Refrigerated Display Cabinets :: Energy Technology List

1.1 Scope

Refrigerated display cabinets are products that are specifically designed to store and display for sale chilled and/or frozen foodstuffs in retail applications. There are many different designs of refrigerated display cabinets, but all enable the customer to view the foodstuff stored in the cabinet, either through an opening in the cabinet, or through a transparent door or lid.

Commercial beverage coolers are also in scope with this sub-technology. Beverage coolers are specifically designed to chill and store pre-packaged, non-perishable beverage products for sale to customers. Similarly, beverage coolers allow accessing the beverages directly through open sides or through one or more doors, drawers, or both.

1.2 Definitions

Refrigerated display cabinets are cooled by a refrigerating system which enables chilled and frozen foodstuffs placed within the display area to be maintained within prescribed temperature limits.

Refrigerated display cabinets are available in a range of different designs and efficiencies. The Energy Technology List (ETL) Scheme aims to encourage the purchase of higher efficiency products.

The ETL Scheme covers five categories of products.

The first four categories are based on the type of the refrigeration system used by the refrigerating appliance as below:

‘Plug in’/ integral refrigerated display cabinets with integral refrigeration systems (i.e. incorporating a compressor and condensing unit).
‘Remote’ refrigerated display cabinets that are designed to work with a non-integral refrigeration system (i.e. where the compressor and condenser, or all or parts of the refrigeration system are located at a different location from the cabinet).
‘Water loop’ refrigerated display cabinets that are designed to work with integral refrigeration systems where the condenser is partially or fully cooled by a closed water circuit, from which heat may be recovered for space heating or for pre-heating hot water systems. The closed water circuit may also be cooled by a water chiller.
‘Chilled air’ refrigerated display cabinets that are designed to work with a ducted air system served by a remote refrigeration system where the compressor, condenser, evaporator and all parts of the refrigeration system are located at a different location from the cabinet.

The fifth product category specifies commercial beverage coolers as a separate refrigerating appliance as defined by the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021:

Beverage coolers are designed to cool, at a specified speed, packaged non-perishable beverages, excluding wine, loaded at ambient temperature, for sale at specified temperatures below the ambient temperature. Beverage coolers are not considered supermarket cabinets.

To be eligible for inclusion on the ETL, products shall meet the requirements as set out below.

1.3 Requirements

1.3.1 Eligibility requirements

To be eligible, products shall:

Be designed to display chilled and/or frozen foodstuffs, whilst maintaining them within prescribed temperature limits.
Conform to one of the temperature classifications in Table 1.1 when tested to BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 in climate class III (25°C, 60% RH). Commercial beverage coolers shall conform to one of the temperature classifications in Table 1.2 when tested to BS EN ISO 22044:2022 in climate class III (25°C, 60% RH).
Be classified in accordance with the precise 5-digit classification system set out in Annex A of BS EN ISO 23953-1:2015. Commercial beverage coolers shall be classified in accordance with the precise classification system set out in Annex A of BS EN ISO 22044:2022.
Have a refrigerant with a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of ≤150
Have an appropriate Conformity Assessment mark.

Water loop refrigerated display cabinets designed for use with a dry air cooler with variable chilled water flow temperatures, are not eligible.

Table 1.1 Classification according to temperature

Class	Highest temperature θ_ah of the warmest M-package colder than or equal to (°C)	Lowest temperature θ_b of the coldest M-package warmer than or equal to (°C)	Lowest temperature θ_al of the warmest M-package colder than or equal to (°C)
L1	-15	-	-18
L2	-12	-	-18
L3	-12	-	-15
M0	+4	-1	-
M1	+5	-1	-
M2	+7	-1	-
H1	+10	+1	-
H2	+10	-1	-

Table 1.2 Classification according to temperature for commercial beverage coolers

Class	Highest temperature θ_ah of the warmest M-can colder than or equal to (°C)	Lowest temperature θ_b of the coldest M-can warmer than or equal to (°C)	Average temperature colder than or equal to (°C)
K₁	+7.0	0.0	+3.5
K₂	+6.0	-1.0	+2.5
K₃	+1.0	-3.5	-1.0
K₄	+9.0	+1.0	+5.0

All commercial beverage cooler classes are as described in BS EN ISO 22044:2022, where the M-can temperature classes shall be measured with an accuracy of ±0.8°C.

1.3.2 Performance requirements

Products (with the exception of chilled air cabinets) shall have an Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) that is less than the (%) threshold shown in Table 1.3 and Table 1.4 for the relevant temperature class for refrigerated display cabinets and beverage coolers, respectively.

Table 1.3 Performance thresholds for refrigerated display cabinets

	EEI performance thresholds (%)
Temperature Class	T - class	EEI (%)	Class
	L1	<35	C
	L2	<50	D
	L3	<50	D
	M0	<30	C [1]
	M1	<35	C
	M2	<35	C
	H1	<35	C
	H2	<50	D

"<" means "less than"

Table 1.4 Performance thresholds for beverage coolers

	EEI performance thresholds (%)
Temperature Class	T - class	EEI (%)	Class
	K₁	<50	D
	K₂	<50	D
	K₃	<50	D
	K₄	<35	C

"<" means "less than"

Where the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) means an index number for the relative energy efficiency of a product expressed in percentage and calculated as defined by the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Ecodesign Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2024.

Chilled air cabinets [2] shall have an Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) that is less than, or equal to, the threshold shown in Table 1.5 for the relevant temperature class and type of cabinet.

Table 1.5 Performance thresholds for chilled air cabinets

		EEI performance thresholds (kWh/day/m²)
		Geometry/configuration
		Horizontal	Vertical
Temperature Class	L1	≤ 10.00	≤ 11.50
	L2	≤ 8.50	≤ 11.00
	L3	≤ 8.00	≤ 11.00
	M0	≤ 6.00	≤ 7.50
	M1	≤ 5.00	≤ 6.00
	M2	≤ 4.50	≤ 5.50
	H1	≤ 4.00	≤ 5.00
	H2	≤ 4.00	≤ 5.00

"≤" means "less than or equal to"

Where the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) is defined as the ratio of the product’s Total Energy Consumption (TEC) to Total Display Area (TDA) and where the geometry/configuration of the cabinet refers to the designation under the classification system in BS EN ISO 23953-1:2015 Annex A, as follows:

Vertical (V) cabinets comprise:
– VC1 to VC4, VF1, VF2 and VF4, YC1 to YC4, YF1 to YF4, and YM5 to YM8 units.
Horizontal (H) cabinets comprise:
– HC1 to HC8, HF1 and HF3 to HF7 units.

1.4 Measurement and Calculations

1.4.1 Measurement standards

The following standards shall be used to determine product performance:

BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 ‘Refrigerated display cabinets – Part 2: Classification, requirements and test conditions’
BS EN ISO 22044:2022 ‘Commercial beverage coolers. Classification, requirements and test conditions’

Please note that performance data obtained in accordance with the procedures and standard rating conditions laid down in BS EN ISO 23953-2:2005+A1:2012 will be accepted as an alternative to testing in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 until further notice. For products with glass that have been tested in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2005+A1:2012, performance data will only be accepted if the Total Display Area (TDA) is recalculated in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015.

For products listed on the Energy Technology prior to 1 January 2019, performance data obtained in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2005 will also be accepted as an alternative to testing in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015. Similarly, if these products contain glass, the TDA shall be recalculated in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015.

1.4.2 Performance metrics

The Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) shall be calculated using the equation below as defined by the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Ecodesign Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2024:

$$EEI=AE/SAE$$

Where:

AE (annual energy consumption) is the average daily energy consumption multiplied by 365 (days per year) expressed in kilowatt hour per year (kWh/a) as follows:

$$AE=365 x E daily$$

E daily is the energy consumption of the appliance over 24 hours expressed in kWh/24h.

SAE (standard annual energy consumption) means the reference annual energy consumption of a product expressed in kilowatt hour per year (kWh/a) as follows [3]:

$$SAE=365 x P x (M+N x Y) x C$$

For refrigerated display cabinets, coefficient Y is the sum of the TDA of all compartments of the same temperature class of the product expressed in square metres (m²).

For beverage coolers, coefficient Y is the equivalent volume of the compartments of the beverage cooler with target temperature Tc i.e., the average compartment temperature. The temperature classes and their corresponding Tc values are outlined in the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Ecodesign Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2024.

For water loop cabinets, the total daily energy consumption shall be the sum of the direct cabinet consumption (DEC) including compressor energy consumption, the pumping daily energy consumption (CPEC) for the water circuit and the refrigeration energy consumption (REC_RI) for a remote indirect refrigerating system. The REC_RI is used to approximate the energy consumption associated with cooling the chilled water circuit when free cooling or heat recovery for space or hot water heating is not feasible. The DEC, CPEC and REC_RI for water loop cabinets shall be calculated in accordance with BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 Section 5.3.5.3 and Section 5.3.6.3.3.

For chilled air cabinets, the Energy Efficiency Index (EEI) shall be calculated using the equation below:

$$EEI=\frac{Total\ energy\ consumption\ (TEC)}{Total\ display\ area\ (TDA)}$$

Where:

TEC shall be calculated in accordance with the calculation methodology described in the air-cooled cases testing procedure and calculation method document available from: https://www.rdandt.co.uk/news/aircooled
TDA is the total display area of the product in m² calculated according to BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 Annex A.

1.4.3 Test Requirements

All cabinets shall be tested in a test room conforming to BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 and BS EN ISO 22044:2022 for commercial beverage coolers.

During testing, the cabinet shall comply with the conditions defined in BS EN ISO 239532:2015 with the following specifications:

Section 5.3.2.7.1 – Lighting – section (b).
Section 5.3.2.7.2 – Night covers – Test data shall not include results from testing with night blinds.
Section 5.3.6 - Heat extraction rate measurement when condensing unit is remote from cabinet shall be calculated according to section 5.3.6.3.1 and 5.3.6.3.2 method Ø24-deft.

Water loop cabinets shall be tested in accordance with the method described in BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 for remote indirect refrigerating systems. In addition to the specifications listed above, the inlet chilled water flow temperature shall be set at 20°C. A tolerance of ±1°C shall be allowed for the inlet chilled water flow temperature.

Chilled air cabinets shall be tested in accordance with the methodology set out in the air-cooled cases testing procedure and calculation method document available from: https://www.rdandt.co.uk/news/aircooled.

During testing of commercial beverage coolers, the cabinet shall comply with the conditions defined in BS EN ISO 22044:2022 with the following specifications:

Section 6.3.8 – Lighting and night covers – follow the procedure described in Figures 26 and 27 for commercial beverage coolers with lighting and night covers. Test data shall not include results from testing with night blinds.

Products that use refrigerant blends consisting of a mixture of two or more component refrigerants may exhibit temperature glide, where the refrigerant evaporates and condenses over a temperature range at constant pressure. For these products, the evaporating temperature shall be the mid-point temperature of the evaporating temperature range.

Hybrid water loop cabinets which are also able to operate as air-cooled integral cabinets shall be tested in both air-cooled and water-cooled modes. The total daily energy consumption for hybrid water loop cabinets shall be calculated as the average of the total daily energy consumption in air-cooled mode and the total daily energy consumption in water-cooled mode.

The test report shall be prepared in accordance with the specification set out in BS EN ISO 23953-2:2015 and in BS EN ISO 22044:2022 for commercial beverage coolers.

1.4.4 Rounding

For the avoidance of doubt, M-package temperatures should be rounded to the nearest integer value (where 0.5 should be rounded up). M-can temperatures for commercial beverage coolers should be rounded to one decimal place. Similarly, the EEI expressed in % should be rounded to one decimal place. As an example, a M0 cabinet with an EEI of 30.1% would be deemed to not meet the performance requirements.

Other test data should be presented as defined by the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Ecodesign Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2024:

The AE and SAE should be rounded to two decimal places
E daily should be rounded to three decimal places

The EEI of chilled air cabinets should be presented to two decimal places. As an example, a vertical M0 cabinet with an EEI performance threshold of 7.51 would be deemed to not meet the performance requirements.

1.5 Verification for ETL Listing

Any of the following testing routes may be used to demonstrate the conformity of products against the requirements:

In-house testing – Self-certified
In-house testing – Self-tested and verified or cross-checked by an independent body (for all categories except for water loop refrigerated display cabinets)
Witnessed testing
Independent testing
Representative testing (see clause 1.5.1 below)

Further information regarding the first three routes can be found in the ETL Testing Framework.

1.5.1 Representative testing

Where applications are being made for two or more cabinet models that are variants of the same basic design, test data may be submitted for a single ‘representative model’ provided that all variants have the same precise 5-digit classification according to Annex A of BS EN ISO 23953-1:2015. For commercial beverage coolers, all variants shall have the same precise classification according to Annex A of BS EN ISO 22044:2022. The rules in Table 1.6 shall be used to select the representative model that should be performance tested.

Table 1.6 Rules for selecting the representative model for performance testing

Variation between models	Selection rule
Cosmetic differences to the exterior	Any model may be selected to be the representative model.
Heaters (door, trim etc.), fans, defrosts, lighting and other accessories	The model with the greatest direct electrical energy consumption (DEC) shall be the representative model.
Temperature level	The model with the lowest temperature setting shall be the representative model.
Length	Any model may be selected to be the representative model. All variants shall have a length that is within ±50% of the representative model length.
Type of doors	Where some variants have sliding doors and some have hinged doors, the representative model should be equipped with hinged doors.
Cabinet depth	The model with the greatest cabinet depth shall be the representative model.
Shelves	The model with the lowest number of shelves shall be the representative model.
Front-opening height (throat):	The model with the largest front-opening height (throat) shall be the representative model.
Two or more of the above variations	The rules set out above shall be combined when selecting the representative model

It should be noted that:

If a manufacturer voluntarily removes the representative model from the ETL then other products linked with that representative model may or may not be permitted to remain on the ETL.
If any product submitted under these representative model rules is later found not to meet the performance criteria when independently tested, then all products based on the same representative model will be removed from the ETL.

1.6 Conformity testing

Products listed on the ETL may be subject to the scheme’s conformity testing programme in order to ensure listed models continue to meet the ETL requirements.

1.7 Review

1.7.1 Indicative review date

This specification is scheduled to be reviewed during the 2025/26 review cycle.

1.7.2 Illustrative future direction of the requirements

The next technical review will consider in light of technological progress the impact from any revisions to the UK Ecodesign regulation which may include the levels of EEI requirements, modifications to the EEI formula or further segmentation of the product categories.

EEI performance thresholds will be reviewed to ensure that the ETL specification captures the upper quartile of products on the market.

The next technical review should also review the latest developments resulting from the standard BS EN ISO 23953-1:2015 which is currently being updated. One of those points is likely to be the inlet water temperature for the water loop test is to be changed from 20°C to 30°C.

[1] The EEI performance threshold (%) for M0 cabinets (as specified at <30) does not cover the full Energy Efficiency Class C (i.e., 20≤EEI<35) as defined by the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Energy Labelling Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2018. Therefore, class C MO cabinets with EEI >30 are not eligible for the ETL.

[2] Chilled air cabinets that are designed to work with a ducted air system are excluded from the scope of the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Ecodesign Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2024. Therefore, the Energy Efficiency Index calculation remains EEI=TEC/TDA.

[3] If the appliance has more than one compartment with different temperature classes, please refer to the Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 and the Ecodesign Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/2024. The formula in this document relates to cabinets where all compartments have the same temperature class.

Refrigerated Display Cabinets