DOE Issues a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Request for Comment, and Notice of Public Webinar Pertaining to Standards for Manufactured Housing .
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a pre-publication Federal Register supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNOPR) to establish energy conservation standards for manufactured housing pursuant to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). EISA directs DOE to base the standards on  the latest version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which is currently the 2021 version.  According to the notice, DOE states that they have “considered comments received during interagency consultation with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as from stakeholders.” The DOE proposal includes a set of “tiered” standards based on the manufacturer’s retail list price for the manufactured home and incorporates the 2021 IECC-based standards for manufactured homes as required by EISA.  They estimate that the “energy savings from the proposed rule to reach 2.32 quads over 30 years, which amounts to a reduction of 109 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions”.    DOE is accepting comments, data, and information regarding this SNOPR until 60 days after the notice has published in the Federal Register. Comments can be submitted to docket number EERE-2009-BT-STD-0021, by email ([email protected]) or Federal eRulemaking portal (http://www.regulations.gov). DOE will also hold a webinar to gather input from interested parties on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, from 11:00 a.m.  to 4:00 p.m. To register for the webinar, Click here . AGA staff will be reviewing the  SNOPR specifically on the potential impact that the proposed changes will have on natural gas applications, i.e. natural gas furnaces, water heaters, cooking products and clothes dryers. This review will include evaluating the Technical Support Documents (TSD) that provides the analysis and assumptions that DOE used in developing the proposal. We request that BECS Committee members also review the proposal and TSD’s and provide us with comments/questions, etc. on the DOE proposal.
ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 Criteria Development.
For those companies interested in Energy Star ratings for efficiency programs, etc., the EPA has released the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 proposed recognition criteria. EPA held a webinar on July 29, 2021 to discuss the ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2021 update and 2022 draft recognition criteria. The presentations made at the webinar can be accessed here: ENERGY STAR Most Efficient 2022 Stakeholder Webinar .
The draft 2022 recognition criteria for gas appliances and other products of interest to the gas industry can be found here and below:

For any questions on the draft 2022 Energy Star criteria, contact [email protected]. You may want to pass this information to other sections or individuals responsible for energy efficiency programs within you organization.
AHRI Releases June 2021 Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data.
For those interested in shipment trends for residential and commercial gas and electric storage type water heaters, residential gas and oil furnaces, electric heat pumps and air-conditioners, click here for the August 13, 2021 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the June, 2021 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data. You will note substantial year-to-date increases in shipments of furnaces, water heaters, electric heat pumps, etc. reflecting the economic recovery the country is experiencing. You may also wish to share this information with other groups or individuals within your organization that would be interested in water heater and HVAC equipment shipment trends.

State Codes Activity Update.
Attached  is a weekly feature of the “Friday Update” covering state code calendar activities as presented by the online utility “Fiscal Note,” which is sponsored by APGA and AGA Code and Standards. Please review the update and determine if there are state code activities that impact your service territory or organization.