From 1 October 2001 it has been mandatory for air conditioners manufactured in or imported into Australia to meet the MEPS levels specified in the relevant Australian Standards.  When you buy and use an air conditioner which meets or exceeds these standards you can be sure you are not unnecessarily contributing to greenhouse emissions.

AREMA and the Equipment Energy Efficiency Committee (E3 Committee)
The committee was known as the MEPS Process Review Committee but was renamed when demand management and other areas were included in its terms of Reference.  The committee first met in Canberra on May 10 2006. The committee is chaired by Government and consists of industry representatives from AREMA (Steve Anderson), AEEMA, CESA, GAMAA, AIIA, the Commercial Building Association, Standards Australia and representatives of the Equipment Energy Efficiency Program.  The committee's role is to oversee future MEPS processes, insuring that relevant industry sectors are suitable involved. The committee is a result of the Department of Environment & Heritage's commitment to develop a more open and transparent MEPS process, which should provide for more effective industry consultation and greater certainty at an earlier stage in the process.  See the MEPS and Energy Labelling Regulatory Process Flowchart agreed to by the Committee

E3 Committee documents
Minutes of 10 August 2006 meeting which includes a copy of the committee's Terms of Reference.

A National Strategy to address Air Conditioner Peak Load - a paper commissioned by the committee.

A Strategy for improving the the energy efficiency of Non-Residential Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Systems - a paper commissioned by the committee.

 

Other MEPS Information

Press release by the Federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment & Heritage congratulating the industry on taking action to benefit consumers and the environment.  

Energy and MEPS ratings of air-conditioners - link to government appliance selector

What are the MEPS requirements - link to current requirements

There are substantial penalties for selling or offering to sell at the wholesale or retail level, appliances which are not labelled in accordance with the relevant Australian Standard or which do not meet MEPS requirements.  Click here for penalties as at August 2004.