Energy Efficiency Standards Affecting HVACR

The Department of Energy (DOE), through the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), is responsible for evaluating and updating energy efficiency and water conservation standards. Under EPCA, the DOE must determine every six years if an energy efficiency standard needs to be updated and, if so, what the most technologically feasible and economically justified efficiency standard is to be implemented. Commercial HVACR products have a three-year delay between when DOE finalizes a new energy efficiency standard and when manufacturers must comply with the new requirement. Consumer HVACR products have a five-year delay between the rulemaking and the compliance date. The one exception to the use of manufacturing compliance dates is regional standards for consumer split system air conditioners, which use the date of installation to determine compliance in the southeast and southwest regions.