WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has published a final rule establishing federal test procedures for walk-in coolers and freezers. In the rule, DOE adopted by reference Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) Standard 1250 (I–P)–2009, ‘‘Standard for Performance Rating of Walk-In Coolers and Freezers,” for rating the performance of the refrigeration system, and several other standards for determining the envelope performance of walk-ins, including ASTM C1363–05, ‘‘Standard Test Method for Thermal Performance of Building Materials and Envelope Assemblies by Means of a Hot Box Apparatus;” DIN EN 13164:2009–02, “Thermal insulation products for buildings-Factory made products of extruded polystyrene foam (XPS)- Specification;” DIN EN 13165:2009–02, “Thermal insulation products for buildings-Factory made rigid polyurethane foam (PUR) products- Specification;” and NFRC 100–2010, “Procedure for Determining Fenestration Product U-factors.”

Effective Oct. 12, 2011, manufacturers will be required to make representations of the energy performance of their walk-in coolers and freezers by testing these products based on the adopted test procedures. In addition, these test procedures will be mandatory for product testing to demonstrate compliance with energy efficiency standards that DOE is currently establishing under a separate, but concurrent rulemaking.

Publication date: 06/13/2011