SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it's a more accurate way to measure how efficient an air conditioning system is across a whole cooling season. Rather than just looking at ideal lab conditions, SEER takes into account:
- Realistic temperature changes
- Standby periods
- Partial load performance (not just full-power use)
This gives a much better idea of what you’ll actually spend running your air con day to day.
And What’s SCOP?
For heating performance, we use SCOP – the Seasonal Coefficient of Performance. It works the same way as SEER, just measuring heating efficiency instead of cooling.
Both SEER and SCOP tell you how efficient a system is in real-life conditions, not just on paper.
SEER vs EER (and SCOP vs COP)
Before 2013, the ratings used were:
- EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) for cooling
- COP (Coefficient of Performance) for heating
Those older ratings only measured performance at full power under perfect conditions—which is rarely how a system is actually used.
SEER and SCOP are seasonal averages, showing you how efficient the system is over time, even when it's ticking along at lower speeds or just idling.
Think of it like fuel economy—SEER is the average MPG you get in real life, not just what it says on the test track.
Energy Labels – Old vs New
The EU energy label was updated alongside the shift to SEER and SCOP ratings. Originally, it used a scale from A+++ down to D.
But from March 2021, that changed to a new, stricter A to G scale. The goal was to re-centre the ratings and leave room at the top for even more efficient systems.
Here’s what the new label includes:
- SEER and SCOP values
- Cooling and heating energy class (A to G)
- Sound levels (in decibels)
Don’t compare new and old labels directly—an old "A+++" rating might now be a "C" or lower on the new scale. It doesn’t mean the product got worse, it just means the rules got tougher.
So Why Do Brochures Still Say A+++?
Great question—and it’s one that confuses a lot of people.