Light Commercial HVAC Key Product Criteria

The tables below summarize the ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC requirements.

ENERGY STAR Light Commercial HVAC – Eligible Product Types1
Commercial Unitary Air Conditioner (CUAC)

Electrically operated, unitary central air conditioner models consist of one or more factory-made assemblies that normally include an evaporator or cooling coil(s), compressor(s), and condenser(s). Air conditioners provide the function of air cooling, and may include the functions of air circulation, air cleaning, dehumidifying, or humidifying.

Commercial Unitary Heat Pump (CUHP)

Electrically operated, unitary central air-conditioning heat pump models consist of one or more factory-made assemblies that normally include an indoor conditioning coil(s), compressor(s), and outdoor coil(s), including means to provide a heating function. Heat pumps shall provide the function of air heating with controlled temperature, and may include the functions of air cooling, air circulation, air cleaning, dehumidifying, or humidifying.

Gas/Electric Package Unit

Single package commercial package air-conditioning and heating equipment with gas heating and electric air-conditioning that is often installed on a slab or a roof.

Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Multi-Split Systems

Commercial package air-conditioning and heating equipment that is configured as a split system air conditioner incorporating a single refrigerant circuit, with one or more outdoor units, at least one variable-speed compressor or an alternate compressor combination for varying the capacity of the system by three or more steps, and multiple indoor fan coil units, each of which is individually metered and individually controlled by an integral control device and common communications network and which can operate independently in response to multiple indoor thermostats. Variable refrigerant flow implies three or more steps of capacity control on common, inter-connecting piping. The system shall be capable of operating either as an air conditioner or heat pump.

ENERGY STAR Efficiency Criteria

A product shall meet all of the identified criteria if it is to earn the ENERGY STAR.

Criteria for ENERGY STAR Certified CUACs
Equipment Type
Cooling Capacity
Heating Section Type
Minimum Energy Efficiency Criteria
Very Small CUAC (Single Package)
 < 65,000 Btu/h
All
16.0 SEER; 12.0 EER
OR
15.2 SEER2; 11.5 EER2
Very Small CUAC (Split System)
< 65,000 Btu/h
All
16.0 SEER; 12.5 EER
OR
15.2 SEER2; 12.0 EER2

Small CUAC

≥ 65,000 Btu/h –
< 135,000 Btu/h

Electric Resistance (or None)

12.7 EER; 18.0 IEER

All other

12.5 EER; 17.8 IEER

Large CUAC

≥ 135,000 Btu/h – < 240,000 Btu/h

Electric Resistance (or None)

12.2 EER; 17.0 IEER

All other

12.0 EER; 16.8 IEER

Criteria for ENERGY STAR Certified CUHPs
Equipment Type
Cooling Capacity
Heating Section Type
Minimum Energy Efficiency Criteria
Very Small CUHP
(Single Package)
< 65,000 Btu/h
All
16.0 SEER; 11.0 EER; 8.5 HSPF
OR
15.2 SEER2; 10.6 EER2; 7.2 HSPF2
Very Small CUHP
(Split System)
< 65,000 Btu/h
All
16.0 SEER; 12.1 EER; 9.2 HSPF
OR
15.2 SEER2; 11.7 EER2; 7.8 HSPF2

Small CUHP

≥ 65,000 Btu/h – < 135,000 Btu/h

Electric Resistance (or None)

11.8 EER; 15.3 IEER;
3.5 COP at 47°F; 2.4 COP at 17°F

All other

11.6 EER; 15.1 IEER;
3.5 COP at 47°F; 2.4 COP at 17°F

Large CUHP

≥ 135,000 Btu/h – < 240,000 Btu/h

Electric Resistance (or None)

11.1 EER; 14.5 IEER;
3.4 COP at 47°F; 2.1 COP at 17°F

All other

10.9 EER; 14.3 IEER;
3.4 COP at 47°F; 2.1 COP at 17°F

Criteria for ENERGY STAR Certified Light Commercial VRF Multi-Split Systems*
Equipment Type
Cooling Capacity
Heating Section Type
Minimum Energy Efficiency Criteria
Very Small VRF Air-Cooled Air Conditioner
< 65,000 Btu/h
All
16.0 SEER; 12.5 EER
OR
15.2 SEER2; 12.0 EER2

Small VRF Air-Cooled Air Conditioner

≥ 65,000 Btu/h –
< 135,000 Btu/h

All

12.0 EER; 17.4 IEER

Large VRF Air-Cooled Air Conditioner

≥ 135,000 Btu/h – < 240,000 Btu/h

All

11.3 EER; 16.4 IEER

Very small VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pump
< 65,000 Btu/h
All
16.0 SEER; 12.0 EER
OR
15.2 SEER2; 11.7 EER2; 7.8 HSPF2

Small VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pump

≥ 65,000 Btu/h –
< 135,000 Btu/h

Without Heat Recovery

11.8 EER; 17.4 IEER; 3.4 COP at 47°F

With Heat Recovery

11.6 EER; 17.2 IEER; 3.4 COP at 47°F

Large VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pump

≥ 135,000 Btu/h – < 240,000 Btu/h

Without Heat Recovery

10.9 EER; 16.4 IEER; 3.25 COP at 47°F

With Heat Recovery

10.7 EER; 16.2 IEER; 3.25 COP at 47°F

*VRF models must meet these requirements in ducted, ductless, and mixed configurations to be certified. 

B. Cold Climate Heat Pumps: For purposes of ENERGY STAR certification, a Heat Pump model may be designated as Cold Climate if it meets the following:

a. Certification Metric Criteria

Energy-Efficiency Criteria for Certified Cold Climate Light Commercial Heat Pumps*

Equipment Type

Cooling Capacity

Minimum Energy Efficiency Criteria

Very Small CUHP
(Single Package)**
< 65,000 Btu/h
16.0 SEER; 9.5 HSPF
OR
15.2 SEER2; 8.1 HSPF2

Very Small CUHP

(Split System)**

< 65,000 Btu/h

16.0 SEER; 9.5 HSPF

OR

15.2 SEER2; 8.1 HSPF2

Small CUHP

≥ 65,000 Btu/h –
< 135,000 Btu/h

TBD

Large CUHP
≥ 135,000 Btu/h –
< 240,000 Btu/h
TBD
Very Small VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pump**
< 65,000 Btu/h
16.0 SEER; 9.5 HSPF
OR
15.2 SEER2; 8.1 HSPF2

Small VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pump

≥ 65,000 Btu/h –
< 135,000 Btu/h

18.9 IEER; 3.4 COP at 47°F; 2.25 COP at 17°F

Large VRF Air-Cooled Heat Pump

≥ 135,000 Btu/h – < 240,000 Btu/h

18.0 IEER; 3.25 COP at 47°F; 2.07 COP at 17°F

* VRF models must meet these requirements in ducted, ductless, and mixed configurations to be certified.

** In addition to meeting these criteria, very small CUHP and VRF must demonstrate low ambient performance according to section 3.B.b. below.

b. Low Ambient performance for Very Small Cold Climate Heat Pumps: Heat pumps shall demonstrate low ambient performance through one of two paths.

i. Using Proposed Appendix B1 to 10 CFR part 431, Subpart F2

• COP at 5° F ≥ 1.75, measured in accordance with the Appendix B1 H4Full test.

• Percent of Heating Capacity at 5°F ≥ 70% of that at 47°F, with the 5° F capacity measured per Appendix B1 H4Full test and the 47°F capacity measured as the nominal heating capacity per Appendix B1 (i.e., from the Appendix B1 H1N test for units having a variable-speed compressor where the compressor speed shall be the maximum speed that the system controls would operate at 47°F, otherwise from the Appendix B1 H12 test)

• Perform a controls verification procedure (CVP)3 to confirm that the above performance metrics measured at the Appendix B1 low ambient test point at 5° F are achieved by the native controls operating as they would in the field. Models of very small heat pumps (i.e., commercial package heat pumps and VRF with cooling capacity <65,000 Btu/h) that are otherwise identical to central air conditioner and heat pump models (meaning differing only in phase of the electrical system and the phase of power input for which the motors and compressors are designed), may be recognized as cold climate if the corresponding single phase models are recognized as cold climate under the ENERGY STAR Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pumps Version 6.1 specification.

Glossary

Coefficient of Performance (COP): The ratio of the average rate of space heating delivered to the average rate of electrical energy consumed by the heat pump. These rate quantities must be determined from a single test or, if derived via interpolation, must be determined at a single set of operating conditions. COP is a dimensionless quantity.

Cooling Capacity: The capacity associated with the change in air enthalpy between the air entering the unit and the air leaving the unit, which includes both the latent (change in humidity ratio) and sensible (change in dry-bulb temperature) capacities expressed in Btu/h and include the heat of circulation fan(s) and motor(s).

Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER): The ratio of the produced cooling effect of an air conditioner or heat pump to its net work input, expressed in Btu/watt-hour. For very small equipment covered in this specification, the represented value may alternatively be EER measured per the proposed Appendix B1 to 10 CFR Part 431, Subpart F.

Integrated Energy Efficiency Ratio (IEER): A weighted average calculation of mechanical cooling EERs determined for four load levels and corresponding rating conditions, expressed in Btu/watt-hour.

Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF): The total space heating required in region IV during the space heating season, expressed in Btu, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the heat pump system during the same season, expressed in watt-hours. 

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER): The total heat removed from the conditioned space during the annual cooling season, expressed in Btu, divided by the total electrical energy consumed by the air conditioner or heat pump during the same season, expressed in watt-hours.

[1] Definitions of product types are based on 10 CFR 431, Subpart F § 431.92