AHRI pledges to work with Energy Dept. on efficiency standards, but raises concerns
The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration
Institute is
cooperating with the Energy Department as
it decides whether to increase residential furnace efficiency standards, but it has some qualms.
The AHRI has renewed its commitment to cooperate with the U.S. Energy Department as it decides whether to increase residential furnace efficiency standards, but said it has concerns about any final regulations.
“AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute) looks forward to working with DOE and other stakeholders to ensure that future standards are environmentally sound and economically justifiable," said AHRI President Stephen Yurek.
However, Yurek urged the Obama administration to consider the potential for unintended consequences if standards are set too high.
“With today's high energy prices, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems are good for homeowners, but restricting their choice to only the most super-efficient models could have the unintended consequence of making energy efficient heating and cooling systems financially unattainable for more people,” he said.
Greater efficiency also increases the price of new units and could make some homeowners decide to repair rather than replace HVAC systems, which would undermine the government’s energy goals, he added. “When the federal government raised the minimum efficiency standard 30 percent for central air conditioners and heat pumps in 2006, repairs increased by 25 percent and sales of new equipment declined about 10 percent,” Yurek pointed out.
The AHRI has renewed its commitment to cooperate with the U.S. Energy Department as it decides whether to increase residential furnace efficiency standards, but said it has concerns about any final regulations.
“AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute) looks forward to working with DOE and other stakeholders to ensure that future standards are environmentally sound and economically justifiable," said AHRI President Stephen Yurek.
However, Yurek urged the Obama administration to consider the potential for unintended consequences if standards are set too high.
“With today's high energy prices, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems are good for homeowners, but restricting their choice to only the most super-efficient models could have the unintended consequence of making energy efficient heating and cooling systems financially unattainable for more people,” he said.
Greater efficiency also increases the price of new units and could make some homeowners decide to repair rather than replace HVAC systems, which would undermine the government’s energy goals, he added. “When the federal government raised the minimum efficiency standard 30 percent for central air conditioners and heat pumps in 2006, repairs increased by 25 percent and sales of new equipment declined about 10 percent,” Yurek pointed out.
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