Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
Commercial refrigeration equipment (CRE) includes self-contained and remote condensing commercial refrigerators, commercial freezers, commercial refrigerator-freezers and commercial ice-cream freezers, as well as self-contained commercial refrigerators with transparent doors designed for pull-down temperature applications. Commercial refrigeration equipment is used for food storage and merchandising purposes in the food retail industry (e.g., grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, specialty food stores) and the foodservice industry (e.g., restaurants and cafeterias).
The standards with a compliance date of January 1, 2010 will save approximately 0.5 quads of energy and result in approximately $5 billion in energy bill savings for products shipped from 2010-2034. The standards will avoid about 26 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 5.1 million automobiles.
The standards with a compliance date of January 1, 2012 will save approximately 1.0 quads of energy and result in approximately $9.5 billion in energy bill savings for products shipped from 2012-2041. The standards will avoid about 56.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 11 million automobiles.
The standards with a compliance date of March 27, 2017 will save approximately 2.9 quads of energy and result in approximately $11.7 billion in energy bill savings for products shipped from 2017-2046. The standards will avoid about 142 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 27 million automobiles.
Recent Updates | Standards | Test Procedures | Waiver, Exception, and Exemption Information | Statutory Authority | Historical Information | Contact Information
DOE published a final rule regarding test procedures for commercial refrigeration equipment. 79 FR 22277 (April 21, 2014). For more information, please see the rulemaking webpage.
DOE published a final rule regarding energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration equipment. 79 FR 17725 (March 28, 2014). For more information, please see the rulemaking page.
Standards for Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
The following content summarizes the energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration equipment. The text is not an official reproduction of the Code of Federal Regulations and should not be used for legal research or citation.
Current Standard
Commercial refrigeration equipment manufactured and distributed in commerce, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 6291(16), must meet the energy conservation standards specified in the Code of Federal Regulations 10 CFR 431.66. This information is also available in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
Each commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer with a self-contained condensing unit designed for holding temperature applications manufactured on or after January 1, 2010, shall have a daily energy consumption (in kilowatt hours per day) that does not exceed the following:
Table 1. Standards Effective January 10, 2010
| Category |
Maximum Daily Energy Consumption
(kilowatt hours per day ()) |
| Refrigerators with solid doors |
0.10 V + 2.04 |
| Refrigerators with transparent doors |
0.12 V + 3.34 |
| Freezers with solid doors |
0.40 V + 1.38 |
| Freezers with transparent doors |
0.75 V + 4.10 |
| Refrigerators/freezers with solid doors |
the greater of 0.27 AV - 0.71 or 0.70 |
Each commercial refrigerator with a self-contained condensing unit designed for pull-down temperature applications and transparent doors manufactured on or after January 1, 2010, shall have a daily energy consumption (in kilowatt hours per day) of not more than 0.126V + 3.51.
Each commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer with a self-contained condensing unit and without doors; commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer with a remote condensing unit; and commercial ice-cream freezer manufactured on or after January 1, 2012, shall have a daily energy consumption (in kilowatt hours per day) that does not exceed the levels specified:
For equipment other than hybrid equipment, refrigerator-freezers or wedge cases:
Table 2. Standards Effective January 1, 2012
| Equipment Category |
Condensing Unit Configuration |
Equipment Family |
Rating Temp. (°F) |
Operating Temp.
(°F) |
Equipment Class Designation* |
Maximum Daily Energy Consumption (kWh/day) |
| Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators and Commercial Freezers |
Remote
(RC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
38 (M) |
 32 |
VOP.RC.M |
0.82 x TDA + 4.07 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VOP.RC.L |
2.27 x TDA + 6.85 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO)
|
38 (M) |
32 |
SVO.RC.M |
0.83 x TDA + 3.18 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SVO.RC.L |
2.27 x TDA + 6.85 |
| Horizontal Open
(HZO) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HZO.RC.M |
0.35 x TDA + 2.88 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HZO.RC.L |
0.57 x TDA + 6.88 |
| Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VCT.RC.M |
0.22 x TDA + 1.95 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VCT.RC.L |
0.56 x TDA + 2.61 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HCT.RC.M |
0.16 x TDA + 0.13 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HCT.RC.L |
0.34 x TDA + 0.26 |
| Vertical Closed Solid
(VCS) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VCS.RC.M |
0.11 x V + 0.26 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VCS.RC.L |
0.23 x V + 0.54 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HCS.RC.M |
0.11 x V + 0.26 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HCS.RC.L |
0.23 x V + 0.54 |
| Service Over Counter
(SOC) |
38 (M) |
32 |
SOC.RC.M |
0.51 x TDA + 0.11 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SOC.RC.L |
1.08 x TDA + 0.22 |
| Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators and Commercial Freezers without Doors |
Self-Contained (SC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VOP.SC.M |
1.74 x TDA + 4.71 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VOP.SC.L |
4.37 x TDA + 11.82 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO) |
38 (M) |
32 |
SVO.SC.M |
1.73 x TDA + 4.59 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SVO.SC.L |
4.34 x TDA + 11.51 |
| Horizontal Open |
38 (M) |
32 |
HZO.SC.M |
0.77 x TDA + 5.55 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HZO.SC.L |
1.92 x TDA + 7.08 |
| Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers |
Remote
(RC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
-15 (I) |
 -5** |
VOP.RC.I |
2.89 x TDA + 8.7 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO) |
SVO.RC.I |
2.89 x TDA + 8.7 |
| Horizontal Open
(HZO) |
HZO.RC.I |
0.72 x TDA + 8.74 |
| Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
VCT.RC.I |
0.66 x TDA + 3.05 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
HCT.RC.I |
0.4 x TDA + 0.31 |
| Vertical Closed Solid
(VCS) |
VCS.RC.I |
0.27 x V + 0.63 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
HCS.RC.I |
0.27 x V + 0.63 |
| Service Over Counter
(SVO) |
SOC.RC.I |
1.26 x TDA + 0.26 |
| Self-Contained
(SC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
VOP.SC.I |
5.55 x TDA + 15.02 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO) |
SVO.SC.I |
5.52 x TDA + 14.63 |
| Horizontal Open
(HZO) |
HZO.SC.I |
2.44 x TDA + 9. |
| Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
VCT.SC.I |
0.67 x TDA + 3.29 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
HCT.SC.I |
0.56 x TDA + 0.43 |
| Vertical Closed Solid
(VCS) |
VCS.SC.I |
0.38 x V + 0.88 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
HCS.SC.I |
0.38 x V + 0.88 |
| Service Over Counter
(SVO) |
SOC.SC.I |
1.76 x TDA + 0.36 |
* The meaning of the letters in this column is indicated in the three columns to the left.
** Ice-cream freezer is defined in 10 CFR 431.62 as a commercial freezer that is designed to operate at or below -5 °F (-21°C) and that the manufacturer designs, markets, or intends for the storing, displaying, or dispensing of ice cream.
Amended Standard
Each commercial refrigerator, freezer, and refrigerator-freezer, other than hybrid equipment or wedge cases, manufactured on or after March 27, 2017, shall have a daily energy consumption (in kilowatt hours per day) that does not exceed the following:
Table 3. Standards Effective March 27, 2017
| Equipment Category |
Condensing Unit Configuration |
Equipment Family |
Rating Temp. (°F) |
Operating Temp.
(°F) |
Equipment Class Designation* |
Maximum Daily Energy Consumption (kWh/day) |
| Remote Condensing Commercial Refrigerators and Commercial Freezers |
Remote
(RC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VOP.RC.M |
0.64 x TDA + 4.07 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VOP.RC.L |
2.2 x TDA + 6.85 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO)
|
38 (M) |
32 |
SVO.RC.M |
0.66 x TDA + 3.18 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SVO.RC.L |
2.2 x TDA + 6.85 |
| Horizontal Open
(HZO) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HZO.RC.M |
0.35 x TDA + 2.88 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HZO.RC.L |
0.55 x TDA + 6.88 |
| Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VCT.RC.M |
0.15 x TDA + 1.95 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VCT.RC.L |
0.49 x TDA + 2.61 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HCT.RC.M |
0.16 x TDA + 0.13 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HCT.RC.L |
0.34 x TDA + 0.26 |
| Vertical Closed Solid
(VCS) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VCS.RC.M |
0.1 x V + 0.26 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VCS.RC.L |
0.21 x V + 0.54 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HCS.RC.M |
0.1 x V + 0.26 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HCS.RC.L |
0.21 x V + 0.54 |
| Service Over Counter
(SOC) |
38 (M) |
32 |
SOC.RC.M |
0.44 x TDA + 0.11 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SOC.RC.L |
0.93 x TDA + 0.22 |
| Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators and Commercial Freezers without Doors |
Self-Contained (SC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VOP.SC.M |
1.69 x TDA + 4.71 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VOP.SC.L |
4.25 x TDA + 11.82 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO) |
38 (M) |
32 |
SVO.SC.M |
1.7 x TDA + 4.59 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SVO.SC.L |
4.26 x TDA + 11.51 |
| Horizontal Open |
38 (M) |
32 |
HZO.SC.M |
0.72 x TDA + 5.55 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HZO.SC.L |
1.9 x TDA + 7.08 |
| Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators and Commercial Freezers with Doors |
Self-Contained (SC) |
Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VCT.SC.M |
0.1 x V + 0.86 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VCT.SC.L |
0.29 x V + 2.95 |
| Vertical Closed Solid (VCS) |
38 (M) |
32 |
VCS.SC.M |
0.05 x V + 1.36 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
VCS.SC.L |
0.22 x V + 1.38 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HCT.SC.M |
0.06 x V + 0.37 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HCT.SC.L |
0.08 x V + 1.23 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
38 (M) |
32 |
HCS.SC.M |
0.05 x V + 0.91 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
HCS.SC.L |
0.06 x V + 1.12 |
| Service Over Counter (SOC) |
38 (M) |
32 |
SOC.SC.M |
0.52 x TDA + 1 |
| 0 (L) |
<32 |
SOC.SC.L |
1.1 x TDA + 2.1 |
| Self-Contained Commercial Refrigerators with Transparent Doors for Pull-Down Temperature Applications |
Self-Contained (SC) |
Pull-Down (PD) |
38 (M) |
32 |
PD.SC.M |
0.11 x V + 0.81 |
| Commercial Ice-Cream Freezers |
Remote
(RC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
-15 (I) |
-5** |
VOP.RC.I |
2.79 x TDA + 8.7 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO) |
SVO.RC.I |
2.79 x TDA + 8.7 |
| Horizontal Open
(HZO) |
HZO.RC.I |
0.7 x TDA + 8.74 |
| Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
VCT.RC.I |
0.58 x TDA + 3.05 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
HCT.RC.I |
0.4 x TDA + 0.31 |
| Vertical Closed Solid
(VCS) |
VCS.RC.I |
0.25 x V + 0.63 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
HCS.RC.I |
0.25 x V + 0.63 |
| Service Over Counter
(SVO) |
SOC.RC.I |
1.09 x TDA + 0.26 |
| Self-Contained
(SC) |
Vertical Open
(VOP) |
VOP.SC.I |
5.4 x TDA + 15.02 |
| Semivertical Open
(SVO) |
SVO.SC.I |
5.41 x TDA + 14.63 |
| Horizontal Open
(HZO) |
HZO.SC.I |
2.42 x TDA + 9. |
| Vertical Closed Transparent (VCT) |
VCT.SC.I |
0.62 x TDA + 3.29 |
| Horizontal Closed Transparent (HCT) |
HCT.SC.I |
0.56 x TDA + 0.43 |
| Vertical Closed Solid
(VCS) |
VCS.SC.I |
0.34 x V + 0.88 |
| Horizontal Closed Solid (HCS) |
HCS.SC.I |
0.34 x V + 0.88 |
| Service Over Counter
(SVO) |
SOC.SC.I |
1.53 x TDA + 0.36 |
* The meaning of the letters in this column is indicated in the columns to the left.
** Ice-cream freezer is defined in 10 CFR 431.62 as a commercial freezer that is designed to operate at or below -5 °F *(-21 °C) and that the manufacturer designs, markets, or intends for the storing, displaying, or dispensing of ice cream.
After a regulatory action has been completed, Executive Order 12866 requires agencies to identify the substantive changes between the draft submitted to Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review and the action subsequently announced, and to identify those changes made at the suggestion or recommendation of OIRA.
Current Test Procedure
To determine compliance with DOE standards, manufacturers must follow the test procedures specified at 10 CFR 431.64 for commercial refrigeration equipment manufactured or distributed into commerce. These are also in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.
DOE issued a pre-publication Federal Register final rule on April 10, 2014. This final rule clarified certain terms, procedures, and compliance dates to improve the repeatability and remove ambiguity from the current CRE test procedure. In this final rule, DOE also addressed a number of test procedure clarifications that arose as a result of the negotiated rulemaking process for certification of commercial heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and water heating equipment.
Some provisions included in the April 2014 final rule become effective May 21, 2014, clarifying points of the existing test procedure specified at 10 CFR 431.64. These provisions are included in Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 431.
Amended Test Procedures
DOE published amended test procedures for commercial refrigeration equipment on February 21, 2012.
The April 2014 final rule reorganized the provisions of the February 2012 final rule into Appendix B to Subpart C of Part 431. The test procedure provisions included in this appendix must be used by manufacturers in conjunction with the amended standards established in DOE’s recently published energy conservation standards final rule (March 2014 energy conservation standards final rule) beginning on March 28, 2017. 79 FR 17726, 17727 (March. 28, 2014).
For further guidance or to submit questions related to the implementation of this test procedure, visit the Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions page.
Waivers
Test procedure waivers have not been issued for commercial refrigeration equipment.
For information about obtaining test procedure waivers, see 10 CFR part 431, subpart V.
Exceptions
DOE's Office of Hearings and Appeals has not authorized exception relief for commercial refrigeration equipment. For information about obtaining exception relief, see 10 CFR part 1003.
State Exemptions to Federal Pre-emption
DOE has not exempted any state from this energy conservation standard. States may petition DOE to exempt a state regulation from preemption by the Federal energy conservation standard. States may also petition DOE to withdraw such exemptions. For details, see 10 CFR part 431, subpart V or 10 CFR part 431, subpart W.
The current energy conservation standards for commercial refrigeration equipment are mandated by Part A–1, the "Certain Industrial Equipment" of Title III of EPCA, as amended. (42 U.S.C. 6311–6317). This equipment is treated as covered equipment under Part A-1. (42 U.S.C. 6311(1)(E))
The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 2007(EPCA) prescribed energy conservation standards for some commercial refrigeration equipment: self-contained refrigerators with solid doors, self-contained refrigerators with transparent doors, self-contained freezers with solid doors, self-contained freezers with transparent doors, self-contained refrigerator-freezers with solid doors, and self-contained refrigerators with transparent doors designed for pull-down temperature applications. 42 U.S.C. 6313(c) The compliance date for these standards is January 1, 2010.
Additionally, EPCA directed DOE to publish energy conservation standards for other types of commercial refrigeration equipment: ice-cream freezers; self-contained commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers without doors; and remote condensing commercial refrigerators, freezers, and refrigerator-freezers. 42 U.S.C. 6313(c)(4) DOE published these standards on January 9, 2009. (74 FR 1092). The compliance date for these standards is January 1, 2012.
EPCA also directed DOE to review both sets of standards and determine whether they should be amended. 42 U.S.C. 6313(c)(5) That rulemaking is underway.
Helpful Links and Contact Information
Helpful Links
Find tips and guidance for making your home, workplace, or vehicle more energy efficient visit EnergySavers.gov.
DOE supports the testing and verification of ENERGY STAR® products in close collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency. ENERGY STAR qualified commercial refrigerators and freezers are as much as 35 percent more efficient than non-qualified units.
For more information related to the regulation of this product, please email:
commercial_refrigeration_equipment@ee.doe.gov
