§ 431.2 Definitions.

The following definitions apply for purposes of this part. Any words or terms not defined in this Section or elsewhere in this part shall be defined as provided in Section 340 of the Act.

Act

means the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6291-6316.

Alternate efficiency determination method or AEDM

means a method of calculating the efficiency of a commercial HVAC and WH product, in terms of the descriptor used in or under section 342(a) of the Act to state the energy conservation standard for that product.

Btu

means British thermal unit, which is the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

Commercial HVAC & WH product

means any small, large, or very large commercial package air-conditioning and heating equipment (as defined in § 431.92), packaged terminal air conditioner (as defined in § 431.92), packaged terminal heat pump (as defined in § 431.92), single package vertical air conditioner (as defined in § 431.92), single package vertical heat pump (as defined in § 431.92), computer room air conditioner (as defined in § 431.92), variable refrigerant flow multi-split air conditioner (as defined in § 431.92), variable refrigerant flow multi-split heat pump (as defined in § 431.92), unitary dedicated outdoor air system (as defined in § 431.92), commercial packaged boiler (as defined in § 431.82), hot water supply boiler (as defined in § 431.102), commercial warm air furnace (as defined in § 431.72), instantaneous water heater (as defined in § 431.102), storage water heater (as defined in § 431.102), or unfired hot water storage tank (as defined in § 431.102)

ned in § 431.92), unitary dedicated outdoor air system (as defined in § 431.92), commercial packaged boiler (as defined in § 431.82), hot water supply boiler (as defined in § 431.102), commercial warm air furnace (as defined in § 431.72), instantaneous water heater (as defined in § 431.102), storage water heater (as defined in § 431.102), or unfired hot water storage tank (as defined in § 431.102).

Covered equipment

means any electric motor, as defined in § 431.12; commercial heating, ventilating, and air conditioning, and water heating product (HVAC & WH product), as defined in § 431.172; commercial refrigerator, freezer, or refrigerator-freezer, as defined in § 431.62; automatic commercial ice maker, as defined in § 431.132; commercial clothes washer, as defined in § 431.152; distribution transformer, as defined in § 431.192; illuminated exit sign, as defined in § 431.202; traffic signal module or pedestrian module, as defined in § 431.222; unit heater, as defined in § 431.242; commercial prerinse spray valve, as defined in § 431.262; mercury vapor lamp ballast, as defined in § 431.282; refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machine, as defined in § 431.292; walk-in cooler and walk-in freezer, as defined in § 431.302; metal halide ballast and metal halide lamp fixture, as defined in § 431.322.

DOE

or

the Department

means the U.S. Department of Energy.

Energy conservation standard

means any standards meeting the definitions of that term in 42 U.S.C. 6291(6) and 42 U.S.C. 6311(18) as well as any other water conservation standards and design requirements found in this part or parts 430 or 431.

EPCA

means the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6291-6316.

Flue loss

means the sum of the sensible heat and latent heat above room temperature of the flue gases leaving the appliance.

Gas

means propane or natural gas as defined by the Federal Power Commission.

Import

means to import into the customs territory of the United States

nts found in this part or parts 430 or 431.

EPCA

means the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 6291-6316.

Flue loss

means the sum of the sensible heat and latent heat above room temperature of the flue gases leaving the appliance.

Gas

means propane or natural gas as defined by the Federal Power Commission.

Import

means to import into the customs territory of the United States.

Independent laboratory

means a laboratory or test facility not controlled by, affiliated with, having financial ties with, or under common control with the manufacturer or distributor of the covered equipment being evaluated.

Industrial equipment

means an article of equipment, regardless of whether it is in fact distributed in commerce for industrial or commercial use, of a type which:

(1) In operation consumes, or is designed to consume energy;

(2) To any significant extent, is distributed in commerce for industrial or commercial use; and

(3) Is not a “covered product” as defined in Section 321(2) of EPCA, 42 U.S.C. 6291(2), other than a component of a covered product with respect to which there is in effect a determination under Section 341(c) of EPCA, 42 U.S.C. 6312(c).

ISO

means International Organization for Standardization.

Manufacture

means to manufacture, produce, assemble, or import.

Manufacturer

means any person who manufactures industrial equipment, including any manufacturer of a commercial packaged boiler.

Manufacturer's model number

means the identifier used by a manufacturer to uniquely identify the group of identical or essentially identical commercial equipment to which a particular unit belongs. The manufacturer's model number typically appears on equipment nameplates, in equipment catalogs and in other product advertising literature.

Private labeler

means, with respect to any product covered under this part, an owner of a brand or trademark on the label of a covered product which bears a private label. A covered product bears a private label if:

ipment to which a particular unit belongs. The manufacturer's model number typically appears on equipment nameplates, in equipment catalogs and in other product advertising literature.

Private labeler

means, with respect to any product covered under this part, an owner of a brand or trademark on the label of a covered product which bears a private label. A covered product bears a private label if:

(1) Such product (or its container) is labeled with the brand or trademark of a person other than a manufacturer of such product;

(2) The person with whose brand or trademark such product (or container) is labeled has authorized or caused such product to be so labeled; and

(3) The brand or trademark of a manufacturer of such product does not appear on such label.

Secretary

means the Secretary of Energy.

State

means a State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any territory or possession of the United States.

State regulation

means a law or regulation of a State or political subdivision thereof.

[69 FR 61923, Oct. 21, 2004, as amended at 71 FR 71369, Dec. 8, 2006; 74 FR 12071, Mar. 23, 2009; 75 FR 666, Jan. 5, 2010; 76 FR 12503, Mar. 7, 2011; 77 FR 28987, May 16, 2012; 79 FR 26601, May 9, 2014; 87 FR 45197, July 27, 2022; 89 FR 82071, Oct. 9, 2024; 90 FR 43384, Sept. 9, 2025]