HARDI, PHCC Challenge DOE Furnace Efficiency Rule
Key Highlights
- HARDI and PHCC filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to review DOE efficiency standards for gas furnaces and water heaters.
- Industry groups argue that installation attributes and compatibility with existing venting systems are protected performance characteristics.
- The case highlights concerns over potential market disruptions and the broad implications of DOE’s efficiency regulations on product availability.
- The Supreme Court's decision on whether to review the case is expected in the coming months.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, and ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — Heating, Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) and the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association — National Association (PHCC) have filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal court decision involving U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) efficiency standards for gas furnaces and commercial water heaters.
The brief relates to the case American Gas Association v. U.S. Department of Energy, which challenges efficiency standards that would require furnaces and certain commercial water heaters to modify venting systems to manage condensation created during fuel combustion. According to HARDI and its partners, the standards would effectively eliminate non-condensing gas furnaces from the market.
HARDI filed the brief in partnership with PHCC and the Natural Gas Association of Georgia. The organizations argue that the Department of Energy’s action conflicts with statutory protections under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which prohibits standards that make generally available product types or performance characteristics unavailable.
“Millions of homes in the U.S. were built to accommodate non-condensing furnaces,” said Alex Ayers, vice president of government affairs at HARDI. He said removing those systems as an option would force costly renovations in many replacement situations and, in some cases, make retrofits impractical.
Chuck White, vice president of regulatory affairs at PHCC, said the issue directly affects contractors responsible for explaining installation requirements and costs to homeowners. He stated that the Energy Policy and Conservation Act was designed to balance efficiency objectives with practical installation considerations and consumer choice.
The organizations contend that installation-related attributes, including compatibility with existing venting systems, qualify as protected performance characteristics under federal law.
Beyond residential furnaces, the brief notes that the lower court’s interpretation could allow the Department of Energy to eliminate additional product categories based on efficiency thresholds, even when doing so disrupts established installation practices and market availability.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to determine in the coming months whether it will grant review of the case.
Note: This piece was created with the help of generative AI tools and edited by our content team for clarity and accuracy.