In response to an ICC request for comments on its draft Building Performance Standards (BPS)  resource (attached),AGA and the American Public Gas Association (APGA) filed timely comments proposing several changes to the document that are designed to improve their effectiveness.   The ICC explains that “Building Performance Standards (BPS), or Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS), have emerged as a strategy to enforce energy performance requirements in occupied buildings. This resource document provides background on BPS and how they are being implemented, plus opportunities for energy codes and building code departments to support their implementation more effectively. Aligning building codes and BPS is key to setting buildings up for long-term success in achieving jurisdictional energy and climate goals.”  The joint comments filed by AGA and APGA propose four major improvements to the draft resource document including utilizing “source” not “site” energy as the metric for determining energy and emissions reductions as the most appropriate method, being fuel neutral and not promoting energy sources that may, in fact, increase energy consumption and emissions, consider affordability as part of the analysis, and keep utilities involved.   We will provide a response from the ICC when available.

 

A coalition of public and private sector organizations has developed a set of joint recommendations on amended energy conservation standards for consumer water heaters which have been submitted to the DOE consumer water heater Docket No. EERE–2017–BT–STD–0019 / RIN 1904–AD91. Note that the coalition includes water heater manufacturers, energy efficiency organizations, environmental groups, and consumer organizations. According to the submittal, the coalition states that, “if adopted, will transition the majority of electric storage water heaters to heat pump technology and make important incremental steps to improve gas-fired water heater efficiency.”  According to the coalition, the recommendations are based on the analysis used and reported in the DOE Technical Support Document  (TSD) for consumer water heaters.  The proposal for consumer gas storage water heaters appears to be a 10% increase in the minimum efficiency level and for gas instantaneous water heaters, condensing technology. AGA BECS staff is reviewing the justification that the coalition has presented for these proposed levels for gas storage and instantaneous consumer water heaters and requests BECS members also review the justification and provide feedback on the proposal. Certainly, some concerns on the gas water heater proposals are the possibility of these levels eliminating storage gas water heaters that operate without external electric supply (off the grid) or eliminating cost effective non-condensing instantaneous gas water heaters.

 

On November 4, the DOE U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), announced nearly $9 billion available to states and Tribes from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act for consumer home energy rebate programs, enabling communities to make homes more energy efficient, upgrade to electric appliances, and cut energy costs. The public announcement is here. The rebate program heavily promotes funding for electrification.  Note that Table 1. Inflation Reduction Act Rebate Allocations to States provides the amount of funding DOE will be providing each state and territory.

 

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 November 11, 2022 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the September, 2022 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data. For previous monthly shipment releases and historical data, please click here . You may also wish to share this information with other groups or individuals within your organization that would be interested in this shipment data.