Appliance Standards Introduced in Senate Regional Standards for Furnaces, Heat Pumps, Central A/C

摘要

On Feb. 17, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., introduced a bill in the Senate to update the efficiency standards for a host of appliances and building systems, including furnaces, heat pumps, and central air conditioners. Titled the "Implementation of National Consen- sus Appliance Agreements Act of 2011," or INCAAA, the bill (S. 398) divides the nation into three regions with different efficiency standards for each. It also recommends more stringent building codes for new construction. INCAAA is cosponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. Bingaman is the chairman and Murkowski is the ranking member of the Senate's Energy & Natural Resources Committee, which the bill was referred to after its introduction.