Refrigerated cabinets

The Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Refrigerated Cabinets) Determination 2024 was registered on 4 October 2025.

We are working to update the information on this page as soon as possible to reflect the new determination. Until that time, the information (listed below), relates solely to the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Refrigerated Cabinets) Determination 2020, which is no longer in force.

Overview

Commercial refrigeration covered by Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 include refrigerated cabinets of various types, such as used in the retail and hospitality sectors. These include refrigerated display cabinets, refrigerated storage cabinets, ice cream freezer cabinets, and ice cream and gelato scooping cabinets.

What products are covered?

Product classes covered by the Determination are set out in Schedule 1 of the Determination. Products for ‘refrigerated cabinets’ include refrigerated display cabinets, refrigerated drinks cabinets, refrigerated storage cabinets, ice cream freezer cabinets, and scooping cabinets. A product will be a ‘refrigerated display cabinet’ under the Determination if:

• it is not household refrigerating appliance under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Household Refrigerating Appliances) Determination 2019, either because it is “not ordinarily supplied for household use”, or it otherwise does not fall within the definition of household refrigerating appliance in section 4 of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Household Refrigerating Appliances) Determination 2019; and
• it satisfies the definition of ‘refrigerated cabinet’ in section 6 of the Determination; and
• it satisfies the definition of ‘refrigerated display cabinet’ in section 8 of the Determination. The definition requires, among other things, that the cabinet is “designed for storage and display of, and access by consumers to, chilled or frozen items contained in the cabinet in a retail environment”.

For more information, see sections 6, 8 and 19 and Schedule 1 of the Determination.

What products are not covered?

The following products are not covered by this Determination.

• Refrigerated vending machines — self-contained refrigerated cabinets that are designed to accept consumer payments or tokens to dispense pre-packed beverages or foodstuffs, and that store products at between 0 degrees Celsius and +5 degrees Celsius.
• Icemakers — factory‑made commercial assemblies that have both a condensing unit and ice making section that operate an integrated unit, as well means for making and harvesting ice, whether or not the assembly also includes means for storing ice or dispensing ice.
• Cabinets that are designed for both food processing and storage, whether or not the cabinet includes an integral refrigerated storage section.
• Refrigerated cabinets that have water cooled condensers (a condenser that uses water as the cooling medium to condense hot refrigeration gas to liquid).
• Built-in cabinets — refrigerated cabinets that are designed to be installed into a prepared recess in a wall or similar location and that require furniture finishing.
• Roll-in cabinets — refrigerated cabinets that are designed to be loaded with trolleys with shelves which are designed to be introduced into the cabinet as such.
• Pass through cabinets — refrigerated cabinets that are designed to be accessible from both sides.
• Appliances that are intended for short‑time or intermittent normal operation during the full day.
• Refrigerated display cabinets that are low sales volume, oversize or both, and have an indirect refrigeration system (an indirect refrigeration system is when a secondary refrigerant circulating system is installed between a central refrigerating system and the cabinet).
• Refrigerated storage cabinets that are not light duty, normal duty or heavy duty (see section 11 of the Determination for information on light duty, normal duty or heavy duty).

Refer to section 20 of the Determination for more details.

Technical requirements

For technical requirements regarding refrigerated cabinets, including testing requirements and Minimum Energy Performance Standards, review the relevant Determination and standards.

The following standards are referenced in this Determination and are available for purchase online. The versions of the standards that apply are the versions that existed on 5 August 2020, when the Determination was made.

Some of the standards have been modified to meet Australian requirements. Schedule 3 of the Determination sets out the modifications that must be applied when using the standards for the purposes of this Determination.

Labelling requirements

Products covered by this Determination are not required to display an Energy Rating Label.

However, you may use a star rating to describe the energy efficiency of a refrigerated cabinet when supplying it (or offering to supply it). If a star rating is used, it must be calculated in accordance with Schedule 6 of the Determination. This star rating will be calculated during the registration of your product and will be recorded in the Energy Rating Product Database.

If you would like to use a label to communicate the star rating of your product, please contact us.