Department of Energy July 16, 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, directs the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to establish energy conservation standards for certain commercial and industrial equipment, including commercial heating, air-conditioning, and water- heating products. Of particular relevance here, the statute also requires that each time the corresponding consensus standardthe American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE)/ Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1is amended, DOE must assess whether there is a need to update the uniform national energy conservation standards for the same equipment covered under EPCA. ASHRAE officially released an amended version of this industry standard (ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007) on January 10, 2008, thereby triggering DOE's related obligations under EPCA. As a first step in meeting these statutory requirements, today's notice of data availability (NODA) discusses the results of DOE's analysis of the energy savings potential of amended energy conservation standards for certain types of commercial equipment covered by ASHRAE Standard 90.1. Potential energy savings are based upon either the efficiency levels specified in the amended industry standard (i.e., ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2007) or more stringent levels that would result in significant additional conservation of energy and are technologically feasible and economically justified. DOE is publishing this NODA to: (1) Announce the results and preliminary conclusions of DOE's analysis of potential energy savings associated with amended standards for this equipment, and (2) request public comment on this analysis, as well as the submission of data and other relevant information.