Energy Rating Calculator Register a product
Australian Government Logo Australian Government Logo
Visit consumers landing page
Visit industry landing page
Australian Government Logo Australian Government Logo
For Industry

Air conditioners above 65kW

Air conditioning system outdoor units on top of a commercial building

On this page

Overview

Air conditioners help regulate the temperature of an indoor space to make it more comfortable. They come in models that offer:

  • cooling only
  • heating only
  • heating and cooling – known as reverse cycle systems.

Air conditioners can also be known as heat pumps.

This page is for air conditioners with a cooling or heating capacity greater than 65 kW. There are separate requirements for air conditioners with a capacity equal to or less than 65 kW.

At a glance

Determination  

Minimum Energy Performance Standards  

Energy Rating Label  

Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Air Conditioners above 65kW) Determination 2022

Yes

No

Legislation

In Australia, this product is regulated under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012. 

In New Zealand, the relevant legislation is the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002. Visit the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority website for more information.  

What products are covered?

Products covered by this Determination are air‑to‑air single-phase and three-phase air conditioners that have a rated standard cooling full capacity, or for heating only products, a rated standard heating full capacity, of more than 65 kW. The Determination also covers multi‑split outdoor units and single‑split outdoor units.

The Determination only covers air conditioners that:

  • are capable of cooling, heating, or both cooling and heating, a conditioned space using a vapour compression cycle driven by an electric compressor
  • contain one or more condensers, one or more evaporators, and one or more fans, and
  • are designed for cooling, heating, or both cooling and heating, of a conditioned space primarily for human comfort.

Air conditioners that have a rated standard cooling full capacity, or for heating only products, a rated standard heating full capacity, of 65 kW or less are covered by the Air Conditioners up to 65 kW Determination.

Refer to Part 2 and Schedule 1 of the Determination for more details.

What products are not covered?

The following products are not covered by this Determination. 

  • Close control air conditioners (these are covered under a different Determination).
  • Liquid-chilling packages (these are covered under a different Determination).
  • Evaporative coolers or any other cooling systems that are not of the vapour compression type.
  • Water‑to‑air air conditioners.
  • Dehumidifiers.
  • Air conditioners powered by mains electricity specifically designed and sold only for installation in end-use mobile applications, such as caravans, mobile homes, camper vans, boats and rail cars.
  • Air conditioners powered by mains electricity specifically designed and sold only for installation in specialised high temperature industrial applications, such as crane cabins used over blast furnaces.
  • Air conditioners that do not condition air sourced from within the conditioned space, but instead condition air sourced from outside the conditioned space, and deliver that air to the conditioned space.

Refer to section 10 of the Determination for more details.

Technical requirements

For technical requirements regarding air conditioners, 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 version of the standards that apply are the versions that existed on 25 March 2019.

Standards

  • Standards Australia Limited
    • AS/NZS 3823.1.1:2012 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.1.1:2012 Performance of electrical appliances – air conditioners and heat pumps – Part 1.1: Non‑ducted air conditioners and heat pumps – Testing and rating for performance (ISO 5151:2010, MOD).
    • AS/NZS 3823.1.2:2012 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.1.2:2012 Performance of electrical appliances – air conditioners and heat pumps – Part 1.2: Ducted air conditioners and air‑to‑air heat pumps—Testing and rating for performance (ISO 13253:2011, MOD).
    • AS/NZS 3823.1.3:2005 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.1.3:2005 Performance of electrical appliances – air conditioners and heat pumps. Part 1.3: Water-source heat pumps—Water-to-air and brine-to-air heat pumps—Testing and rating of performance (ISO 13256-1, Ed. 01 (1998) MOD).
    • AS/NZS 3823.1.4:2012 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.1.4:2012 Performance of electrical appliances – Air conditioners and heat pumps. Part 1.4: Multiple split-system air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps–Testing and rating for performance (ISO 15042:2011, MOD).
    • AS/NZS 3823.1.5:2015 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.1.5:2015 Performance of electrical appliances – Air conditioners and heat pumps. Part 1.5: Non‑ducted portable air-cooled air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps having a single exhaust duct – Testing and rating for performance.
    • AS/NZS 3823.4.1:2014 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.4.1:2014 Performance of electrical appliances – Air conditioners and heat pumps. Part 4.1: Air‑cooled air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps–Testing and calculating methods for seasonal performance factors – Cooling seasonal performance factor (ISO 16358‑1:2013, (MOD)).
    • AS/NZS 3823.4.2:2014 means Australian/New Zealand Standard 3823.4.2:2014 Performance of electrical appliances – Air conditioners and heat pumps. Part 4.2: Air‑cooled air conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps–Testing and calculating methods for seasonal performance factors – Heating seasonal performance factor (ISO 16358‑2:2013, (MOD)).
  • European Committee for Standardization
    • EN 12102:2013 means European Standard 12102:2013 Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages, heat pumps and dehumidifiers with electrically driven compressors for space heating and cooling. Measurement of airborne noise. Determination of the sound power level.
    • EN 12102-1:2017 means European Standard 12102-1:2017 Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages, heat pumps, process chillers and dehumidifiers with electrically driven compressors - Determination of the sound power level - Part 1: Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages, heat pumps for space heating and cooling, dehumidifiers and process chillers.
    • EN 14511:2018 means European Standard 14511:2018 Air conditioners, liquid chilling packages and heat pumps for space heating and cooling and process chillers, with electrically driven compressors.
  • International Organization for Standardization
    • ISO 5151:2017 means International Organization for Standardization Standard 5151:2017 Non-ducted air conditioners and heat pumps - Testing and rating for performance.
    • ISO 13253:2017 means International Organization for Standardization Standard 13253:2017 Ducted air conditioners and air‑to‑air heat pumps - Testing and rating for performance.
    • ISO 15042:2017 means International Organization for Standardization Standard 15042:2017 Multiple split-system air-conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps - Testing and rating for performance.

Minimum Energy Performance Standards

The Minimum Energy Performance Standards for this Determination are established in Part 2 and Schedule 1 of the Determination.

Air conditioners must meet minimum annual energy efficiency ratio (AEER) values for cooling, and minimum annual coefficient of performance (ACOP) values for heating.

AEER is defined as the ratio of the cooling capacity to the effective power input for cooling plus standby power, and ACOP is the ratio of the heating capacity to the effective power input for heating plus standby power.  

Testing your product

Your product must be tested in accordance with Determination to ensure it meets the relevant requirements. 

The testing requirements for air conditioners over 65 kW depend on the class and characteristics of the model. The testing requirements are established in Schedule 2 of the Air Conditioners up to 65kW Determination, subject to the modifications set out in Schedule 2 of the Air Conditioners above 65kW Determination.

Simulation software can be used to test certain types of air conditioners, if it has been approved for use. See Simulation software to test air conditioners for more information.

Labelling requirements

This product is not required to display an Energy Rating Label.

If sales literature provided when supplying (or offering to supply) an air conditioner over 65kW includes a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) rating, it must indicate:

  • whether the SEER rating is a commercial SEER rating or a residential SEER rating
  • the temperature zone (hot, average or cold) to which the SEER rating applies.

See section 34 of the Air Conditioners up to 65kW Determination for more information, as referenced in section 15 of the Air Conditioners above 65kW Determination.

Useful resources

Was this page useful?
CAPTCHA