- Scope -
This criteria document establishes environmental requirements for residential refrigerative (vapor compression) air-cooled, unitary (single-stage) air-conditioning systems with maximum cooling capacity less than 65,000 Btu/hour, powered by a single-phase electric current. These systems are commonly referred to as residential "central" air-conditioning systems.
- Definitions -
For the purpose of this criteria document, the following definitions apply:
- Air-Cooled, Unitary Air-Conditioning System:
An off-the-shelf, pre-assembled single-stage air-conditioning system consisting of one or more major components, designed to provide the functions of air circulating and cooling with controlled temperature. The components normally include an evaporator or cooling coil (normally installed inside the building), and a compressor and condenser combination (normally installed outside the building).
- Cooling Capacity:
The rated ability of the air-conditioner to cool (remove heat from a defined area), measured in British thermal units (Btu) of cooling per hour.
- Refrigerant or Coolant:
The working fluid of a refrigerative or vapor-compression air-conditioning system. The coolant is contained in a pressurized, closed-loop piping system and transfers heat from one location to another by boiling and condensing.
- Class I Ozone Depleting Substances:
Chemical compounds defined by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments as ozone-depleting substances and scheduled for production phase-out at the end of 1995. Class I chemical compounds include chlorofluorocarbon compounds (CFC-11, 12, 113, 114, 115), Halons (1211 and 1301), tetrafluorocarbon and methyl chloroform.
- Low Polluting Finishes:
Alternative metal finishing processes that do not involve the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including, but not limited to, powder coating.
- Powder Coating:
A finishing or coating process where finishes in the form of dry granules or powder are applied to the surface and sealed through a heating or baking process.
- S.N.A.P:
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy program. SNAP is an implementation of the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments' Section 612, which requires EPA to evaluate and regulate substitutes for ozone depleting substances to reduce overall risk to human health and the environment.
- Certified ARI Rating:
Products listed under the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's voluntary certification program.
- SEER or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio:
The total cooling output of an air conditioning system in British thermal units (Btu) during its normal usage period for cooling, divided by the total electrical energy input in watt-hours (Wh) during the same period, as determined by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's reference test method ARI 210/240-89, Standard for Unitary Air-Conditioning Equipment and Air-Source Heat Pump Equipment.
- Sound Rating:
The sound power level of a working condensing unit in bels, as measured by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's reference test method ARI 270-84, Standard for Sound-Rating of Outdoor Unitary Equipment.
- Postconsumer Materials:
Those finished products, packages or materials generated by a business or consumer that have served their intended end uses, and that have been recovered from or otherwise diverted from the waste stream for the purpose of recycling.
- Performance Requirements -
A sample of the product selected at random, when tested, must have cooling capacity ratings, seasonal energy efficiency ratios and sound ratings not less than 95% of the claimed ratings.
- Product Specific Environmental Requirements
- Production Process Requirements
- Utilization of Class I Ozone Depleting Substances in Manufacturing: Product must not be manufactured with processes that use Class I ozone depleting substances. Suppliers of components to original equipment manufacturers are not subjected to this requirement.
- Low Polluting Finishes: [Reserved]
- Refrigerant Requirements -
Utilization of Class I Ozone Depleting Substances: The use of a refrigerant belonging to Class I ozone depleting substances or determined unacceptable for the Home Heat Pump and Air Conditioner use sector under EPA's SNAP program is prohibited.
- Product Operating Requirements
- Energy-Efficiency Requirement: The product must have a minimum SEER of 12.
- Sound Ratings Requirement: The product must not exceed a sound rating of 7.8 bels.
- Packaging Requirements
- Toxics in Packaging:
The sum of the concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium present in any package or packaging component shall not exceed 250 parts per million by weight.
- Recycled Content:
Products packaged in fiberboard packaging must contain a minimum of 15% postconsumer materials.
- Product Information Requirement
- Product Labeling:
Products should be labeled in accordance with industry standard practice to identify the model numbers, unit serial numbers, and other pertinent consumer and contractor/installer information, including SEER rating, refrigerant used and sound rating where applicable.
- Instructions:
Installation materials, such as training manuals or videotapes, shall be made available to contractors and other installers to ensure proper and effective system installation.