WEp1: Ice Machine - ENERGY STAR or performance equivalent?

Hi just curious if anyone had a follow up response to your original question. We are looking for an Energy Star compliance ice maker and having a hard time. Thanks.

The ENERGY STAR standard is gallons of water per 100# ice AND the idle energy required as well. Both figures would be in the AHRI listings, IF the manufacturer lists there. Most commercial ice machine manufacturers do. The credit is aimed at hotels, hospitals, B&I in particular because their machines are non-foodservice like on floors, nursing stations, hotel guests. They run all the time so energy is important. Unless the machines are residential, or they are in a category that doesn't have a standard, like extruded tube ice found in stadiums, airline catering, etc., it needs to be ENERGY STAR. For the record, ice makers is a category with very high compliance, so you'd almost have to try to find one that isn't. Due to recent refrigerant standards changing (this year) you will possibly see some drop off the list.

The Energy Star standards for Ice Machines has changed and undercounter ADA complaint commercial/residential ice makers are no longer qualifying in the industry. The v4 rating system doesn't distinguish between commercial or residential. My undestanding is when a model doesn't exist, you are exempt.  Can you please confirm that when ADA is required, the machine can be exempt? Thanks.

My understanding is that if it doesn't fit in a category on the EnergySTAR website, then it is exempt. I, too, only see the larger, commercial standing models, based on these pages: https://www.energystar.gov/products/commercial_food_service_equipment/commercial_ice_makers 
https://www.energystar.gov/products/commercial_food_service_equipment/commercial_ice_makers/key_product_criteria  If the type you're looking doesn't apply, you should be ok. Best bet is to email GBCI with your proposed model # and product info, with the updated criteria from EnergySTAR and get an official confirmation if you want to be safe.

Determining what is eligible for Energy Star and what isn't is not usually something that LEED reviewers are very clear on. They rely on the Energy Star standard to determine that. If you want to know how to determine if your equipment is eligible, you would go to the Energy Star products site, click on the product category, then when you get the specific page up for that type of equipment, click on the "For Partner" link in the header bar. That will take you to a page where you can download the standard itself. When you look at the standard, skip through the first few pages past 1) Definitions until you get to 2) Scope. The scope will tell you what is included and what is excluded. Then go back up to Definitions to see what applies to your equipment. At first glance, I don't see anything in the commercial ice maker standard that excludes equipment based on size, but there are other factors that might speak to the equipment you are looking at. The product listing can certainly be helpful but isn't always accurate.

Hi all, so I've followed Michelle's recommendation to look into the Energy Star standard to determine if the ice machine on my project is eligible. I've found that it's in the "ineligible" category because it dispenses ice AND water. Does that mean I should mention in the LEED form that there is no "Ice machine" whithin the project scope, or do I explain in the "Special Circumstances" section that according to the ES Standard, it is ineligible. 

Hi Priscillia, The answer I got from the LEED Coach was that "ice and water dispensing machines, are not rated; these are not the same as commercial ice makers and are not included the WE calculations." So I just clicked the No radio button for the Ice Maker. However, reviewers always allude to narratives in the Special Circumstances, so it doesn't seem like you could go wrong doing that if you prefer that aproach. Good luck.