SEER Rating for Evaporative Coolers in Hot and Dry Climates

November 11, 2005

The RESNET Technical committee concurred that evaporative coolers can be more efficient than standard air conditioner coolers. Because of the lack of identified standards to create a SEER equivalency the committee decided to be conservative on the issue until more information can be found. The committee agreed to interpret the standards in such a manner that evaporative coolers would be assigned a SEER of 15. The committee will contact the California Energy Commission to see how Title 24 addresses evaporative coolers with the option of increasing the SEER rating if treated as such in Title 24.