US – The US Department of Energy has proposed new efficiency standards for air conditioners installed on the roofs of commercial establishments for a reduction of nearly 30% of the energy consumption. The proposed standards define the minimum level IEER (integrated energy efficiency ratio) to 12.3 to 14.8 depending on the type of equipment and capacity.

Almost half of commercial premises in the United States use air conditioning units on the roof. The application of this new standard in air conditioning can help achieve significant energy savings at the national level never imagined by the US Department of Energy.

The new standards proposed by the Department of Energy are a breath of fresh air for business since the air is about 10% of the cost of electricity in the commercial building, “said Steve Nadel, executive director of the Council US for efficient energy saving. “The new standards of energy efficient air conditioners lead to an innovative solution in buildings across America. It will not only save businesses money, but also reduce the demand for electricity and the emission in environment “.

The Department of Energy estimates the life of the air conditioning units over 30 years. The proposed standards will enable businesses to save between 16 and 50 billion dollars while reducing the power consumption of about 1.3 billion kWh.

The current efficiency standards for air conditioning on the roof provide efficiency at full capacity because air conditioners rarely operate at this level during the hottest days. The new standards provide IEER efficiency to 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the total capacity.

Traditional air conditioners installed only cover the energy requirements in commercial buildings with an energy efficiency ratio of about 9.5 to 11.5. Currently, most major manufacturers offer equipment to achieve a high level of IEER up to 21.

The Department of Energy created the RTU challenge in order to encourage the use of more efficient air conditioning systems on the roofs of commercial establishments. This project involves the regulation of manufacturers to develop a unit of 10 tons answering the IEER 18.0 standard from 1 April 2013.Manufacturers have adopted the challenge to develop units ranging from 3 to 23 tons up to a high of 21.0 IEER.