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Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Rulemaking

New air conditioner standards go into effect January 23, 2006

Learn more about what this means for consumers (PDF 51 KB). Download Adobe Reader.

New Rulemaking - Framework Document

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE or The Department) published a Notice of Availability of the Frame Document (PDF 82 KB) in the Federal Register on June 6th, 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 Webpage. The Department will hold a Framework public meeting on June 12, 2008, to discuss issues and procedures involved in energy conservation standards rulemaking for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps.

Some of these documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.

Current Standards

The Department published a Technical Amendment (PDF 80 KB) 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 (PDF 51 KB).

Final Rule

The U.S. Department of Energy published a Final Rule (PDF 566 KB) 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 (PDF 383 KB), but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that the Department had done so improperly. See the Press Release.

A technical amendment to incorporate the SEER and HSPF standards for all classes of air conditioners was published on August 17, 2004 (PDF 80 KB).

Some of the following documents are available as Adobe Acrobat PDFs. Download Adobe Reader.

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, (PDF 320 KB) 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 (PDF 59 KB)

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, (PDF 2.1 MB)

  • Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedure for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, Final Rule, Federal Register, October 22, 2007 (PDF 896 KB)

Previous Workshop Material

  • Central Air Conditioner Test Procedure Public Workshop: A Technical Discussion on New Defaults for CCD — (PowerPoint 1.31 MB)
    [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 (PDF 751 KB)

  • Draft Residential Central Air Conditioner, Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) Systems Standards Rulemaking: Calculator (Excel 1.4 MB) — 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 (PDF 214 KB)

  • Draft Residential Central Air Conditioner, Small Duct, High Velocity (SDHV) Systems Standards Rulemaking: Life Cycle Cost (LCC) Spreadsheet (Excel 1.5 MB) — 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 (PowerPoint 1.2 MB) — 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 (PDF 1.3 MB) — 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 (PDF 2.1 MB)

  • Final Rule: Finding of No Significant Impact, Notice: Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Energy Conservation Standards, Federal Register, January 22, 2001 (PDF 566 KB)

  • Final Rule: Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products; Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps Energy Conservation Standards, Federal Register, May 23, 2002 (PDF 383 KB)

  • Finding of No Significant Impact for Amended Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, Federal Register, May 23, 2002 (PDF 26 KB)

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

Technical Support Document

The Technical Support Document (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:

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.