The federal government recently released a new standard requiring the manufacture of more efficient heating and cooling systems that will also strengthen residential building energy codes, if it is implemented properly. Specifically, under federal law, builders may no longer legally trade-off more efficient HVAC equipment for thermally inefficient insulation and less efficient windows, unless the trade-off is based on using HVAC equipment above the new federal minimum standards and is calculated by software designed to reflect these new standards. Those who already install windows and insulation at prescriptive efficiency levels under the codes are not affected.
The recently updated National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) nationwide regulations and standards is a substantial improvement from the old standards. NAECA's primary mandate is to set a manufacturing standard that requires any new equipment produced in or imported to the United States beginning on the effective date be at least as efficient as the minimums. NAECA also contains other mandates that govern state building codes with respect to equipment efficiency.