The court’s order ends the lawsuit and represents a great victory for the industry organizations that were involved in developing the final settlement agreement.
In an emergency situation, clients usually agree to address their emergency need and worry about tightening the building envelope later. However, when time allows, good practice these days should go much deeper.
The settlement agreement, which now awaits court approval, would vacate the regional furnace efficiency standards and restart the rulemaking process, this time giving stakeholders more opportunities to provide input throughout the rulemaking process.
United States shipments of central air conditioners and air-source heat pumps totaled 370,582 units in January 2014, up 23 percent from 301,176 units shipped in January 2013, according to Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) statistics.
The settlement agreement, which now awaits court approval, would vacate the regional furnace efficiency standards and also give the industry an 18-month sell-through period to comply with the Jan. 1, 2015, efficiency standards for split-system air conditioners.