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High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioners

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UES Measures Standard protocols list Demand Response Technologies Supporting Documents Propose a measure or standard protocol Proposed measures and status Whole Building Efforts

Subcommittees

  • Commercial HVAC
  • Connected Thermostats
  • Demand Response
  • Duct Sealing
  • Guidelines
  • Heat Pump Water Heaters
  • Implementers Group
  • Modeling
  • Natural Gas
  • New Homes
  • Non-Residential Lighting
  • Operations
  • Refrigeration
  • Research and Evaluation
  • Residential HVAC
  • RTF Policy Advisory Committee
  • Small and Rural Utilities
  • Weatherization
  • Whole Building
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UES Measure

  • High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioners

High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioners

At a Glance

Category 
planning
Status 
under review
Fuel type 
electric
Sector 
residential
Applications 
HVAC
Sunset date 
Aug 31, 2025

This measure is the installation of a new high efficiency single speed or dual speed central air conditioner.  Per the Council’s Northwest Regional Cost-Effectiveness test this measure is not cost-effective, primarily because the energy savings occur in the summer and therefore do not align with the regional winter peak or get the benefit of deferred generation. However, for summer peaking utilities, this measure might have greater value. At adoption, the RTF set the measure to Planning as there remains uncertainty around regional cooling loads and the relationship between SEER and EER and energy usage in the Pacific Northwest. RTF Staff has developed a Research Strategy to target this uncertainty.  

Workbook

Latest Version

Residential Efficient Central Air Conditioners v2.2

File Residential Efficient Central Air Conditioners v2.2
Based on an RTF decision at the July 2023 meeting, this version includes minimum SEER2 and EER2 levels to be met by qualifying units that do not have a SEER and EER rating. Updated cost effectiveness using procost version 5.08
Date 
Aug 14, 2023
Version number 
2.2

Past Versions

version date document
2.0
Apr 18, 2022
File Residential Efficient Central Air Conditioners v2.0
Updated with 2021 Plan cost effectiveness methodology
1.1
Mar 10, 2020
File Res Efficient Central Air Conditioners v1.1
Workbook adopted at January 2020 meeting. Completed QA/QC review.
1.0
Jan 23, 2020
File Res Efficient Central Air Conditioners v1.0
Workbook adopted at January 2020 meeting. Currently undergoing QA/QC review.
Supporting Documents
File Res Central AC-SEEM runs
Jan 23, 2020
SEEM runs accompanying workbook v1.1.
File Residential High Efficiency Central ACs Research Strategy (2020)
May 15, 2020
Approved at the April 2020 RTF meeting.

Decisions

Expand All Decisions

Latest decision

Decision details

Decided 
March 18, 2025
RTF Meeting

Extend Measure Sunset Date

Decision Details

Move that the RTF extend the sunset date for the High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioner UES measure to August 31, 2025.

Decided 
September 17, 2024
RTF Meeting

Extend Measure Sunset Date

Decision Details

Extend the sunset date for the High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioner UES measure to March 31, 2025. 

Decided 
January 17, 2024
RTF Meeting

Update Measure Sunset Date

Decision Details

Extend the sunset date of Residential Central Air Conditioners to September 30, 2024.

Decided 
July 18, 2023
RTF Meeting: July 18, 2023

Adopt measure changes

Decision Details

Adopt the minimum HSPF2, SEER2,and EER2 specifications as presented for the following UES measures as an interim solution until these measures are next updated and a longer-term approach agreed upon:
DHPs for Zonal Heat SF
DHPs for Zonal Heat MH
DHPs for Multifamily
DHPs for Forced Air Furnace SF and MH
ASHPs Upgrades and Conversion MH
ASHPs Upgrades and Conversion SF
High Efficiency Central AC

Decided 
January 18, 2023
RTF Meeting: January 18, 2023

Extend Sunset Date and set Status to Under Review

Decision Details

Change the Status to Under Review;
Set the Sunset Date to January 31, 2024;
Keep the Category as Planning

Decided 
April 21, 2020
RTF Meeting: April 21, 2020

Approved Research Strategy

Decision Details

Adopt the Research Strategy for the High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioner UES measures as presented and set the Measure Status to Active.

Decided 
January 22, 2020
RTF Meeting: January 22, 2020

Adopt New Measure

Decision Details

Adopt the High Efficiency Residential Central Air Conditioners Measure: 

  • Set the Category to Planning
  • Set the Status to Under Review
  • Set the Sunset Date to January 31, 2023
  • Add EER minimum thresholds in the measure identifiers consistent with the CEE specifications, using EER 13.0 for the SEER 17.0 identifier. 
Decided 
November 19, 2019
RTF Meeting: November 19, 2019

Allocate Resources to New Measure Development

Decision Details

Allocate resources to: 

  • Small Commercial DHPs 
  • Generator Engine Block Heaters
  • ENERGY STAR Air Purifiers
  • Non-Residential LED Wallpacks
  • Residential High Efficiency Central AC
  • Advanced Kitchen Ventilation Controls 
  • Retrofit or Upgrade Doors on Existing Display Cases 
  • Air Curtains for Walk-Ins
  • Floating Controls for Multiplex Refrigeration System
  • Display Case Upgrade and Replacement

Do not allocate resource to:

  • Workstation Power Management Devices
  • Anti-Fouling Refrigerant Additives 
  • ENERGY STAR Dehumidifiers

 

Small/rural Checklist

Latest Version

January 2020 Residential High Efficiency Central AC Small/Rural Checklist

File January 2020 Residential High Efficiency Central AC Small/Rural Checklist
Checklist corresponds with the measure adopted at the January 2020 RTF meeting.
Date 
Jan 22, 2020

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