Air conditioner energy label: SEER and SCOP

Which label your unit has

Delegated Regulation (EU) No 626/2011 defines two kinds of label: a seasonal one for split and other fixed units, and a single-point one for portable single-duct and for double-duct units.

It covers mains-powered units up to 12 kW. Both labels run from A+++ to D, but on different thresholds. The Commission is preparing a revised label on an A to G scale; until it applies, this label remains valid.

The split unit label, item by item

The efficiency and consumption values on the split label come from a calculation over a standard European season, not from a single measurement.

Split and fixed unit label
Item	What it tells you
SEER and cooling class (blue fan)	Seasonal energy efficiency ratio: cooling delivered per unit of electricity over a cooling season. A+++ starts at 8.50.
SCOP and heating class (red fan)	The same for heating. The average climate is mandatory; warmer and colder show ‘X’ if not declared. A+++ starts at 5.10.
Design load, kW	Cooling: the capacity at 35 °C outside. Heating: the load the unit is rated to cover at each climate’s design temperature.
Annual energy consumption, kWh/annum	One figure for cooling and one per declared heating climate.
Sound power, indoor and outdoor, dB(A)	Noise of each unit at standard rating conditions.
Map of Europe	Three indicative heating seasons; colour squares link each SCOP and kWh column to its climate.

Energy classes of all registered models

A+++ 11% A++ 66% A+ A 15% B C D

A+++: 11% · A++: 66% · A+: 7% · A: 15% · B: 1% · C: 0% · D: 0%

How SEER, SCOP and yearly kWh are calculated

The yearly kWh is the design load times a fixed number of full-load hours, divided by the seasonal efficiency, plus electricity for standby and other low-power modes.

Cooling: 350 equivalent full-load hours, indoor 27 °C, design outdoor temperature 35 °C.
Heating: indoor 20 °C; design outdoor temperature −10 °C (average), +2 °C (warmer) and −22 °C (colder); 1,400 full-load hours in the average and warmer climates, 2,100 in the colder one.

Efficiency is determined at several outdoor temperatures at part load, weighted by how often each temperature occurs, including on/off cycling losses and any electric back-up heating. A 3.5 kW unit with SEER 7.0 thus comes to 3.5 × 350 ÷ 7.0 = 175 kWh of cooling, plus a little for the low-power modes.

On our air conditioner pages the yearly cost and the rankings use seasonal cooling, which every unit has; for units that also heat, heating in the average climate is shown on top; the best cooling efficiency ranking sorts by SEER.

The portable unit label

A portable single-duct unit shows EER, an energy class, cooling capacity in kW, consumption in kWh per 60 minutes and indoor sound power, all taken at one fixed test point.

The test point for single-duct units is 35 °C both in the room and outside; double-duct units are rated at 27 °C indoors and 35 °C outdoors. Classes follow the rated EER, with A+++ from 4.10. With no seasonal figure on the label, we assume 350 cooling hours a year.

What the label leaves out

The label describes the unit under reference conditions, not in your home.

Quiet modes. Noise is stated at standard rating conditions; night or minimum settings are not on the label. The quietest models list ranks by indoor sound power.
Refrigerant. Type and global warming potential are in the product information sheet in EPREL.
Other combinations. The printed label covers at least one indoor and outdoor pairing; others may be documented only online.
Your climate and building. Hot summers, poor insulation or a wrong size change real running hours. The buying guide helps with sizing; the general label guide explains the scales.

Questions

What is the difference between SEER and EER?

EER is the cooling output divided by electricity input at one test condition. SEER combines efficiencies at several outdoor temperatures and part loads over a whole cooling season. Split units are labelled by SEER, portable units by EER.

Which climate zone on the label applies to me?

The three heating climates are reference seasons with design temperatures of +2 °C (warmer), −10 °C (average) and −22 °C (colder). Choose the one closest to your coldest winter weather.

Why are two noise values shown?

A split system has an indoor and an outdoor unit, and each is stated as sound power in dB(A). The indoor value matters for bedrooms, the outdoor value for neighbours and balconies.

Is an A+++ portable unit as efficient as an A+++ split unit?

The letters cannot be compared. Portable units are classed by EER at a single test point, split units by seasonal SEER, each on its own thresholds. Compare the electricity each needs for the cooling you expect.

How to read the energy label on an air conditioner