CHAPTER 9. TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

9.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 9-1 

9.2 TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS .......................................................................................... 9-2 

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 9.2.1 Trial Standard Levels for Analyzed Equipment Expressed in Terms of 

Daily Energy Consumption.................................................................................. 9-3 

Table 9.2.2 Trial Standard Levels Expressed in Terms of Equations and Coefficients 

for Each Primary Equipment Class...................................................................... 9-4 

Table 9.2.3 Trial Standard Levels Expressed in Terms of Equations and Coefficients 

for each Secondary Equipment Class .................................................................. 9-5 

9-i 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2 
9-ii 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2 
 

CHAPTER 9. TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS
 

9.1 INTRODUCTION 

Section 136(c) of EPACT 2005 amended section 342 of EPCA, in part, by adding new 

subsection 342(c)(4)(A), (42 U.S.C. 6313(c)(4)(A)) which directs the Secretary to issue, by rule, 

no later than January 1, 2009, energy conservation standards for the following equipment, 

manufactured on or after January 1, 2012: commercial ice-cream freezers; self-contained 

commercial refrigerators, commercial freezers, and commercial refrigerator-freezers without 

doors; and remote condensing commercial refrigerators, commercial freezers, and commercial 

refrigerator-freezers. This equipment, which has never before been regulated at the Federal 

level, has a large number of equipment classes covered by this rulemaking. The U.S. 

Department of Energy (DOE) has, therefore, focused on conducting a thorough examination of 

the equipment classes with the greatest energy savings potential. DOE relied on industrysupplied shipment data and addressed those equipment classes which had the highest shipment 

values first. To address low-shipment equipment classes, DOE decided to develop correlations 

by conducting a “focused matched-pair analysis.”a

 This methodology is described in further 

detail in Chapter 5 of the TSD. 

DOE selected between four and eight energy consumption levels for each commercial 

refrigeration equipment (CRE) class for use in the LCC analysis. Based on the results of the 

LCC analysis, DOE selected a subset of four levels above the baseline level for each product for 

use in the more detailed analysis for the NOPR stage of the rulemaking. DOE refers to these as 

candidate standard levels (CSLs). The range of CSLs selected includes: the most energy 

efficient level or most energy efficient combination of design options, the combination of design 

options or efficiency level with the minimum LCC, and a combination of design options or 

efficiency level with a PBP of not more than 3 years. In addition, DOE selected two efficiency 

levels for analysis that filled in the large efficiency gap between the level 1 baseline and the 

minimum LCC level identified. 

DOE presented a set of CSLs in the ANOPR for review based on consistent themes and 

using the results of the ANOPR LCC analysis. DOE did not receive specific comments on the 

levels selected, the methodology for selection, or alternative levels that would be of interest to 

stakeholders. After revising the ANOPR analysis, DOE used a similar selection process for the 

NOPR, but based on the NOPR LCC analysis results. In addition, DOE added one additional 

Trial Standard Level based on review of early results from the NES analysis. 

Because of the size variation within each equipment class and the use of daily energy 

consumption as the efficiency metric, DOE presented a methodology to express efficiency 

standards in terms of a normalizing metric. DOE proposed the use of Total Display Area (TDA) 

as the normalizing metric for equipment with display area. For equipment without display 

capability (e.g., equipment with solid doors), DOE proposed the use of internal volume as the 

normalizing metric. 

a

 The “focused matched-pair analysis” establishes a correlation between rating temperature levels and energy 

consumption by quantifying the differences in energy consumption for matched pairs of equipment classes that are 

very similar in features and dimensions, but have different operating temperatures. 

9-1 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2 
9.2 TRIAL STANDARD LEVELS 

DOE expressed the ANOPR CSLs in terms of a normalized energy consumption using 

the normalization factor for each equipment class, and within each class the size analyzed. Each 

equipment class covers a range of equipment sizes. DOE proposed equations for final standards 

that would have maximum energy use standards set for equipment within each class varying 

linearly with the normalization metric (i.e., TDA or volume). Offset factors are used to adjust 

the energy efficiency requirement for smaller-sized equipment in each equipment class analyzed. 

These offset factors account for certain components of the refrigeration load (such as the 

conduction “end effects”) that remain constant even when product sizes vary. These constant 

loads affect smaller cases disproportionately. The offset factors are intended to approximate 

these constant loads and provide a fixed end point, corresponding to a “zero TDA” or “zero 

volume” case, in an equation that describes the relationship between energy consumption and the 

corresponding TDA or volume metric. See Chapter 5 of the TSD for further details on the 

development of these offset factors for each equipment class. 

DOE preserved the general methodology and themes it used for the selection of CSL 

levels in the NOPR in establishing the equipment class specific efficiency levels that make up 

the trial standard level (TSL) used in the final rule. However, the final rule TSLs are based on 

the results of the updated LCC analysis and NIA. Table 9.2.1 shows the TSL levels selected by 

DOE in terms of energy use for the specific equipment size analyzed in each class. TSL 5 is the 

maximum technologically feasible (“max tech”) level for each equipment class. TSL 4 is the 

maximum efficiency level with a positive NPV at the seven-percent discount rate, except in the 

case of four equipment classes: VOP.RC.M, VOP.SC.M, SVO.RC.M, and SVO.SC.M where the 

minimal difference in energy efficiency between the minimum life cycle cost level, as 

determined by the LCC analysis, and the maximum efficiency level with positive NPV was less 

than one half of one percent daily energy consumption. For these equipment classes, DOE 

selected the minimum life-cycle cost level in preference to the maximum level with positive 

NPV. For a given equipment class, the efficiency levels selected for TSL 4 are either equivalent 

to that of TSL 3 or that of TSL 5. TSL 3 is the efficiency level that provided the minimum-life 

cycle cost as determined by the LCC analysis. TSL 2 and TSL 1 represent lower efficiency 

levels that fill in the gap between the baseline and the levels determined to result in the minimum 

LCC. 

DOE characterized the TSL levels in terms of proposed equations that establish a 

maximum daily energy consumption (MEC) through a linear equation of the form: 

MEC = A x TDA + B (for equipment classes that use TDA as the normalizing metric) or, 

MEC = A x Volume + B (for equipment classes that use Volume as the normalizing 

metric) 

The coefficients A and B are uniquely derived for each equipment class based on the 

calculated offset factors, B (see Chapter 5 of the TSD for offset factors) and the slope of the 

equation, A, that would be used to describe the efficiency requirements for equipment of 

different sizes within the same equipment class. Two points are needed to describe a linear 

relationship. In this case, the two points are the offset factor, calculated for equipment with 

either TDA = 0 or Volume = 0 as appropriate, and the energy consumption calculated for 

9-2 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2 
 

 

 

Table 9.2.1 Trial Standard Levels for Analyzed Equipment Expressed in Terms of Daily 

Energy Consumption 

Equipment 

Class 

Test 

Metric 

Trial Standard Level in Order of Efficiency Trial Standard Levels for Equipment Analyzed Expressed 

in Terms of Energy Consumption (kWh/day) 

Baseline TSL 1 TSL 2 TSL 3 TSL 4 TSL 5 Baseline TSL 1 TSL 2 TSL 3 TSL 4 TSL 5 

VOP.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 5 Level 7 57.90 51.99 50.68 47.69 47.69 43.75 

VOP.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 6 Level 7 Level 7 133.60 118.44 113.28 112.00 108.40 108.40 

VOP.SC.M TDEC* 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 5 Level 6 Level 6 Level 8 39.60 35.95 33.38 30.70 30.70 29.33 

VCT.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 6 Level 7 Level 7 33.18 31.77 30.00 16.36 16.18 16.18 

VCT.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 6 Level 7 Level 7 69.31 65.73 46.90 39.60 39.18 39.18 

VCT.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 4 Level 5 Level 7 Level 8 Level 8 45.63 33.35 23.39 21.17 20.81 20.81 

VCS.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 5 Level 8 Level 8 Level 8 27.13 24.31 21.64 19.07 19.07 19.07 

SVO.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 5 Level 7 43.56 39.58 38.59 36.34 36.34 33.61 

SVO.SC.M TDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 5 Level 6 Level 6 Level 8 33.11 30.66 28.87 26.74 26.74 25.74 

SOC.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 5 Level 5 Level 8 31.70 30.01 27.93 26.24 26.24 20.62 

HZO.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 5 19.63 17.89 15.73 14.69 14.54 14.54 

HZO.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 5 Level 5 38.38 35.30 33.41 32.97 32.97 32.97 

HZO.SC.M TDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 5 Level 7 Level 8 Level 8 19.23 17.85 16.51 14.93 14.81 14.81 

HZO.SC.L TDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 5 Level 7 Level 8 Level 8 38.69 36.02 33.52 30.31 30.14 30.14 

HCT.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6 Level 6 7.25 6.37 3.70 3.53 3.32 3.32 

* “TDEC” is total daily energy consumption of the case as measured for self-contained equipment. “CDEC” is calculated daily consumption of 

the case, used for remote-condensing equipment 

the specific equipment analyzed as shown in Table 9.2.1. For a given equipment class at a given 

TSL 

B = OffsetFactorclass

(EnergyUse xSizeAnalyzed − OffsetFactor ) Class,SizeAnalyzed Class Class A = SizeAnalyzedClass

where 

EnergyUseClass,SizeAnalyzed = the energy use from the engineering analysis for a particular 

class and TSL 

SizeAnalyzedClass = the size of equipment analyzed in terms of the normalization metric 

(TDA or Volume) for each equipment class 

OffsetFactorClass = the offset factors calculated for each equipment class 

Table 9.2.2 shows the resulting equations describing each TSL for the 15 equipment 

classes analyzed. 

In addition to the 15 primary equipment classes analyzed, DOE worked to establish 

standards for the remaining 23 secondary equipment classes of CRE equipment covered in this 

rulemaking. DOE developed an extension approach to apply the standards developed for these 

9-3 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2 
15 “primary” equipment classes to the remaining 23 “secondary” equipment classes. This 

approach involves extension multipliers developed using both the 15 primary equipment classes 

analyzed and a set of “focused matched-pair analyses”. In addition, DOE determined that 

standards for certain primary equipment classes can be directly applied to other similar 

secondary equipment classes. Chapter 5 of the TSD discusses the development of the extension 

multipliers and the set of focused matched-pair analyses. Using this approach, DOE developed 

an additional set of TSLs for these secondary equipment classes that corresponds to each of the 

equations shown in Table 9.2.2 at each TSL for the primary equipment classes. Table 9.2.3 

shows this additional set of corresponding TSL levels. The levels shown in Table 9.2.3 do not 

necessarily reflect the same general themes (e.g. minimum life-cycle cost or max tech efficiency 

levels) for these equipment classes as the economics of these levels for secondary equipment 

classes were not explicitly analyzed. They do however represent TSLs for these equipment 

classes in the DOE rulemaking. 

Table 9.2.2 Trial Standard Levels Expressed in Terms of Equations and Coefficients for 

Each Primary Equipment Class 

Equipment 

Class 

Test 

Metric 

Trial Standard Levels for Primary Equipment Classes Analyzed* 

Baseline TSL 1 TSL 2 TSL 3 TSL 4 TSL 5 

VOP.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 

1.01 x TDA + 4.07 0.9 x TDA + 4.07 0.87 x TDA + 4.07 0.82 x TDA + 4.07 0.82 x TDA + 4.07 0.74 x TDA + 4.07 

VOP.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 

2.84 x TDA + 6.85 2.5 x TDA + 6.85 2.38 x TDA + 6.85 2.35 x TDA + 6.85 2.27 x TDA + 6.85 2.27 x TDA + 6.85 

VOP.SC.M TDEC 

kWh/day 

2.34 x TDA + 4.71 2.09 x TDA + 4.71 1.92 x TDA + 4.71 1.74 x TDA + 4.71 1.74 x TDA + 4.71 1.65 x TDA + 4.71 

VCT.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 

0.48 x TDA + 1.95 0.46 x TDA + 1.95 0.43 x TDA + 1.95 0.22 x TDA + 1.95 0.22 x TDA + 1.95 0.22 x TDA + 1.95 

VCT.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 

1.03 x TDA + 2.61 0.97 x TDA + 2.61 0.68 x TDA + 2.61 0.57 x TDA + 2.61 0.56 x TDA + 2.61 0.56 x TDA + 2.61 

VCT.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 

1.63 x TDA + 3.29 1.16 x TDA + 3.29 0.77 x TDA + 3.29 0.69 x TDA + 3.29 0.67 x TDA + 3.29 0.67 x TDA + 3.29 

VCS.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 

0.55 x V + 0.88 0.49 x V + 0.88 0.43 x V + 0.88 0.38 x V + 0.88 0.38 x V + 0.88 0.38 x V + 0.88 

SVO.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 

1.01 x TDA + 3.18 0.91 x TDA + 3.18 0.89 x TDA + 3.18 0.83 x TDA + 3.18 0.83 x TDA + 3.18 0.76 x TDA + 3.18 

SVO.SC.M TDEC 

kWh/day 

2.23 x TDA + 4.59 2.04 x TDA + 4.59 1.9 x TDA + 4.59 1.73 x TDA + 4.59 1.73 x TDA + 4.59 1.65 x TDA + 4.59 

SOC.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 

0.62 x TDA + 0.11 0.59 x TDA + 0.11 0.55 x TDA + 0.11 0.51 x TDA + 0.11 0.51 x TDA + 0.11 0.4 x TDA + 0.11 

HZO.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 

0.51 x TDA + 2.88 0.45 x TDA + 2.88 0.39 x TDA + 2.88 0.36 x TDA + 2.88 0.35 x TDA + 2.88 0.35 x TDA + 2.88 

HZO.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 

0.68 x TDA + 6.88 0.62 x TDA + 6.88 0.58 x TDA + 6.88 0.57 x TDA + 6.88 0.57 x TDA + 6.88 0.57 x TDA + 6.88 

HZO.SC.M TDEC 

kWh/day 

1.14 x TDA + 5.55 1.03 x TDA + 5.55 0.91 x TDA + 5.55 0.78 x TDA + 5.55 0.77 x TDA + 5.55 0.77 x TDA + 5.55 

HZO.SC.L TDEC 

kWh/day 

2.63 x TDA + 7.08 2.41 x TDA + 7.08 2.2 x TDA + 7.08 1.94 x TDA + 7.08 1.92 x TDA + 7.08 1.92 x TDA + 7.08 

HCT.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 

1.33 x TDA + 0.43 1.16 x TDA + 0.43 0.64 x TDA + 0.43 0.6 x TDA + 0.43 0.56 x TDA + 0.43 0.56 x TDA + 0.43 

*TSL Levels expressed in terms of Maximum Energy Consumption (MEC) 

9-4 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2 
Table 9.2.3 Trial Standard Levels Expressed in Terms of Equations and Coefficients for 

each Secondary Equipment Class 

Equipment 

Class 

Test 

Metric 

Trial Standard Levels for Secondary Equipment Classes Analyzed* 

Baseline TSL 1 TSL 2 TSL 3 TSL 4 TSL 5 

SVO.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 2.84 x TDA + 6.85 2.5 x TDA + 6.85 2.38 x TDA + 6.85 2.35 x TDA + 6.85 2.27 x TDA + 6.85 2.27 x TDA + 6.85 

VOP.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 3.6 x TDA + 8.7 3.17 x TDA + 8.7 3.03 x TDA + 8.7 2.99 x TDA + 8.7 2.89 x TDA + 8.7 2.89 x TDA + 8.7 

SVO.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 3.6 x TDA + 8.7 3.17 x TDA + 8.7 3.03 x TDA + 8.7 2.99 x TDA + 8.7 2.89 x TDA + 8.7 2.89 x TDA + 8.7 

HZO.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 0.87 x TDA + 8.74 0.78 x TDA + 8.74 0.73 x TDA + 8.74 0.72 x TDA + 8.74 0.72 x TDA + 8.74 0.72 x TDA + 8.74 

VCT.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 1.2 x TDA + 3.05 1.14 x TDA + 3.05 0.8 x TDA + 3.05 0.67 x TDA + 3.05 0.66 x TDA + 3.05 0.66 x TDA + 3.05 

HCT.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 0.39 x TDA + 0.13 0.34 x TDA + 0.13 0.19 x TDA + 0.13 0.18 x TDA + 0.13 0.16 x TDA + 0.13 0.16 x TDA + 0.13 

HCT.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 0.81 x TDA + 0.26 0.71 x TDA + 0.26 0.39 x TDA + 0.26 0.37 x TDA + 0.26 0.34 x TDA + 0.26 0.34 x TDA + 0.26 

HCT.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 0.95 x TDA + 0.31 0.83 x TDA + 0.31 0.46 x TDA + 0.31 0.43 x TDA + 0.31 0.4 x TDA + 0.31 0.4 x TDA + 0.31 

VCS.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 0.16 x V + 0.26 0.14 x V + 0.26 0.13 x V + 0.26 0.11 x V + 0.26 0.11 x V + 0.26 0.11 x V + 0.26 

VCS.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 0.33 x V + 0.54 0.3 x V + 0.54 0.26 x V + 0.54 0.23 x V + 0.54 0.23 x V + 0.54 0.23 x V + 0.54 

VCS.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 0.39 x V + 0.63 0.35 x V + 0.63 0.31 x V + 0.63 0.27 x V + 0.63 0.27 x V + 0.63 0.27 x V + 0.63 

HCS.RC.M CDEC 

kWh/day 0.16 x V + 0.26 0.14 x V + 0.26 0.13 x V + 0.26 0.11 x V + 0.26 0.11 x V + 0.26 0.11 x V + 0.26 

HCS.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 0.33 x V + 0.54 0.3 x V + 0.54 0.26 x V + 0.54 0.23 x V + 0.54 0.23 x V + 0.54 0.23 x V + 0.54 

HCS.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 0.39 x V + 0.63 0.35 x V + 0.63 0.31 x V + 0.63 0.27 x V + 0.63 0.27 x V + 0.63 0.27 x V + 0.63 

SOC.RC.L CDEC 

kWh/day 1.3 x TDA + 0.22 1.23 x TDA + 0.22 1.15 x TDA + 0.22 1.08 x TDA + 0.22 1.08 x TDA + 0.22 0.84 x TDA + 0.22 

SOC.RC.I CDEC 

kWh/day 1.52 x TDA + 0.26 1.44 x TDA + 0.26 1.34 x TDA + 0.26 1.26 x TDA + 0.26 1.26 x TDA + 0.26 0.99 x TDA + 0.26 

VOP.SC.L TDEC 

kWh/day 5.87 x TDA + 11.82 5.25 x TDA + 11.82 4.82 x TDA + 11.82 4.37 x TDA + 11.82 4.37 x TDA + 11.82 4.14 x TDA + 11.82 

VOP.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 7.45 x TDA + 15.02 6.67 x TDA + 15.02 6.13 x TDA + 15.02 5.55 x TDA + 15.02 5.55 x TDA + 15.02 5.26 x TDA + 15.02 

SVO.SC.L TDEC 

kWh/day 5.59 x TDA + 11.51 5.11 x TDA + 11.51 4.76 x TDA + 11.51 4.34 x TDA + 11.51 4.34 x TDA + 11.51 4.15 x TDA + 11.51 

SVO.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 7.11 x TDA + 14.63 6.5 x TDA + 14.63 6.05 x TDA + 14.63 5.52 x TDA + 14.63 5.52 x TDA + 14.63 5.27 x TDA + 14.63 

HZO.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 3.35 x TDA + 9. 3.06 x TDA + 9. 2.8 x TDA + 9. 2.46 x TDA + 9. 2.44 x TDA + 9. 2.44 x TDA + 9. 

SOC.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 2.13 x TDA + 0.36 2.02 x TDA + 0.36 1.88 x TDA + 0.36 1.76 x TDA + 0.36 1.76 x TDA + 0.36 1.38 x TDA + 0.36 

HCS.SC.I TDEC 

kWh/day 0.55 x V + 0.88 0.49 x V + 0.88 0.43 x V + 0.88 0.38 x V + 0.88 0.38 x V + 0.88 0.38 x V + 0.88 

*TSL Levels expressed in terms of Maximum Energy Consumption (MEC) 

9-5 

EERE-2006-BT-STD-0126 COMMENT 52.2