Navigating Your New Regulatory Requirements for 2023
Effective January 1, 2023, there will be new minimum efficiency standards for split-system air conditioners and split-system heat pumps. As well as a change to the efficiency rating test procedure, known as the “M1 Standard,” which will affect split-system air conditioners, split-system heat pumps and packaged units.
As in the past, these standards vary by both product type and geographic region. To help you meet these changes with confidence, we have pulled together an easy reference guide.
Why Now?
About every six years, the Department of Energy evaluates energy conservation standards for most of the appliances you have in your home or those in commercial buildings. When DOE evaluates the need for a new standard, they decide whether there are significant national energy savings if the standard is increased.
The Southeast Region enforcement timeline for split system air conditioners (mini splits included) allows no installs after Jan 1, 2023 of units which do not meet the new standard. Split-system heat pumps, single packaged air conditioners and single packaged heat pumps manufactured before Jan 1, 2023 may be installed indefinitely. New efficiency rating changes will also go into effect.
Four Elements of the Regulatory Change:
Regions don’t change.
Efficiency Rating Metrics, “M1 Standard” change for split-system air conditioners, split-system heat pump (including mini-splits) and packaged units.
Minimum efficiency requirements change for split-system air conditioners and split-system heat pumps (including mini-splits).
Effective date of law varies by region.
Testing to a Higher Standard
To comply with a new, more stringent testing protocol for reporting efficiency ratings, Manufacturers are required to:
- Re-test equipment to the new efficiency rating test requirements known as the “M1 Standard.”
- Publish equipment efficiency ratings using the new efficiency metrics of SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2.
Compared to the current test procedure the new test procedure increases the external static pressure from 0.1-0.3 ESP to 0.5 ESP to better reflect field conditions, for heat pumps a more representative heating load line will also be implemented. Since the new testing requirements are more stringent, in 2023, there will be new metrics and nomenclature – SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2. Here’s what will go into effect beginning January 1, 2023.
System Match Requirements
Primarily single-stage and two-stage split system air conditioners and heat pumps will be most affected by this change. DOE testing standards requires that single-stage and two-stage split system air conditioner units must meet the Regional Standard efficiency requirements with coil only matches. Heat pump split systems must meet the National Standard efficiency requirements as a complete system combination (see AHRI.com for qualifying matches). If the least efficient match of any unit is unable to meet the efficiency standard of a particular region, it will not be legal to be sold and installed. This may require some manufacturers to discontinue current models or design new units that meet the new efficiency requirements.
