22 green AC brands registered with Ministry as deadline nears
Twenty-two brands of energy saving air conditioners have been registered with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment until now, with importers and suppliers gearing for the ban on conventional ACs to come into force on July 1.
The Peninsula reported that 11 importers have also registered until now to supply the new air conditioners meeting Qatari and GCC specifications, the ministry said.
Many suppliers and representatives of manufacturing companies have approached the Ministry within two weeks of its announcement setting the July 1 deadline to phase out conventional air conditioners from the local market, the Qatar General Organization for Standardisation (QS) at the Ministry said.
The manufacturing companies are based in countries including Japan, China, South Korea and Thailand.
In keeping with Ministry requirements, each manufacturer or an authorised representative must register the AC’s prototype using the QS-approved form and obtain a conformity certificate attesting the AC’s number of stars, at least a month before import.
The energy-saving ACs are expected to be slightly costlier than the conventional ones, but the customers will benefit from reduced consumption of electricity.
The ministry has approved two models with certificate of conformity with six stars, said the statement. The energy efficiency rate must not be 1ess than 8.5 BTU/hr, according to testing condition (T3 & T1).
ACs must be in accordance with the Qatari regulation ie 240 volt (single phase) and 415 volt (three-phase), and the frequency is 50Hz; no other variety will be accepted.
ACs must have “difficult to remove” metal or plastic energy efficiency cards/labels, approved by QS, indicating the number of stars affixed to the AC’s front part or attached by the manufacturer.
The manufacturer must submit an original test report from an ISO 17025 certified laboratory and an approved certificate issued in accordance with the IECEE CB Scheme, or a certificate of conformity from an internationally recognised body proving that the air conditioner complies with the requirements mentioned in the Approved Qatari Standard (QS2663) and the Gulf Technical Regulation No (BD-142004-01).
Once the requirements are completed, QS will allow the manufacturing company or importers to put the energy efficiency label on all brands before being released for sale.
The ministry has urged all traders and importers to comply with the procedures in public interest, since it will not allow any A/Cs not fulfilling the specifications to enter the country after the deadline.
Import, trade, display and storage of all A/Cs not conforming the requirements has been banned from that date.
Courtesy: thepeninsulaqatar.com
