Aug. 9, 2005: Energy Policy Act Includes Minimum Efficiency Levels
ARLINGTON, Va. - The Energy Policy Act of 2005, signed into law yesterday by President Bush, contains three historic consensus agreements between the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) and several energy efficiency groups establishing national minimum efficiency standards on commercial package air conditioning equipment, commercial refrigeration equipment, and automatic commercial ice-making equipment that are expected to save energy and protect the environment.
The terms of the agreements, enacted into law through the energy bill, involve national minimum efficiency standards that will be effective on Jan. 1, 2010. The law sets new more stringent minimum efficiency standards for packaged air conditioners and heat pumps (from 65,000 Btuh up to 240,000 Btuh cooling capacity) that are used in many commercial buildings, a 26 percent improvement.