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Every household in the state has a range of electrical appliances that are connected to the electrical supply and consume energy. These include items such as refrigerators, laundry products, air conditioners and hot water services. These appliances may be manufactured locally or interstate, or imported from overseas.
In South Australia the labelling of certain products to show their energy efficiency is controlled under the provisions of the Electrical Products Act 2000. The Office of the Technical Regulator is the regulating Authority responsible for the administration of this Act.
The Electrical Products Act 2000 specifies a list of proclaimed electrical appliances which must have an energy efficiency "star" label when displayed for sale. These appliances are clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers, single phase air conditioners, refrigerator and freezers. The displayed labels allow consumers to make comparisons between brands and models based on energy consumption.
Approval for the label is gained by supplying a test report to the Office of the Technical Regulator indicating energy efficiency rating in accordance with the applicable Australian energy efficiency standard.
The Electrical Products Act 2000 also specifies a list of proclaimed products that are required to comply with minimum energy performance standards (MEPS). Refrigerator / freezers, three phase air conditioners, three phase motors and hot water services must reach MEPS levels before they may be sold.
The product is registered with the Office of the Technical Regulator as complying with the MEPS level in the applicable Australian energy efficiency standard.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS OFFICE CATERS ONLY FOR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BASED SUBMITTERS
The equipment energy labeling program includes a range of activities, undertaken with the co-operation of industry, to promote the manufacture and purchase of energy efficient equipment.
Energy labeling is designed to make energy efficiency of a product a key issue in its selection.
Another program is the application of Minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) to products from the marketplace.
Further information about the categories of equipment, the energy label and MEPS may be obtained from http://www.energyrating.gov.au
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The Office of the Technical Regulator, South Australia (OTRSA) provides approval of energy labels and registration of MEPS for products manufactured in or imported through South Australia. These products may then be sold throughout Australia.
The OTRSA also conducts compliance audits of retail showrooms to ensure that equipment is registered and correctly labeled. Verification check-testing of products is also undertaken as part of a national program.
The Electrical Products Act 2000 and Regulations provide for the energy efficiency of electrical products. These Regulations set down the minimum acceptable level of energy performance for prescribed electrical appliances.
Reference is made to the relevant Australian Standards in the Regulations and on the energy label. These standards stipulate the testing methodology in Part 1, and include the test report form, the form of the energy label and application form in Part 2.
The relevant standards for energy labels are:
Clothes Dryers AS/NZS2442.1, AS/NZS2442.2
Clothes Washers AS/NZS2040.1, AS/NZS2040.2
Dishwashers AS/NZS2007.1, AS/NZS2007.2
Refrigerating Appliances AS/NZS4474.1, AS/NZS4474.2
Refrigerated Room Air Conditioners AS/NZS3823.1, AS/NZS3823.2
The relevant standards for MEPS are:
Ballasts for fluorescent lamps AS/NZS 4783.1, AS/NZS 4783.2
Distribution transformers AS/NZS 2374.1.2
Electric motors 3 phase AS/NZS 1359.5, AS/NZS 1359.102.3
Linear fluorescent lamps AS/NZS 4782.1, AS/NZS 4782.2
Refrigerating Air conditioners AS/NZS 3823.1, AS/NZS 3823.2
Refrigerating Appliances AS/NZS 4474.1, AS/NZS 4474.2
Refrigerated display cabinet AS/NZS 1731.14
Water heater AS/NZS 4692.1, AS/NZS 4692.2
Applications for registrations must be lodged on the national website, http://www.energyrating.gov.au.
Details and guidance are available on that website under the heading 'Registering a product'.
The supporting laboratory test report and a sample of the energy label, if applicable, must be submitted to the OTRSA.
A fee will be charged on completion of the application consisting of an application fee, an hourly charge for examination, and a registration fee. Details are:
Application fee $30
Hourly fee $80
Registration fee $40
A list of test laboratories is available.
Further Information may be obtained from:
Approvals Officer
telephone: (08) 8226 5530
facsimile: (08) 8226 5529
In recognition of the importance of conserving energy resources energy labelling was introduced in 1988 for the five major household appliances - air conditioners, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers and refrigerator / freezers. Energy labelling is a requirement of the Electrical Products Act 2000. The appliance is tested under Australian Standard conditions and its annual energy consumption and energy efficiency are recorded.
Prescribed electrical appliances in retail showrooms are required to display energy labels indicating their performance in terms of energy efficiency rating and annual energy consumption. This allows consumers to make companies between brands and models.
Minimum Energy Performance Standards
The Regulations under the Electrical Products Act 2000 include Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) as an additional responsibility of the Technical Regulator. These Regulations set down the minimum acceptable level of energy efficiency performance for prescribed electrical appliances. An appliance which consumes more energy than the MEPS level in the Standard is not permitted to be sold. Suppliers of prescribed appliances are required to register them as complying with MEPS.
A 3 phase ducted or non-ducted air-conditioner of a vapour compression type and with a cooling capacity of up to 65kW
A 3 phase electric motor with a capacity between 0.7kW and 185kW.
An electrical appliance intended or sold for domestic use (other than camping) which is a self-contained assembly consisting of a cabinet intended for the storage and preservation of foodstuffs at a temperature above 0° Celsius; and which has an electrically powered refrigerating unit operating at low voltage arranged to extract heat from within the cabinet.
An electrical appliance intended or sold for domestic use (other than camping) which is a self-contained assembly consisting of a cabinet intended for the storage and preservation of foodstuffs at a temperature below 0° Celsius; and which has an electrically powered refrigerating unit operating at low voltage arranged to extract heat from within the cabinet.
An electrical appliance intended or sold for domestic use (other than camping) which is a self-contained assembly consisting of 2 or more cabinets or a cabinet with 2 or more compartments -- one of which is intended for the storage and preservation of foodstuffs at a temperature above 0° Celsius and one of which is intended for the storage and preservation of foodstuffs at a temperature below 0° Celsius and which has an electrically powered refrigerating unit operating at low voltage arranged to extract heat from within the cabinet.
An electrical device for use with fluorescent lamps with a rated power from 15W to 70W.
Recognised Laboratories
Testing & Certification Australia (TCA)
14 Nelson Street
Chatswood NSW 2067
Tel: 02 9410 5110
Fax: 02 9415 1567
Manager: Mr John Diong
VIPAC Engineers & Scientists (VIPAC)
Victorian Technology Centre
275 Normanby Road
Port Melbourne Vic 3207
Tel: 03 9647 9739
Fax: 03 9646 4370
Manager: Dr Norm Broner
SGS Australia Pty Ltd (SGS)
73 Williams Road
Blackburn Vic 3130
Tel: 03 9875 9001
Fax: 03 9878 7077
Manager: Mr Andrew Gore
(whitegoods except air conditioners)
Australian Consumers Association
57 Carrington Road
Marrickville NSW 2204
Tel: 02 9577 3399
Fax: 02 9577 3355
Manager: Mr Alan Sharp
(whitegoods except air conditioners)
Unisearch Consulting & Research
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052
Tel: 02 9385 5555
Fax: 02 9662 4265
Manager: Mr Graham Morrison
(air conditioners only)
CalTest
PO Box 546
Port Elliot SA 5212
Tel: 08 8554 3096
Fax: 08 8554 1896
Mob: 0417 856 291
South Australia 5212
Contact: Mr Andrew Baghurst
Email: abaghurst@bigpond.com
(MEPS for 3 phase motors only)
Electricity