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Super-Efficient Home Appliances Initiative Room Air Conditioners |
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Clothes Washers ·
Room A/C ·
Dishwashers ·
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SEHA Main Page
Through the Super-Efficient Home Appliances Initiative (SEHA), CEE is promoting energy-efficient room air conditioners that use at least 15 percent less electricity (based on Energy Efficiency Ratio, EER) than the federal minimum standard. Minimum EER requirements for room air conditioners that qualify for this initiative vary according to size class and range from 9.8 to 11.3.
In addition to room air conditioners, SEHA efficiency specifications have been established for clothes washers, dishwashers and refrigerators.
SEHA appliances are defined as the upper end of the ENERGY STAR® spectrum, based on energy efficiency. Qualifying SEHA room air conditioners represent the top 5 percent (in Energy Efficiency Ratio) of those models meeting the ENERGY STAR levels.
Excluding discontinued models, there are currently 13 SEHA-qualified room air conditioners available in six different brands: Carrier, Frigidaire, Kenmore, LG, Cooline, and Friedrich.
In the United States, 25 percent of American homes have at least one room air conditioner, translating into about 40 million units. The average lifetime for a room air conditioner is 10 years.
Since room air conditioners are used seasonally on a somewhat sporadic basis (due to changes in weather), they account for only 2 percent of residential energy use. Room air conditioners do provide an excellent opportunity for energy savings, however, because the first cost of a SEHA-qualified unit is generally the same as a standard-efficiency model.
Additional information about manufacturers of SEHA-compliant products is available in the Resource Library.
Technology Summary
Room air conditioner units are typically mounted in a window so that part of the unit is outside and part is inside. An insulated divider to reduce heat transfer losses typically separates the two sides. The outdoor portion generally includes a compressor, condenser, condenser fan, fan motor, and capillary tube. The indoor portion generally includes an evaporator and evaporator fan.
Some promising design options for improving efficiency include:
Regulatory Information
Standards: A minimum efficiency standard of between 9.7 and 9.8 Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) was recently issued by the U.S. Dept. of Energy for room air conditioners, with implementation in October 2000. The old minimum efficiency ranged from 8.0 to 9.0 EER. Most units are rated in whole number increments and will likely be rated at an EER of 10 once this new minimum becomes effective.
Test Procedure: EER is obtained by dividing the measured cooling capacity of the unit (Btu/hr) by its total electrical input (watts). The outdoor ambient temperature during the test is maintained at 95°F. No changes are on the horizon for the room air conditioner test procedure.
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