May 31, 2012: DOE Announces First Product to Meet Its Rooftop Unit Challenge
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced that Daikin McQuay’s Rebel rooftop unit system is the first to meet DOE’s Rooftop Unit (RTU) Challenge specification. Five manufacturers — Daikin McQuay, Carrier, Lennox, Rheem, and 7AC Technologies — are participating in this challenge to commercialize highly efficient commercial air conditioners that satisfy a DOE-issued specification for energy savings and performance. The companies have until April 1, 2013 to submit a product for independent evaluation according to the specification.
When built to meet the specification, these units are expected to reduce energy use by as much as 50 percent over current standards. Nationwide, if all 10 to 20 ton RTUs met the specification, businesses would save over $1 billion each year in energy costs, said DOE.