Regional Standards: What Do the Experts Say?

QUESTION 3

Do you think regional HVACR standards are a good idea? If so, what type and why? If not, why not?

SACHS: Regional standards could save more energy than modest increases in SEER level. I have worked on this question for several years with some of the best engineers in the field. We recommend three regions for central air conditioners: hot-dry, hot-humid and national. For gas furnaces and boilers, we have proposed two regions. The colder states would be served by condensing equipment (AFUE 90 or better), and the warmest states could still allow 80 percent noncondensing furnaces. However, if natural gas prices remain as high as projected, then condensing furnaces will be cost-effective nationally.

CRAWFORD: This may be a moot question since DOE has authority under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to set regional standards, and there is strong ideologically driven pressure to do so.

As a concept, regional standards have a certain appeal. As a practical matter, regional standards will increase the cost of doing business, may lead to greater use of room air conditioners vs. more efficient central air conditioners, and can be expected to cause more repair vs. replacement decisions, thus having the opposite effect than what is intended on energy consumption and emissions reduction.

ROBERTS: First, existing legislation permits definitions of regions by state borders only. Climatological maps look nothing like state borders, so to impose a climatological solution on a political map is neither logical nor effective.

Secondly, I think the cost to all isn't worth the benefit to a few. I think that there is a much better solution to be found by working together with stakeholders to develop reliable measures of performance for different climatological conditions. I'm sure that the manufacturers could work to develop test points that, while indicating reliable, sensible and latent performance for different climates, would still permit a single federal rating and efficiency test point to preserve economies of scale for our customers.

QUESTION AND ANSWER NO. 4BY HARVEY SACHS

In the long term, how do you see the residential HVACR equipment market evolving?

I think some trends look pretty clear. First, the real estate “bubble” of McMansions is over. New construction will be dominated by smaller houses that will be built better and perform better, which means lower sensible heat and cooling loads. However, we may actually need efficient mechanical ventilation. I think that the market could grow for integrated space-conditioning and water heating solutions, such as triple-function or full-condensing heat pumps that give fast hot water recovery. Condensing gas appliances that meet hot water and space heating needs may reduce costs. But all of these units must be engineered to simplify installation, operation and diagnostics. I hope building codes will impose performance requirements that will lead to moving all equipment and ductwork inside, eliminating attic equipment and leaky, unbalanced ducts. Modulating equipment will become nearly universal for its efficiency and comfort advantages. I look forward to more “robust” equipment that “keeps on tickin'” if the installation is nearly right, and does self-diagnostics that let the contractor understand the issues remotely. This is starting to happen now. So, I'm optimistic that the future will bring us greater efficiency, greater comfort and equipment that we can actually install and use successfully, despite continuing concerns about the availability of enough skilled tradespeople.

QUESTION AND ANSWER NO. 4 BY JIM CRAWFORD

What is the major conceptual flaw of regional standards?

Regional standards are regressive. They reduce consumer choice and impose undue expense on the entire supply chain, from the manufacturer to the consumer. It seems unreasonable to require the small home owner, who may use HVAC quite frugally, to purchase the same level of efficiency as that required of the owner of a home that is five to 10 times larger.

If a realistic estimate of the enforcement costs were developed, perhaps creative approaches of applying these funds instead to incentives for voluntary efficiency upgrades might offer an attractive alternative to mandatory regional standards.

QUESTION AND ANSWER NO. 4 BY TOM ROBERTS

What is the best way to make progress on this issue?

Convene a small group of stakeholders (representatives from industry and consumer groups) and work to define a nonregulatory solution that would solve everyone's concerns in an equitable fashion.

I commend the intention of those people who want everyone to be comfortable at an affordable price, while at the same time providing meaningful information to allow those consumers to discern which comfort system might best suit their needs. Surely there is a way to achieve this goal without the imposition of the additional costs, regulatory burdens and higher costs due to additional inventory for everyone else.

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Tom Peric' is the editor of HVACR Distribution Business magazine. Contact him at 856/874-0049 or tsperic@penton.com.

HARVEY SACHS is a senior fellow in the Buildings Program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, where he has worked eight years. His work includes emerging technologies, market acceleration and equipment standards. He is active in several ASHRAE committees. Contact him at 202/507-4014 or hsachs@aceee.org.

JIM CRAWFORD is the director of Regulatory Affairs for Trane/Ingersoll-Rand where he has worked for Trane and predecessor companies for 49 years. His work involves national, international and local codes, standards and regulations that apply to HVACR products and their applications. He is an ASHRAE Fellow and is active in the ASHRAE Conferences and Expositions Committee and several technical committees. Contact him at 903/509-7273 or jim.crawford@trane.com.

TOM ROBERTS is the president of Kansas City, MO-based cfm Distributors Inc. He has been in the HVACR industry for 30 years and is the chair of HARDI's HVAC Systems & Equipment Council. Contact him at 816/842-5400, cfmpilot@aol.com or visit www.cfmdistributors.com.