Standards and Legislation

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The DOE’s proposed rule represents a significant increase in efficiency that would effectively eliminate noncondensing furnaces and significantly impact the design, installation, and cost of nonweatherized furnaces. 

The development of biomass requirements is being explored by ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), for inclusion in their co-sponsored green building standard.

The aggressive environmental and regulatory positions in Sacramento have caused the rest of the U.S. to monitor policymaking and enforcement out West. And, more often than not, those policies have ended up as the blueprint for federal regulations.

These standards, which were last updated in 1988, reflect the significantly improved technologies available to make a range of models cleaner-burning and more efficient. 

The 2015 AHR Expo blew into the Windy City and proceeded to trump all previous Chicago expo records as manufacturers, contractors, and distributors from all around the country traveled to the Midwest to discover what’s new and trending in the HVACR industry.

For SMACNA and the commercial-industrial construction industry, TRIA’s passage and extension was a major victory after an uncertain legislative process. 

Proactive HVAC contractors have been working to educate their employees and clients on the inevitable phaseout. And, with the price of R-22 already starting to rise in many areas, educated contractors are finding it easier to convince customers to replace aging R-22 units with newer, more efficient models.

In 2014, the HVACR industry saw an unprecedented amount of regulatory action from government entities, and, according to industry leaders, the regulatory action will continue through 2015. 

While the new efficiency standards do not require manufacturers to use any specific technologies to achieve the new EF (energy factor) ratings, they’ve already necessitated a significant redesign effort from manufacturers. Additionally, the increasing unit sizes pose transportation and installation challenges that have yet to be fully understood.

With the enactment of MEPRA, plans meeting certain qualifications can be proactive and adjust retiree benefits in order to prevent a plan from reaching insolvency.