June 14, 2006

EPA weighs in on cooling SEER
requirements and ENERGY STAR

Recently enacted federal standards require that new cooling equipment have an efficiency of 13 SEER or greater. As the new equipment begins arriving and the last of the older, low efficiency models are absorbed by the market, questions have arisen about when Energy Star homes must meet the 13 SEER requirements. To minimize confusion, EPA has issued the following clarification:

Minimum Cooling Equipment Efficiency: Starting July 1, 2006, all ENERGY STAR qualified homes must be equipped with cooling equipment rated not less than National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) minimum requirements (13 SEER).  ENERGY STAR qualified homes with cooling equipment not less than 12 SEER may be used provided the home was installed with a heat pump or air conditioner, either at a building site or at a retail center, prior to July 1, 2006, except as noted in the package descriptions.

ENERGY STAR for Homes: Manufactured vs. Site-Built

While all Energy Star homes must meet exemplary requirements, there are important differences between manufactured and site-built homes in how compliance with the Energy Star provisions is actually demonstrated.

One of the biggest differences is in how homes are checked at the building site. While Energy Star site-built homes are subject to extensive inspection and testing at the building site, manufactured homes are mainly inspected in the manufacturing plant, leaving little to be done at the site. Completing an Energy Star manufactured home at the building site involves three easy steps:

1.       Check to make sure the proper equipment is installed (correct SEER, see above);

2.       Verify that the crossover duct (if required) and other items on the Site Installation Checklist are properly installed. Complete and sign the Site Installation Checklist; and;

3.       Sign the Energy Star Label permanently attached to the home.

These steps are the responsibility of the home manufacturer and are often completed by the retailer or the manufacturer’s representative. For more details, refer to the Energy Star Guide for Retailers http://www.mhrahome.org/media/energystar/es_ri_guide.pdf.

Need ENERGY STAR Marketing Materials?

Visit http://www.mhrahome.org/pages/es_promotional_tools.htm for details.

Copyright 2006 All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transcribed in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of MHRA. For comments or questions related to MHRA ENERGY STAR Update, contact Gwynne Koch via e-mail at gkoch@research-alliance.org. To unsubscribe, reply to this email with Unsubscribe in the subject line.