Update on HRAI-AHRI’s Joint Comments to CSA’s SCOPEER EXP07 Committee

On September 23, 2021, BC Hydro, Manitoba Hydro, and Hydro-Québec submitted a project proposal form (PPF) to CSA’s SCOPEER Standards Committee to move EXP07, a load-based, climate-specific testing and rating procedure for heat pumps and air conditioners, “from a voluntary, non-accredited standard … to a national standard.”

“EXP07 uses a dynamic, load-based approach that measures a system’s performance across a wide range of outdoor temperatures, while meeting heating and cooling requirements that are typical for residential applications, using its own thermostat and internal control logic.”

EXP07 is a highly technical testing and rating procedure. For a simplified summary of the procedure, members can consult the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) plain language guide to EXPO7.

In HRAI’s previous report, we informed members that, despite the concerns raised by HRAI-AHRI’s joint comments, on November 16, 2021 SCOPEER voted in favour to move forward with the accreditation process.

The comments from HRAI and AHRI raised the following concerns:

  1. Questions about the repeatability, reliability, and reproducibility of the test procedure;
  2. The selection of EXP07 as a seed document prior to the evaluation of other alternative test methodologies to address the concern of representativeness; and
  3. The fact that EXP07 currently does not address non-tested combinations or coil-only combinations, which would severely limit customer choice options that currently exist under AHRI 210/240. Until a load-based test procedure considers these combinations, it cannot be considered a replacement for AHRI 210/240.

CSA staff has informed HRAI that the “validation testing and lab work” going forward will address these concerns, particularly the repeatability, reliability, and reproducibility of the test procedure.

Moreover, “a technical subcommittee will be formed as part of the accreditation process. The makeup of the TSC will include a broader stakeholder group, compared to the original EXP07 development committee, and will include manufacturers.”

HRAI will continue to engage with the committee to ensure member’s concerns are well represented and will share additional details as they become available.

For more information, contact Stephen Chartrand at 1-800-267-2231 ext. 276, or email schartrand@hrai.ca.  

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