ENERGY STAR Releases LCHVAC V4.0 Final Draft Specification

On February 16, 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final draft of the ENERGY STAR Version 4.0 Light Commercial HVAC specification for public comment.

This revised specification is in response to upcoming increases in U.S. DOE minimum energy performance standards for HVAC products, which are set to come into force on January 1, 2023.

Given that the 2023 metrics will be more stringent than what is required by the Version 3.1 specification, ENERGY STAR believes it is critical that criteria for LCHVAC equipment be updated accordingly.

The Version 4.0 specification will take effect on January 1, 2023.

Below is a summary of changes from Draft 1. Members can also find more information on these changes in the comment response document. 

  • Very Small Unitary and Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) products: Aligning with the ENERGY STAR Version 6.1 Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pump specification requirements, this new draft now provides equivalent criteria in terms of both SEER, EER, and HSPF, and SEER2, EER2, and HSPF2. Clarifying that manufacturers may use either set of criteria (and the associated test methods) for certification to Version 4.0. In the next 12 months, in response to US Department of Energy (DOE) actions, EPA will consider updating the specification to reference a single test method.
  • Small and Large Commercial Unitary Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps: EPA has revised the proposed IEER, EER, and COP at 8.3 °C (47°F) requirements in light of new information about changes in the market by the time this specification is effective in 2023. In addition, many stakeholders provided feedback about how levels relate to each other for sub-classes of equipment, and EPA took this into account in this proposal. The updated criteria reflect the balance of energy savings, product cost, and product availability that EPA recognizes with the ENERGY STAR mark.
  • Gas/Electric Packaged Units: Amid uncertainty about how much savings capacity adjustment can provide for commercial equipment, EPA has eased the gas efficiency proposal to require at least two stages of heating, one of which can be the compressor-based heating a heat pump provides.
  • Small and Large VRF Products: The proposed levels have been adjusted slightly to reflect feedback about the additional challenge large systems face meeting EER requirements, and to allow synergy with other entities on cold climate recognition (see below). EPA anticipates reviewing the levels for these products and revising the test method in the next 12 months based on anticipated DOE action.
  • Cold Climate Recognition: The criteria now reflects a conclusion that COP at low ambient temperature is more important than capacity for VRF systems, and capacity maintenance is more important for unitary systems.

Any comments specific to the Canadian market may be submitted to Caroline Côté, Senior Account Manager, ENERGY STAR, Natural Resources Canada, at caroline.cote@canada.ca by March 3, 2022.

Comments on cold climate criteria for very small units will be accepted until March 24, 2022.

Please direct questions to Abigail Daken, EPA, at daken.abigail@epa.gov or 202-343-9375, and Emmy Feldman, ICF, at emmy.feldman@icf.com or 202-862-1145.

For US DOE test procedure inquiries, please contact Catherine Rivest, U.S. Department of Energy, at (202) 586-7335 or Catherine.Rivest@ee.doe.gov.

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