Water-Source Heat Pump

Department of Energy

The Department of Energy (DOE) regulates the energy efficiency of small, large, and very large commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps, which includes water-source heat pumps. Commercial air conditioners and heat pumps are air-cooled, water-cooled, evaporatively-cooled, or water source unitary air conditioners or heat pumps that are used for space conditioning of commercial and industrial buildings.

Ongoing Rulemakings

Water–Source Heat Pumps (WSHPs) Test Procedure

Summary: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), as amended, requires DOE to conduct a review of its test procedure for each covered class once every seven years to determine if amendments are needed (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(1)(A)). If DOE determines that amended test procedures would more accurately or fully comply with the requirements under 42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(2) and (3), (related to representativeness during an average use cycle and not being unduly burdensome to conduct), DOE must prescribe amended test procedures for that equipment. Otherwise, DOE must publish a notice regarding its determination that the test procedure does not need to be amended (42 U.S.C. 6314(a)(1)(A)). DOE is initiating an effort to determine whether amendments to the WSHPs test procedure are warranted.

Type of Regulation: Test Procedure

Rulemaking Link: Rulemaking Webpage

Docket ID: EERE-2017-BT-TP-0029

Updates:

Posted: July 9, 2018 — Extension of public comment period
Posted: June 22, 2018 — Request for information

Comment Period Close Date: Closed

Where to Comment: EERE-2017-BT-TP-0029

AHRI Comments to Previous Stages of Rulemakings:

June 25, 2018 — AHRI request for extension of comment period

Future Regulations

N/A

Current Efficiency Standards

For the purposes of this regulation, standards cover air-cooled, evaporatively cooled, and water-cooled and water source commercial packaged air conditioners and heat pumps.

Commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 10 CFR 431.92, must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations, 10 CFR 431.97. Compliance dates and minimum efficiencies are available in the following tables.

Table 1. Minimum Cooling Efficiency Levels for Commercial Package Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps (including Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems)
Equipment Type	Cooling Capacity	Sub-Category	Heating Type	Efficiency Level	Compliance Date
Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled, 3 Phase)	< 65,000 Btu/h	AC	All	SEER = 13	6/16/2008
	< 65,000 Btu/h	HP	All	SEER = 13	6/16/2008
Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled)	65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	AC	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.2	1/1/2010
		AC	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 11.0	1/1/2010
		HP	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.0	1/1/2010
		HP	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.8	1/1/2010
Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled)	135,000 Btu/h and < 240,000 Btu/h	AC	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.0	1/1/2010
		AC	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.8	1/1/2010
		HP	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 10.6	1/1/2010
		HP	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.4	1/1/2010
Very Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled)	240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	AC	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 10.0	1/1/2010
		AC	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 9.8	1/1/2010
		HP	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 9.5	1/1/2010
		HP	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 9.3	1/1/2010
Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Cooled, Evaporatively-Cooled, and Water-Source)	< 17,000 Btu/h	AC	All	EER = 12.1	10/29/2003
	< 17,000 Btu/h	HP	All	EER = 11.2	10/29/2003
	17,000 and < 65,000	AC	All	EER = 12.1	10/29/2003
	17,000 and < 65,000	HP	All	EER = 12.0	10/29/2013
	65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	AC	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.3	10/29/2003
		AC	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 11.3	10/29/2003
		HP	All	EER = 12.0	10/29/2003
Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Cooled, Evaporatively-Cooled, and Water-Source)	135,000 Btu/h and < 240,000 Btu/h	AC	All	EER = 11.0	10/29/2003
	135,000 Btu/h and < 240,000 Btu/h	HP	All	EER = 11.0	10/29/2004
Very Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Cooled, Evaporatively-Cooled, and Water-Source)	240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	AC	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.0	1/10/2011
		AC	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.8	1/10/2011
		HP	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.0	1/10/2011
		HP	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.8	1/10/2011

Table 2. Minimum Heating Efficiency Levels for Commercial Package Heat Pumps (including Variable Refrigerant Flow Systems)
Equipment Type	Cooling Capacity	Efficiency Level	Compliance Date
Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled, 3 Phase)	< 65,000 Btu/h	HSPF = 7.7	6/16/2008
Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled)	65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	COP = 3.3	1/1/2010
Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled)	135,000 Btu/h and < 240,000 Btu/h	COP = 3.2	1/1/2010
Very Large Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Air-Cooled)	240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	COP = 3.2	1/1/2010
Small Commercial Packaged Air-Conditioning and Heating Equipment (Water-Source)	< 135,000 Btu/h	COP = 4.2	10/29/2003

Amended Standards

On May 16, 2012, DOE published a final rule that amended energy conservation standards for water-cooled and evaporatively-cooled commercial package air-conditioning and heating equipment and established new standards for certain variable refrigerant flow multi-split air conditioners and heat pumps.

Table 4. Energy Conservation Standards for Variable Refrigerant Flow Multi-Split Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps*
Equipment Type	Cooling Capacity	Heating Type	Efficiency Level	Compliance Date
VRF Multi-Split Air Conditioners (Air-cooled)	< 65,000 Btu/h	All	SEER = 13.0	6/16/2008
	≥ 65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.2	1/1/2010
	≥ 65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 11.0	1/1/2010
	≥ 135,000 Btu/h and <240,000 Btu/h	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.0	1/1/2010
	≥ 135,000 Btu/h and <240,000 Btu/h	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.8	1/1/2010
	≥ 240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 10.0	1/1/2010
	≥ 240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 9.8	1/1/2010
VRF Multi-Split Heat Pumps (Air-Cooled)	< 65,000 Btu/h	All	SEER = 13.0 HSPF = 7.7	6/16/2008
	≥ 65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 11.0 COP = 3.3	1/1/2010
	≥ 65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.8 COP = 3.3	1/1/2010
	≥ 135,000 Btu/h and < 240,000 Btu/h	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 10.6 COP = 3.3	1/1/2010
	≥ 135,000 Btu/h and < 240,000 Btu/h	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 10.4 COP = 3.2	1/1/2010
	≥ 240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	No Heating or Electric Resistance Heating	EER = 9.5 COP = 3.2	1/1/2010
	≥ 240,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	All Other Types of Heating	EER = 9.3 COP = 3.2	1/1/2010
VRF Multi-Split Air Conditioners (Air-cooled)	< 17,000 Btu/h	Without Heat Recovery	EER = 12.0 COP = 4.2	10/29/2012 (EER Level) 10/29/2003 (COP Level)
	< 17,000 Btu/h	With Heat Recovery	EER = 11.8 COP = 4.2	10/29/2012 (EER Level) 10/29/2003 (COP Level)
	≥ 17,000 Btu/h and < 65,000 Btu/h	All	EER = 12.0 COP = 4.2	10/29/2013
	≥ 65,000 Btu/h and < 135,000 Btu/h	All	EER = 12.0 COP = 4.2	10/29/2013
	≥ 135,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	Without Heat Recovery	EER = 10.0 COP = 3.9	10/29/2013
	≥ 135,000 Btu/h and < 760,000 Btu/h	With Heat Recovery	EER = 10.0 COP = 3.9	10/29/2013

Links:

Final Rule: Standards , Federal Register, 77 FR 28928 (May 16, 2012)
Technical Support Document
Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.

Current Test Procedures

To determine compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedures specified at 10 CFR 431.96 for commercial package air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured or distributed into commerce on or after January 8, 2007.

Final Rule: Test Procedures, Federal Register, 80 FR 79655 (December 23, 2015)
Docket No. EERE-2015-BT-TP-0015 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
Final Rule: Test Procedures, Federal Register, 71 FR 71340 (Dec. 8, 2006)
Docket No. EERE-2006-TP-0121 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.
Final Rule: Test Procedures , Federal Register, 77 FR 28928 (May 16, 2012) (This rule contained test procedures for products in addition to those in the 2006 rule.)
Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029 contains all notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents.

For further guidance or to submit questions related to the implementation of this test procedure, visit the Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions page.

EPA Energy Star

Current Product Specifications:

— Geothermal Heat Pumps Program Requirements Version 3.1 (89KB)

— Clarification to the Geothermal Heat Pump Verification Testing Requirements and Basic Model Group Definition (71KB)

In Development:

There are no new versions currently in development.

Applying for Energy Star:

To qualify a new product, contact an EPA-recognized Certification Body (CB) to have the product's performance certified. A list of EPA-recognized CBs, as well as an overview of EPA's third-party certification procedures, is available at Third-Party Certification. AHRI is an EPA-recognized CB. Contact [email protected] for more information.

More Information:

Energy Star Geothermal Heat Pumps Website