Room air conditioners

July 2022

Technical bulletin on amending the standards

On April 1, 2022, the Office of Energy Efficiency at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) updated its Forward Regulatory Plan which identifies its intention to amend Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations (the Regulations) to align room air conditioners (RACs) with the testing standard in the United States.

This technical bulletin has been released to initiate the consultation process and to collect stakeholder views on the requirements being considered for RACs.

Input received during this stage of the process will inform the development of the next amendments considered. In addition, NRCan will undertake a cost-benefit analysis using the best available Canadian market data to assess the economic and environmental impacts of the updated standard and to ensure Canadian consumers and businesses benefit from their implementation.

The Government of Canada intends to pre-publish a regulatory proposal in the Canada Gazette, Part I, in 2023.

Background

In Canada, RACs manufactured as of February 3, 1995, are subject to the Regulations.

RACs contribute to total residential building energy consumption. The energy efficiency standards for RACs save energy and reduce energy costs for Canadians. The efficiency standards also reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and help encourage manufacturers to adopt efficient product designs.

In 2018, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and the United States Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Regarding the Canada–United States Regulatory Cooperation Council was signed to move forward on energy efficiency and foster alignment of federal regulations where feasible and appropriate. In 2021, NRCan and the United States Department of Energy (U.S. DOE) signed the Memorandum of Understanding Between the Department of Natural Resources of Canada and the Department of Energy of the United States of America Concerning Cooperation on Energy, which acknowledges that both countries will collaborate on new and updated energy efficiency and testing standards where feasible and appropriate.

On March 29, 2021, the U.S. DOE published a Federal Register final rule pertaining to RACs, which updated the testing standard, establishing additional provisions to measure energy use of variable capacity RACs during a representative average use cycle (86 FR 16446). This U.S. rule became mandatory on September 27, 2021.

NRCan is considering amending the Regulations to incorporate the testing standard of the U.S. DOE.

Product description

A RAC is defined in the Regulations as a single-phase electric air conditioner that has a cooling capacity of 10.55 kW (36,000 Btu/h) or less. It does not include a packaged terminal air conditioner, a portable air conditioner or a single package vertical air conditioner.

RACs are encased assemblies designed for mounting in a window or through the wall for the purpose of providing delivery of conditioned air to an enclosed space. It includes a prime source of refrigeration for cooling and dehumidification and means for circulating and filtering air, and can also include means for ventilating and heating. RACs are primarily used in the residential sector.

Testing standard

NRCan is considering providing more testing options by referencing the following testing standard, using an ambulatory incorporation by reference:

• Appendix F to Subpart B, Part 430 of Title 10 to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, entitled Uniform Test Method for Measuring the Energy Consumption of Room Air Conditioners.

Important dates

These modifications to the Regulations would come into force six months after the date of publication in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

NRCan is considering applying the additional testing standard option to RACs manufactured on or after June 1, 2014.

Labelling requirements

NRCan is not considering any changes for the labelling requirements for this product.  An EnerGuide label must be attached to every new RAC sold in Canada.

Verification requirements

NRCan is not considering any changes for the verification requirements for RACs.

These products will continue to carry a third party verification mark indicating that the product meets the energy efficiency standard and that the information to be reported has been verified.

The verification mark is the mark of a Standards Council of Canada accredited certification body that operates an energy efficiency certification program for the product.

Reporting requirements

Energy efficiency report

NRCan is not considering any changes to the energy efficiency report requirements for RACs.

The Regulations apply to products imported or shipped inter-provincially for sale or lease in Canada. This report must be submitted, by the dealer, to NRCan before the product is imported into Canada or traded inter-provincially for the first time.

Import report

There is no change to import reporting.

Comments invited

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide stakeholders with the technical detail required to comment on the requirements under consideration for RACs. 

It is important to NRCan that we engage the public and stakeholders on amendments to the Energy Efficiency Regulations. If you are aware of any dealer, manufacturer, importer, retailer, utility provider, small business, consumer group, organization, or representative of a specific group(s) of the population (including, but not limited to, women, 2SLGBTQQIA+ people, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, socio-economic status, residency, housing status, etc.), Indigenous peoples/communities, and/or other person or group that may be interested in participating in the amendment discussion and/or may be negatively impacted by this proposal, please forward them or the representative this bulletin. Please email equipment-equipement@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca to be added to the email distribution list (emails are used to notify stakeholders of upcoming amendments, technical bulletins, webinar registrations, and official publication in the Canada Gazette).

Additional information on Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations including a current list of Standards Council of Canada accredited certification bodies can be found on the Department’s website.

We welcome your comments by September 15, 2022. All correspondence should be forwarded to:

Natural Resources Canada
Office of Energy Efficiency
580 Booth Street
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E4

E-mail: equipment-equipement@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

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Bulletin – Room Air Conditioners – Climatiseurs individuels – July 2022 juillet