The effective date of this rule is Aug. 15.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a long-awaited new rule governing enforcement of the residential central and single-package air conditioner energy conservation standards that took effect Jan. 1, 2015. Most notably, the enforcement rule includes new mandatory recordkeeping requirements.

While certain provisions within the House and/or Senate versions of the bill have received support from industry and environmental organizations, many differences exist between the House and Senate versions of the bill that must be reconciled during conferencing. 

HVAC efficiency standards have changed in the U.S., creating an opportunity for Canadians dealers. Distributors and manufacturers in the Southeast and Southwest regions of the U.S. need to sell 13 SEER inventory by July 2016. Canadian dealers can purchase this equipment at significant savings.

HVAC contractors seem to be feeling cautiously optimistic about short-term growth, at least according to ACCA, whose Contractor Comfort Index (CCI) scored a 76 in January 2016. But, there is still concern about the U.S. economy and conditions around the world, in general.

Energy efficiency, integration with smart home technology, and the ongoing impact of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) regional efficiency standards are major trends influencing products in the residential air conditioning market.

The Nov. 19 publication of the NOPR tentatively ends a one-year period of uncertainty for the HVACR industry, which adapted as best it could to the new energy conservation standards in the absence of enforcement guidance from the DOE.