Department of Energy  (DOE) Issues New Standards for Consumer Clothes Dryers Including a Direct Final Rule; Confirmation of Effective and Compliance Dates.

On Tuesday, October 8th, DOE issued a Direct Final Rule located here and includes the confirmation of effective and compliance dates for consumer clothes dryers including gas clothes dryers.

The new required minimum efficiency levels for consumer (residential) gas clothes dryers are as follows:

Vented Gas, Standard (4.4 ft3 or greater capacity) ………………… 3.48 CEFD2 (lb/kWh)

Vented Gas, Compact (less than 4.4 ft3 capacity) …………………  2.02 CEFD2 (lb/kWh)

For the vented gas standard clothes dryers (4.4 ft3 or greater, the 3.48 CEFD2 (lb/kWh) level is a slight increase from the current requirement of 3.30 CEFD2 (lb/kWh).  According to DOE technical and economic analysis, the new level changes will have a payback in 1.9 years. For the vented gas, compact (less than 4.4 ft3 capacity) models the minimum efficiency level of 2.02 CEFD2 (lb/kWh) is a new product classification. The DOE notice states that the effective date of July 10, 2024 for the direct final rule published on March 12, 2024 (89 FR 18164) is confirmed. Compliance with the standards established in the direct final rule will be required on March 1, 2028.” Note that these requirements for residential gas clothes dryers are the same as the levels in the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) Agreement on Home Appliance Standards with Energy Efficiency Advocates reported in the September 15, 2023 Update on End Use Codes and Standards. That agreement included new, proposed minimum efficiency requirements for residential cooking products and clothes dryers, with the following groups: American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, Alliance for Water Efficiency, Appliance Standards Awareness Project, Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Reports, Earthjustice, National Consumer Law Center, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance.

DOE Issues a Final Determination of No Changes to the Minimum Efficiency Requirements for Weatherized Residential Consumer Furnaces and a Second Pre-Publication for No Changes for the Current Standards for Consumer Furnace Fans.

Today, DOE issued a pre-publication Federal Register notice of final determination pertaining to energy conservation standard for consumer (residential) furnaces. As with all products covered by federal law, DOE notes that “the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), prescribes standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including non-weatherized oil-fired furnaces (NWOFs), mobile home oil-fired furnaces (MHOFs), weatherized gas furnaces (WGFs), weatherized oil-fired furnaces (WOFs), and electric furnaces (EFs). EPCA also requires DOE to periodically review its existing standards to determine whether more stringent, amended standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this final determination, DOE has determined that the standards for EFs, NWOFs, MHOFs, WOFs, and WGFs do not need to be amended.”  As a clarification, this applies to weatherized (outdoor) residential gas furnaces (WGF) and the final rule does not to non-weatherized (indoor) gas furnaces, the subject of ongoing litigation opposing the condensing (95% AFUE) requirement.

In a second action today, DOE issued a pre-publication Federal Register final determination pertaining to energy conservation standards for consumer furnace fans. In this final determination, “DOE has determined that the energy conservation standards for consumer furnace fans also do not need to be amended.

DOE October 17, 2024 Building Energy Codes Program (BECP)  Energy Code Webinar: Beyond Zero Energy: Balancing Embodied Carbon and Operational Energy Solutions to Achieve Zero Emission Buildings.

BECS Committee members are encouraged to sign up for the DOE  BECP Energy Code Webinar Series. This is a monthly webinar series, regularly scheduled for the third Thursday of every month at 1 p.m. ET that will provide an opportunity to learn, discuss, and engage on timely and important energy code topics throughout the year. Each monthly webinar will be presented across a range of engaging formats, from topic-based lectures to expert panels and interactive discussions. Below is the October 10th DOE announcement and registration information on the next webinar:

Register now for the next session: “Beyond Zero Energy: Balancing Embodied Carbon and Operational Energy Solutions to Achieve Zero Emission Buildings”

  • Date/Time: Thursday, October 17, 2024 @ 1:00-2:30pm ET (12 CT /11 MT /10 PT)
  • Description: This webinar will discuss the difference between operational energy and embodied carbon and explore integrating a lifecycle approach to achieving zero energy and emission buildings. Learn from our speakers about the current landscape of embodied carbon and common barriers and potential solutions to balancing both embodied and operational energy in buildings.

Register to attend here.

Future Events

The current line-up of topics for the remainder of 2024 include:

  • Resources and Best Practices for Growing the Green Building Workforce | November 21st (Register)
  • New York City Case Study: Understanding the Relationship between Policy and Actual Building Energy and Emissions Data | January 16th (Register)

You can register for each webinar, access presentation slides, and view previous webinars at https://www.energycodes.gov/becp-energy-code-webinar-series. 

AHRI Releases the August, 2024 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 October 11, 2024 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the August, 2024 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.

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.