The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), earlier this month, issued a final rule that adopted Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) Standards as federal test procedures to evaluate the energy efficiency performance of a variety of commercial cooling and refrigeration products.
“While manufacturers have voluntarily conformed to ARI Standards for years, the federal government’s adoption of these standards will lend even more strength to their value in the global marketplace,” said ARI’s vice president of public policy Karim Amrane. “Ultimately, the widespread adoption of ARI Standards will help achieve a higher degree of efficiency and compatibility, as well as help consumers make fair comparisons and informed buying decisions.”
DOE adopted ARI 810-2003 for commercial ice makers, ARI 340/360-2004 for very large unitary cooling equipment (240,000 to <760,000 Btu/h), and ARI 1200-2006 for self-contained and remote commercial refrigeration products. ARI Standards establish rating criteria and procedures for measuring product performance. These standards can take years to develop and are based on sound engineering practices, undergoing a rigorous review process to achieve industry consensus. DOE adopted these ARI Standards as the test procedures it will use to evaluate the eligibility of these products to meet the minimum federal energy efficiency standards established by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. “The air conditioning and commercial refrigeration industry worked very hard to reach a consensus and to develop the ARI Standards adopted by DOE,” said Amrane. “We are pleased that they are now going to form the basis of a partnership between industry and government for energy conservation.” The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment. An internationally recognized entity in developing standards for and certifying the performance of these products, ARI is also an advocate for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) industry both domestically and abroad.
