Efficiency of electrical appliances
Energy labelling of domestic electrical whitegoods and air-conditioners is mandatory in most States and Territories.
Each State and Territory in Australia is responsible for administering its own legislation and regulations.
All States and Territories have similar requirements for energy labelling. An appliance registered in one State is recognised in all States and Territories.
However, not all States register all appliance categories. Queensland, NSW, South Australia and Victoria are the only States that register all the prescribed categories of domestic appliances at the present time.
EnergySafety is the regulatory body which administers the energy labelling program in Western Australia.
The Electricity Regulations 1947 requires all new domestic appliances of the required categories sold to have the energy label registered and clearly displayed on the article.
The Energy Labelling Program applies to the following categories of domestic appliances designed or intended to be sold for domestic use:
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Clothes washers
- Clothes dryers
- Dishwashers
- Air-conditioners up to 7.5 kW output
More information is available from the Australian Greenhouse Office's Energy Rating website.
Manufacturers' and importers' responsibilities
To apply for an energy rating, a test report must be submitted from a recognised laboratory. Manufacturers or importers may have their units tested by an independent laboratory in Australia (see Test Laboratories below).
The test report is submitted by the applicant with the completed application form, a sample of the Energy Rating Label and the prescribed fee, to the State regulator providing the registration service.
Once approval has been granted, the manufacturer or importer must arrange for Energy Rating Labels to be attached to the appliances. They must also provide replacement labels to retailers who require them.
Recognised test laboratories in Australia
- * SGS - Telephone: (03) 9875 9001
- * UNISEARCH - Telephone: (02) 9385 5555
- * VIPAC - Telephone: (03) 9647 9739
- * ACA - Telephone: (02) 9577 3399
- * TCA - Telephone: (02) 9410 5111
- * University of South Australia - Telephone: (08) 8302 3565
Standards
The Australian New Zealand Standards for appliance energy efficiency labelling purposes are:
- for refrigerator and freezers
- AS 1430
- AS 2575.1
- AS 2575.2
- AS/NZS 4474.1
- AS/NZS 4474.2
- for dishwashers
- AS/NZS 2007
- for clothes washers
- AS/NZS 2040
- for refrigerated room air-conditioners
- AS 1861.1
- for clothes dryers
- AS/NZS 2442:1981
Reference is made to these Standards on the Energy Rating Labels.
The Standards play a key role in the determination of the performance of each appliance and stipulate the testing methodology and minimum performance requirements for appliance groups.
The Standards are available from Standards Australia.
Application procedures
Application forms
There is an application form for each type of domestic appliance. These are available through the relevant regulators such as Electrical Safety Office (Queensland), Energy Safe Victoria (Victoria), Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability (New South Wales) and Office of the Technical Regulator (South Australia).
Contact the relevant regulator for an application form.
Test reports
The test report submitted with an application must be from a recognised laboratory. The testing must have been carried out within three years of the application date.
Energy Rating Labels
An Energy Rating Label or suitable facsimile must be submitted with each application.
Application fees
Application fees are charged by the registering regulator.