Variable Refrigerant Flow
Department of Energy
The Department of Energy (DOE) regulates the energy efficiency of small, large, and very large commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps, which includes variable refrigerant flow products. Commercial air conditioners and heat pumps are air-cooled, water-cooled, evaporatively-cooled, or water source unitary air conditioners or heat pumps that are used for space conditioning of commercial and industrial buildings.
Negotiated Rulemaking for Variable Refrigerant Flow Multi-Split Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps
Summary: The Department of Energy is giving notice that it intends to establish a negotiated rulemaking working group under the Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act and the Negotiated Rulemaking Act to negotiate proposed test procedures and amended energy conservation standards for variable refrigerant flow multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.
Type of Regulation: Test Procedure and Energy Conservation Standard
Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage
Docket ID: EERE-2018-BT-STD-0003
UPDATES:
- Posted: October 2, 2019 — Notice of open teleconference/webinar
- Posted: August 22, 2019 — Notice of public meetings and webinars
- Posted: July 8, 2019 — Notice of data availability and request for information
- Posted: April 2, 2019 — Notice of public meeting and webinar
- Posted: February 5, 2019 — Notice of public meetings and webinar
- Posted: September 5, 2018 — Notice of public meetings and webinar
- Posted: July 20, 2018 — Notice of public meetings and webinar
- Posted: April 11, 2018 — Notice of intent to establish a working group
Comment Period Close Date: Closed
Where to Comment: EERE-2018-BT-STD-0003
AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemakings:
- August 22, 2019 — AHRI comments response to the notice of data availability and request for information
N/A
Current Standard:
For the purposes of this regulation, standards cover air-cooled, evaporatively-cooled, and water-cooled and water source commercial packaged air conditioners and heat pumps.
Commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 10 CFR 431.92, must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 431.97. Compliance dates and minimum efficiencies are found in the following tables.
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Table 1. Minimum Cooling Efficiency Levels for Commercial Package Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps (including Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems) |
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Equipment Type |
Cooling Capacity |
Sub-Category |
Heating Type |
Efficiency Level |
Compliance Date |
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Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled, 3 Phase) |
65,000 Btu/h |
AC |
All |
SEER = 13 |
6/16/2008 |
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HP |
All |
SEER = 13 |
6/16/2008 |
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Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled) |
65,000 Btu/h and 135,000 Btu/h |
AC |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.2 |
1/1/2010 |
|
All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/1/2010 |
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|
HP |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/1/2010 |
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.8 |
1/1/2010 |
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Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled) |
135,000 Btu/h and 240,000 Btu/h |
AC |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/1/2010 |
|
All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.8 |
1/1/2010 |
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HP |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 10.6 |
1/1/2010 |
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.4 |
1/1/2010 |
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Very Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled) |
240,000 Btu/h and 760,000 Btu/h |
AC |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 10.0 |
1/1/2010 |
|
All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 9.8 |
1/1/2010 |
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HP |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 9.5 |
1/1/2010 |
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 9.3 |
1/1/2010 |
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Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Cooled, Evaporatively-Cooled, and Water-Source) |
17,000 Btu/h |
AC |
All |
EER = 12.1 |
10/29/2003 |
|
HP |
All |
EER = 11.2 |
10/29/2003 |
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17,000 and 65,000 |
AC |
All |
EER = 12.1 |
10/29/2003 |
|
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HP |
All |
EER = 12.0 |
10/29/2013 |
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65,000 Btu/h and 135,000 Btu/h |
AC |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.3 |
10/29/2003 |
|
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 11.3 |
10/29/2003 |
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HP |
All |
EER = 12.0 |
10/29/2003 |
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Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Cooled, Evaporatively-Cooled, and Water-Source) |
135,000 Btu/h and 240,000 Btu/h |
AC |
All |
EER = 11.0 |
10/29/2003 |
|
HP |
All |
EER = 11.0 |
10/29/2004 |
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Very Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Cooled, Evaporatively-Cooled, and Water-Source) |
240,000 Btu/h and 760,000 Btu/h |
AC |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/10/2011 |
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.8 |
1/10/2011 |
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HP |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/10/2011 |
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.8 |
1/10/2011 |
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Table 2. Minimum Heating Efficiency Levels for Commercial Package Heat Pumps (including Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems) |
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|---|---|---|---|
|
Equipment Type |
Cooling Capacity |
Efficiency Level |
Compliance Date |
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Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled, 3 Phase) |
65,000 Btu/h |
HSPF = 7.7 |
6/16/2008 |
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Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled) |
65,000 Btu/h and 135,000 Btu/h |
COP = 3.3 |
1/1/2010 |
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Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled) |
135,000 Btu/h and 240,000 Btu/h |
COP = 3.2 |
1/1/2010 |
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Very Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled) |
240,000 Btu/h and 760,000 Btu/h |
COP = 3.2 |
1/1/2010 |
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Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Source) |
135,000 Btu/h |
COP = 4.2 |
10/29/2003 |
For further guidance or to submit questions related to the implementation of this standard, visit the Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions page.
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Table 4. Energy Conservation Standards for Variable Refrigerant Flow Multi-Split Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps* |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
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Equipment Type |
Cooling Capacity |
Heating Type |
Efficiency Level |
Compliance Date |
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VRF Multi-Split Air Conditioners (Air-cooled) |
65,000 Btu/h |
All |
SEER = 13.0 |
6/16/2008 |
|
≥ 65,000 Btu/h and 135,000 Btu/h |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.2 |
1/1/2010 |
|
|
All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/1/2010 |
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≥ 135,000 Btu/h and 240,000 Btu/h |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/1/2010 |
|
|
All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.8 |
1/1/2010 |
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850 and 1,500 |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
4.42 - 0.00028H |
200 - 0.022H |
|
|
≥ 240,000 Btu/h and 760,000 Btu/h |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 10.0 |
1/1/2010 |
|
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 9.8 |
1/1/2010 |
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VRF Multi-Split Heat Pumps (Air-Cooled) |
65,000 Btu/h |
All |
SEER = 13.0 |
6/16/2008 |
|
≥ 65,000 Btu/h and 135,000 Btu/h |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 11.0 |
1/1/2010 |
|
|
All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.8 |
1/1/2010 |
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≥ 135,000 Btu/h and 240,000 Btu/h |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 10.6 |
1/1/2010 |
|
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 10.4 |
1/1/2010 |
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≥ 240,000 Btu/h and 760,000 Btu/h |
No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating |
EER = 9.5 |
1/1/2010 |
|
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All Other Types of Heating |
EER = 9.3 |
1/1/2010 |
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VRF Multi-Split Air Conditioners |
17,000 Btu/h |
Without Heat Recovery |
EER = 12.0 |
10/29/2012 (EER Level) |
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With Heat Recovery |
EER = 11.8 |
10/29/2012 (EER Level) |
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≥ 17,000 Btu/h and 65,000 Btu/h |
All |
EER = 12.0 |
10/29/2013 |
|
|
≥ 65,000 Btu/h and 135,000 Btu/h |
All |
EER = 12.0 |
10/29/2013 |
|
|
≥ 135,000 Btu/h and 760,000 Btu/h |
Without Heat Recovery |
EER = 10.0 |
10/29/2013 |
|
|
With Heat Recovery |
EER = 10.0 |
10/29/2013 |
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*Variable Refrigerant Flow Equipment were previously covered under the broader classes of small, large, and very large commercial package air conditioning equipment before being distinguished as separate equipment classes in the May 16, 2012 final rule. 77 FR 28991.
Links:
- Final Rule: Standards, Federal Register, 77 FR 28928 (May 16, 2012)
- Technical Support Document
- Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
To determine compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedures specified at 10 CFR 431.96 for commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured or distributed into commerce on or after January 8, 2007.
- Final Rule: Test Procedures, Federal Register, 71 FR 71340 (Dec. 8, 2006)
- Docket No. EERE-2006-TP-0121 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
- Final Rule: Test Procedures, Federal Register, 77 FR 28928 (May 16, 2012) (This rule contained test procedures for products in addition to those in the 2006 rule.)
- Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
- Final Rule: Test Procedures, Federal Register, 80 FR 79655 (December 23, 2015)
- Docket No. EERE-2015-BT-TP-0015 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
AHRI comments to rulemaking:
- AHRI Comment response to the published Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) — September 1, 2015
For further guidance or to submit questions related to the implementation of this test procedure, visit the Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions page.
EPA ENERGY STAR
Current Product Specifications:
Light Commercial HVAC Program Requirements Version 3.1
In Development:
There are no new versions currently in development.
Applying for Energy Star:
To qualify a new product, contact an EPA-recognized Certification Body (CB) to have the product's performance certified. A list of EPA-recognized CBs, as well as an overview of EPA's third-party certification procedures, is available at Third-Party Certification. AHRI is an EPA-recognized CB. Email AHRICert_EnergyStar@ahrinet.org for more information.
More Information: