China's first national mandatory energy efficiency standard for multi-connected air conditioners will be executed since September 1, 2008. Meanwhile, another standard for home air conditioners' energy saving standard will be published soon which is said to raise the energy efficiency threshold to 3.0, which will eliminate thousands of home air conditioners.

To coordinate with "Energy Conservation Law of the PRC", the Standardization Administration of the China has formulated 46 national standards. Among them, "The Minimum Allowable Values of the IPLV and Energy Efficiency Grades for Multi-Connected Air-Condition (Heat Pump) Unit" will come into effect on September 1.

According to the standard, energy efficiency levels of multi-connected products are divided into five grades, of which the first grade is of highest energy efficiency, with energy efficiency ratio 3.4 above; the second grade is the minimum figure needed for energy saving certification, with EER 3.2; the third and fourth grades are the average energy efficiency level of multi-connected products, with EER 3.0 and 2.8 respectively; the fifth grade will be the minimum allowable value after the new standard is implemented, with EER 2.6. If the minimum allowable value is raised to EER 3.0, products of fourth and fifth grades will be eliminated.

When the new standard is implemented, cost of manufacturers will be increased by 15% or so, and the price of air conditioners will increase by about 10% next year.