WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) introduced the SMART Energy Efficiency Standards Act to amend the date that furnace, central air conditioner, and heat pump manufacturers must comply with regional energy efficiency standards from the date of installation to the date of manufacture.

“Regional standards created by the Department of Energy set up two different compliance dates, which created unnecessary confusion and burdened distributors, who were left with unusable products,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “While our nation is facing supply chain and cost of living crises, we should not be making it harder for consumers to obtain appliances. I am introducing this legislation to protect American manufacturers from burdensome regulations and ensure consumers have the appliances they need in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost.”

Starting in January 2022, residential air conditioners (AC) were required to meet new minimum energy efficiency requirements to help consumers reduce their energy usage. Manufacturers are required to re-test all existing AC models to meet the new metric, rewrite and redistribute marketing literature, update model numbers, and re-list the equipment in certification programs to verify its efficiency and qualify for rebates. Because these requirements applied to products based on their date of installation rather than their date of manufacture, these requirements have resulted in the stranding of products that were previously legally manufactured, purchased, and distributed, but now will no longer be eligible for installation. The SMART Energy Efficiency Standards Act amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to ensure regional standards for furnaces, central air conditioners, and heat pumps are applied to products based on their date of manufacture instead of installation.

Lesko was joined by Representative Bob Latta (R-OH-05) in the introduction of this legislation.

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