The East African Community (EAC) has reached a significant milestone in advancing energy efficiency and sustainable cooling by officially gazetting the EAC regionally harmonised Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and labelling requirements for room air conditioners and residential refrigerators. This landmark decision was endorsed by the East African Standards Committee (EASC) through its Standards Management Committee (SMC) on 26 March 2025 and gazetted by the EAC Council of Ministers on 02 July 2025. 

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The approval follows a rigorous regional harmonisation process involving six EAC Partner States: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. It marks a major step toward strengthening intra-regional collaboration for sustainable energy policies and a shared commitment to energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling solutions. 

“The EAC region is still faced with a challenge of damping inefficient and low-quality residential refrigerators and room air conditioners due to gaps in policy and regulations development and implementation. Great thanks to the EAC Secretariat and Partner States for gazetting the EAC regional MEPS for residential refrigerators and room air conditioners. The EAC Partner States are mandated to adopt the regionally harmonised standards and labels within six months following the “principles and procedures for the development of East African Standards”. This is a great milestone for the EAC region in the transformation of the energy efficiency market. We hope the market will respond positively to the provisions in the MEPS and labels documents. We implore the EAC Partner States to adopt and enforce the harmonised MEPS and labels to improve energy efficiency and lower energy costs” – Denis Ariho, EACREEE.

A Regional Collaboration for Sustainable Cooling

The harmonisation process began in 2020, in parallel with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as part of a broader effort to align technical standards across East and Southern Africa. It was informed by a joint market assessment covering 21 countries, as well as the development of technical notes that guided MEPS, labelling, and refrigerant requirements. These were subjected to multiple rounds of technical reviews and extensive stakeholder consultations before final approval. 

This initiative is a key outcome of the joint EAC-SADC Regional Harmonization of Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Cooling in East and Southern Africa Project, which established a strong policy framework to accelerate the transition to sustainable cooling across both regions. The EAC regional implementation was supported by UNEP’s United for Efficiency  (U4E), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory  (LBNL), the East African Centre of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Efficiency(EACREEE), the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the Energy Efficient Lighting and Appliances (EELA) Project in East and Southern Africa, with funding from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the United Kingdom’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs  (DEFRA),  and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). 

“The approval of regionally harmonised MEPS for room air conditioners and refrigerators is a landmark achievement for the East African Community,” said Patrick Blake, Programme Manager, UNEP-U4E. “It reflects years of dedicated collaboration and signals a unified commitment to energy-efficient and climate-friendly cooling solutions. It is aligned with the  Global Cooling Pledge commitment to establish MEPS by 2030. Once implemented, these standards are expected to save 3.7 TWh of electricity annually by 2040, avoid 2.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce electricity bills by approximately USD 618.9 million.”

“The adoption of harmonised MEPS by the East African Community demonstrates the power of coordinated action to accelerate sustainable energy transitions. Through the Energy Efficient for Livelihoods in Africa (EELA) project, and other regional harmonisation efforts, we’ve seen how technical alignment can unlock regional markets, attract investment, and contribute meaningfully to both climate action and economic resilience.”
— Valeria Arroyave Cardozo, Project Manager, UNIDO

Specifications for Air Conditioners and Refrigerators

The gazetted MEPS define comprehensive performance and environmental criteria: 

• Air Conditioners: MEPS cover non-ducted single-split, self-contained air-cooled air conditioners, air-to-air reversible heat pumps, and portable air conditioners with rated cooling outputs up to 16 kW. The efficiency metrics include Cooling Seasonal Performance Factor (CSPF), Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER), Coefficient of Performance (COP), and Annual Performance Factor (APF). The standards promote refrigerants with a low global warming potential (GWP ≤ 750 for ductless split ACs and GWP ≤ 150 for self-contained and portable ACs) with an ozone depletion potential (ODP) of zero. 

• Refrigeration Appliances: The MEPS cover AC-powered single-phase and three-phase vapour compression refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers, and freezers with a rated volume between 10 L and 1,500 L. Refrigerant requirements include GWP ≤ 20 and ODP of zero. 

The MEPS implementation will follow a two-phased approach: 

1. Phase 1 (2025): Introduction of less ambitious requirements.  

1. Phase 2 (2027): Implementation of more stringent performance requirements. 

Development Process and Approval Timeline

The standards were developed in accordance with the EAC Principles and Procedures for the Development of East African Standards, under the guidance of EASC/TC039 (Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy), with Uganda serving as Secretariat. Initiated in November 2022, the process involved technical drafting, regional reviews, and consultations with national and regional stakeholders, culminating in formal gazetting in July 2025.  

“Uganda is proud to have led the regional efforts as the Secretariat of the EASC/TC039, Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy, responsible for the development and harmonisation of the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for room air conditioners and residential refrigerators. This milestone reflects the collective dedication of EAC Partner States towards enhancing energy efficiency, lowering electricity demand, and supporting the transition to environmentally sustainable cooling technologies. The harmonised standards are a testament to what we can achieve through strong regional cooperation and technical collaboration.

“As we move forward, these standards will not only improve the quality and performance of appliances across the region but will also empower consumers to make informed, energy-conscious choices. Uganda reaffirms its commitment to advancing regional energy efficiency policies that align with climate action goals and economic development. We thank our partners (UNEP, UNIDO and EACREEE) for their unwavering support and look forward to continued collaboration in implementing these standards across the EAC.” – Joard Mubatsi, EACS Secretariate (Uganda)

Towards a Sustainable Future

The approval of harmonised MEPS represents a transformative step in East Africa’s energy transition. By establishing clear and enforceable efficiency thresholds, the region is expected to reduce electricity demand, cut greenhouse gas emissions, protect consumers from inefficient products, and contribute to achieving SDG 7 and the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. 

For more information on the Regional Harmonization of Energy-Efficient and Climate-Friendly Cooling in East and Southern Africa Project, please visit the EAC/SADC page.