New efficiency standards from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will go into effect Jan. 1, 2015. Historically, HVAC standards have had the greatest impact on manufacturers, often resulting in the design and manufacture of new equipment to meet changing efficiency requirements. Unlike previous standards, the 2015 standards will allow manufacturers to continue building some of what they build today for specific regions. Contractors, however, will not be able to conduct business as usual — at least not without carefully considering regional efficiencies, system matches, high-efficiency motors, impending cost increases, and the penalties associated with the new standards.
For the first time, federal minimum-efficiency standards will vary by region. For contractors, the regionalization of minimum-efficiency standards requires that they stay informed about the rules for the regions — defined as Northern, Southeastern, and Southwestern — where they do business and how those standards will be implemented. This is particularly important for contractors who sell and work across state lines, where regional boundaries may result in efficiency standards that vary between bordering states. For example, the split air conditioner with a 13 SEER rating that meets code in West Virginia will not meet the 14 SEER minimum-efficiency standards for an installation just across the border in Virginia.