In a rule published on May 23, in the Federal Register, the DOE established that a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 12 will be the standard for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured for distribution in the United States beginning in 2006. The current standard is 10 SEER.
William G. Sutton, president of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), stated, “DOE’s standard is a win for consumers because it keeps this equipment affordable to everyone in all 50 states, and because higher efficiency helps reduce operating costs.” ARI represents manufacturers of more than 90% of North American-produced central air conditioning and commercial refrigeration equipment.