ENERGY STAR ENERGY STAR Refrigerators and Freezers Richard

ENERGY ® STAR ENERGY STAR Refrigerators and Freezers Richard H. Karney, US DOE July 18, 2001

History of the ENERGY STAR Refrigerator Specification

NAECA Standard • Congress passed the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) in 1987 • NAECA set federal energy standards for products and allowed the Department of Energy to amend and set new energy standards

NAECA Refrigerator Level • NAECA set the maximum federal energy consumption for 18 different product classes of refrigerators • The original NAECA level applied to models manufactured after January 1, 1990 • The standards were amended to be approximately 30% more restrictive for models manufactured after January 1, 1993 • The standards were amended again to be approximately another 30% more restrictive for models manufactured after July 1, 2001

ENERGY STAR Specification • The ENERGY STAR level was originally set at 20% below the NAECA standard in 1997 • ENERGY STAR covers product classes 3 -7 (refrigerator-freezers with automatic defrost) • On January 1, 2001 the ENERGY STAR level changed to 10% below the 2001 NAECA standard • On January 1, 2004, the ENERGY STAR level will change to 15% below the 2001 NAECA standard

Refrigerator Categories Product Class Current NAECA maximum energy use (k. Wh/year) 3. Top Mount Freezer without through the door ice 9. 8 * AV + 276 4. Side Mount Freezer without through the door ice 4. 91 * AV + 507. 5 5. Bottom Mount Freezer without through the door ice 4. 6 * AV + 459 6. Top Mount Freezer with through the door ice 10. 2 * AV + 356 7. Side Mount Freezer with through the door ice 10. 1 * AV + 406 AV = Adjusted Volume = Fresh Volume + 1. 63 * Freezer Volume

ENERGY STAR Coverage • Top freezer models must be at least 12. 5 cubic feet in total interior volume to qualify • Bottom freezer and side-by-side models must be at least 18. 5 cubic feet in total interior volume to qualify • The EPA has a specification covering commercial solid door refrigerators and freezers