Life Cycle Cost Estimate for 1 ENERGY STAR Qualified Central Air Conditioner(s)

This energy savings calculator was developed by the U.S. EPA and U.S. DOE and is provided for estimating purposes only. Actual energy savings may vary based on use and other factors.

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Enter your own values in the gray boxes or use our default values. 4
Number of units Electric Rate ($/kWh) 1 $0.115

ENERGY STAR Qualified Unit

Initial Cost per Unit (estimated retail price with installation)** Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) rating Cooling Capacity of Air Conditioner (Btu/hr) Use with programmable Thermostat (Yes/No) $3,413 14.5

Conventional Unit
$2,857 13.0

Annual and Life Cycle Costs and Savings for 1 Central Air Conditioner(s)
1 ENERGY STAR Qualified Units Annual Operating Costs
Energy cost Energy consumption (kWh) Maintenance cost
*

1 Conventional Units
$682 5,929 $0 $682

Savings with ENERGY STAR

$168 1,464 $0 $168

$514 4,465 $0 $514

Total Life Cycle Costs*

Operating costs (energy and maintenance) Energy costs Energy consumption (kWh) Maintenance costs Purchase price for 1 unit(s)

$5,429 $5,429 62,511 $0 $3,413 $8,841

$7,208 $7,208 83,005 $0 $2,857 $10,065 Simple payback of initial additional cost (years)

$1,780 $1,780 20,494 $0 -$556 $1,224

Total

3.3

* Annual costs exclude the initial purchase price. All costs, except initial cost, are discounted over the products' lifetime using a real discount rate of 4%. See "Assumptions" to change factors including the discount rate. A simple payback period of zero years means that the payback is immediate.

Summary of Benefits for 1 Central Air Conditioner(s)

Initial cost difference Life cycle savings Net life cycle savings (life cycle savings - additional cost) Simple payback of additional cost (years) Life cycle energy saved (kWh) Life cycle air pollution reduction (lbs of CO2) Air pollution reduction equivalence (number of cars removed from the road for a year) Air pollution reduction equivalence (acres of forest) Savings as a percent of retail price

$556 $1,780 $1,224 3.3 20,494 31,560 3 3 36%

Assumptions for Central Air Conditioners

Category Power
ENERGY STAR Qualified Unit Initial Cost Per Unit 2.5 ton 3 ton 3.5 ton 4 ton 5 ton Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio(SEER) rating Cooling Capacity of Air Conditioner (Btu/hr) Lifetime

Value

Data Source

$3,252 $3,413 $3,574 $3,735 $4,057 14.5 36,000 Btu/hr 14 years

DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 EPA 2009 Calculated EPA 2006

Conventional Unit Initial Cost Per Unit 2.5 ton 3 ton 3.5 ton 4 ton 5 ton Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio(SEER) rating Cooling Capacity of Air Conditioner (Btu/hr) Lifetime

$2,696 $2,857 $3,018 $3,179 $3,501 13 36,000 Btu/hr 14 years

DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 DEER Database 2008 EPA 2007 Calculated EPA 2006

Maintenance Labor cost (per hour) Labor time (hours)

$20 0

EPA 2004 EPA 2004

Usage
Full-Load Cooling Hours Full-Load Cooling Hours for Selected Location 2141 ARI Unitary Directory, August 1, 1992 - January 31, 1993

Discount Rate
Commercial and Residential Discount Rate (real) 4% A real discount rate of 4 percent is assumed, which is roughly equivalent to the nominal discount rate of 7 percent (4 percent real discount rate + 3 percent inflation rate). LBNL 2007 (Based on minimum estimated savings)

Programable Thermostat Discount Rate

16%

Energy and Water Prices

Commercial Electricity Price Residential Electricity Price $0.0997 $/kWh $0.1151 $/kWh US Department of Energy, Annual Energy Outlook 2012 (Early Release), (converted from 2010 to 2011 dollars),

Carbon Dioxide Emissions Factors

Electricity Carbon Emission Factor 1.54 lbs CO2/kWh EPA 2012

CO2 Equivalents
Annual CO2 sequestration per forested acre Annual CO2 emissions per average passenger car Usage Full-Load Cooling Hours Full-Load Cooling Hours for Selected Location AK-Anchorage AK-Barrow AK-Fairbanks AK-Juneau AK-Nome AL-Birmingham AL-Huntsville AL-Mobile AL-Montgomery AR-Fort Smith AR-Little Rock AZ-Flagstaff AZ-Phoenix AZ-Tucson AZ-Winslow AZ-Yuma CA-Beverly Hills CA-Los Angeles CA-Palm Springs CA-Sacramento CA-San Diego CA-San Francisco CA-Stockton CO-Alamosa CO-Colorado Springs CO-Denver CO-Grand Junction 10,347 lbs CO2/yr 11,244 lbs CO2/yr EPAs Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html

2,141 0 0 129 0 0 1,557 1,464 2,265 1,819 1,432 1,583 179 2,141 1,842 950 2,315 1,166 1,530 2,092 871 1,347 224 1,158 97 523 628 997

EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002

Assumptions for Central Air Conditioners

Category
CO-Pueblo CT-Bridgeport CT-Hartford DC-Washington DE-Wilmington FL-Daytona Beach FL-Fort Myers FL-Gainesville FL-Jacksonville FL-Key West FL-Miami FL-Orlando FL-Pensacola FL-Tallahassee FL-Tampa FL-W. Palm Beach GA-Athens GA-Atlanta GA-Augusta GA-Columbus GA-Macon GA-Savannah HI-Hilo HI-Honolulu IA-Des Moines IA-Dubuque IA-Sioux City IA-Waterloo ID-Boise ID-Lewiston ID-Pocatello IL-Chicago IL-Moline IL-Peoria IL-Rockford IL-Springfield IN-Evansville IN-Fort Wayne IN-Indianapolis IN-South Bend KS-Dodge City KS-Goodland KS-Topeka KS-Wichita KY-Lexington KY-Louisville KY-Paducah LA-Baton Rouge LA-Lake Charles LA-New Orleans LA-Shreveport MA-Boston MA-Worcester MD-Baltimore ME-Caribou ME-Portland MI-Alpena MI-Detroit MI-Flint MI-Grand Rapids MI-Lansing MI-Marquette MI-Muskegon MI-Sault St Marie MN-Duluth MN-International Falls MN-Minneapolis MN-Rochester MN-St. Cloud MO-Columbia MO-Kansas City MO-Springfield MO-St. Louis MS-Jackson MS-Meridian MS-Tupelo MT-Billings MT-Glasgow MT-Great Falls MT-Havre MT-Helena MT-Kalispell

Value
834 942 695 1,320 1,015 2,763 3,288 2,228 2,086 4,566 3,931 2,915 2,297 2,215 3,068 3,479 1,493 1,484 1,548 1,845 1,900 1,963 4,179 5,016 941 605 836 667 614 636 411 683 830 948 714 1,036 1,181 786 948 710 1,109 723 1,068 1,225 1,080 1,150 1,193 2,233 2,299 2,388 1,892 729 453 1,050 220 321 216 642 497 595 578 222 570 196 212 288 662 523 414 1,050 1,032 1,178 1,215 1,832 1,726 1,623 510 465 408 403 307 193

Data Source
EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002

Assumptions for Central Air Conditioners

Category
MT-Miles city MT-Missoula NC-Asheville NC-Charlotte NC-Greensboro NC-Raleigh NC-Wilmington ND-Bismarck ND-Fargo ND-Williston NE-Grand Island NE-Lincoln NE-Norfolk NE-North Platte NE-Omaha NE-Scottsbluff NH-Concord NJ-Atlantic City NJ-Newark NM-Albuquerque NM-Roswell NV-Elko NV-Ely NV-Las Vegas NV-Reno NV-Winnemucca NY-Albany NY-Binghamton NY-Buffalo NY-New York NY-Rochester NY-Syracuse OH-Akron OH-Cincinnati OH-Cleveland OH-Columbus OH-Dayton OH-Mansfield OH-Toledo OH-Youngstown OK-Oklahoma City OK-Tulsa OR-Astoria OR-Eugene OR-Medford OR-Pendleton OR-Portland OR-Salem PA-Allentown PA-Erie PA-Harrisburg PA-Philadelphia PA-Pittsburgh PA-Scranton PA-Williamsport RI-Providence SC-Charleston SC-Columbia SC-Greenville SD-Aberdeen SD-Huron SD-Rapid City SD-Sioux Falls TN-Bristol TN-Chattanooga TN-Knoxville TN-Memphis TN-Nashville TX-Abilene TX-Amarillo TX-Austin TX-Brownsville TX-Corpus Christi TX-Dallas TX-Del Rio TX-El Paso TX-Galveston TX-Houston TX-Lubbock TX-Midland TX-Port Arthur TX-San Angelo

Value
621 225 919 1,325 1,203 1,239 1,758 437 476 459 851 899 801 640 890 647 385 832 1,007 1,038 1,355 361 209 1,773 317 418 515 440 571 1,089 554 552 714 996 639 828 947 711 649 554 1,436 1,486 56 261 534 622 379 248 784 482 929 1,032 737 621 659 656 2,127 1,626 1,386 544 633 593 691 1,066 1,353 1,288 1,654 1,375 1,741 1,142 2,412 3,233 2,958 1,926 2,380 1,524 2,967 2,209 1,298 1,546 2,452 2,225

Data Source
EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002

Assumptions for Central Air Conditioners

Category
TX-San Antonio TX-Victoria TX-Waco TX-Wichita Falls UT-Salt Lake City VA-Lynchburg VA-Norfolk VA-Richmond VA-Roanoke VT-Burlington WA-Olympia WA-Seattle WA-Spokane WA-Walla Walla WA-Yakima WI-Green Bay WI-La Crosse WI-Madison WI-Milwaukee WV-Beckley WV-Charleston WV-Elkins WV-Huntington WY-Casper WY-Cheyenne WY-Lander WY-Sheridan

Value
2,237 2,465 2,041 1,671 785 1,031 1,346 1,188 1,002 455 125 282 395 714 415 457 713 487 513 699 967 477 1,035 439 353 455 387

Data Source
EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002 EPA 2002

If you have questions, comments or suggestions, please write to calculators@energystar.gov Calculator last updated April 2009, utility and emission rates updated May 2012