DOE is establishing a procedure through which an interested party can, within a 30-day period after DOE posts a rule establishing or amending an energy conservation standard, identify a possible error in such a rule and request that DOE correct the error before the rule is published in the Federal Register.
The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) has announced the launch of a state legislative and regulatory tracking service that allows PHCC members and state and local leaders to monitor active bills and regulations affecting their state or geographic region.
The ASRAC established the Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Working Group in July 2015; it is the latest of several working groups to successfully create negotiated efficiency standards for industry equipment. Other negotiated rulemakings aided by working groups include walk-in coolers and freezers, regional standards enforcement, and commercial rooftop air conditioners and furnaces.
Nearly 61,000 HVAC industry representatives enjoyed sun and reasonable temperatures as the 2016 AHR Expo rolled into Orlando, Florida. Preliminary numbers show that more than 18,254 exhibitor personnel welcomed 42,672 visitors.
ASHRAE has announced a newly published user’s manual that clarifies the intent and implementation of the ASHRAE/USGBC/IES green building standard by explaining its requirements and providing example applications.
ASHRAE has announced a new web application that automates the calculations needed to show a building project’s compliance with Standard 90.1-2010. The 90.1 ECB web application is a tool for modeling compliance using the Energy Cost Budget (ECB) method in the standard.
In October 2014, the EPA announced its final phasedown schedule regarding the production and importation of HCFC-22. The order called for an immediate drop from 51 million pounds allowed in 2014 to 22 million pounds in 2015, 18 million pounds in 2016, 13 million pounds in 2017, 9 million pounds in 2018, and 4 million pounds in 2019. No new or imported R-22 will be allowed in the U.S. on or after Jan. 1, 2020.
Just as the 2016 elections are already having an impact on the country’s airwaves, many industry leaders agree they’ll also have a significant impact on both the regulatory and legislative environments impacting the HVACR industry through the end of the calendar year.
Between the DOE and the EPA, the regulatory bodies have issued dozens of new rules directly impacting the HVACR industry in just the past couple of years, and this year will likely be no different.
A newly published document from ASHRAE and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) gives users of their energy efficiency standard access to an optional third path for compliance, providing more flexibility for the industry.