AHRI broadens certification programme
21st May 2021
USA: The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is to extend its range of test conditions to enable greater global energy efficiency.
The extension of test conditions in certain of its globally recognised certification programmes are intended to suit varying global environmental conditions, while to aligning itself with local, regional, and international regulations.
In addition to the standard T1 test conditions (35°C outdoor dry-bulb), AHRI has been introducing the T3 test conditions (46°C outdoor dry-bulb) and T4-Kuwait (48°C) with operability tests at 52°C for a large range of “tropical” air conditioning products in the high ambient temperature (HAT) countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
With T3 ratings already available for applied products such as air-cooled and water-cooled chillers, and in direct expansion products such as ducted split systems, packaged rooftop units in both residential and commercial segments, and inverter-type residential units, AHRI continues to expand the T3 ratings to other products, such as VRF.
The initiative’s first part is to help AHRI’s GCC, Asian, European, and American members and programme participants certify their tropical high ambient products to T3 test conditions through simplified mechanisms and processes. The second part involves AHRI’s outreach to regional regulators and authorities informing them about their ability to ensure compliance to T3 conditions if they wish to do so.
“We are confident that this dual approach directly supports the important value proposition of achieving governmental energy efficiency goals and regulatory/policy initiatives, while providing a wider range of quality equipment to the residential and commercial sectors in HAT regions,” said AHRI MENA MD Khalil Issa.
AHRI Certified products and equipment have provided performance assurance for more than 60 years across 40 programmes and with more than 1,100 certified licensees around the world.
