ARLINGTON, Va. - A new legislative proposal to promote
energy-efficiency improvements to residential and commercial appliances and
equipment, such as central air conditioning, will have the adverse effect of
hindering the development and use of energy-efficient technology, warned
Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) President Stephen Yurek in
testimony submitted to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on
April 23.
“The Energy Efficiency Promotion Act (S. 1115), while
admirable in its attempt to conserve energy, will ultimately undercut the
effective energy-efficiency programs developed by Congress and administered by
the Department of Energy,” said Yurek. “These current laws and regulations work
because they are the result of a partnership with industry that has given
manufacturers the opportunity to provide critical input into the development of
energy-saving performance standards that still allow them to produce affordable,
quality products for the American public.
“Not only would this legislation hurt industry, it would
hurt consumers and environmental progress,” said Yurek. “It will also change an
enforceable program at the manufacturer level to an unenforceable program at
the point of installation. In addition, ARI opposes the legislation because it
contains a number of provisions that would open the door to a morass of federal
and regional performance and design standards for HVACR equipment.”
As an alternative, ARI recommends the adoption of a menu of
alternative, energy-efficiency measures to achieve the bill’s objectives.
These include:
• Supporting residential energy-efficiency initiatives like
incentives and rebates for the purchase of efficient appliances;
• Passing tax incentives to accelerate the replacement of
older HVACR equipment in commercial buildings with more efficient technology;
• Strengthening the nation’s support of workforce education
and certification to promote more efficient installations of HVACR equipment;
and
• Funding research and development projects to advance the
next generation of energy-efficient technologies.
Publication date:05/07/2007
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