Standards and Legislation

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The Energy Star program received a bump in funding for 2026, a reversal from the administration’s previous position of seeking to eliminate it. 

One measure approved by the House would revise the rules for setting energy efficiency standards for appliances, and the other would repeal the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates (HEAR) program, which provides low- and moderate-income homeowners with rebates for installing heat pumps and other qualifying electrical equipment.

New homes in Oregon will be built using heat pumps instead of ducted a/c, a move that might be replicated in other states. 

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that President Donald Trump does not have unilateral authority to impose tariffs, though it's unclear whether this will relieve pain points the HVAC industry has faced due to rising costs.

Two House members, a Democrat and a Republican, revived a bill that was also considered in previous sessions.

From equipment restrictions to incentive-driven transitions, state electrification efforts are influencing how contractors sell, install, and plan for the future.  

As industry debates the Technology Transitions rule, EPA’s ER&R rule is already in effect, imposing new leak repair, reclamation, reporting, and automatic leak detection requirements under the AIM Act.

The Washington Supreme Court is reviewing Initiative 2066, a voter-approved measure that could shape natural gas access, electrification policy, and HVAC contractor options. 

A panel representing four major manufacturers discussed political and regulatory issues in front of HVACR distributors during the recent HARDI conference in Las Vegas.