Reminder: the upcoming Building Energy Codes and Standards Committee (BECS) Meeting will be held on Wednesday and Thursday, May 10-11, 2023, at the Francis Marion Hotel, 387 King Street in Charleston, SC (877) 756-2121 or (843) 722-0600. For meeting registration click here: BECS Committee Meeting.

U.S. DOE Releases Draft Zero Energy Ready Home Multifamily Version 2 Requirements for Public Comment – Comments Due May 15th.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has posted the Draft ZERH Multifamily Version 2 National Program Requirements, the Rater Checklist, drafts of the EV-Ready and PV-Ready checklists; and the draft Energy Rating Index (ERI) Target Procedure document for stakeholder review and comment. Comments are due to DOE by May 15, 2023. Additionally, DOE has posted a 3-page summary that highlights the major changes between multifamily requirements under ZERH Version 1 and draft Multifamily Version 2 program requirements. Version 2 expands eligibility to multifamily buildings of any height, increases the efficiency, performance, and electric readiness provisions of Version 1 and specifically proposes to add requirements for electric vehicles, electric heat pump water heater ready and electric heat pump space heater ready. Note that these types of requirements have been challenged by AGA and other organizations in the ICC Model Energy Code development process since there is no guarantee that those provisions would every be used or if they were used, would even reduce and could increase energy consumption and emissions for the Zero Energy Ready Multifamily Homes.  BECS Committee members are requested to review the proposed changes and provide us with comments on the proposal by May 1st.

AHRI Releases the February 2023 Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data.

For those interested in shipment trends for residential and commercial gas and electric storage type water heaters, residential gas and oil furnaces, electric heat pumps and air-conditioners, click herefor the April 14, 2023 Air-Conditioning Heating, & Refrigeration (AHRI) Press Release that provides the February,  2023 U.S. Heating and Cooling Equipment Shipment Data. For previous monthly shipment releases and historical data, please click here . You may also wish to share this information with other groups or individuals within your organization that would be interested in this shipment data.