206/2012 and 626/2011: Room air conditioning appliances, local air coolers and comfort fans

Last updated: 29 October 2019

The regulations are being revised. A prestudy was finalized in May 2018. Preliminary proposals of updated regulations were issued in July 2019.

Ecodesign requirements for room air conditioning appliances entered into force in 2012. Labelling regulation entered into force in July 2011.

Ecodesign

The scope of the ecodesign regulation includes:

• Air-to-airelectric mains-operated air conditioners with a rated capacity of ≤ 12 kW for cooling, or heating if the product has no cooling function,
• and comfort fans with an electric fan power input ≤ 125W.

The 12 kW level is the generally agreed limit between small (mainly domestic) and bigger (mainly commercial) air-conditioning appliances.

The requirements include:

• Two tiers of introduction; 2013 and 2014.
• Bonus for products using low global warming refrigerant fluids.
• Minimum energy performance requirements for:split, double duct and single duct air-conditioners.
• Levels for maximum indoor and outdoor sound levels.
• Information requirements to be provided in product documentation and on manufacturer websites
• Tolerance levels for verification (8% for splits,10% for single and double ducts).

Labelling

The scope of the energy labelling regulation includes air-to-air electric mains-operated air conditioners with a rated capacity of ≤ 12 kW for cooling, or heating if the product has no cooling function.

The labelling requirements include:

• A-G energy labels with a new design.
• Gradual introduction of additional classes (A+ to A+++) from 2013.
• Energy rating of the cooling and heating functions.
• Indication of the annual or hourly energy consumption.
• Indication of sound levels
• Separate energy labels for split, double duct and single duct products.