In late December, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which sets new energy efficiency benchmarks for HVAC equipment. Stephen Yurek, president of the newly merged AHRI, highlighted the benefit of the bill, as it "provides incentives and standards for commercial and residential users to improve their heating equipment. and cooling with more efficient options, with the goal of reducing energy consumption."AHRI's active participation in the drafting of the project made it possible to soften the language and reduce the impact of regional standards. I also made it easier to eliminate state codes and standards for high-performance buildings, standards for vertical units in packages and three-phase equipment, include standards for freezers and cellars, set reasonable dates for equipment adequacy, exclude commercial equipment, avoid cumbersome labeling requirements and release manufacturers from liability.
The bill, which is a consensus agreement between AHRI and the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, will enter into force on January 1, 2009. The inclusion of this standard will allow for significant reductions in energy use for U.S. businesses using these products.
