{"abstract":"The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is proposing to amend its energy conservation standards for several classes of commercial heating, air-conditioning, and water-heating equipment. Pursuant to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA), as amended, DOE must assess whether the uniform national standards for these covered equipment need to be updated each time the corresponding industry standard--the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)/Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) Standard 90.1 (ASHRAE Standard 90.1)--is amended, which most recently occurred on October 29, 2010. Based upon its analysis of the energy savings potential of amended energy conservation standards and the lack of clear and convincing evidence to support more-stringent standards, DOE is proposing to adopt the amended standards in ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for small, large, and very large water-cooled and evaporatively-cooled commercial package air conditioners; variable refrigerant flow (VRF) water-source heat pumps less than 17,000 Btu/h; VRF water-source heat pumps at or greater than 135,000 Btu/h; and computer room air conditioners. DOE is also proposing updates to the current Federal test procedures to incorporate by reference the most current versions of the following relevant industry test procedures specified in ASHRAE Standard 90.1: Air-conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) 210/240 (small commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment); AHRI 340/360 (large and very large commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment); Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 727 and ANSI Z21.47 (commercial warm-air furnaces); and ANSI Z21.10.3 (commercial water heaters). Furthermore, DOE is proposing to adopt AHRI 1230 for newly-created classes of variable refrigerant flow air conditioners and heat pumps, ASHRAE 127 for computer room air conditioners, and AHRI 390 for single package vertical air conditioners and single package vertical heat pumps. In addition, DOE is announcing a public meeting to receive comment on its proposal and related issues.","action":"Notice of proposed rulemaking and announcement of public meeting.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY","name":"Energy Department","id":136,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/energy-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/136","parent_id":null,"slug":"energy-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2012/01/17/2012-327.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":431,"title":10}],"citation":"77 FR 2356","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"Meeting: DOE will hold a public meeting on February 14, 2012, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC. The meeting will also be broadcast as a webinar. See section X, \"Public Participation,\" for webinar information, participant instructions, and information about the capabilities available to webinar participants.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2012-327","effective_on":null,"end_page":2433,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2012/01/17/2012-327.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2012/01/17/2012-327/energy-conservation-program-for-certain-industrial-equipment-energy-conservation-standards-and-test","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2012-327?publication_date=2012-01-17","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2012-01-17/2012-327/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":78,"page_views":{"count":536,"last_updated":"2026-10-22 14:15:05 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2012-01-17/pdf/2012-327.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-00327.pdf?1326490109","publication_date":"2012-01-17","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2012/01/17/2012-327.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1904-AC47":{"issue":"201110","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1904-AC47/energy-conservation-program-for-certain-industrial-equipment-energy-conservation-standards-for-comme","title":"Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Heating, Air Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201110&RIN=1904-AC47&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1904-AC47"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"2012-02-14  Attendance List - By Webinar","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0043"},{"title":"2012-02-14  Attendance List - In Person","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0042"},{"title":"Computer Room Air Conditioner National Impacts Analysis Spreadsheet","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0041"},{"title":"Computer Room Air Conditioner LCC and PBP Spreadsheet","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0040"},{"title":"Commercial Heating, Air Conditioning, and Water Heating Equipment (i.e., ASHRAE Equipment) Final Rule Rulemaking Technical Support Document","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0039"},{"title":"2012-03-27  DOJ Conclusion that the standards are unlikely to have a significant adverse impact.","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0037"},{"title":"2012-03-13 Prepublication Federal Register Notice: Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water- Heating Equipment; Supplemental notice ","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0027"},{"title":"2012-02-14  Computer Room Air Conditioner National Impacts Analysis Spreadsheet","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0025"},{"title":"2012-02-14  Computer Room Air Conditioner LCC and PBP Spreadsheet","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0024"},{"title":"2012-02-14  Variable Refrigerant Flow Water-source Heat Pump National Energy Savings Spreadsheet","document_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029-0023"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1904-AC47/energy-conservation-program-for-certain-industrial-equipment-energy-conservation-standards-for-comme","title":"Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Heating, Air Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment"},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029","supporting_documents_count":18,"docket_id":"EERE-2011-BT-STD-0029","regulation_id_number":"1904-AC47","title":"Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Heating, Air Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2012-04-13T23:42:09Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":2356,"subtype":null,"title":"Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment","toc_doc":"Standards and Test Procedures for Commercial Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Water-Heating Equipment","toc_subject":"Energy Conservation Program for Certain Industrial Equipment:","topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Confidential business information","Energy conservation","Incorporation by reference","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements"],"type":"Proposed Rule","volume":77}