Requirements for Household Refrigerators and Freezers - Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and Energy Labelling

NOTE: October 2009: Stakeholder Letter and Keydates Table advising of recent energy rating label changes for Air Conditioners, Refrigerators and Freezers.

From the 1980's, refrigerators, freezers and refrigerator-freezers have been required to carry an energy label. From 1 October 1999, refrigerators, freezers and refrigerator-freezers manufactured in or imported into Australia have had to comply with Minimum Energy Performance Requirements which are set out in AS/NZS 4474 Part 2.

More stringent requirements, which are broadly harmonised with US 2001 MEPS levels, were introduced on 1 January 2005.

New requirements for both energy labelling and MEPS come into force on 1 April 2010.

Energy labelling: From 1 April 2010 a new energy label design and star rating algorithm will be in force. The new star rating algorithm is based on a function of adjusted volume to the power of 0.67 to better reflect changes in surface area by size. Detailed equations are available in the paper titled "Equations for Appliance Star Ratings".

MEPS: From 1 April 2010 new MEPS levels will be in force. The way that MEPS is defined has been changed in the 2009 standard from a model average energy (2001 standard) to a maximum permitted energy (2009 standard). The new April 2010 MEPS levels are broadly equivalent to the 2005 levels, so the relevant factors have been scaled up to reflect this change.

AS/NZS4474.2-2009 should be consulted for detailed requirements. The Preface of AS/NZS 4474.2-2009 describes the recent changes in the refrigerator MEPS levels and energy labelling in Australia and New Zealand. On line registrations to the 2009 standard are available now.

MEPS Formula

For a refrigerating appliance model, the energy consumption (determined in accordance with AS/NZS 4474 Part 1) shall not exceed the MEPS cut off level, which is determined as follows:

MEPS cut-off level = [Kf + (Kv x Vadj tot)] x Ka + Ad tot + Awi (kWh/y) . . . 3(1)

where:

kWh = Kilowatt hours

Kf = Fixed allowance factor for its appliance group. (Refer to Table below) (kWh/y)

Kv = Variable allowance factor. (Refer to Table below) (kWh/y/L)

Ka = Adaptive defrost adjustment factor, which = 1.0 for non-adaptive defrost models (or where adaptive control allowance is not claimed), = 1.05 where adaptive defrost allowance is claimed.

Vadj tot = Total adjusted volume. (gross litres)

Ad tot = An allowance which is made where the external doors provided on an appliance differ from the regular arrangement for that appliance group - see the standard for details. The door allowance can be positive or negative.

Awi = An allowance of 128 kWh/year (2010 only) which applies where an appliance has a "through-the-door ice dispenser" i.e. it has an automatic ice-maker coupled with a device for delivery on demand of ice externally through a door. This allowance also applies if the through the door dispenser also dispenses chilled water.

Refrigerator Groups

The following provides an approximate description of refrigerator and freezer Groups - see Table 1.1 in AS/NZS 4474.1 for the precise definition:

Group 1: Refrigerator without a low temperature compartment, automatic defrost.
Group 2: Refrigerator with or without an icemaking compartment, manual defrost
Group 3: Refrigerator with a short or long term frozen food compartment, manual defrost
Group 4: Refrigerator-freezer, fresh food compartment is automatic defrost, freezer manual defrost ("partial automatic defrost")
Group 5B: Refrigerator-freezer, both compartments automatic defrost (frost free), bottom mounted freezer
Group 5T: Refrigerator-freezer, both compartments automatic defrost (frost free), not side by side configuration or bottom mounted freezer (ie top mounted freezer)
Group 5S: Refrigerator-freezer, both compartments automatic defrost (frost free), side by side configuration
Group 6U: Separate vertical freezer, manual defrost
Group 6C: Separate chest freezer, all defrost types
Group 7: Separate vertical freezer, automatic defrost (frost free)

Compartment in this context refers to compartment (with separate external door) or an internal sub-compartment.

MEPS Factors

Fixed and variable allowance factors are determined from the Group classification of the appliance in the Tables below.

MEPS CUT-OFF LEVEL FACTORS - April 2010

Refrigerator Group	Fixed allowance factor (Kf) kWh/y	Variable allowance factor (Kv) kWh/y/L
1	296	0.356
2	308	0.309
3	301	0.366
4	295	0.351
5T	334	0.384
5B	440	0.382
5S	607	0.180
6C	202	0.514
6U	299	0.317
7	383	0.514

This page last modified 27 October 2009