The energy label on air conditioners is an important and very helpful tool for consumers, as it is for other household appliances. If you know how to read and interpret it correctly, you can easily and quickly choose the ideal appliance for your needs, one that will provide you with maximum performance and low energy consumption. 

According to European Union (E.U.) legislation, for the most complete information for consumers, manufacturers are required to issue the updated energy label for each unit, providing information about the air conditioner’s energy characteristics, such as the energy class, seasonal indicators, and noise levels. 

How, then, do you read the energy label?

Although the energy label exists to make things easier and to ensure the purchasing public is informed, "decoding" it is quite demanding. Below you can see what such a label looks like, as well as the most important features that are worth taking into account before buying the right air conditioner:

**The number 626/2011 refers to Regulation (EU 626/2011) concerning the energy consumption labeling of air conditioners.

1. Manufacturer & model

The first information we see on an energy label is the manufacturer (1) and the model (2) of the air conditioner.

2. Seasonal efficiency ratios | SEER & SCOP

Seasonal indicators are related to the appliance’s performance in cooling and heating. These are qualitative indicators, and by taking them into account one can judge whether a device is efficient or not. The higher these numbers are, the more energy efficient the air conditioner is. More specifically:

• SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) (3) shows the appliance’s performance in cooling mode over an entire season. Air conditioners with SEER values above 6 are a very good choice for simple household use. Meanwhile, the most efficient ones can reach above 8.5 and are ideal for areas with a lot of heat and special conditions.
• SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) (4), on the other hand, is the indicator that shows performance in heating mode. SCOP values above 4 make an air conditioner efficient in heating mode, while premium devices can reach values even above 5.5.

3. Energy efficiency class | A+++ - D

The energy class of an air conditioner ranges from A+++ to D (7). The higher the rating, the less energy the appliance consumes and the more efficient it will be.

SkroutzTip: Choose an air conditioner with an energy class from A+ and above, so that you have an energy-efficient appliance!

From the energy label of an air conditioner, we usually take into account 2 values related to the energy class - one for cooling (5) and one for heating (6). 

• So, for example, if you want to use the air conditioner in the summer in a holiday home with a lot of heat, you should look for a high energy class in cooling. 
• Whereas, if the appliance is intended as a permanent heating solution in winter, then a high energy class in heating is what you should look for. 
• In the case, again, that you want an appliance for every season, then both indicators are equally important and it is best to go for an air conditioner with top energy class in cooling and heating.

As you will notice, the side where the heating data are presented is divided into 3 areas. These reflect the different climate zones (14), which we will see below.

4. Climate zones

The label, therefore, may contain information regarding the air conditioner’s performance in different climate zones, where:

1. The orange zone includes areas with a warm climate, such as Athens.
2. The green zone includes areas with a moderate climate, such as Strasbourg.
3. The blue zone includes areas with a cold climate, such as Helsinki.

This helps in choosing the right appliance depending on the climate of each area. By law, the information displayed refers to the average zone; however, depending on the country, performance may vary. 

For example, an air conditioner with energy class A+ in the average zone may have A++ in Greece, while in more northern countries A.

5. Performance & annual energy consumption

The performance of an air conditioner is measured in kW and corresponds to the maximum cooling capacity (8) or heating capacity (9) that the appliance can provide. Usually, cooling performance is higher than heating performance. 

Meanwhile, annual energy consumption, as its name suggests, shows how much energy the air conditioner will consume in one year of operation in both cooling (10) and heating (11), and is measured in kWh/year. As a general rule, the more efficient an air conditioner is, the lower its energy consumption.

6. Noise Level

An air conditioner's energy label also includes information about the operating noise of both the indoor (12) and the outdoor unit (13). It is expressed in dB, and the lower the value, the quieter the device. The noise level of the indoor unit plays an important role, especially when intended for use in a bedroom.