Energy test procedures for appliances

An energy test procedure is the technical foundation for all energy efficiency standards. It provides manufacturers, regulatory authorities, and consumers a way of consistently evaluating energy use. The ideal test procedure reflects actual usage conditions without compromising reliability and cost-effectiveness. Unfortunately, because these goals are contradictory, every test procedure is a compromise. Energy test procedures exist for a wide range of appliances and often each country has its own unique test procedure. The procedures for refrigerators, furnaces, air conditioners, clothes washers, and other appliances are described and compared. The emergence of microprocessor controls complicates developing specifications for a single operating schedule and simple comparisons of energy performance. Energy test procedures will face unprecedented pressures in the next decade as a consequence of international economic integration and technical innovations.