Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN) Amendment 13 to the Energy Efficiency Regulations was published in the Canada Gazette II and will come into force on June 28, 2017.
The Government of Canada has committed to improving energy efficiency standards for consumer and commercial products. The changes to Energy Efficiency Regulations will increase the stringency of minimum energy performance standards (MEPS), meet new standards, testing, labeling, reporting requirements and based upon manufacturing date timeframes. The Regulations will align with the U.S. test procedure changes, dates of manufacture and MEPS for household appliances and commercial clothes washers; update reporting requirements by including new energy efficiency metrics for clothes dryers, clothes washers and clothes washer-dryers in order to ensure that the measured energy efficiency and information provided to customers best represent the latest technologies and the way these appliances are used; allow for clothes dryers to be tested to either the Canadian test procedure or the alternative U.S. test procedure, consistent with the same flexibility provided in the United States.
This Amendment will update existing energy efficiency standards for 20 product categories to align with requirements in force or soon to be in force in the United States. Here is summary list of affected products:
Residential
- clothes dryers, clothes washers (two U.S. standards: 2015 and 2018)
- integrated washer-dryers, dishwashers
- refrigerators, freezers
- room air conditioners, central air conditioners and heat pumps
- gas-fired storage water heaters (align all sizes of tanks in Canada with the standard in the U.S. that applies only to tanks with rated storage volumes less than 208 litres)
- oil-fired storage water heaters
Commercial and industrial
- residential-style commercial clothes washers (two U.S. standards: 2013 and 2018)
- packaged terminal air conditioners and heat pumps
- chillers, commercial refrigeration (self-contained)
- refrigerated beverage vending machines, commercial ice-makers
- electric motors
Lighting
- general service incandescent reflector lamps
- general service fluorescent lamps (two U.S. standards: 2012 and 2018)
- fluorescent lamp ballasts
- Repeal regulated requirements for digital television adapters.
- Make minor updates to scope, reporting and compliance requirements for 8 currently regulated product categories to reflect updated requirements both in the U.S. and Canada.
- electric ranges
- large commercial air conditioners (Division 2, subdivision B) and heat pumps
- gas furnaces, gas fireplaces
- general service lamps, exit signs
- televisions, external power supplies
- Repeal and replace the Regulations with a new format that organizes products by divisions and subdivisions. Update some standards that are incorporated by reference.
Interested parties seeking more details on the cost-benefit analysis of the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement can request a copy, Energy Efficiency Regulations, 2016: A Cost-Benefit Analysis.