Packhouse Design Guidelines set out a Pathway for Energy-efficient Packhouses and Stronger Cold Chains in India

The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cool Coalition and the Alliance for an Energy Efficient Economy (AEEE) today, 16 September 2026, launched the Packhouse Design Guidelines, providing a practical framework for developing sustainable, energy-efficient integrated packhouses for horticultural produce in India. 

Developed under UNEP’s India Cooling Programme (ICCP) in consultation with BEE and technical committee, the guidelines respond to a critical gap in India’s agricultural cold chain systems. An integrated cold chain is essential for moving perishable produce from farms to markets while protecting quality, reducing post-harvest losses and supporting farmer livelihoods. Packhouses are a critical first-mile component of this system, providing functions including sorting, grading, packing, pre-cooling and staging before produce moves through refrigerated transport and other components of the cold chain. 

The guidelines have been developed as part of the “Scaling-up Investment in Clean and Efficient Cold Chain in India” project, implemented by UNEP Cool Coalition in partnership with AEEE. The project supports the development of sustainable and integrated cold-chain infrastructure, with a focus on packhouses and reefer transport, and contributes to the implementation of the India Cooling Action Plan. 

“India’s transition to a more efficient and sustainable food system will require us to look at energy efficiency across the entire cold chain, including the infrastructure that enables produce to be cooled and moved efficiently from farm to market. These guidelines provide a practical pathway for integrating energy efficiency into packhouse design, helping reduce operating costs while strengthening and scaling up the resilience of India’s cold-chain infrastructure,” said Shri Krushna Chandra Panigrahy, Director General, Bureau of Energy Efficiency.

The publication provides technical guidance across the design and development of integrated packhouses, covering building design and layout, thermal insulation for temperature-controlled areas, refrigeration systems, energy efficiency measures, renewable energy integration and monitoring. It promotes passive design, energy-efficient refrigeration equipment, low- and zero-GWP refrigerants, automation, solar energy, and other renewable energy options. 

For UNEP, the guidelines also represent an opportunity to connect investments in cold-chain infrastructure with wider development and climate priorities. “Integrated packhouses at the rural level are the cornerstone of a modern cold chain. By helping reduce food loss, strengthen farmer livelihoods and improve food security, while promoting energy efficiency and clean energy, these guidelines can contribute to SDG 1 on No Poverty, SDG 2 on Zero Hunger and SDG 13 on Climate Action,” said Dr. Balakrishna Pisupati, Head, UNEP India Office. 

By bringing these considerations into the design stage, the guidelines aim to help developers, Farmer Producer Organisations, cold-chain infrastructure owners and operators, government agencies and other stakeholders build packhouses that are more energy-efficient, cost-effective and climate-friendly. The guidelines also complement the Government of India’s notified standards for integrated packhouses, pre-coolers and staging rooms developed by the National Centre for Cold-chain Development (NCCD).

“As India scales up its packhouse infrastructure, integrating energy efficiency and renewable energy will be critical to making these facilities more cost-effective and sustainable, said Dr. Satish Kumar, President and Executive Director, AEEE. “These guidelines provide a practical framework for doing this through the Lean, Mean, Green and Seen approach, from efficient layouts, insulation and passive design to energy-efficient refrigeration, low-GWP refrigerants, renewable energy and real-time energy monitoring." 

The guidelines are intended as a practitioner-oriented resource for policymakers, cold-chain developers, investors, infrastructure owners and operators, FPOs, cooperatives, and implementing agencies. By supporting the design of efficient and climate-friendly packhouses, they can contribute to reducing food losses and emissions while enabling a more resilient and sustainable cold chain across India.