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This final document represents the definitive view of the agency on the questions addressed and may be 

relied upon by the regulated industry and members of the public.

This and other guidance documents are accessible on the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency 

& Renewable Energy web site at: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/guidance/default.aspx?pid=2&spid=1.

Guidance Type: Scope of Coverage, Test Procedures, and Conservation Standards

Category: Commercial and Industrial Equipment

Product: Computer Room Air Conditioners

Guidance Version: FINAL

Issued: January 15, 2015

The following is a final U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or the Department) guidance document 

regarding coverage of computer room air conditioners. This draft guidance document represents the 

Department’s interpretation of its existing regulations and is exempt from the notice and comment 

requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act. See 5 U.S.C. § 553(b)(A). 

Q: Are horizontal free-discharge computer room air conditioners (CRACs) covered equipment?

A: Yes. DOE defines a computer room air conditioner in 10 CFR 431.92:

Computer Room Air Conditioner means a basic model of commercial package air-conditioning 

and heating equipment (packaged or split) that is: Used in computer rooms, data processing 

rooms, or other information technology cooling applications; rated for sensible coefficient of 

performance (SCOP) and tested in accordance with 10 CFR 431.96, and is not a covered 

consumer product under 42 U.S.C. 6291(1)-(2) and 6292. A computer room air conditioner may 

be provided with, or have as available options, an integrated humidifier, temperature, and/or 

humidity control of the supplied air, and reheating function.

The current definition of computer room air conditioner does not establish coverage based on the 

airflow direction of the unit. Horizontal free-discharge CRACs are types of commercial package airconditioning and heating equipment that are used in the types of applications described in the definition 

and can be rated for SCOP and tested in accordance with 10 CFR 431.96. Specifically, Table 2 to 10 CFR 

431.96 lists the test procedure for computer room air conditioners as ASHRAE 127-2007, Method of 

Testing for Rating Computer and Data Processing Room Unitary Air Conditioners (omit section 5.11). 

ASHRAE 127-2007 is not specific as to airflow-direction (i.e., upflow, downflow, horizontal) and provides 

for a procedure for free-air-discharge (section 5.1.4.5.3). As a result, the test method could be applied 

for testing and rating the SCOP of horizontal free air discharge CRACs. Because horizontal free-discharge 

CRACs meet all the aspects of DOE’s definition of “Computer Room Air Conditioner,” they are 

considered covered equipment and are subject to DOE’s regulations.

Q: Are horizontal free-discharge CRACs required to be tested using the current DOE test procedure?

A: Yes. 42 USC 6314(d)(1) states that effective 360 days after a test procedure rule applicable to 

commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment (which includes computer room air 

conditioners) is prescribed, “no manufacturer, distributor, retailer, or private labeler may make any 
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representation—(A) in writing (including any representation on a label), or (B) in any broadcast 

advertisement, respecting the energy consumption of such equipment or cost of energy consumed by 

such equipment, unless such equipment has been tested in accordance with such test procedure and 

such representation fairly discloses the results of such testing.” On May 16, 2012, DOE published a final

rule in the Federal Register which adopted ASHRAE 127-2007 (omitting section 5.11) as the test 

procedure for computer room air conditioners, with compliance required on and after October 29, 2012, 

for units less than 65,000 Btu/h and on and after May 13, 2013 for units greater than or equal to 65,000 

Btu/h and less than 760,000 Btu/h. 77 FR 28928, 28990. (See also Table 2 to 10 CFR 431.96.) The 2012 

test procedure final rule did not have an exception for any specific airflow direction. Therefore, any 

manufacturer making representations of the energy consumption of CRACs (including horizontal freedischarge units) must test according to the current DOE test procedure. A manufacturer may request a 

test procedure waiver for a basic model if it contains design features that prevent testing according to 

the DOE test procedure, or such testing may generate results that are unrepresentative of the true 

energy consumption of the basic model. 

Q: Are horizontal free-discharge CRACs required to meet the energy conservation standards for 

CRACs?

A: No. DOE specifies minimum efficiency standards for certain equipment classes of CRACs in 10 CFR 

431.97. However, Table 7 to 10 CFR 431.97 specifies minimum SCOP efficiency specifically for 

downflow and upflow units and does not include minimum SCOP requirements for horizontal freedischarge units. Thus, at this time, there are no energy conservation standards applicable to those basic 

models that are exclusively horizontal-flow free-discharge CRACs.