U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Building Technologies Office – Appliance & Equipment Standards

Refrigerator, Refrigerator-Freezer and Freezers Rulemaking

This page describes rulemaking activities and regulations regarding energy efficiency for residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers.

Statutory Authority

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) (42 U.S.C. 6291, et seq.) established the Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other than Automobiles, covering major household appliances including residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987 subsequently amended EPCA by establishing energy conservation standards for residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA) then required the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to review and amend energy conservation standards for residential refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers. DOE is currently developing amended standards pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6295(b)(4) and an amended test procedure pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(1).

Wine Chillers and Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products Rulemaking

• Framework Stage
  • Notice of Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document Federal Register, 77 FR 7547, February 13, 2012
  • Framework Document
  • Public Meeting Information
  • Meeting Presentation
  • Meeting Agenda
  • Meeting Transcript

Conservation Standards Rulemaking

• Final Rule 
  • Final Rule Federal Register, 76 FR 57516, September 15, 2011
  • Technical Support Document
  • Analytical Tools

After a regulatory action has been issued, Section 6(a)(3)(E) of EO 12866 requires agencies to identify in a complete, clear, and simple manner, the substantive changes between the draft submitted to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review and the action subsequently announced, and identify those changes in the regulatory action that were made at the suggestion or recommendation of OIRA. The documents at the links below are intended to comply with this requirement.

• Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers, and Freezers submitted to OMB on April 22, 2011 COMPARE with notice concluded on August 19, 2011

• Notice of Data Availability (NODA)
  • Notice of Data Availability document
  • Supplemental Information and Data on Equipment Price Forecasting
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (September 2010)
  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking document
  • Public Meeting Information
  • Technical Support Document
  • Analytical Tools
• Negotiated Rulemaking Activity
  • Materials provided in support of stakeholder negotiations
• Preliminary Analysis
  • Notice of Public Meeting and Availability of the Preliminary Technical Support Document
  • Public Meeting Information
  • Preliminary Technical Support Document
  • Preliminary Analytical Tools
• Framework Document
  • Notice of Public Meeting and Availability of the Framework Document
  • Public Meeting Information
  • Framework Document

Test Procedures Rulemaking

• Final Rule, Federal Register, 77 FR 3559, January 25, 2012
• Final Rule and Interim Final Rule, Federal Register, 75 FR 78810, December 16, 2010
• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR)
  • Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
  • Public Meeting Information

Frequently Asked Questions

The documents previously posted in this location have been moved to the "Guidance and FAQs" section of this website, and can be located by searching under guidance type "all," category "residential," and product type "refrigerators and freezers."

Past Rulemakings

• Energy Efficiency Standards for Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers and Freezers Technical Support Document, October 2005
• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Refrigerators and Refrigerator-Freezers Direct Final Rule, Federal Register, March 7, 2003
• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Refrigerators and Refrigerator-Freezers Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Federal Register, March 7, 2003
• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Energy Conservation Standards for Refrigerators, Refrigerator-Freezers and Freezers Final Rule, Federal Register, April 28, 1997

Proper Implementation of Refrigerator-Freezer Test Procedure

On December 18, 2009, DOE issued additional guidance regarding the application of the current test procedures for testing energy consumption of refrigerator-freezers with automatic ice makers. DOE issued this guidance to ensure the consistent application of the current test procedure to refrigerator-freezers with French doors, bottom-mounted freezers, and through-the-door (TTD) ice service (French door TTD models).

In January 2009, DOE issued a public statement on the proper implementation of the DOE refrigerator-freezer test procedure, including the industry test procedure which is incorporated by reference (American National Standards Institute/Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers Standard HRF-1-1979, Household Refrigerators, Combination Refrigerator-Freezers and Household Freezers).

Contact Information

Lucas Adin
202-287-1317