Three-Phase, Small CAC/HP
New Efficiency Standards for Three-Phase Small Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps
Minimum standards for three-phase products less than 65,000 Btu have a different path to increased efficiencies than their residential counterparts. First, minimum efficiencies and test procedures changed in ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and adopted into building energy codes. Second, the Department of Energy (DOE) reviews test procedures and levels set by the ASHRAE 90.1 committee for adoption as the national standard. In the 2019 edition, ASHRAE 90.1 adopted minimum efficiency levels for the three-phase products that are mostly harmonized with single-phase national levels and are also effective January 1, 2023. However, this cannot be enforced, and manufacturers cannot publish this information until 180 days after DOE finalized the test procedure. DOE Published a Final Rule for test procedures on December 16, 2022 that went into effect on January 17, 2023. Final rule changes will become mandatory for product testing on December 11, 2023. On March 21, 2023, DOE issued a pre-publication Federal Register final rule setting new minimum efficiencies effective federally on January 1, 2025. Details are in the table, below.
|
ASHRAE 90.1-2019 Equipment Class |
Current Federal Equipment Class |
Federal Energy Efficiency Metrics |
Federal Minimum Efficiency |
Energy Efficiency Levels in ASHRAE 90.1-2019 |
Diverges from ASHRAE 90.1-2019? |
|
Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Single Package, <65,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Single Package, <65,000 Btu/h |
14.0 SEER |
13.4 SEER2 |
13.4 SEER2 |
No |
|
Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Split System, <65,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Split-System, <65,000 Btu/h |
13.0 SEER |
13.4 SEER2 |
13.4 SEER2 |
No |
|
Air-cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Single-Package, <65,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Single-Package, <65,000 Btu/h |
14.0 SEER |
13.4 SEER2 |
13.4 SEER2 |
No |
|
Air-cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Split-System, <65,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Split-System, <65,000 Btu/h |
14.0 SEER |
14.3 SEER2 |
14.3 SEER2 |
No |
|
Space-Constrained, Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Single Package, ≤30,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Single Package, <65,000 Btu/h |
14.0 SEER |
13.9 SEER2 |
11.7 SEER2 |
Yes |
|
Space-Constrained, Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Split System, ≤30,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Air Conditioner, Three Phase, Split-System, <65,000 Btu/h |
13.0 SEER |
12.7 SEER2 |
11.7 SEER2 |
Yes |
|
Space-Constrained, Air-Cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Single-Package, ≤30,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Single-Package, <65,000 Btu/h |
14.0 SEER |
13.9 SEER2 |
11.7 SEER2 |
Yes |
|
Space-Constrained, Air-cooled Heat Pump, Three-Phase, Split-System, ≤30,000 Btu/h |
Air-cooled Heat Pump, three-phase, Split-System, <65,000 Btu/h |
14.0 SEER |
13.9 SEER2 |
11.7 SEER2 |
Yes |
The map below shows which year of ASHRAE 90.1 each state has adopted.
The DOE has adopted national standards effective January 1, 2025, harmonized with ASHRAE 90.1 levels.
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