U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced the Strengthening Manufactured Appliance Requirements towards Thoughtful Energy Efficiency Standards (SMART Energy Efficiency Standards) Act to modernize federal energy efficiency standards for furnaces, central air conditioners, and heat pumps. The bill replaces the current installation-date compliance standard with a manufacturing date standard, aligning these products with others covered by the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
“There’s no reason heating and cooling equipment should be treated differently from virtually every other product,” said Ernst. “My bill uses the date it is manufactured to provide a fair, predictable standard that helps distributors, gives contractors certainty, and keeps equipment available for American families.”
“We want to thank Senator Ernst for championing this critical legislation. Distributors work hard to manage inventory responsibly, but using an installation-date deadline creates severe uncertainty for distributors and the contractors we serve. This bill replaces that confusion with a much more practical standard that brings predictability back to the marketplace,” said Steven Roe, President of Heating and Cooling Supply in Waterloo, Iowa.
“Senator Ernst has been a tremendous supporter of Lennox, our employees, and our Iowa manufacturing roots. This common-sense legislation provides regulatory certainty, reduces inventory risk, and helps prevent supply-chain disruptions. Not only will this bill strengthen our factory in Marshalltown, it will also benefit HVAC manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and consumers across the United States,” said Eric Zito, Head of Government Affairs & Sustainability at Lennox.
“We are grateful to Senator Ernst for introducing this bill making a long-overdue technical correction to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. This simple change will reduce confusion, ease the burden on manufacturers and distributors. It will allow for a smooth transition from the previous energy efficiency standard to the new standard, all while preventing millions of dollars’ worth of inventory from being unable to be installed every time standards change,” said Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) President and CEO Stephen Yurek.
“HARDI has long advocated for aligning regional standards with the date of manufacture, and the SMART Energy Efficiency Standards Act does exactly that. This legislation makes compliance clearer, protects distributors from liability they cannot control, and ultimately supports a smoother transition to higher-efficiency equipment across the supply chain,” said Alex Ayers, Vice President of Government Affairs at HARDI.
Ernst also thanked U.S. Representative Bob Latta (R-Ohio) for previously spearheading this common-sense legislation in the House and for his efforts to provide certainty for manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and consumers.
