proposed changes to regulatory requirements for household refrigerators and freezers can be found in the equipment energy efficiency e3 decision regulation impact statement - household refrigerators and freezers november 2017 84 pages available for download at www.energyrating.gov.au news decision-regulation-impact-statement-household-refrigerators-and-freezers. the e3 decision regulation impact statement - household refrigerators and freezers presents proposed changes to regulatory requirements for household refrigerators and freezers offered for sale in new zealand and australia. the key changes are outlined below. adoption of an international test method to replace local testing requirements parts 1 2 and 3 of the international electrotechnical committeetest standards iec 62552 2015 will be directly adopted into a joint australia new zealand standard in three parts as follows as nzs iec 62552.1 household refrigerating appliances - characteristics and test methods - part 1 general requirements as nzs iec 62552.2 household refrigerating appliances - characteristics and test methods - part 2 performance requirements as nzs iec 62552.3 household refrigerating appliances - characteristics and test methods - part 3 energy consumption and volume the australia new zealand standard as nzs iec 62552 parts 1 2 and 3 will then be incorporated into the energy efficiency energy using products regulations 2002 in new zealand subject to cabinet approval and the equivalent regulation in australia. the australia new zealand standard as nzs iec 62552 parts 1 2 and 3 is expected to be published by mid february 2018. it will replace the australia new zealand test standard as nzs 4474.1 2007 performance of household electrical appliances - refrigerating appliances - energy consumption and performance. this will be withdrawn from regulation. the proposed test parameters are summarised in attachment g page 76 of e3 decision regulation impact statement. update minimum energy performance standards meps meps requirements will be updated subject to cabinet approval to significantly lower the maximum allowable energy consumption of refrigerators and freezers. a new version of australia new zealand standard as nzs 4474 will adopt meps levels equivalent to those adopted in the us on 15 september 2014 and will supersede as nzs 4474.2 performance of household electrical appliances - refrigerating appliances - energy labelling and minimum energy performance standard requirements. the meps levels that will apply are set out in attachment f page 75 of the e3 decision regulation impact statement. the proposed performance parameters for meps are set out in attachment g page 76 - see table 37 generally agreed performance parameters option c on page 77. the revised australia new zealand standard as nzs 4474 is not due to be published until november 2018 but a public comment draft will be available for viewing in april 2018. an addendum to this notification will be issued when the public comment draft becomes available. modify the energy rating label algorithm the energy rating label algorithm is not being re-graded but it will be adjusted to maintain continuity of energy ratings as australia and new zealand transition to a new test method and meps levels. the modifications to the energy rating label algorithm are intended to maintain comparability between products registered against the outgoing test method and new products registered against as nzs iec 62552 as far as possible ensure that currently registered products able to comply with the new meps levels will have comparable erl ratings when registered using the test standard as nzs iec 62552 and will not be penalised with a lower star rating ensure that ratings remain spread out across the rating scale and that the lower rating bands continue to be used these lower rating bands would otherwise be largely emptied due to the introduction of a higher meps level reward more efficient products with upwards adjustments to their star ratings move the labelled energy to a value that more closely represents typical product use which will encourage suppliers to optimise energy consumption and performance under normal use conditions. more information on the energy rating label algorithm modifications can be found in section 4 of the e3 decision regulation impact statement - household refrigerators and freezers see subsection 4.3.5 erl algorithm parameters on page 28 and in the e3 report household refrigeration appliances new star rating algorithm proposal for the iec test method june 2015 available at energyrating.gov.au document report-household-refrigeration-appliances-new-star-rating-algorithm-proposal-iec-test.