Changes are coming to the HVAC industry and the new regulations are likely to impact thousands of business owners.
We’ve done the research for you, so you can get up to speed on what these changes mean for your business. Read on to learn more.
New HVAC Industry Regulations
Buildings in the United States currently consume 70% of the electricity load. Since most buildings are used for decades, changes need to be made to new buildings and those that already have HVAC systems.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. There are Two Stages of Changes
The U.S. Department of Energy has changed the energy conservation standards for commercial HVAC systems.
The first phase of changes will take effect on January 1st, 2018. Minimum efficiency will need to be increased by approximately 10% by this date for all new units. This covers low-rise buildings such as big-box stores, schools, and hospitals.
From January 1, 2023, minimum efficiency will need to be increased by 25-30%.
2. The Savings are Significant
These new standards will save approximately 1.7 kWh within 30 years. That’s the amount of energy created by all of the coal burned in the United States for a year of electrical generation.
And it’s not just the environment that will benefit. A typical building owner will save between $4200 and $10,000 during the life of one HVAC system.
Business owners in the US will also save $167 billion on their utility bills.
3. Systems are Being Redesigned
Manufacturers in the HVAC industry need to ensure that their equipment will meet the new regulations.
The first step is for manufacturers to thoroughly understand the new regulations. They then need to make changes to their products so that they’ll meet these new standards.
Installers and contractors will then need to be trained according to the new redesign. This may mean higher costs passed onto customers.
4. Business Owners May Need to Purchase a New System
If your HVAC system fails to meet the new standards, you’ll need to purchase a new one.
The initial cost of the new equipment may eat into your annual budget. But you can expect to save approximately $3,700 per system if you replace it with a high-efficiency unit.
Many manufacturers are going above and beyond the current regulations. This means that business owners purchasing new HVAC equipment may not need to upgrade when future regulations come into place.
For this reason, you should check that any new HVAC equipment also has the option of tiers above this minimum level.
5. Design Updates Will Revolutionize the Industry
The HVAC industry can expect to see several different updates to the design of the current systems.
These may include:
Larger systems as the heat exchanger will have a larger surface area
Increased use of modulated scroll compressors and variable speed scroll compressors
Staged fan speeds
Blower motors with variable frequency drives
As you can see, the new regulations will completely change the HVAC industry and are likely to impact your business.
Do you have some questions about the new regulations? Do you need a new HVAC system?
Get in touch today for expert advice.
