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Walk-In Coolers and Walk-In

Freezers

This page presents information on test

procedures, energy conservation standards,

and rulemaking activities for walk-in coolers

and walk-in freezers.

Walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers (walk-ins

or WICF) are large, insulated refrigerated

spaces with access door(s) large enough for

people to enter. The purpose of walk-ins is to

store temporarily refrigerated or frozen food

or other perishable materials. The two major

classes of walk-ins are: low-temperature

refrigerated space (-10°F to -20°F) and

medium-temperature refrigerated space (-10°F

to 30°F). Although walk-ins can be used in a

wide variety of applications, they are used

primarily in food service and sales.

Statutory Authority

The National Energy Conservation Policy Act

(NECPA), Pub. L. 95-619, amended the Energy

Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) to

add part C of title III (42 U.S.C. 6311-6317),

which established an energy conservation

program for certain industrial equipment

including WICF. In addition, section 312 of the

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

(EISA) (PDF 1.0 MB) amended section 342 of

EPCA by adding subsection 342(f)(3) (42

U.S.C. 6313(f)(3)), to establish

prescriptive requirements, mandated by

Congress, for walk-in coolers and walk-in

freezers with transparent reach-in doors

manufactured on or after January 1, 2009, as

set forth in EISA. Download Adobe Reader.

Frequently Asked Questions

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has

prepared answers to frequently asked

questions about the provisions in EISA related

to walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers.

Rulemakings in Progress

DOE is conducting concurrent, but separate,

rulemakings for WICF test procedures and

energy conservation standards.

Test Procedures Rulemaking

WICF test procedures rulemaking

Test Procedures Notice of Proposed

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Rulemaking (NOPR) (coming soon)

Energy Conservation Standard

Rulemaking

Walk-in coolers and freezers framework

document

Public Meetings and Meeting

Materials

Energy Conservation Standard

Framework Public Meeting

Contact Information

Charles Llenza

Project Manager

(202) 586-2192

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EERE Information Center

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Printable Version

Walk-in Coolers and Walk-In

Freezers Frequently Asked

Questions

This page presents the U.S. Department of

Energy's (DOE) answers to frequently asked

questions about the provisions in the Energy

Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA)

related to walk-in coolers and walk-in

freezers.

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of

1975 (EPCA) established an energy

conservation program for certain types of

commercial and industrial equipment. Title III

of EPCA sets forth a variety of provisions

designed to improve energy efficiency. EPCA

was amended by EISA, Public Law 110–140.

In particular, section 312(a) of EISA amends

section 340 of EPCA by adding new subsection

340(20) (42 U.S.C. 6311(20)), which defines

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. In

addition, section 312(b) of EISA amends

section 342 of EPCA by adding new subsection

342(f) (42 U.S.C. 6313(f)), which establishes

design standards for walk-in coolers and

walk-in freezers manufactured on or after

January 1, 2009.

General Questions:

Where can I find the text of this

legislation?

What types of equipment are covered by

the regulations in EISA for walk-in

coolers and walk-in freezers?

What is the difference between design

requirements and energy conservation

(or performance) standards?

When do these regulations take effect?

Who is responsible for monitoring

compliance with these regulations and

how are these regulations enforced?

Who is considered the equipment

manufacturer and who is responsible for

ensuring that the walk-in cooler or

walk-in freezer complies with the

regulations?

Do these regulations apply to

contractors who are repairing or

replacing components of existing

walk-in coolers or walk-in freezers?

If my product cannot meet the

requirements of EISA, can I apply for an

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exemption or waiver from DOE?

Whom should I contact for more

information about the EISA regulations

regarding walk-in coolers and walk-in

freezers?

Doors:

What are some acceptable methods of

minimizing infiltration?

The door has an arm-style door closer

mechanism that meets the requirement

for an automatic door closer, as defined

in section 342(f)(1)(A) of EPCA. Would

a door with this mechanism also meet

the requirement for a "method of

minimizing infiltration" described in

section 342(f)(1)(B)?

What are the insulation requirements for

doors?

If the door is glass or has a glass

window, is it still subject to the

insulation requirements?

Fan Motors:

What types of motors may be used in

evaporator and condenser fans? Are any

substitutions allowed?

Interior Lighting:

What are the efficacy (lumens per watt)

requirements for lighting inside a

walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer?

General Questions

Question: Where can I find the text of this

legislation?

Answer: The text of the legislation can be

found in EISA (PDF 1.0 MB) or by visiting

http://thomas.loc.gov/, entering "Energy

Independence and Security Act of 2007"

into the search box under "advanced

search", selecting the PDF version of

Public Law No. 110-140, and scrolling

down to section 312, "Walk-In Coolers and

Walk-In Freezers". Download Adobe

Reader.

Back to Top

Question: What types of equipment are

covered by the regulations in EISA for walk-in

coolers and walk-in freezers?

Answer: According to EISA, walk-in

coolers and walk-in freezers are enclosed

storage spaces that can be walked into,

with total chilled storage area of less than

3,000 square feet. A walk-in cooler is

refrigerated to above 32°F; a walk-in

freezer is cooled to 32°F or below. The

terms "walk-in cooler" and "walk-in

freezer" do not include products designed

and marketed exclusively for medical,

scientific, or research purposes. Any

product that meets the definition of

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"walk-in cooler" or "walk-in freezer" is

subject to the EISA requirements for

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers.

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Question: What is the difference between

design requirements and energy conservation

(or performance) standards?

Answer: Design requirements are specific

features that are required in the design of

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers (e.g.,

floor insulation of at least R-28 for walk-in

freezers). In section 312(b) of EISA 2007,

Congress mandated specific design

requirements for walk-in coolers and

walk-in freezers that took effect on

January 1, 2009. In contrast, energy

conservation (or performance) standards

for regulated equipment describe the

required level of performance (e.g.,

maximum kWh/year energy consumption)

and provide a manufacturer with discretion

in determining—among the many available

options—how best to meet that

performance level. Section 312(b) of EISA

also provides that performance standards

for walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers

will be established by DOE through a

rulemaking process and published no later

than January 1, 2012, with an effective

date three years from the date of

publication. Manufacturers of walk-in

coolers and walk-in freezers will be

required to meet both the design

requirements mandated by Congress in

EISA (by January 1, 2009) and the future

performance standards (once the

performance standards are effective).

Back to Top

Question: When do these regulations take

effect?

Answer: The design requirements

mandated by Congress in EISA took effect

on January 1, 2009, and apply to all

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers

manufactured on or after this date.

Performance standards will be established

by DOE through a rulemaking process and

published no later than January 1, 2012.

These standards will take effect three

years after publication and apply to all

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers

manufactured on or after that date.

Back to Top

Question: Who is responsible for monitoring

compliance with these regulations and how

are these regulations enforced?

Answer: DOE is responsible for enforcing

Federal energy standards, whether those

standards were developed through a DOE

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rulemaking or prescribed by Congress.

DOE establishes specific enforcement

regulations for each product covered by

these standards, which may require

manufacturers to file documents such as a

compliance statement and a certification

report. In a compliance statement, the

manufacturer certifies its products meet

the requirements. In a certification report,

the manufacturer provides product-specific

information, such as the model number,

energy consumption or efficiency, and

other model-specific information that

would enable DOE to determine which

product class and standard the product is

subject to and whether the product meets

the standard. However, DOE has not yet

finalized enforcement regulations for

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers. Until

DOE finalizes such regulations,

manufacturers will not be required to

report any data to DOE, but they must still

meet all prescribed standards that went

into effect on January 1, 2009. If there is a

question regarding compliance, DOE will

confirm with the manufacturer and the

manufacturer will have to demonstrate that

the product meets the standard.

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Question: Who is considered the equipment

manufacturer and who is responsible for

ensuring that the walk-in cooler or walk-in

freezer complies with the regulations?

Answer: EPCA provides that "[t]he term

'manufacture' means to manufacture,

produce, assemble or import." 42 U.S.C.

6291(10). Starting on January 1, 2009,

whoever manufactures these products

on-site needs to ensure that whatever

components are used in the construction

of a walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer

ultimately satisfy, as a whole unit, the

design requirements in EISA. Additionally,

on or after three years from the date of

publication of the energy conservation (or

performance) standards set by DOE,

whoever is manufacturing and/or

assembling these products on-site needs

to ensure that whatever components are

used in the construction of a walk-in

cooler or walk-in freezer ultimately satisfy,

as a whole unit, those performance

standards.

Back to Top

Question: Do these regulations apply to

contractors who are repairing or replacing

components of existing walk-in coolers or

walk-in freezers?

Answer: No, these regulations only apply

to walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers

manufactured on or after January 1, 2009.

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Back to Top

Question: If my product cannot meet the

requirements of EISA, can I apply for an

exemption or waiver from DOE?

Answer: There is no exemption or waiver

available from the design requirements

mandated by Congress.

Back to Top

Question: Whom should I contact for more

information about the EISA regulations

regarding walk-in coolers and walk-in

freezers?

Answer: The DOE point of contact for

walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers is:

Charles Llenza

Project Manager/Engineer

U.S. Department of Energy

(202) 586-2192 (telephone)

(202) 287-1590 (fax)

Back to Top

Doors

Question: What are some acceptable methods

of minimizing infiltration?

Answer: Section 342(f)(1)(B) of EPCA

states that a walk-in cooler or walk-in

freezer must have a "method of

minimizing infiltration when doors are

open", regardless of the size of the door.

Acceptable methods include, but are not

limited to, strip curtains, spring hinged

doors (also known as traffic doors or

impact doors), and air curtains.

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Question: The door has an arm-style door

closer mechanism that meets the requirement

for an automatic door closer, as defined in

section 342(f)(1)(A) of EPCA. Would a door

with this mechanism also meet the

requirement for a "method of minimizing

infiltration" described in section 342(f)(1)(B)?

Answer: Section 342(f)(1)(B) of EPCA

requires, for a door of any size, "strip

doors, spring hinged doors, or other

method of minimizing infiltration when

doors are open". Since the door described

in the question has a closing mechanism

similar to a spring hinge mechanism, it

complies with the requirements in this

section.

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Question: What are the insulation

requirements for doors?

Answer: Section 342(f)(1)(C) of EPCA

states that walk-in coolers and walk-in

freezers must contain door insulation of at

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least R-25 for coolers and R-32 for

freezers.

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Question: If the door is glass or has a glass

window, is it still subject to the insulation

requirements?

Answer: Section 342(f)(1)(C) of EPCA

states that the insulation requirements for

doors "shall not apply to glazed portions

of doors...". However, section 342(f)(3)

contains requirements for transparent

reach-in doors and windows in doors for

both walk-in coolers and walk-in freezers.

Section 342(f)(3)(A) states, "Transparent

reach-in doors for walk-in freezers and

windows in walk-in freezer doors shall be

of triple-pane glass with either

heat-reflective treated glass or gas fill."

Additionally, section 342(f)(3)(B) states,

"[t]ransparent reach-in doors for walk-in

coolers and windows in walk-in cooler

doors shall be — (i) double-pane glass

with heat-reflective treated glass and gas

fill; or (ii) triple-pane glass with either

heat-reflective treated glass or gas fill."

Back to Top

Fan Motors

Question: What types of motors may be used

in evaporator and condenser fans? Are any

substitutions allowed?

Answer: Sections 342(f)(1)(E) and (F) of

EPCA contain the following requirements

for fan motors: evaporator fan motors of

under 1 horsepower and less than 460

volts must be electronically commutated

motors (brushless direct current motors)

or 3-phase motors; condenser fan motors

of under 1 horsepower must be

electronically commutated motors,

permanent split capacitor-type motors, or

3-phase motors. Section 342(f)(2)(B)

provides that for evaporator fan motors

only, other types of motors may be used

"if the Secretary determines that, on

average, those other motors use no more

energy in evaporator fan applications than

electronically commutated motors."

Back to Top

Interior Lighting

Question: What are the efficacy (lumens per

watt) requirements for lighting inside a

walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer?

Answer: According to section 342(f)

(1)(G) of EPCA, interior light sources must

have an efficacy of 40 lumens per watt or

more, including ballast losses (if any).

Light sources with an efficacy of 40

lumens per watt or less, including ballast

losses (if any), are allowed if there is a

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timer or other device that turns off the

lights within 15 minutes of when the

walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer is not

occupied by people.

Back to Top

Printable Version

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