Under the Federal Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which became effective January 1, 2009, walk-in coolers and freezers installed in the U.S. and occupying less than 3000 square feet in floor space have to meet a new set of rules.

Listed below are the requirements and a short explanation of how Master-Bilt is embracing these energy saving initiatives.

• Requirement: “Have automatic door closers that firmly close all walk-in doors that have been closed to within 1 inch of full closure, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to doors wider than 3 feet 9 inches or taller than 7 feet;”

Master-Bilt walk-ins have standard spring-loaded hinges and door closers that will close the door fully if the door is within one inch of the closed position.

 • Requirement: “have strip doors, spring hinged doors, or other method of minimizing infiltration when the doors are open;”

Master-Bilt walk-ins have standard spring-loaded hinges and door closers that close the door fully if the door is within one inch of the closed position or if the door is inadvertently left open.

• Requirement:  “contain wall, ceiling, and door insulation of at least R-25 for coolers and R-32 for freezers, except that this subparagraph shall not apply to glazed portions of doors or to structural members;”

Master-Bilt offers walk-in panels in standard four-inch thickness with optional five- and six-inch thicknesses.  The four-inch panel has an R-value of 32, the five-inch has an R-value of 40, and the six-inch has an R-value of 48. Additionally, Master-Bilt is one of the only manufacturers to offer a six-inch ceiling panel of up to 23 feet in length with no additional support needed.

• Requirement: “contain floor insulation of at least R-28 for freezers;”

Master-Bilt floor panels meet this insulation requirement.  For “floorless” applications, the slab will be required to be insulated to R-28.

• Requirement: “for evaporator fan motors of under 1 horsepower and less than 460 volts, use - (i) electronically commutated motors (brushless direct current motors); or (ii) 3-phase motors;”

Master-Bilt evaporator motors of less than one horsepower use electronically commutated motors to be compliant with the new law.

• Requirement:  “for condenser fan motors of under 1 horsepower, use – (i) electronically commutated motors; (ii) permanent split capacitor-type motors; or (iii) 3-phase motors;”

Master-Bilt condenser motors of less than one horsepower are permanent split capacitor (PSC) type which is compliant.

• Requirement: “for all interior lights, use light sources with an efficacy of 40 lumens per watt or more, including ballast losses (if any), except that light sources with an efficacy of 40 lumens per watt or less, including ballast losses (if any), may be used in conjunction with a timer or device that turns off the lights with 15 minutes of when the walk-in cooler or walk-in freezer in not occupied by people”

Master-Bilt’s four-foot T5 fluorescent ceiling fixture and compact fluorescent bulb for the vapor proof door fixture exceed efficacy of 40 lumens per watt. Additionally, Master-Bilt’s optional MBWA Digital Walk-in Alarm and Light Management System can be programmed to turn off the lights after 15 minutes.

• Requirement: “Transparent reach-in doors for walk-in freezers and windows in walk-in freezer doors shall be of triple-pane glass with either heat-reflective treated glass or gas fill”

Master-Bilt freezer doors are available with these energy saving features

• Requirement: “Transparent reach-in doors for walk-in coolers and windows in walk-in cooler doors shall be – (i) double-pane glass with heat-reflective treated glass and gas fill; or (ii) triple-pane glass with either heat-reflective treated glass or gas fill”

Again, Master-Bilt cooler doors are available with these energy saving features.