Commercial Refrigerators & Freezers Key Product Criteria

The ENERGY STAR criteria for refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers was changed on March 27, 2017.  The new maximum daily energy consumption (MDEC) requirements are as follows:

* DOE Equipment Class designations relevant to ENERGY STAR eligible product scope

1. Equipment family code (HCS= horizontal closed solid, HCT=horizontal closed transparent, VCS= vertical closed solid, VCT=vertical closed transparent, SOC= service over counter),
2. Operating mode (SC=self-contained), and
3. Rating Temperature (M=medium temperature (38 °F), L=low temperature (0 °F)).
   • CB = chef base or griddle stand as defined in Section 1.A.15.

Testing Procedures

When testing commercial refrigeration equipment, manufacturers must use 10 CFR Part 431 Subpart C, Appendix B, to measure daily energy consumption of commercial refrigeration equipment eligible for ENERGY STAR.  

Additional third-party certification is required, to applicable requirements set forth in the following quality and safety standards:

• ANSI/NSF International Standard for Food Equipment - Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers (ANSI/NSF 7-2019); and,
• UL Standard for Commercial Refrigerators and Freezers (UL-471) and/or (UL/CSA 60335-2-89).

ENERGY STAR Certified Commercial Refrigerator & Freezer Eligibility

Products meeting the Commercial Refrigerator, Freezer, and Refrigerator-Freezer or the Commercial Hybrid Refrigerator, Freezer, and Refrigerator-Freezer definitions; and are among the equipment classes listed below are eligible for ENERGY STAR certification. Examples of product types that are eligible include: reach-in, roll-in, or passthrough units; merchandisers; under-counter units; hybrid units; milk coolers; back bar coolers; bottle coolers; glass frosters; chef bases; service over counter; deep well units; beer-dispensing or direct draw units; and bunker freezers.

Refrigerated buffet tables and preparation tables, walk-in coolers, blast chillers and freezers, horizontal open equipment, vertical open equipment, semi-vertical open equipment, remote condensing equipment, ice cream freezers, and equipment rated at the lowest application product temperature (LAPT, see 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart C, §431.62 and section 2.2 of Appendix B to Subpart C) are not eligible for ENERGY STAR under the Version 5.0 specification.

Definitions

Commercial Refrigerator, Freezer, and Refrigerator-Freezer

Refrigeration equipment that: (a) is not a consumer product (as defined in §430.2 of 10 CFR Part 430); (b) is not designed and marketed exclusively for medical, scientific, or research purposes; (c) operates at a chilled, frozen, combination chilled and frozen, or variable temperature; (d) displays or stores merchandise and other perishable materials horizontally, semi-vertically, or vertically; (e) has transparent or solid doors, sliding or hinged doors, a combination of hinged, sliding, transparent, or solid doors, or no doors; (f) is designed for pull-down temperature applications or holding temperature applications; and (g) is connected to a self-contained condensing unit or to a remote condensing unit.

Commercial Hybrid Refrigerator, Freezer, and Refrigerator-Freezer

A unit of commercial refrigeration equipment that: (a) consists of two or more thermally separated refrigerated compartments that are in two or more different equipment families; and (b) is sold as a single unit.¹

Equipment Classes

• Horizontal Closed Solid Self-Contained Low Temperature (HCS.SC.L),
• Horizontal Closed Solid Self-Contained Medium Temperature (HCS.SC.M),
• Horizontal Closed Transparent Self-Contained Low Temperature (HCT.SC.L),
• Horizontal Closed Transparent Self-Contained Medium Temperature (HCT.SC.M),
• Vertical Closed Solid Self-Contained Low Temperature (VCS.SC.L),
• Vertical Closed Solid Self-Contained Medium Temperature (VCS.SC.M),
• Vertical Closed Transparent Self-Contained Low Temperature (VCT.SC.L),
• Vertical Closed Transparent Self-Contained Medium Temperature (VCT.SC.M),
• Chef Base Self-Contained Medium Temperature (CB.SC.M)
• Chef Base Self-Contained Low Temperature (CB.SC.L), and/or
• Service Over Counter Self-Contained Medium Temperature (SOC.SC.M).