ASEAN

United for Efficiency supports the ten ASEAN member countries to advance policies, strategies and actions for the phase-out of inefficient air conditioners, refrigerators and lighting. Emphasis is on an integrated policy approach so that a transition can be sustained by the regional market without continued external support or resources.

United for Efficiency works in partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) to coordinate, and maximise the effectiveness of, the activities in the region.

For updates on the ASEAN Cool activities in Malaysia and Singapore – refer to the Malaysia country page and Singapore country page.

PROJECT DETAILS

AIR CONDITIONERS

Since 2020, U4E, has been working with ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) and ASEAN member states to help establish a regional, and national, roadmap for air conditioners and to work towards harmonized testing standards and energy efficiency levels.

Main Components

Technical documents recommending adoption of common evaluation method of air conditioners by ASEAN Member States
Update ASEAN Regional Policy Roadmap on Air Conditioners
Update National Policy Roadmap on Promotion of Higher Efficiency Room Air Conditioners of ASEAN Member States
Provide technical recommendations on adoption of harmonized evaluation standards

ASEAN Cool Initiative

In 2023, the ASEAN Cool Initiative was established to accelerate the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Policy Roadmap for Energy Efficient Room Air Conditioners by providing technical assistance and capacity building on Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and labels in the region. Supported by funding from the Clean Cooling Collaborative, it will be implemented by ACE across the region, with support from U4E, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the International Institute for Energy, Conservation (IIEC).

Across the ASEAN region, the project will accelerate the adoption of the ASEAN regional roadmap on air conditioners to enable countries to go straight to the more ambitious Regional Phase II levels. This will involve:

Undertaking data collection on products in the market and a technical analysis for the government on updating regulations.
Developing stringent regulations, including MEPS and refrigerant requirements on room air conditioners which will create a mandatory floor for the products entering the market.
Supporting governments on stakeholder engagement and consultations.
Conducting an analysis to demonstrate the positive impact of the proposed MEPS levels, low global warming potential refrigerants, and labels.
Awareness raising with local SME manufacturers, assemblers, suppliers.
Updating the regional policy roadmap to cover all air conditioners with cooling capacities up to 4.5 kW.
Updating the regional analysis which will be used for a policymaker awareness raising campaign on the benefits of the updates MEPS levels.
Organization of regional meetings and awareness raising, as well as stocktaking on agreed MEPS levels.

NATIONAL LIGHTING ROADMAPS

Main Components

Development of national energy-efficiency lighting roadmaps including a holistic approach for an entire market transformation for each of the ASEAN member countries, taking into account the existing regional lighting roadmap
Delivery of technical recommendations on the implementation of the national lighting roadmaps
Training of stakeholders on setting effective lighting regulations

PRODUCT REGISTRATION SYSTEMS (PRS)

Main Components

Inform and guide policymakers on the options of harmonizing PRS activities in the ten countries of the region
Development of a prototype PRS system for application in countries without PRS within and beyond ASEAN
Development of a regional product registration database that connects all countries in the region and that enables a regional monitoring on energy-efficiency
Training of stakeholders on the use, application and benefits of the regional database and PRS in general