without registration, the installer may not touch the connection pipe.
- Manufacturer authorisation for installing specific equipment models. At Solaronics this means completed factory training (1–3 days depending on category) and a signed competence declaration for the series (SRII, AC, MRA, etc.).
Who may install which segment
An industrial gas installation has four separate segments that a single contractor may not span:
- Gas connection up to the first shut-off valve: exclusively a distributor-authorised installer. The fund operator records and signs the installation report before connection.
- Pipework between valve and appliance: an installer with NPK + distributor licence. SIST EN 1775 standard, materials and joining procedures strictly defined.
- The gas appliance itself: an installer with manufacturer authorisation + NPK. For Solaronics, a responsible person signs the commissioning report, which is also the warranty precondition.
- Electrical wiring and controls: an installer with NPK for electrical work (code 5311 or higher), NOT the gas installer. Common error in small projects where one contractor crosses both disciplines without the correct licence.
Frequently asked questions
How do I verify a contractor is accredited?
The Geoplin distribution register (distribucija.geoplin.si/register) lists all active contractors by company name and tax ID. Enter the contractor's name or tax number; if not in the register, they may not touch the gas installation. Other distributors (Energetika Ljubljana, Plinarna Maribor, etc.) maintain similar registers directly.
What happens if a non-accredited contractor installs the appliance?
Three separate consequences: (a) the manufacturer warranty terminates from the moment of non-accredited installation; (b) the gas distributor has the right to lock the connection without further notice (safety measure); (c) the building insurance policy will not cover damage, because gas risks are explicitly conditioned on accredited installation. In the event of fire or explosion this means 100 % own-cost liability.
Can an installer from Austria or Croatia install in Slovenia?
Conditionally yes. EU-issued accreditation is recognised on condition of notification to the relevant ministry (Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation for vocational qualifications) and registration with a Slovenian distributor. The procedure takes 30–60 days. Ad-hoc installation without this procedure equals an unregulated intervention.
How much does an accredited installer cost vs a non-accredited one?
Typical delta for a 100 kW gas unit heater installation: accredited installer €1 500–2 200 (labour + commissioning documentation), non-accredited €800–1 200. The €800 saving exposes the investor to potential €50 000–200 000 losses in a fire (building + equipment + lost production days).
Who carries liability if there's an incident?
By legal precedent: the investor (building owner) carries final liability for ensuring an accredited contractor. The installer is jointly liable only if accreditation was misrepresented (criminal matter). The gas distributor is absolved if it flagged the non-accredited contractor in the register.
[CTA: We can share our list of accredited Solaronics-equipment installers, /en/quote]