The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is making some big changes in terms of energy efficiency and household appliances. By enacting new standards for commercial air conditioners and furnaces, more energy will be saved than any other change started by the DOE to date.

Over the product lifetime, businesses are set to save $167 billion on utility bills and reduce carbon pollution by 885 million metric tons.

New commercial air conditioning and furnace standards are scheduled to be implemented in two phases, beginning in 2018. This first phase will cause a 13 percent efficiency improvement in products. In 2023, an additional 15 percent increase in efficiency will be required for newer units. 

Commercial air conditioners, also known as rooftop units, are most commonly used in low-rise buildings such as schools and small office buildings. In total, they cool off about half of the total commercial space in the U.S.

This change was made after careful consideration as well as numerous meetings with the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute representing manufacturers, the Appliance Standards Awareness Project and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

"Just days after the Paris agreement to cut global emissions and create a new era of affordable energy, today's announcement marks the largest energy-saving standard in history and demonstrates that America is leading the effort to reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions," said DOE secretary Dr. Ernest Moniz.

By making simple changes in both the workplace and home, energy efficiency can be improved. To learn more about the efficiency of your home, schedule an energy audit today. 

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