In 2015, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced new efficiency standards for commercial air conditioners and furnaces, including rooftop units (RTUs). The standards were split into two phases. The first phase was in January 2018, and the minimum efficiencies were increased by 13%. The second phase, coming up in January 2023, will require these commercial systems to achieve an additional 15% efficiency.
For many manufacturers, higher efficiency systems have been in the works for a while, but these new standards, coupled with the onset of a pandemic and supply chain issues, have added a bit of pressure. William Ward, applied air-handling product manager at Daikin Applied, said although they had already started down the path of rolling out an entire new RTU product line early on, they were still struck by some of the supply chain issues.