Hong Kong consumer watchdog finds 27.4% gap in air con energy efficiency

A Hong Kong consumer watchdog study has found that energy efficiencies for split-type air conditioners can vary up to 27.4 per cent, prompting a call for authorities to upgrade the standards for granting energy labelling.

The Consumer Council said on Tuesday that it had tested 12 models of “two-horsepower” inverter split-type air conditioners and found that Daikin emerged as the top performer in energy efficiency, saving 27.4 per cent more energy per year.

It added that the tested Daikin model offered the lowest annual electricity bill at HK$1,184 (US$152.60), which was 37.7 per cent cheaper than the General brand model that incurred the highest at HK$1,630 per year.

A split-type air conditioner is a cooling system commonly adopted in residential buildings and consists of indoor and outdoor units, according to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department.

The test on the estimated annual electricity cost for cooling is based on the cost of HK$1.70 per kilowatt-hour, assuming operation for 12 hours per day for 180 days a year.

“The council anticipates manufacturers to strengthen quality control and recommends the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department to review current energy label grading standards, which could motivate the industry to enhance the energy efficiency of their products and introduce more energy-saving options to help consumers achieve sustainable consumption,” the watchdog said.