Appliance Design - June 2008 - (Page 48)

ASSOCIATION REPORT: AHRI President Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute Stephen R. Yurek S Combined Strengths Tackle Policy Issues install a new model. This is borne out in lower manufacturer shipment rates and higher than normal part sales. Two, those who did install highly efficient equipment were as likely as not to use the cost savings from lower energy use to make themselves more comfortable. That is, rather than lowering their bills and saving energy, they chose to lower the thermostat a few degrees in the summer and raise it a few degrees in the winter, especially at night, to increase their comfort level while keeping their energy bills at essentially the same level. We discovered that second point in a national survey of homeowners we commissioned in late 2007. What all this tells us is that it is not nearly enough to mandate higher energy efficiency levels for products, whether they are furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, or water heaters. What we must do instead is develop a comprehensive approach to encourage actual energy conservation among the American people, especially with respect to their use of the products that our members manufacture. Part of that approach is to provide incentives for the replacement of older equipment. The tax bill under consideration in the Senate provides tax credits for highly efficient water heaters, central air conditioners, heat pumps, boilers, and furnaces. The bill also extends tax credits for “green” commercial buildings through 2012 (2014 occupancy). We expect some form of tax legislation to pass, but because of cost issues the legislation is not likely to include another of AHRI’s priorities, reducing the depreciation period for commercial heating and cooling equipment. Such an action would accelerate replacement of less efficient equipment, as well as chillers that still use chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) as their refrigerant. Changing the habits of consumers is another part of an overall energy conservation strategy. In response to the findings in our homeowner survey, AHRI is developing a campaign in which we hope to partner with several efficiency groups and the news media to encourage people to think about energy use when they set the temperature in their homes. The program, which is still in the planning stages, could also be extended to the hospitality industry and perhaps beyond. Look for more about this in the months to come. We belong to an industry that is clearly at the forefront of quality, innovation, and energy efficiency. Working together on these initiatives and others, we can make even more of a difference in the lives of our customers. < www.applianceDESIGN.com tarting a trade association is not unlike building a house or moving to a new neighborhood – the possibilities seem endless. When members of ARI and GAMA considered a merger last year, we knew we were in for some challenges. The question was whether we could turn those challenges into opportunities, should the merger go through. In December, large majorities of the two associations approved the merger, and I now have the pleasure of serving as president of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), a 350-member trade association with the resources and clout commensurate with the economic strength of our member companies. Through the merger, our mission finally encompasses all the letters of the ubiquitous abbreviation HVAC/R. The AHRI now represents everything related to residential comfort such as cooling, space heating, and water heating, along with commercial HVAC and refrigeration. One of the reasons the merger made sense was that ARI and GAMA shared many of the same policy priorities. National and global regulation, energy efficiency, tax policy – all are issues we used to work on separately, but can now tackle as one larger, more powerful trade association. Our size and scope make it easier to turn challenges into opportunities. As I write this, several policy issues are heating up on Capitol Hill. Climate change legislation, an energy efficiency tax bill, and a housing bill all will likely include provisions involving energy efficient heating and cooling products. While it appears unlikely that this Congress will agree on climate-change legislation that the President would sign, it is likely that tax incentives will be approved that encourage homeowners and business owners to replace older, inefficient heating and cooling equipment with the latest, more efficient models. The tax package is important to the AHRI because it is an important part of an overall strategy to reduce energy use in this country. There is a tendency for governments at all levels to prescribe remedies for problems and assume the problem is then solved. For example, when the 13 SEER mandate took effect in early 2006, Congress and the Energy Department probably figured energy use would start to drop as people replaced their old equipment with more efficient units. What they didn’t count on, however, were two important phenomena: One, with highly efficient equipment costing significantly more, homeowners were more likely than ever to repair their inefficient equipment rather than 48 applianceDESIGN June 2008 http://www.appliancedesign.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Appliance Design - June 2008

Appliance Design - June 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch 21st Annual Excellence in Design Winning Designs Combine State-of-the-art Technology with . . . Meet the Judges Design Marts Fans & Blowers Mother Nature Has Her Own Ideas About Designing for Fluid Flow . . . Using CFD Simulation Software Early in the Product Development . . . Electronics Digital Signal Controllers Enable Digital Motor Control . . . Classifieds Meetings Advertiser’s Index Association Report: AHRI

Appliance Design - June 2008

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