ARLINGTON, Va. — On June 8, Paul Stalknecht, president and CEO, ACCA, sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz thanking him for his interest in HVAC equipment efficiency and introducing quality installations as a way to reduce energy consumption.

In his letter, Stalknecht referenced a recent Washington Post article in which Moniz was quoted as saying, “A 25-30 percent improvement in efficiency, which we certainly think is technologically possible, can have an enormous difference in terms of, especially, peak demand for electricity going forward.”

Stalknecht noted the quote as a way to introduce quality installations as a viable solution to the problem. He also pointed out that the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a study in 2014 that examined energy penalties due to poor installations in residential HVAC units. The study found that duct leakage is the most significant fault and can account for a 30 percent energy penalty. Additionally, equipment oversizing and refrigerant undercharging can each decrease efficiencies by 20 percent. If there are multiple installation faults in a residential HVAC system, such as 30 percent duct leakage and 20 percent refrigerant undercharge, then the annual increased energy consumption can be more than 40 percent.

“ACCA has known for many years that quality installations are the key to ensuring equipment efficiencies and better comfort for homeowners,” said Stalknecht. “The NIST study confirms what we already knew. We hope with the third-party confirmation and the growing interest from high-level government officials to reduce energy consumption that quality installations will become the basis for future federal rules that regulate HVAC equipment efficiency.” The letter can be read in its entirety at www.acca.org/monizletter.

Publication date: 6/27/2016

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!