HRAI Seeks Member Input on Amendments 18 and 19

In April 2022, Natural Resources Canada announced its intent to launch Amendments 18 and 19 to Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations.  The amendments will update testing procedures and/or energy efficiency standards for 19 currently regulated products and will introduce requirements for seven new products.

This includes 3-phase central air conditioners and central heat pumps and large air conditioners and heat pumps.

Updating Currently Regulated Products

Adding a New Product Category

Refrigerators

Clothes Dryers (Vented Gas)

Combination Refrigerator-Freezers

Uninterruptible Power Supplies

Freezers

Pool Pumps

Clothes Washers

Showerheads

Integrated Clothes Washer-Dryers

Faucets

Clothes Dryers

 

Dishwashers

 

Portable Air Conditioners

 

Electric Water Heaters

 

Room Air Conditioners

 

Battery Chargers

 

External Power Supplies

 

Gas-Fired Water Heaters

 

Oil-Fired Water Heaters

 

Ice Makers (Automatic Commercial)

 

Large Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps

 

General Service Lighting

 

General Service Fluorescent Lamps

 

Metal Halide Lamp Ballasts

 

 

Between June 22 and June 30, 2022, NRCan held a series of webinars to initiate the pre-consultation phase for the amendments.

On amending the regulations for 3-phase central air conditioners and central heat pumps, NRCan is considering aligning testing standards with the U.S. DOE with the following adjustments to account for cold climate conditions in Canada:

  • The optional -15°C (5°F) test point in the US DOE test procedure would become mandatory in Canadian regulations.
  • The HSPF2 metric that is used to evaluate compliance would be based on Climate Region V (for calculation of the performance metric in the test standard).

NRCan is considering referencing ANSI/AHRI 210/240-2023 – 2023 Standard for Performance Rating of Unitary Air-Conditioning & Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment to serve as the test standard.

The energy efficiency standards under consideration for three-phase central air conditioners and three-phase central heat pumps are summarized in the table below.

Canadian HSPF2 energy efficiency standards for Climate Region V have been converted from U.S. HSPF2 energy efficiency standards for Climate Region IV, based on minimum performance levels expected for units tested to temperature test points required in the testing standard and the additional -15°C (5°F) test point.

PRODUCT TYPE

PRODUCT SUBCATEGORY

SEER2a ENERGY EFFICIENCY

STANDARD IN THE U.S. AND CANADA

HSPF2b (CLIMATE

REGION IV) ENERGY

EFFICIENCY STANDARD IN THE U.S.

HSPF2 (CLIMATE REGION V) ENERGY EFFICIENCY

STANDARD IN CANADA

AC’s other than those that are space constrained or small-duct-high-velocity with a cooling capacity less than 65,000 Btu/hr

Split System/Single Package

13.4

 

 

Heat pumps other than those that are space constrained or small duct-high-velocity with a cooling capacity less than 65,000 Btu/hr

Split system

14.3

 

 

Single package

13.4

 

 

Space-constrained AC’s with a cooling capacity less than 30,000 Btu/hr

Split system

12.7

 

 

Single package

13.9

7.0

5.6

Space-constrained heat pumps with a cooling capacity less than 30,000 Btu/hr

Split system

13.9

6.7

5.4

Single package

13.9

 

 

Small-duct, high-velocity air conditioners with a cooling capacity less than 65,000 Btu/hr

Split system

13.0

 

 

Small-duct, high-velocity heat pumps with a cooling capacity less than 65,000 Btu/hr

Split system

14.0

6.9

5.5

a Represents seasonal energy efficiency ratio 2.

b Represents heating seasonal performance factor 2.

NRCan is not considering any changes to labelling, verification, or importing requirements for 3-phase central air conditioners and central heat pumps.

The energy efficiency report required for three-phase central air conditioners and three-phase central heat pumps would include the following information:

  • SEER2.
  • Rated cooling capacity.
  • HSPF2 for Climate Region V and rated heating capacity at 8.3oC (47oF) for heat pumps.

In addition, the energy efficiency report would require the following information to be reported for three-phase central heat pumps:

  • Rated capacity at -15°C (5°F).
  • COP at -15°C (5°F).

On amending the regulations for large air conditioners and heat pumps, while NRCan is currently aligned with U.S. DOE Tier 1, it is considering aligning energy efficiency standards, testing standards, and manufacturing dates with U.S. DOE Tier 2 for large air conditioners and heat pumps that are air-cooled.

NRCan defines a large air conditioner as “a commercial or industrial unitary air conditioner with a cooling capacity of at least 19 kW (65,000 Btu/h) but less than 223 kW (760,000 Btu/h). It does not include a single package vertical air conditioner.”

And a large heat pump as a “a commercial or industrial unitary heat pump that is intended for air-conditioning and space-heating applications and that has a cooling capacity of at least 19 kW (65,000 Btu/h) but less than 223 kW (760,000 Btu/h). It does not include a single package vertical heat pump.”

The regulatory amendments would only apply to large air conditioners and large heat pump that are air-cooled.

NRCan is considering referencing Appendix A to Subpart F, Part 431 of Title 10 to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, entitled Uniform Test Method for the Measurement of Energy Consumption of Air-Cooled Small (≥65,000 Btu/h), Large, and Very Large Commercial Package Air Conditioning and Heating Equipment to serve as the test standard.

The energy efficiency standards under consideration for large air conditioners and large heat pumps are summarized in the tables below.

Energy Efficiency Standards being considered for Air-Cooled Large Air Conditioners

Cooling Capacity

Heating Type

Efficiency Level

≥ 19 kW and < 40 kW (≥ 65,000 and < 135,000 Btu/h)

Either without a heating section or with

an electric heating section

EERa ≥ 11.2

IEERb ≥ 14.8

With a heating section other than an

electric heating section

EER ≥ 11.0

IEER ≥ 14.6

≥ 40 kW and < 70 kW (≥ 135,000 and < 240,000 Btu/h)

Either without a heating section or with

an electric heating section

EER ≥ 11.0

IEER ≥ 14.2

With a heating section other than an

electric heating section

EER ≥ 10.8

IEER ≥ 14.0

≥ 70 kW and < 223 kW (≥ 240,000 and < 760,000 Btu/h)

Either without a heating section or with

an electric heating section

EER ≥ 10.0

IEER ≥ 13.2

With a heating section other than an

electric heating section

EER ≥ 9.8

IEER ≥ 13.0

a Represents the energy efficiency ratio, which is the ratio of the produced cooling effect of an air conditioner or heat pump to its net work input, expressed in kW (Btu/watt-hour).

 

b Represents the integrated energy efficiency ratio, expressed in British thermal units per watt hour,

that constitutes a single number cooling part-load efficiency metric of a large air conditioner.

 

Energy Efficiency Standards being considered For Air-Cooled Large Heat Pumps

Cooling Capacity

Heating Type

Efficiency Level

≥ 19 kW and < 40 kW (≥ 65,000 and < 135,000 Btu/h)

Either without a heating section or with an

electric heating section

EERa ≥ 11.0 Heating coefficient of

performance ≥ 3.4 with 8.3°C inlet air and ≥ 2.25 with -8.3°C inlet air IEERb ≥ 14.1

With a heating section other than an electric

heating section

EER ≥ 10.8 Heating coefficient of performance ≥ 3.4 with 8.3°C inlet air and ≥ 2.25 with -8.3° inlet air IEER ≥ 13.9

≥ 40 kW and < 70 kW (≥ 135,000 and < 240,000 Btu/h)

Either without a heating section or with an

electric heating section

EER ≥ 10.6 Heating coefficient of

performance ≥ 3.3 with 8.3°C inlet air and ≥ 2.05 with -8.3°C inlet air IEER ≥ 13.5

With a heating section other than an electric

heating section

EER ≥ 10.4 Heating coefficient of

performance ≥ 3.3 with 8.3°C inlet air and ≥ 2.05 with -8.3°C inlet air IEER ≥ 13.3

≥ 70 kW and < 223 kW ≥ 240,000 and < 760,000 Btu/h

Either without a heating section or with an

electric heating section

EER ≥ 9.5 Heating coefficient of

performance ≥ 3.2 with 8.3°C inlet air and ≥ 2.05 with -8.3°C inlet air IEER ≥ 12.5

With a heating section other than an electric

heating section

EER ≥ 9.3 Heating coefficient of

performance ≥ 3.2 with 8.3°C inlet air and ≥ 2.05 with -8.3°C inlet air IEER ≥ 12.3

a Represents the energy efficiency ratio, which is the ratio of the produced cooling effect of an AC or HP to its net work input, expressed in kW (Btu/watt-hour).

b Represents the integrated energy efficiency ratio, expressed in British thermal units per watt hour, that constitutes a single number cooling part-load efficiency metric of a large heat pump.

NRCan is not considering any changes to labelling, verification, importing, or the energy efficiency report requirements for air-cooled large air conditioners and heat pumps.

The pre-publication of the amendments in Canada Gazette, Part I is expected sometime in 2023.

This will launch an official 70-day public comment period.

The exact date for final publication of the amendments in Canada Gazette, Part II will depend on the number and nature of comments received during the public comment periods, but are typically within a year of the initial public comment period.

Comments are due September 15, 2022.

HRAI will make a formal submission to NRCan on the proposed amendments to Canada’s Energy Efficiency Regulations.

If any member wishes to provide input or would like more information about Amendments 18 and 19, please contact Stephen Chartrand at 1-800-267-2231 ext. 276, or email schartrand@hrai.ca.

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