How does BEE rate chillers, and what minimum efficiency must a chiller meet?
BEE's voluntary chiller scheme rates vapour compression chillers on ISEER, a seasonal efficiency figure, after a minimum full-load COP. A water-cooled chiller under 260 kW of cooling needs COP 4.2 to qualify; an air-cooled one needs 2.4.
Minimum full-load COP to qualify
- Water cooled: under 260 kW cooling 4.2; 260 to under 530 kW 4.7; 530 to under 1,050 kW 5.0; 1,050 to under 1,580 kW 5.2; 1,580 kW and above 5.6.
- Air cooled: under 260 kW 2.4; 260 kW and above 2.6.
Star levels
Stars are set on ISEER, worked out from COP at 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent load under IS 16590. In the revision BEE publishes, the star tables carry a validity of 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2022; for example a water-cooled chiller under 260 kW needed ISEER 4.80 for 1 star and 6.60 for 5 stars. Check the current table before using it in a tender.
When you compare quotes
- Ask for COP at part load, since chillers spend most hours below full load.
- Ask whether the test lab is accredited for IS 16590.
- Convert to kW per TR if your team works in those units.
What Senseible does here
Senseible tracks your electricity bills month by month, so a chiller replacement shows up as a measured change in cooling-season kWh.
Sources: BEE Schedule 21, chillers (revision 2, 20 September 2021), BEE, Standards and Labelling programme overview
Last reviewed 2026-10-23.