G/TBT/N/USA/552/Rev.1  
 
5 September 2016  
(16-4703) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
Revision  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : UNITED STATES OF AME RICA 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2) : 
2. Agency responsible : Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (OEERE), 
Department of Energy (DOE)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification sha ll be indicated if different from above :  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], other : 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where ap plicable) : Centr al air-
conditioners, heat pumps. Air conditioning machines, comprising a motor -driven fan and 
elements for changing the temperature and humidity, including those machines in which 
the humidity  cannot be separately regulated  (HS: 8415), Refr igerators, freezers and other 
refrigerating or freezing equipment, electric or other; heat pumps other than air 
conditi oning machines of heading 84.15  (HS: 8418) : Environmental protection 
(ICS: 13.020), Test conditions and procedures in general (ICS : 19.02 0), Ventilators. Fans. 
Air-conditioners (ICS : 23.120), Heat pumps (ICS : 27.080)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Energy 
Conservation Program : Test Procedures for Central Air C onditioners and Heat Pumps 
(106 pages, in Eng lish) 
6. Description of content : The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to revise its test 
procedures for central air conditioners and heat pumps (CAC/HP) established under the 
Energy Policy and Conservation Act. DOE published several proposals in a  November 2015 
supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR). DOE finalized some of the proposed 
test procedure amendments in a June 2016 final rule. This SNOPR proposes additional 
revisions to some of the amendments proposed in the past notices and p roposes some 
additional amendments. Specifically, this SNOPR proposes two sets of amendments to the 
test procedure : Amendments to appendix M that would be required as the basis for making 
efficiency representations starting 180 days after final rule public ation; and amendments 
as part of a new appendix M1 that would be the basis for making efficiency representations 
as of the compliance date for any amended energy conservation standards. Broadly 
speaking, the proposed amendments address the off -mode test pr ocedures, clarifications 
on test set -up and fan delays, limits to gross indoor fin surface area for valid combinations, 
external static pressure conditions for testing, clarifications on represented values for 
CAC/HP that are distributed in commerce with m ultiple refrigerants, and the methodology 
for testing and calculating heating performance. DOE does not expect the proposed 
changes to appendix M to change measured efficiency. However, DOE has determined that 
the proposed procedures in new appendix M1 wou ld change measured efficiency. DOE 
welcomes comments from the public on any subject within the scope of this test procedure 
rulemaking.  G/TBT/N/USA/552/Rev.1  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents : 81 Federal Register (FR) 58163, 24 August 2016; Title 10 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 429 and 430.  Will appear in the Federal Register when 
adopted.  
9. Proposed date of adoption : To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into  force : To be determined  
10. Final date for comments : 23 September 2016  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point  [.] or address, telephone or fax 
number s and  email and website address es, if available , of other body : 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/TBT/USA/16_3691_00_e.pdf