Overview

• The rule will mandate that all room, vehicle and commercial AC units operate only between 20°C and 28°C to curb excessive cooling and heating settings.
• The government has begun consulting AC manufacturers, HVAC experts and industry stakeholders on technical standards and plans to enforce compliance within a year.
• Power ministry data shows each 1°C increase in AC temperature reduces electricity use by about 6%, and a UC Berkeley study estimates up to 60 GW of peak demand could be avoided by 2035.
• The Bureau of Energy Efficiency currently requires a default 24°C setting on star-rated ACs and recommends an ideal indoor comfort range of 24°C to 26°C.
• India’s move aligns it with countries such as Japan, Spain and Singapore that have adopted similar temperature guidelines to manage grid load.