The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) have launched Packhouse Design Guidelines for sustainable, energy-efficient integrated packhouses for horticultural produce in India.
Developed under UNEP’s India Cooling Programme (ICCP) in consultation with BEE and a technical committee, the guidelines address packhouse design and development across building layout, thermal insulation for temperature-controlled areas, refrigeration systems, energy efficiency measures, renewable energy integration and monitoring. Packhouses provide first-mile cold-chain functions including sorting, grading, packing, pre-cooling and staging before refrigerated transport.
The publication promotes passive design, energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, low- and zero-GWP refrigerants, automation, solar energy and other renewable energy options. It is intended for policymakers, cold-chain developers, investors, infrastructure owners and operators, Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and implementing agencies.
The guidelines were developed as part of the “Scaling-up Investment in Clean and Efficient Cold Chain in India” project, implemented by UNEP Cool Coalition in partnership with AEEE. The project focuses on packhouses and reefer transport and contributes to implementation of the India Cooling Action Plan. The guidelines also complement Indian government standards for integrated packhouses, pre-coolers and staging rooms developed by the National Centre for Cold-chain Development.
“India’s transition to a more efficient and sustainable food system will require us to look at energy efficiency across the entire cold chain, including the infrastructure that enables produce to be cooled and moved efficiently from farm to market. These guidelines provide a practical pathway for integrating energy efficiency into packhouse design, helping reduce operating costs while strengthening and scaling up the resilience of India’s cold-chain infrastructure,” said Shri Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
Launched on World Ozone Day 2026, the guidelines coincide with 10 years of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which is driving the global phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and promoting more energy-efficient and sustainable cooling.
