New Federal, State Heat Pump Requirements Taking Effect

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The residential and commercial building industries are on the cusp of tremendous change when it comes to energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction. A growing number of states and jurisdictions are enacting regulations targeting decarbonization, to help reduce the carbon footprint of buildings (see our previous coverage on this topic here). In New York, for example, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act requires a reduction in economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030 and no less than 85% by 2050 from 1990 levels, a requirement has schools moving away from centralized gas boilers to decentralized heat pumps.

In April, Washington became the first state to require new commercial buildings to use heat pumps for space and water heating, a rule that will go into effect July 1, 2023.

In tandem with the increasing local requirements for use of heat pumps over fossil fuel-dependent systems, the U.S. Dept. of Energy is raising the minimum efficiency standards for split-system heat pumps from 8.2 HSPF/14 SEER to 7.5 HSPF2/14.3 SEER2, according to the NAHB.

On the commercial side, DOE increased the efficiency of air conditioning systems in two phases,” ACHR News reported. “The first phase occurred in 2018 and consisted of a 13% increase in minimum efficiency, while the second phase will take place in 2023 and require an additional 15% increase in part-load (IEER) efficiency.”

To learn more about how Systemair can help you meet this upcoming challenges, please contact your local sales office, or reach out to us at sales@systemair.net to help you find a local resource.