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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 127 / Wednesday, July 7, 2021 / Proposed Rules
consider. Furthermore, ASHRAE 221
2020 does not provide a method to determine the dehumidification efficiency and heating efficiency of DDXDOASes, as AHRI 9202020 does.
As discussed in section II of this document, DOE is proposing to incorporate by reference AHRI 920
2020 i.e., the test procedure recognized by ASHRAE Standard 90.1 for DDX
DOASes and the relevant industry standards referenced therein, consistent with EPCA requirements.
The CA IOUs commented that while the July 2017 ASHRAE TP RFI
expressed interest in reducing burden to manufacturers, DOE already took steps to reduce burden by allowing alternative energy efficiency or energy use determination methods AEDMs. CA
IOUs, No. 7 at pp. 12 The CA IOUs stated that there are no further opportunities to streamline test procedures to limit testing burden. Id.
Additionally, the CA IOUs emphasized the importance of accurate efficiency ratings for its incentive programs and customer knowledge, pointing to the statutory provision that test procedures must produce results that are representative of the products energy efficiency. Id.
Lennox stated that it generally supports DOE meeting the statutory requirements to design test procedures to measure energy efficiency during an average use cycle but requested that DOE also consider overall impacts to consumers and manufacturers. Lennox, No. 8 at pp. 12 The commenter stated that in commercial applications, predicting actual energy use from a single metric is difficult and that a metric better serves as a point of comparison. Id. Lennox suggested that DOE strike a balance between evaluating equipment in a meaningful way without introducing regulatory burden from overly complex test procedures or calculations that provide little value to consumers. Id.
In response to the CA IOUs and Lennox, DOE notes that its approach to test procedures is largely dictated by the requirements of EPCA. As discussed, EPCA prescribes that the test procedures for commercial package air conditioning and heating equipment must be those generally accepted industry testing procedures or rating procedures developed or recognized by industry as referenced in ASHRAE Standard 90.1.
42 U.S.C. 6314a4A If such relevant industry test procedure is amended, DOE must update its test procedure to be consistent with the amended industry consensus test procedure, unless DOE determines, by rule published in the Federal Register and
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would be representative of an average use cycle and would not be unduly burdensome for manufacturers to conduct. To the extent that DOE is proposing modifications to the industry consensus test procedure, DOE has tentatively determined that the proposed modifications are consistent with the industry consensus standard, and as explained in the prior sections, they are supported by clear and convincing evidence, because absent such modifications, the industry test procedure would not meet the requirements in 42 U.S.C. 6314a2
and 3 related to representative use and test burden. 42 U.S.C. 6314a4B and C. Further, DOE has tentatively determined that the proposed modifications would be unlikely to significantly increase burden, given that DOE is referencing the prevailing industry test procedure. So, presuming widespread usage of that test standard, its adoption as part of the Federal test procedure would be expected to result in little additional cost, even with the minor modifications proposed here.
DOE has tentatively determined that the test procedure, if finalized as proposed, would not require manufacturers to redesign any of the covered equipment, would not require changes to how the D. Test Procedure Costs, Harmonization, equipment is manufactured, and would not impact the utility of the equipment.
and Other Topics When the industry test procedure or 1. Test Procedure Costs and Impact rating procedure for a category of small, large, and very large commercial EPCA requires DOE to adopt test package air conditioning and heating procedures for small, large and very equipment recognized in ASHRAE
large commercial package air Standard 90.1 is amended, DOE is conditioning and heating equipment required to amend the Federal test consistent with the amended industry test procedures developed or recognized procedure for the relevant category of small, large, and very large commercial AHRI as referenced in ASHRAE
package air conditioning and heating Standard 90.1, unless the Secretary determines that, supported by clear and equipment consistent with the industry convincing evidence, to do so would not update, unless DOE determines by clear and convincing evidence that to do so meet the requirements for test procedures to be reasonably designed to would result in a test procedure that does not meet the EPCA requirements produce results that reflect energy regarding representativeness and testing efficiency, energy use, and estimated burden. 42 U.S.C. 6314a4B As operating costs during a representative discussed, ASHRAE Standard 90.1
average use cycle and not be unduly 2016 established energy efficiency burdensome to conduct. 42 U.S.C.
levels for DDXDOASes but written as 6314a4B In this NOPR, DOE
DXDOASes in ASHRAE Standard proposes to establish a test procedure 90.1 as a category of commercial for DDXDOASes, which belong to a package air conditioning and heating category of small, large, and very large equipment and recognized ANSI/AHRI
commercial package air conditioning 9202015 as the industry test procedure and heating equipment. DOE is for these equipment. Subsequent to the proposing to establish a test procedure establishment of standards and a test that incorporates by reference the procedure for DDXDOASes in applicable industry consensus test ASHRAE Standard 90.12016, ANSI/
methods including the energy AHRI 9202015 was updated. The 2020
efficiency descriptors and that establishes representation requirements. version of AHRI 920 i.e., AHRI 920
2020 is the most recent version of the DOE has tentatively determined that industry test procedure for DDX
these proposed new test procedures supported by clear and convincing evidence, that the amended test procedure would not meet the requirements in 42 U.S.C. 6314a2
and 3 related to representative use and test burden. 42 U.S.C. 6314a4B and C In establishing or amending its test procedures, DOE must develop test procedures that are reasonably designed to produce test results which reflect energy efficiency, energy use, and estimated operating costs of a type of industrial equipment during a representative average use cycle and that are not unduly burdensome to conduct. 42 U.S.C. 6314a2 DOEs considerations of these requirements in relation to individual test method issues are discussed within the relevant sections of this NOPR.
The Joint Advocates stated that there are a number of ambiguities in industry test procedures and that DOE should address these ambiguities in order to provide a level playing field for manufacturers and to ensure that any verification or enforcement testing is consistent with manufacturers own testing. Joint Advocates, No. 9 at p. 2
In the context of a test procedure for DDXDOASes, DOE addresses the potential for ambiguity as applicable, in the previous sections of this document.

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