Standards and Legislation

RSS

In October 2014, the EPA announced its final phasedown schedule regarding the production and importation of HCFC-22. The order called for an immediate drop from 51 million pounds allowed in 2014 to 22 million pounds in 2015, 18 million pounds in 2016, 13 million pounds in 2017, 9 million pounds in 2018, and 4 million pounds in 2019. No new or imported R-22 will be allowed in the U.S. on or after Jan. 1, 2020.

Just as the 2016 elections are already having an impact on the country’s airwaves, many industry leaders agree they’ll also have a significant impact on both the regulatory and legislative environments impacting the HVACR industry through the end of the calendar year.

Between the DOE and the EPA, the regulatory bodies have issued dozens of new rules directly impacting the HVACR industry in just the past couple of years, and this year will likely be no different.

Looking forward, the path is not entirely smooth for the Obama administration as it seeks to continue to advance its strong environmental agenda. 

The department estimates the new efficiency standards for RTUs will save businesses as much as $167 billion in energy costs over the lifetime of the equipment — more than any other efficiency standard issued to date. 

While HR 8 does contain some appealing provisions for HVACR industry stakeholders, including a fix for the contentious 92 percent AFUE proposed furnace rule, many stakeholders are more concerned about language in the bill that threatens to reduce the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) role in helping to create and promote model building energy codes across the U.S.