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Cooling and ventilating equipment for residential use

Buy ENERGY STAR® certified products to save you money!

With hot, humid, sunny summers in much of the country, more Canadians are using cooling and ventilating equipment to keep their homes and businesses cool. While space cooling only accounts for 1.6% of the energy used in the average Canadian home, this trend has been increasing over the past 10 years.

Distribution of residential energy use in Canada 2016 by activity

Source: Distribution of residential energy use in Canada 2019, Natural Resources Canada

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Residential energy use in Canada by activity

A pie chart representing energy consumed in the average Canadian home is divided into five sections: Space heating 63.6%; Water heating 17.2%; Appliances 14.1%; Lighting 3.5%; and Space cooling 1.6%.

When buying cooling and ventilating equipment, it’s important to remember the cost of energy to operate a product over its lifetime is just as important as its purchase price. For cooling equipment, operating costs are calculated by factoring in how many days during the year you need to cool, the cost of electricity in your area, the cooling capacity of the unit, and the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER).

Make the switch to an ENERGY STAR certified air conditioner or fan to cut your electricity bill and reduce your carbon footprint.

ENERGY STAR certified residential cooling equipment

The following ENERGY STAR certified products are available in Canada.

Heat pumps with a reverse-cycle feature can be used for air conditioning as well as space heating. Find more information on air-source and ground source heat pumps.

ENERGY STAR certified residential ventilating products

Find certified products using the ENERGY STAR Product Finder. (Note: you will be redirected to the U.S. ENERGY STAR website. Click “Canada” as your market).

Residential cooling and ventilating equipment that are regulated

Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations establish minimum performance standards for energy efficiency and help eliminate the least efficient products from the Canadian marketplace.

The following ENERGY STAR certified cooling and ventilating equipment is subject to Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations: central air conditioners, room air conditioners, ceiling fans, dehumidifiers, and heat/energy recovery ventilators.

Portable air conditioners and vertical air conditioners are regulated but are NOT eligible for ENERGY STAR certification.

See more information about The Regulations that help eliminate the least efficient products from the Canadian market.

Helpful tips

  • Reduce the humidity levels in your home.
  • Combine fans and air conditioners to further reduce your energy bills. Set your thermostat two degrees higher and use ceilings fans to circulate cool air. This can reduce your air conditioning costs by 14 percent.
  • Aim for comfort, not chill. The recommended temperature is between 25 and 27°C.
  • Keep your cooling and ventilation systems clean – regularly clean filters, coils and ductwork to make sure it’s running as efficiently as possible. Consult your owner’s manual for detailed instructions.
  • Visit the individual product pages above for more helpful tips.
  • See our list of ENERGY STAR participating manufacturers and retailers.

Tools to find energy efficient cooling and ventilating products

  • The easiest way to identify an efficient air conditioner or fan is to look for the ENERGY STAR symbol. All ENERGY STAR certified products are tested to strict efficiency standards and are certified by an independent third party. They perform the same as or better than standard products without compromising performance in any way.
  • The “ENERGY STAR Most Efficient” designation is offered each year to products that are “the best of the best” – the top energy performers in their class. Learn more about ENERGY STAR Most Efficient.
  • EnerGuide label
    Use the EnerGuide label on some cooling and ventilation products to compare a model’s energy consumption to similar models. Learn more about EnerGuide labels.

The ENERGY STAR name and symbol are trademarks registered in Canada by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and are administered and promoted by Natural Resources Canada.

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