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Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps (CAC)

Regional Standards

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published Chapter 17 of the preliminary analysis Technical Support Document for central air conditioners and heat pumps. Chapter 17 details the regional standards impacts on market participants for residential furnaces and residential central air conditioners and heat pumps.

To learn more about the current standards rulemaking for residential furnaces see the Furnace and Boiler Rulemaking Web page.

Pre-Analysis Document

DOE published the Notice of Public Meeting (NOPM) in the Federal Register.  Learn more about the new rulemaking activities for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps.

Framework Document (June 6, 2008)

DOE published a Notice of Availability of the Framework Document in the Federal Register on June 6^th, 2008 to begin the new rulemaking process for a Final Rule to be published in 2011. For more information on the documents for the new rulemaking see the Standards and Rulemaking Web page. The Department held a Framework public meeting on June 12, 2008 discussing issues and procedures involved in energy conservation standards rulemaking for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps.

Current Standards

The Department published a Technical Amendment on August 17, 2004, setting requirements for residential air conditioners and heat pumps manufactured after January 23, 2006. Learn more about what this means for consumers.

Final Rule

The U.S. Department of Energy published a Final Rule on January 22, 2001, which amends the existing energy conservation standards for central air conditioners and heat pumps. The regulation, which becomes effective January 23, 2006, raises the SEER value by 30 percent to 13 SEER. DOE had promulgated a 12 SEER standard in 2002, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that the Department had done so improperly.

A technical amendment to incorporate the SEER and HSPF standards for all classes of air conditioners was published on August 17, 2004.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• The Department held a public meeting on Wednesday, August 23, 2006, to discuss proposed amendments to the test procedure for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps. The proposal implements test procedure changes for small-duct, high velocity systems, multiple-split systems, two capacity units, and updates references to the standards. Proposed Rule, Federal Register, July 20, 2006. The comment period for this NOPR ends October 20, 2006.

• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps; Correction, Federal Register, October 10, 2006

Test Procedure

• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, Final Rule, Federal Register, October 11, 2005

• Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, Final Rule, Federal Register, October 22, 2007

Previous Workshop Material

• Central Air Conditioner Test Procedure Public Workshop: A Technical Discussion on New Defaults for C^C_D
  [NOTE: If you are using Internet Explorer 5.0 or above this link will open the presentation in the slide show format. If you are using Netscape choose the "Open" option after clicking on the link then hit "F5" to view the slide show once the application has opened.]

• Draft Agenda

• Draft Residential Central Air Conditioner, Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) Systems Standards Rulemaking: Engineering Analysis

• Draft Residential Central Air Conditioner, Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) Systems Standards Rulemaking: Calculator — These spreadsheets show how DOE generated cost-efficiency curves for SDHV systems. Introduction on sheet one.

• Draft Residential Central Air Conditioner, Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) Systems Standards Rulemaking: Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Analysis

• Draft Residential Central Air Conditioner, Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) Systems Standards Rulemaking: Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Spreadsheet — LCC spreadsheets perform calculations to determine LCC and payback periods. The LCC spreadsheets operate in Excel 2000; includes LCC (Sample Calc) sheet and LCC (Simulation) sheet with Excel add-on Crystal Ball.

• Draft Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Test Procedure: Background Briefing Materials — What parts of the DOE AC&HP Test Procedure and related CFR Sections should be (re-)evaluated as part of a limited-scope proposed rulemaking? Issues for comment include: cyclic degradation coefficient default, testing options, alternative rating methods, etc.

• Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) System Standards and Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Test Procedure: Presentation Slides — These slides will be presented at the December 13, 2002, public workshop.

Federal Register Documents

• Final Rule: Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, Federal Register, October 11, 2005

• Final Rule: Finding of No Significant Impact, Notice: Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Energy Conservation Standards, Federal Register, January 22, 2001

• Final Rule: Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products; Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Energy Conservation Standards, Federal Register, May 23, 2002

• Finding of No Significant Impact for Amended Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, Federal Register, May 23, 2002

Previous Federal Register Documents related to the Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (issued July 25, 2001)

Technical Support Document

The TSD supports the rulemaking analyses by describing the assumptions and methodology and by presenting the engineering and economic results in greater breadth and depth. The TSD for the Final Rule includes all sections supporting the July 25, 2001, supplemental proposed rule plus the following additions which revise previous information:

• Title
• Table of Contents
• Appendix M: Revised Utility Impacts Analysis and Environmental Assessment

Please note that Appendix M includes tables and figures supplementing those in TSD Chapter 11 and Appendices H and J.

To view the July 25, 2001 TSD and the Regulatory Impact Analysis, go to SNOPR TSD.

If you have any comments or if you encounter any problems while using these spreadsheets and documents, please contact Michael G. Raymond at (202) 586-9611 or email at michael.raymond@hq.doe.gov.

Previous Rules and Documents

Public Hearing Regarding Energy Efficiency Standards for Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps was held on Tuesday, October 2, 2001.