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Air-conditioner makers will need to ensure that the default temperature setting for room air-conditioners is at 24°C in the coming summer.
On Monday, the government, which earlier held consultations with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), said that the 24°C condition has been made mandatory from January 1, for all room air-conditioners covered under the ambit of BEE star-labelling programme.
This would mean that when new range of air-conditioners are switched on, their starting temperature will be 24 degree Celsius. This is being done to promote energy-efficient practices. The default setting norm is part of the new energy performance standards for room air-conditioners notified in October 2019, as per an official statement.
“All brands and types of star-labelled room air conditioners, namely, Multi-Stage Capacity Air Conditioners, Unitary Air Conditioners and Split Air Conditioners which are rated from one star to five star, based on their relative energy efficiencies up to a rated cooling capacity of 10,465 Watts (9,000 kcal/hour) and manufactured, commercially purchased or sold in India, shall ensure default setting of temperature in the room air conditioners at 24°C with effect from the January 1, 2020,” the notification said.
Players get ready
Industry players said they are already geared up for the implementation of this norm and the new AC product launches in the coming summer season will be done in compliance with this norm. Santosh Salian, Product Group Head-Air-Conditioners, Godrej Appliances, said the move is expected to translate into energy savings in the range of 3-4 per cent for consumers.
However, other energy performance standard norms will be implemented from next year. The Indian Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ISEER) as per the new standards, ranging from (3.30 - 5.00) for split air-conditioners and (2.70 – 3.50) for window air conditioners, which will be applicable from January 1, 2021 onwards, the official statement added.
BEE launched the voluntary star-labelling programme for fixed-speed room air-conditioners in 2006 and became mandatory in 2009. “Continual enhancement in performance levels has resulted in substantial energy efficiency improvement of about 43 per cent in the minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for split units, which are the most popular RACs sold in the market,” the official statement added.
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