At Energise India 2025, the United Nations Environment Programme’s United for Efficiency (U4E) initiative unveiled a new research paper examining how improved performance evaluation and stronger policy frameworks can support the global shift to more sustainable air conditioners (ACs) and heat pumps.
The study, Advancing Performance Evaluation and Policy Implementation for More Sustainable Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, was developed by experts from U4E, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, RMI, and CEPT University. It emphasises the need for updated Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS), enhanced implementation strategies, and testing methods that better reflect real-world conditions.
With global demand for cooling projected to more than double by 2040—and AC stock increasing nearly 3.5 times in regions like Southeast Asia and Africa—the research stresses the importance of harmonised policies to mitigate rising energy consumption and emissions.
A key focus of the paper is the discrepancy between how AC units are rated and their actual performance in warm, humid climates. Current testing methods do not fully account for latent load removal, resulting in efficiency values that underestimate real energy use. CEPT University’s evidence from lab and field tests indicates that energy use can increase by 20–25% in commercial units due to overcooling aimed at managing humidity.
The paper also highlights U4E’s Model Regulation Guidelines (MRG), which guide national and regional MEPS adoption, and the Country Savings Assessments, which quantify the potential energy, emissions, and cost benefits of adopting high-efficiency policies. More than 30 countries have already aligned with the MRG, with others in the process of doing so.
Additionally, the study outlines challenges to policy implementation in developing economies, offering practical lessons for overcoming these barriers. It also identifies future priorities, including the integration of humidity-responsive test metrics into national MEPS and labelling programmes. These updates will be included in the 2026 revision of U4E’s AC regulation guidelines, which will expand to cover ducted and multi-split systems up to 70 kW.
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