[Skip to Content]

Air Conditioning, Room

Last Updated: 02/25/24 Click to see brand name products that meet these requirementsopens in new window
Air Conditioning, Room

Equipment that cools enclosed spaces in households and commercial industries ―includes room air conditioning such as window units, packaged terminal air conditioners (PTAC), and portable air conditioners; central air conditioners (i.e., ducted); non-ducted systems (both mini and multi splits); packaged rooftop units; and other products. Residential and light commercial air conditioning and heat pumps are often distinguished from chillers by the fact that they condition the air directly, rather than cool (or heat) water that is then used to condition air.

Product Details
  • asterisk Federal agencies are required by statute to purchase products as designated or specified under this program.
    asterisk asterisk Federal agencies are required to purchase sustainable products and services meeting EPA’s Recommendations to the maximum extent practicable.
Procurement Info

Where to Buy

Life Cycle Cost Savings

Life Cycle Costing (LCC) aims to quantify the financial impact of a product over its entire life cycle to assist consumers in making decisions that will save them money over the long term.

An efficient product is cost effective when the energy costs saved over the life of the product exceed the additional upfront cost (if any) of the more efficient model. Energy Star considers both upfront costs and lifetime energy cost savings when setting required efficiency levels. Federal purchasers can assume that Energy Star-qualified products are life-cycle cost effective.

To calculate life cycle cost savings, explore these tools:

  • For life cycling costing on specific brand-name products, visit SFTool Product Search by clicking the green box at the top of this page. Once you have created an account, add a product to a project and open the project. The tool displays energy cost savings, adjusting for local utility rates, operating conditions, and the purchase price.
  • NREL’s Levelized Cost of Energy Calculatoropens in new window can help estimate the cost of electricity as an input for your lifecycle cost calculations, accounting for both cost escalation and discount rates.
Guiding Principles
Contributes to meeting The Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings
Additional Guidance

The ENERGY STAR Most Efficientopens in new window program identifies the most efficient products among those that qualify for the ENERGY STAR in particular product categories. Product categories were selected and recognition criteria were established to ensure that products that receive this recognition demonstrate efficiency performance that is truly exceptional, inspirational, or leading edge.

Substitutes for ozone-depleting chemicals, as identified under the SNAP program, may be purchased with the product itself or separately. In either case, federal agencies must procure and substitute safe alternatives for ozone-depleting substances to the maximum extent practicable.

Related Workspaces Head to the explore section of SFTool to view related workspaces