Residential Central Air

Conditioning and Heat Pump

Installation–Workshop
Outcomes

W. Goetzler, R. Zogg, J. Young, and Y. Bargach

November 2016
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 NOTICE

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the

United States Government. Neither the United States Government, nor any agency
thereof, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or
their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal
liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any
information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use
would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific
commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer,
or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement,
recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency,
contractor or subcontractor thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed
herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or
any agency thereof.

Available electronically at www.osti.gov/home/

RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Preface
The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technology Office (BTO), a part of the
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) engaged Navigant Consulting, Inc.,
(Navigant) to facilitate a workshop to identify policy changes, deployment strategies, and
technology development initiatives for improving design and installations of residential central
air conditioners (CAC) and heat pumps (CHP).

The initiatives identified in this report are Navigant’s recommendations to BTO and other
stakeholders for pursuing in an effort to achieve DOE’s energy conservation goals. Inclusion in
this report does not guarantee funding; individual initiatives must be evaluated in the context of
all potential activities that BTO could undertake to achieve its goals.

Prepared for:
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Building Technologies Office
energy.gov/eere/buildings

Prepared by:
Navigant Consulting, Inc.
77 South Bedford Street, Suite 400
Burlington, MA 01803

William Goetzler
Robert Zogg
Jim Young
Youssef Bargach

ii Preface
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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the workshop participants and other industry experts who provided
valuable insights for this report, including:

Name Organization
Jim Bergmann North Park Innovations
Antonio Bouza U.S. Department of Energy
Don Brundage Southern Company
Dan Cautley Seventhwave
Roy Crawford Trane
Helen Davis Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
Paul Doppel Mitsubishi
Steve Dunn U.S. Department of Energy
Sarah Edwards Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
John Gibbons United Technologies
Chandra Gollapudi Emerson
Carter Haynes Gulf Power Company
Kristin Heinemeier University of California Davis Energy Efficiency Center
Hugh Henderson CDH Energy Corp.
Dale Hoffmeyer U.S. Department of Energy
Glenn Hourahan Air Conditioning Contractors of America
John Hurst Lennox
James Jackson White-Rodgers
Diane Jakobs Rheem
Barton James Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Harlan “Skip” Krepcik Tidewater Community College
David Lee U.S. Department of Energy
Mike Lubliner Washington State University Energy Program
Charles McCrudden Daikin
Johnathan Melchi Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International
Karen Meyers Rheem Manufacturing Company
Rob Minnick Minnick’s
Courtney Moriarta CSRA
Casey Murphy ICF International
Jonathan Passe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Vance Payne National Institute of Standards and Technology
Hung Pham Emerson
Patrick Phelan U.S. Department of Energy
Steve Porter Johnstone Supply
Reinhard Radermacher University of Maryland
Harvey Sachs American Council for and Energy-Efficiency Economy
Anthony Spagnoli North American Technician Excellence
Charlie Stephens Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance
John Taylor Consortium for Energy Efficiency
Buck Taylor Western HVAC Performance Alliance / Roltay Inc. Energy Services
Rusty Tharp Goodman Manufacturing
John von Harz Environmental Systems, Inc.
Chandler VonSchrader U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Eric Werling U.S. Department of Energy
Dave Winningham Lennox

Acknowledgements iii
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

List of Acronyms
A/C Air Conditioning
ACCA Air Conditioning Contractors of America Association
ASRAC Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee
BTO Building Technologies Office
CAC Central Air Conditioning
CHP Central Heat Pump
DOE U.S. Department of Energy
EIA U.S. Energy Information Administration
EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
FDD Fault Detection and Diagnostics
HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
QI Quality Installation
R&D Research and Development
RECS Residential Energy Consumption Survey
SEER Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
TAB Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing

iv List of Acronyms
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Executive Summary

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Office (BTO) within the Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works with researchers and industry partners to
develop and deploy technologies that can substantially reduce energy consumption in residential
and commercial buildings. This report aims to advance BTO’s energy savings, emissions
reduction, and other program goals by identifying research and development (R&D),
demonstration and deployment, and other non-regulatory initiatives for improving the design and
installation of residential central air conditioners (CAC) and central heat pumps (CHP).
Improving the adoption of CAC/CHP design and installation best practices has significant
potential to reduce equipment costs, improve indoor air quality and comfort, improve system
performance, and most importantly, reduce household energy consumption and costs for heating
and cooling by addressing a variety of common installation issues.

This report identifies and characterizes a set of policy changes, deployment strategies, and
technology development initiatives for BTO and other stakeholders to consider that could
incentivize greater adoption of CAC/CHP quality installation (QI) practices. The investigation
scope covers design and installation of CAC/CHP systems common for residential buildings.

To gather input for this report, on May 12, 2016, BTO convened a stakeholder workshop of
experts with wide-ranging backgrounds, including manufacturers, energy efficiency programs,
and representatives from key industry groups. During the workshop discussions, stakeholders
emphasized the need for R&D investment to better understand current CAC/CHP installation
practice, encourage wider awareness and adoption of QI practices, and develop the next
generation of technologies, policies, and practices that reduce installation losses. The key themes
that arose from the stakeholder workshop include:
 Conduct research to quantify of benefits QI
 Evaluate best practices of energy efficiency QI programs
 Develop and promote QI practices among installers, energy efficiency program
implementers, and policymakers
 Improve education to consumers on the value of QI
 Develop policies and programs that increase the installer adoption of QI certifications and
best practices
 Conduct R&D to improve and validate new tools, techniques, and equipment designed to
reduce losses associated with installation practices.

In all, stakeholders provided 66 unique ideas for R&D and other non-regulatory initiatives that
could benefit CAC/CHP equipment design and installations. Following the stakeholder
workshop, we characterized the full set of initiatives and combined similar ideas into a final list
of 31 initiatives. We then evaluated this list using several qualitative prioritization metrics such
as expected impact on key barriers and criticality of involvement for key stakeholders. We then
selected the most promising initiatives recommended for BTO and other stakeholders to pursue,
and supporting initiatives that would have a more moderate impact. For each initiative, we

Executive Summary v
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

assigned lead stakeholders who are critical to the initiative’s success as well as any additional
stakeholders who can have a supporting role.

Table ES-1 outlines the resulting five recommended initiatives for BTO to lead on improving
CAC/CHP installations. These initiatives represent some of the key areas in which BTO could
improve the adoption of QI practices and achieve significant energy savings for U.S. homes with
collaboration from other stakeholders.

Table ES-1: Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

ID Initiative Category
Conduct research to quantify the benefits and energy savings of QI to
BTO #1 Deployment
support trade practices and energy efficiency programs
BTO #2 Expand federal programs to incentivize QI Policy
BTO #3 Develop and promote better tools for field measurements Technology
Conduct research to support energy efficiency programs that minimize
BTO #4 Deployment
duct losses
Develop guidelines on duct leakage and repair techniques by home type
BTO #5 Deployment
and duct location

Because each initiative only targets a specific issue, no single initiative can solve the
multifaceted problems facing manufacturers, installers, energy efficiency program managers, and
other stakeholders. Furthermore, other parties may be better suited than BTO to lead certain
initiatives. As such, Table ES-2 delineates the eight key areas in which other stakeholders can
lead initiatives to improve the design and installation of CAC/CHP equipment. A combined
effort between BTO and other industry stakeholders, coupled with a multi-initiative approach
could provide the best pathway to achieving the desired savings.

Table ES-2: Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

ID Initiative Category
Other #1 Develop resources to promote education across the value chain Deployment
Other #2 Develop energy efficiency and state programs to incentivize QI Policy
Other #3 Review policies surrounding installer certification requirements Policy
Other #4 Remove regulatory barriers to duct sealing installers Policy
Other #5 Include whole home energy audits as part of QI energy efficiency programs Deployment
Develop procedures for 3rd-party verifications and penalties for poor
Other #6 Deployment
installations
Conduct a study to evaluate success and failures of past and current QI
Other #7 Deployment
programs
Other #8 Develop user-friendly tools for QI and promote their usage Deployment

This report provides background on BTO’s role in improving CAC/CHP installations, discusses
key trends facing the HVAC industry, and describes recommended and supporting initiatives.

vi Executive Summary
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Table of Contents
Preface............................................................................................................................................. ii
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iii
List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... iv
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ v
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... vii
1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 CAC and CHP Rulemaking Working Group ................................................................... 3
1.3 Project Objective .............................................................................................................. 4
2 Project Approach .................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Stage 1: Identify Initiatives .............................................................................................. 5
2.2 Stage 2: Characterize Initiatives ....................................................................................... 5
2.3 Stage 3: Prioritize Initiatives ............................................................................................ 6
3 Market Overview .................................................................................................................... 8
3.1 Equipment Sizing ............................................................................................................. 8
3.2 Equipment Selection ........................................................................................................ 9
3.3 Equipment Installation ..................................................................................................... 9
4 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives ................................................................ 11
4.1 Central Themes .............................................................................................................. 11
4.2 CAC/CHP Installation Initiative Summary .................................................................... 12
4.3 Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead ................................................................... 14
4.4 Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead ............................................ 15
4.5 Supporting Initiatives ..................................................................................................... 18
Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives..................................................... 19
Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives ....................................................................... 22
Appendix C – ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group Members ..................................................... 27

Table of Contents vii

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1 Introduction

1.1 Background
The Building Technologies Office (BTO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office
of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works with researchers and industry to develop and
deploy technologies that can substantially reduce energy consumption and emissions in
residential and commercial buildings. Residential heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning
(HVAC) systems experience significantly increased energy consumption when improperly
installed. As depicted in Figure 1-1, HVAC systems account for approximately 36% of all
residential primary energy consumption.1

Source: 2013 data from DOE/BTO Prioritization Tool2

Figure 1-1: Residential primary energy consumption; 21.5 quads total

HVAC systems that provide space conditioning throughout the home rather than a single room
are known as central air conditioners (CAC) and central heat pumps (CHP). The installation of
CAC/CHP systems is of particular interest due to their prevalence in U.S. homes and increasing
performance and efficiency in recent years. Today, 60% of U.S. homes use CACs for space
cooling, with an additional 14% of homes using CHPs for space cooling and 9% for space

1Figure includes space cooling and space heating energy consumption from all HVAC system types, not just CAC/CHPs.
22013 data from DOE/BTO Prioritization Tool, which references U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2010 Annual
Energy Outlook

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heating.3 Increasing adoption of CAC/CHP design, and installation best practices4 represents a
significant opportunity to reduce energy consumption across residential building stock.
Conservative estimates of unit savings potential from improved design and installation practices
show 20% energy savings5, which could achieve savings of 0.5 Quads annually.6

Several federal initiatives have identified specific opportunities for energy savings through
quality installation (QI) practices and programs. For example, U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program has a long history of working with manufacturers,
homebuilders, energy efficiency programs, and other stakeholders to address energy efficiency
issues, such as CAC/CHP installation. ENERGY STAR initiatives to support the adoption of QI
programs have identified equipment sizing, airtightness of ducts, correct flow, and proper
refrigerant charge as some common installation issues that reduce the efficiency and
performance of residential CAC and CHP. As shown in Figure 1-2, these issues can cause a
significant discrepancy between the factory-rated efficiency of equipment (e.g., Seasonal Energy
Efficiency Ratio [SEER] for cooling) and its performance in the field.

Theoretical Field Adjusted SEER Caused

by Installation Issues

Source: ENERGY STAR Verified HVAC Installation Program7

Figure 1-2: Theoretical field adjusted SEER caused by installation issues

3 EIA’s 2009 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), Table HC 6.6 and HC 7.6. Accessed May 2016. Available at:
http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/
4 Installation of a residential CAC or CHP system requires a multistep process that combines factory-built equipment, field-

assembled components, and estimates of the home’s characteristics. Throughout this report we refer to “design and installation”
to include all of the necessary steps to properly install CAC/CHP equipment and achieve the performance, comfort, and energy
efficiency expected for CAC/CHP systems.
5 Estimated 20%-40% energy savings cited in ASRAC, CAC/CHP Working Group, Final Term Sheet, January 19, 2016.

Available at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-STD-0048-0076 Note – the source for this estimate is

not provided in the Final Term Sheet
6 Energy consumption associated with CAC/CHP estimated by DOE Scout Market Calculator Tool, which references EIA’s 2015

Annual Energy Outlook. Accessed May 2016. Available at: https://trynthink.github.io/scout/calculator.html

7 EPA ENERGY STAR. Sponsoring an ENERGY STAR Verified HVAC Installation Program. Accessed May 2016. Available

at: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_sponsoring_hvac_installation_esvi_program

2 Introduction
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The figures above highlight the magnitude of potential savings associated with improved
practices for CAC/CHP design and installation. Furthermore, these resources identify some of
the specific practices that contribute the most losses to the overall efficiency of CAC/CHP
systems.

Reducing CAC/CHP installation losses is an important goal for many stakeholders, but past
efforts have resulted in limited adoption by industry. Several energy efficiency programs offer
QI programs that incentivize installers to perform CAC/CHP installations to Air Conditioning
Contractors of America Association (ACCA) Standard 5 or other QI specifications. Despite these
efforts, a California study revealed that only 10% of residential installers were participating in
energy efficiency QI programs. In this case, only 42% of residential installers were aware of
ACCA Standard 5 and only 14% said they adhere to all its specifications.8 Because installers
play such an important role in the design and installation of CAC/CHP systems, engaging the
installer community is key to achieving greater adoption of QI practices.

1.2 CAC and CHP Rulemaking Working Group

In July 2015, DOE established a working group of industry experts under the Appliance
Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) to discuss and develop
recommendations on amending energy conservation standards and proposed test procedure for
residential CAC/CHPs.9 The working group consisted of a diverse set of 15 members from DOE,
manufacturers, energy efficiency programs, industry organizations, and other parties having a
defined stake in CAC/CHP standards.10 As part of the final Term Sheet approved by the DOE
and the ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group, the parties committed to exploring routes to
improve installations of CACs and CHPs. Specifically, as part of Recommendation #11 (below),
the DOE agreed to convene a workshop for all stakeholders to consider and rank alternatives for
improving system design and installation practices:

Recommendation #11.
“All parties recognize that the performance for any HVAC system relies on high quality
installation. A typical residential system can lose 20% to 40%11 of the energy available at
the equipment plenum because of poor installation practices, depriving the homeowner of
expected gains in efficiency while increasing operating costs.

Typical deficiencies include: (1) selecting the wrong equipment for the home (climate
conditions, capacity sizing, matching of components and controls, application usage), (2)
poor installation and commissioning procedures (issues include: refrigerant charging,
airflow/waterflow), (3) poor design, installation, and retrofitting of the air distribution
system (excessive air leakage in supply or return, high ESP [External Static Pressure],

8 NMR Group. 2015. “Baseline Characterization Market Effects Study of Investor-Owned Utility Residential and Small
Commercial HVAC Quality Installation and Quality Improvement Programs in California.” CALMAC Study ID CPU0102.01.
January 14, 2015. Available at: http://www.calmac.org/publications/CPUC_HVAC_Baseline_Market_Study_Final_Report.pdf
9 ASRAC, CAC/CHP Working Group, Final Term Sheet, January 19, 2016. Available at:

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-STD-0048-0076
10 Appendix C contains a list of working group members.
11 Note – the source for this estimate is not provided in the Final Term Sheet

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under insulation of ducts), and (4) failing to assure that the owner can operate the system
as designed.

All parties commit to exploring routes to improve installations for all consumers, using
multiple processes and approaches, ranging from policies (such as tax incentives or
inspections) to improved training and consumer information. Within six months, DOE
shall convene a workshop for all stakeholders to consider and rank alternatives, and to
develop a roadmap for action, including both technical and policy items”.

Navigant, on behalf of the BTO, hosted a workshop on May 12th, 2016, at BTO offices in
Washington, DC, to gather stakeholder input on CAC and CHP installation challenges, and
technical and policy options for the industry. The ideas proposed during this workshop informed
this report by identifying initiatives that BTO and other stakeholders could pursue to improve the
performance, reliability, and energy efficiency of CAC/CHP systems installed in U.S. homes

1.3 Project Objective

The project objective was to identify and highlight initiatives that BTO and other industry
stakeholders could support to help reduce energy losses associated with improper design and
installation of residential CAC and CHP equipment.

4 Introduction
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2 Project Approach

Figure 2-1 outlines the three stages for developing and evaluating opportunities.

Figure 2-1: Opportunity development steps

2.1 Stage 1: Identify Initiatives

We gathered information on current industry practices and field studies of residential CAC/CHP
installations through review of past research, hosting a stakeholder workshop, and conducted
several post-workshop interviews. We began with secondary research of available academic
studies on efficiency losses during installation, their prevalence in new and retrofit equipment
installations, and the potential for new technologies to mitigate these losses. We then hosted a
stakeholder workshop to better understand the key barriers to widespread adoption of QI
practices, the reasons why approaches to promote QI have faltered, as well as gather expert
insights into non-regulatory approaches to address these efficiency degradations. For those who
could not attend the workshop in person, we then conducted several follow-up interviews to
capture their thoughts. The participating stakeholders helped generate the majority of the
opportunities, barriers, and ideas that we subsequently developed into clear initiatives and
prioritized.

2.2 Stage 2: Characterize Initiatives

Following the workshop, we refined the 66 initiatives suggested at the workshop to eliminate
duplicates and combine similar ideas. We segmented the remaining 31 initiatives into one of
three categories highlighted in Table 2-1: technology, deployment, or policy (technology
development, deployment strategies, or policy changes; see Section 4). Each category includes a
set of opportunities to increase energy savings and reduce the losses associated with improper
installation practices. Given the interacting drivers and impacts of CAC/CHP installations,
opportunity areas may overlap into multiple categories, but designating each initiative into a
category assists in finding key themes and patterns of roles for each stakeholder. We then
outlined each initiative’s purpose and goals, its potential to address key installation barriers, and
identified which key stakeholder groups would have a leading or supporting role in the initiative.

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Table 2-1: Key Opportunities

Category Opportunity Areas

 Manufacturer equipment / system designs that facilitate QI for installers
 Installer equipment / system design practices to reduce pre-installation losses
o Equipment sizing, selection, and matching
Technology o Air distribution system design, balancing, etc.
 Installer equipment / system practices to reduce on-site installation losses
o Proper refrigerant charging
o Airflow leakage, high static pressure, duct insulation, etc.
 Research initiatives on installation practices
 Field evaluations
 Increasing consumer awareness
Deployment  Enhancing installer training requirements
 Strategies to reduce any additional installation costs
 Innovative 3rd-party products to improve installation processes
 Manufacturer tools to verify equipment performance
 Voluntary programs through industry organizers and energy efficiency
program implementers
 Bridging the gap between policies and in-field installations
Policy  DOE and other industry programs to incentivize technology and policy
initiatives
 Supplemental standard evaluations and test procedures for technologies such
as fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) systems
Note – Given the interacting drivers and impacts of CAC/CHP installations, opportunity areas may
overlap into multiple categories, but designating each initiative into a category assists in finding key
themes and patterns of roles for each stakeholder.

2.3 Stage 3: Prioritize Initiatives

In consultation with BTO, Navigant prioritized the initiatives, then identified the stakeholder
group (BTO, EPA, energy efficiency programs, manufacturers, trade associations, and research
organizations) most appropriate to lead each initiative. To prioritize initiatives, we scored each
using three metrics (see Table 2-2). The aggregation of these scores, along with the number of
stakeholder votes for each initiative, determined its final ranking.

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Table 2-2: Initiative Scoring Metrics – Definitions

Scoring Scale for Definition

Metric Scoring
Expected impact on developing new technology or performing
Impact 1–5 research that addresses a critical knowledge gap and/or key barrier to
improved design and installation of CAC/CHP systems.
Criticality of
Relative importance for BTO to participate and/or lead the initiative or
BTO 1–3
whether industry will be successful without BTO’s participation.
Involvement
Criticality of
Relative importance for other stakeholders to participate and/or lead
Other
1–3 the initiative or whether other parties are better suited to carrying out
Stakeholders’
the initiative.
Involvement

Several members of the Navigant team independently scored each initiative, and we averaged
these scores for each metric. Appendix A outlines the specific scoring criteria for each metric. To
incorporate voting from the stakeholder workshop (Section 2.1), we assigned each initiative to a
scoring tier, depending on the relative number of votes:
 Tier 1: More than 10 votes
 Tier 2: 2 to 10 votes
 Tier 3: Fewer than 2 votes.

We present the prioritized set of initiatives and key characteristics in the form of a “heat map”
shown in Appendix A. The heat map visually displays the scoring and prioritization of each
initiative determined by the number of stakeholder votes, initiative impact, and criticality of
involvement for each stakeholder group.

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3 Market Overview

Installation of a residential CAC or CHP system requires a multistep process that combines
factory-built equipment, field-assembled components, and estimates of the home’s
characteristics (e.g., dimensions, occupants, envelope, etc.). Figure 3-1 highlights several of the
key components in residential split-system CAC and CHP installations. At each step of this
process, industry developed best practices are not followed, which result in lower performance,
efficiency, and/or occupant comfort. While not exhaustive, the following sections describe key
issues to proper design and installation for residential CAC and CHP systems.

Source: energy.gov12
Figure 3-1: Illustration of key CAC/CHP components

3.1 Equipment Sizing

Prior to selecting a CAC/CHP system, an installer must determine the thermal load required to
cool and/or heat the home. This process, commonly referred to as “equipment sizing,”
incorporates an analysis based on the physical dimensions of the conditioned space,
characteristics of the enclosure (e.g., air tightness and insulation of walls, roof, windows, etc.),
climate, and other factors. When the properties of a residence are input to an ACCA Manual J
load calculation spreadsheet or software, the installer can estimate the required capacity for both
space cooling and space heating.

12U.S. Department of Energy. 2014. Energy Saver 101: Home Cooling Infographic. Accessed October 2016.
http://energy.gov/downloads/energy-saver-101-home-cooling-infographic

8 Market Overview
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Nevertheless, the ACCA Manual J process is only accurate if followed correctly and if using
accurate input data. Especially for existing homes, rather than using Manual J, installers
frequently specify new equipment with the same capacity, or larger, compared to the existing
CAC/CHP system to save time and avoid callbacks. Without a new load calculation, installers
may be mistakenly assuming that the existing system was correctly sized in the first place, and
the home has not experienced any changes that would affect load (e.g., recent additions,
occupancy changes, window replacements, etc.). Replacing a system with one of equal capacity,
however, can perpetuate system inefficiencies resulting from either system over-sizing or system
under-sizing. In addition, installers may not have access to accurate information on the home’s
insulation levels, air tightness, duct leakage, and other parameters, which can result in an
inaccurate sizing recommendation. Using empirical data and analyses (e.g., blower door tests,
duct blaster tests, infrared images, duty-cycle measurements on existing heating/cooling
equipment, billing analyses, and/or indoor-outdoor temperature-difference measurements with
known heat inputs) to develop inputs could significantly improve the accuracy of equipment
sizing methodologies and reduce time/cost for on-site walkthroughs. Also, photo-based software
to streamline geometry measurements could provide significant cost reductions, improved
accuracy, and increase use of Manual J. For new homes, installers should work with the
homebuilder and architect to gather correct sizing plans for the Manual J calculation, while also
identifying other solutions to avoid installation inefficiencies (e.g., duct location and layout,
equipment placement, etc.).

Further discussed in Section 3.2, CHPs introduce additional design complexity because the
single system must satisfy both space heating and space cooling loads, which may lead to
equipment being over-sized or under-sized for cooling and/or heating modes.

3.2 Equipment Selection

When designing the CAC/CHP system, numerous issues can arise when selecting the correct
components (e.g., outdoor unit, indoor coil and air handler). Matching an indoor unit with an
outdoor unit is of particular importance in split system CAC/CHPs, and mismatched pieces can
result in poor performance and efficiency. In addition, the blower fan must be adequately sized
(e.g., airflow rate, static pressure, etc.) to the indoor coil specifications, and duct configuration to
provide proper airflow temperatures and distribution. CHP systems in particular pose significant
problems because the equipment must satisfy both space heating and space cooling loads using
the same outdoor unit. In situations where the design cooling and heating loads are significantly
different, selection problems can occur where the outdoor unit or blower is over-sized or under-
sized relative to the load.

3.3 Equipment Installation

When installing CACs and CHPs at a customer’s home, installers have numerous subsystems
and components to place, connect, and adjust in a short amount of time, providing the temptation
to overlook best practices to save time and money. Common issues that affect performance and
efficiency include:

 Refrigerant Charging – Manufacturers typically ship CAC/CHP equipment pre-charged

with refrigerant, and require the installer to adjust the refrigerant charge to accommodate

Market Overview 9
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the specific home’s needs. An improperly charged system, whether under-charged or

over-charged, can increase energy consumption and the risk of system failure. New
technologies are available to accurately determine the correct refrigerant charge, such as
digital gauges and tools, but many installers still use rule-of-thumb methods or rely on
less expensive analog gauges. Traditional methods allow installers to quickly start up
equipment for customers, but can create long-term inefficiencies through over- and/or
under-charging.

 Duct Systems – Improperly designed, sealed, insulated, or balanced duct systems reduce
the effectiveness of in CAC/CHP systems. Leaky duct systems allow conditioned air to
escape, draw potentially polluted or unconditioned air through the return, and increase
fan energy consumption. Poorly insulated duct systems increase heat transfer, resulting in
less thermal energy reaching its intended zone and potentially introducing condensation
issues. Finally, improperly balanced systems disproportionally allocate airflow to specific
rooms within a home, so that the CAC/CHP system needs to overcompensate to reach
zones with insufficient airflow.

 Controls Setup – CAC and CHP systems rely on thermostats, zoning systems,
humidifiers/dehumidifiers, and other control systems to properly satisfy indoor
conditions, which can introduce additional installation issues. Placing thermostats in
areas with direct sunlight or in direct contact with the supply air stream can produce
unrepresentative readings. Although more user-friendly products have been introduced in
recent years, many consumers have difficulty setting up and configuring their thermostats
to maintain a comfortable temperature schedule. CHPs pose additional challenges for
installers when configuring the switchover to auxiliary or secondary heating sources and
setting a quick-recovery schedules.

10 Market Overview
 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

4 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

Workshop outcomes are summarized below in five sections:
 Central Themes (Section 4.1): Summary of themes that emerged during the stakeholder
workshop that carry common threads through many (if not all) of the initiatives
 CAC/CHP Installation Initiative Summary (Section 4.2): Summary of recommended
initiatives
 Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead (Section 4.3): Detailed descriptions for
recommended initiatives that require critical BTO involvement.
 Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead (Section 4.4): Detailed
descriptions for recommended initiatives requiring extensive contributions from other
industry stakeholders.
 Supporting Initiatives (Section 4.5): Brief descriptions of supporting initiatives with
limited impact and stakeholder involvement.

4.1 Central Themes

The stakeholder workshop in Washington D.C., in addition to providing valuable input on
specific initiatives, also uncovered some key themes that can guide much of the future work that
BTO or industry groups may pursue. Stakeholders emphasized the need for R&D investment to
better understand current CAC/CHP installation practices, encourage wider awareness and
adoption of QI practices, and develop the next generation of technologies, policies, and practices
that will reduce losses related to installation. The key themes arose from the stakeholder
workshop, including:
 Conduct research to quantify of benefits QI
 Evaluate best practices of energy efficiency QI programs
 Develop and promote QI practices among installers, energy efficiency program
implementers, and policymakers
 Improve education to consumers on the value of QI
 Develop policies and programs that increase the installer adoption of QI certifications and
best practices
 Conduct R&D to improve and validate new tools, techniques, and equipment designed to
reduce losses associated with installation practices.
Because of the multifaceted nature of CAC/CHP installation issues, numerous stakeholders will
play with a key role in overcoming shortcomings with current practices. Table 4-1 lists key
industry stakeholders and describes the areas in which each can contribute to improved
CAC/CHP installation processes.

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 11

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Table 4-1: Key Roles for Industry Stakeholders

Stakeholder Key Roles

Support research initiatives and case studies, provide guidelines on specific
BTO
practices, conduct field demonstrations to test and validate approaches
Develop enabling government programs, promote education, evaluate
EPA
successes and failures of other programs
Energy Efficiency Develop incentive programs, conduct 3rd-party evaluations, perform energy
Programs audits, and encourage specific practices
Develop more resilient equipment, collect installation data, provide
Manufacturers
installation guidance to installer networks
Provide a single source for performance information, educational
Trade Associations
resources, industry standards, and training programs
Research Organizations Perform validation studies, research equipment faults, and evaluate
(e.g., National Labs) systems

4.2 CAC/CHP Installation Initiative Summary

We prioritized the initiatives to provide guidance to BTO and other stakeholders on which
initiatives showed greater potential impact, closer fit with each stakeholder’s mission, and other
considerations (see Section 2.2 above). While not exhaustive, these initiatives represent some of
the key areas in which BTO and other stakeholders could work to improve the quality of
CAC/CHP installations. Each initiative targets only a specific issue, and no single initiative can
solve the multifaceted problems manufacturers, installers, and energy efficiency program
managers’ experience with current CAC/CHP installation practices. A multi-initiative approach
could prove more effective. Either way, recommended initiatives offer a substantial opportunity
to reduce energy losses due to poor design and installation practices.
Table 4-2 and Table 4-3 identify the most promising initiatives recommended for BTO and other
stakeholders to pursue in the areas of policy changes, deployment strategies, and technology
development. We categorize recommended initiatives to be lead by either BTO or other
stakeholders to highlight where each group has a major role in the most impactful initiatives. For
each initiative, we designate lead stakeholders who are critical to the initiative’s success as well
as any additional stakeholders who can have a supporting, but less critical role. The sections that
follow detail the recommended initiatives, with supporting initiatives described further in Section
4.5.

The following list highlights key findings from the recommended initiatives:
 Stakeholders developed consensus around the need for improved education, research and
development opportunities, and programs to enable specific QI practices.
 The Tier 1 initiatives for both BTO and other stakeholders to lead have good alignment
with the stakeholder votes assigned at the workshop.

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 BTO has a primary role for developing initiatives that quantify the benefits of QI,
supporting potential federal incentives that enable QI, and evaluating better tools for field
measurements.
 Other stakeholders (e.g. EPA, energy efficiency programs, manufacturers, trade
associations, and research organizations) primarily should focus on initiatives that
promote education for both customers and contractors, support certifications and QI
adoption among contractors, and support the development and promotion of utility
programs around QI.

Table 4-2: Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

ID Initiative
Conduct research to quantify the benefits and energy savings of QI to support trade
Tier 1-BTO #1
practices and energy efficiency programs
Tier 1-BTO #2 Expand federal programs to incentivize QI
Tier 1-BTO #3 Develop and promote better tools for field measurements
Tier 1-BTO #4 Conduct research to support energy efficiency programs that minimize duct losses
Develop guidelines on duct leakage and repair techniques by home type and duct
Tier 1-BTO #5
location

Table 4-3: Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

ID Initiative
Tier 1-Other #1 Develop resources to promote education across the value chain
Tier 1-Other #2 Develop energy efficiency and state programs to incentivize QI
Tier 1-Other #3 Review policies surrounding installer certification requirements
Tier 1-Other #4 Remove regulatory barriers to duct sealing installers
Tier 1-Other #5 Include whole home energy audits as part of QI energy efficiency programs
Tier 1-Other #6 Develop procedures for 3rd-party verifications and penalties for poor installations
Tier 1-Other #7 Conduct a study to evaluate success and failures of past and current QI programs
Tier 1-Other #8 Develop user-friendly tools for QI and promote their usage

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 13

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4.3 Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

Table 4-4 provides brief descriptions of recommended initiatives that BTO could lead to address CAC/CHP installation issues, as well as
list of other lead and supporting stakeholders.

Table 4-4: Descriptions of Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Description Category
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Conduct research
to quantify the
Develop case studies and national scale studies on
benefits and BTO, Energy
potential benefits of QI as well as the effectiveness of
energy savings of Efficiency
Tier 1- specific QI practices such as proper ACCA Manual J EPA, Trade
QI to support Programs, Deployment
BTO #1 sizing, matching indoor and outdoor components, and Associations
trade practices Research
duct sealing. These studies could assist with customer
and energy Organizations
education and industry support for QI programs.
efficiency
programs
Create a federal incentive program that provides
rebates or tax credits to consumers or homeowners
who perform QI on eligible installations. Ideas include:
Expand federal
Tier 1- tying state energy efficiency funding to QI program Trade
programs to BTO, EPA Policy
BTO #2 participation, tax credits to homeowners who install Associations
incentivize QI
equipment with QI from a certified installer, and
incentives for installers that have their technicians
complete QI training.
Current installer field measurement tools and methods
Develop and are insufficient for quick, cost-effective, and accurate Energy
Tier 1- promote better assessments of building envelope, duct system, and BTO, EPA, Efficiency
Technology
BTO #3 tools for field HVAC equipment characteristics. Further research into Manufacturers Programs, Trade
measurements improved field measurement strategies could support Associations
more installers performing QI practices.

14 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

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Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Description Category
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Especially in existing homes, leaky ducts contribute to
higher thermal energy loads and higher fan energy
consumption to deliver space heating and cooling
Conduct research throughout the home. Strategies such as duct
to support energy inspection and sealing, or incorporating ductless Energy
Tier 1- efficiency CAC/CHP systems, and locating ducts in conditioned Efficiency
BTO, EPA Deployment
BTO #4 programs that space can reduce duct losses and should be promoted Programs, Trade
minimize duct in deployment programs. Conducting research to Associations
losses quantify duct losses and developing low-cost prevention
strategies can support the development of energy
efficiency programs that incentivize practices that
minimize duct losses.
Duct placement and its impact on HVAC system
Develop EPA, Energy
efficiency can vary greatly depending on the design of
guidelines on duct Efficiency
the home. For example, ducts located in an uninsulated
Tier 1- leakage and repair Programs, Trade
and vented attic require different approaches than BTO Deployment
BTO #5 techniques by Associations,
those located within the conditioned space, such as a
home type and Research
ceiling chase. Guidelines for reducing duct leakage in
duct location Organizations
common home types could help improve duct systems.

4.4 Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

Table 4-5 provides brief descriptions of recommended initiatives that other stakeholders (e.g., EPA, energy efficiency programs,
manufacturers, trade associations, research organizations) could lead to address CAC/CHP installation issues, as well as list of other lead
and supporting stakeholders.

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 15

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Table 4-5: Descriptions of Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description Category
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Increased consumer and installer awareness of QI
practices and programs can help overcome some of the
BTO, Energy
Develop misconceptions about CAC/CHP installations. A
Efficiency
resources to coordinated marketing and educational effort from
Tier 1- EPA, Trade Programs,
promote ENERGY STAR, trade associations, manufacturers, Deployment
Other #1 Associations Manufacturers,
education across energy efficiency incentive programs, and others should
Research
the value chain help communicate the importance of QI, what QI
Organizations
involves, and how consumers are missing out on
efficiency and performance.
High efficiency CAC/CHP equipment cannot deliver its
promised energy savings when improperly installed,
Develop energy reducing the energy savings captured by energy
EPA, Energy
Tier 1- efficiency and efficiency incentive programs. Basing HVAC incentive
Efficiency BTO Policy
Other #2 state programs to programs on HVAC system performance would reward
Programs
incentivize QI true savings achieved with QI practices, rather than
assuming that poor installation practices will not erode
savings of high efficiency equipment.
Review policies
Supporting standardized educational and certification
surrounding EPA, Energy
Tier 1- programs for CAC/CHP installers to ensure that Trade
installer Efficiency Policy
Other #3 installers are aware of industry QI standards and best Associations
certification Programs
practices for mitigating installation losses.
requirements
Some states require an installer license or certification
Remove to repair ducts, which limits the potential for
Tier 1- regulatory weatherization or other home efficiency companies Energy Efficiency BTO, Trade
Policy
Other #4 barriers to duct from offering duct sealing services. Revising state Programs Associations
sealing installers requirements for installers regarding duct sealing could
encourage more companies to offer duct sealing.

16 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

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Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description Category
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
QI practices require a thorough understanding of the
home’s building envelope and duct system to properly
Include whole- design and install the right CAC/CHP equipment in
BTO, EPA, Trade
home energy existing homes. Energy efficiency programs should
Tier 1- Energy Efficiency Associations,
audits as part of encourage or require a detailed energy audit for Deployment
Other #5 Programs Research
energy efficiency existing homes prior to HVAC installations to help
Organizations
QI programs installers estimate thermal loads and identify other
opportunities to improve energy efficiency prior to
HVAC system selection.
Requiring 3rd-party verification for installations, either
Develop as part of building code requirements, energy efficiency
procedures for incentive programs (as part of T1-Other #2), or
Tier 1- 3rd-party manufacturer installer programs, would help ensure Energy Efficiency EPA, Trade
Deployment
Other #6 verifications and that installers follow QI practices. In addition, these Programs Associations
penalties for poor programs should develop simplified validation tools for
installations inspectors and potentially carry penalties as part of the
verification process.
Energy efficiency programs across the U.S. have offered
a variety of CAC/CHP energy efficiency and QI programs
Conduct a study
for many years, but limited information exists on their
to evaluate BTO, Trade
effectiveness and best practices. Studying the history of EPA, Energy
Tier 1- success and Associations,
QI programs across various utilities and states, and Efficiency Deployment
Other #7 failures of past Research
investigating what made them successful or Programs
and current QI Organizations
unsuccessful through a root cause analysis, would help
programs
other utilities and other energy efficiency program
implementers improve their QI programs.
The lack of cost-effective and simple installer tools
Develop user-
increases the time and cost for QI practices and limits BTO, Energy
Tier 1- friendly tools for EPA, Trade
their adoption. Developing intuitive, user-friendly tools Efficiency
Other #8 QI and promote Associations Deployment
could help achieve widespread adoption and therefore, Programs
their usage
facilitation, of QI programs.

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 17

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4.5 Supporting Initiatives

Supporting initiatives are also valuable opportunities to address CAC/CHP installation issues and
should be considered for future action. Stakeholders identified these initiatives as important in
reducing installation losses, and they can have at least a moderate impact. Appendix B contains
the list of supporting initiatives.

18 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

The heat map in Figure A-1 indicates which stakeholder groups are most critical to each initiative. This heat map aggregates data
surrounding an initiative’s potential impact (as described by the legend in Figure A-2), criticality of specific stakeholders’ involvement
(detailed in Figure A-3), and number of stakeholder votes at the industry workshop, and can be sorted according to each of those
parameters.

Each cell in the heat map is colored according the associated scoring metric:
 Green cells represent significant impact, critical levels of involvement, and ultimately Tier 1 initiatives.
 Yellow cells represent moderate impact initiatives, beneficial levels of stakeholder involvement, and a Tier 2 rating.
 Red cells represent initiatives with minimal impact, unnecessary stakeholder involvement, and Tier 3 overall score.

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 19

 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Stake- Other
BTO EPA Utility OEM Trade Research BTO Tier
ID Activity/Initiative Topic Impact holder Tier
Role Role Role Role Asc. Role Org Role Rating
Votes Rating
Tier 1-BTO #1 Conduct research to quantify the benefits and energy savings of QI Deployment 4.5 3 2 3 1 2 3 20 Tier 1 Tier 2
Tier 1-BTO #2 Expand federal programs to incentivize QI Policy 5.0 3 3 1 1 2 1 19 Tier 1 Tier 2
Tier 1-BTO #3 Develop and promote better tools for field measurements Technology 4.0 3 3 2 1 2 1 14 Tier 1 Tier 2
Tier 1-BTO #4 Conduct research to support energy efficiency programs that minimize duct losses Deployment 4.5 3 3 2 1 2 1 1 Tier 1 Tier 2
Tier 1-BTO #5 Develop guidelines on duct leakage and repair techniques by home type and duct location Deployment 4.5 3 2 2 1 2 2 0 Tier 1 Tier 2
Tier 1-Other #1 Develop resources to promote education across the value chain Deployment 4.0 2 3 2 2 3 2 16 Tier 2 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #2 Develop energy efficiency and state programs to incentivize QI Policy 5.0 2 3 3 1 1 1 15 Tier 2 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #3 Review policies surrounding installer certification requirements Policy 4.0 1 2 2 1 3 1 14 Tier 2 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #4 Remove regulatory barriers to duct sealing installers Deployment 5.0 2 2 3 1 2 1 5 Tier 2 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #5 Include whole home energy audits as part of QI energy efficiency programs Deployment 4.5 2 2 3 1 2 2 4 Tier 2 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #6 Develop procedures for 3rd-party verifications and penalties for poor installations Policy 4.5 1 2 3 1 2 1 4 Tier 3 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #7 Conduct a study to evaluate success and failures of past and current QI programs Deployment 4.0 2 3 3 1 2 2 0 Tier 2 Tier 1
Tier 1-Other #8 Develop user-friendly tools for QI and promote their usage Deployment 4.5 2 3 2 1 3 1 0 Tier 2 Tier 1
Supporting #1 Develop CAC/CHP systems with improved on-board diagnostics and monitoring Technology 3.5 2 2 1 3 1 3 12 Tier 2 Tier 2
Supporting #2 Develop more adaptable and fault tolerant CAC/CHP systems Technology 3.5 2 2 1 3 1 3 11 Tier 2 Tier 2
Supporting #3 Periodically review QI standards to continually improve industry practices Deployment 3.0 2 3 2 1 3 1 7 Tier 2 Tier 2
Supporting #4 Develop policies that ensure premium equipment is only installed by premium installers Policy 2.5 2 2 2 2 3 1 4 Tier 2 Tier 2
Supporting #5 Conduct validation studies on baseline CAC/CHP ratings Technology 3.5 2 2 1 2 2 3 3 Tier 2 Tier 2
Supporting #6 Develop a standard or specification for residential testing, adjusting, and balancing Deployment 3.5 2 2 2 1 3 2 1 Tier 2 Tier 2
Supporting #7 Develop simpler load calculation tools and measurement equipment Technology 4.5 1 1 1 2 3 2 4 Tier 3 Tier 2
Supporting #8 Consider practices to dry-ship equipment to incentivize proper charging in the field Deployment 3.5 1 1 1 3 3 2 1 Tier 3 Tier 2
Supporting #9 Develop a standardized proposal form for installers Deployment 3.0 1 2 3 2 3 1 1 Tier 3 Tier 2
Supporting #10 Develop and promote sales training programs and requirements for selling home Deployment 3.0 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 Tier 3 Tier 2
Supporting #11 Conduct research on the frequency of different airflow faults Technology 4.0 1 2 1 1 2 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 2
Supporting #12 Develop design tools capable of accurately calculating small loads Technology 3.5 1 2 1 2 2 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 2
Supporting #13 Conduct research on thermal energy dissipation in homes Technology 3.0 2 1 1 1 1 3 4 Tier 2 Tier 3
Supporting #14 Develop and promote asset rating systems that include QI provisions Deployment 2.5 2 3 1 1 2 1 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
Supporting #15 Conduct research on sensitivity to sizing of system performance Technology 3.0 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 Tier 3 Tier 3
Supporting #16 Develop and promote a single source for retrieving sensible and total performance Deployment 1.5 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 Tier 3 Tier 3
Supporting #17 Develop and promote better design approaches for zoned systems Deployment 2.5 1 1 1 2 2 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 3
Supporting #18 Conduct research on the potential benefits of smaller capacity equipment Deployment 2.0 1 1 1 2 1 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 3

Figure A-1: Heat map of CAC/CHP initiatives

Note – Initiatives that could have a significant impact with a clear lead organization were deemed Tier 1 even without high stakeholder support.

20 Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Figure A-2: Heat map legend – impact score

Figure A-3: Heat map legend – criticality of involvement

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 21

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Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

Table B-1 provides brief descriptions of supporting initiatives to address CAC/CHP installation issues, as well as list of lead and
supporting stakeholders. We scored these initiatives during the prioritization process (see Section 2.2) and present them here in order of
decreasing rank.

Table B-1: Descriptions of Supporting Initiatives for BTO and Other Stakeholders

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Develop CAC/CHP
On-board FDD systems would assist installers by verifying proper start up
systems with Manufacturers,
Supporting and monitoring the performance of the CAC/CHP system over time.
improved on-board Research BTO, EPA
#1 Developing on-board or after-market FDD systems could improve the
diagnostics and Organizations
certainty and effectiveness of QI practices, increasing their adoption.
monitoring
During CAC/CHP installations, installers must pair an outdoor unit, indoor
coil, air handler, and other components into a complete system, and
sometimes encounter compatibility issues that reduce system efficiency.
Develop more
More adaptable systems would have adjustable operating settings to Manufacturers,
Supporting adaptable and fault
accommodate a wider range of equipment. For example, a standardized Research BTO, EPA
#2 tolerant CAC/CHP
communication kit that identifies the specific indoor and outdoor Organizations
systems
components, refrigerant pipe length, and other parameters could
communicate necessary adjustments to installers or automatically modify
on-board controls.
The HVAC industry continues to evolve as new technologies, installer
Periodically review QI
tools, and installation techniques enter the marketplace. QI standards, BTO, Energy
Supporting standards to EPA, Trade
such as ACCA Standard 5, should be continually reviewed by industry Efficiency
#3 continually improve Associations
stakeholders and updated as necessary, with each update promoted to Programs
industry practices
energy efficiency programs and other QI stakeholders.

22 Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Consumers who are paying a premium for high efficiency equipment
Develop policies that should have an expectation that their system will operate as designed, BTO, EPA,
ensure premium and not experience unnecessary losses resulting from poor installation. Energy
Supporting Trade
equipment is only Industry, state, or energy efficiency programs could develop policies that Efficiency
#4 Associations
installed by premium prohibit the sale of high efficiency equipment to installers that do not Programs,
installers have QI certifications to ensure that premium equipment is installed by Manufacturers
premium installers.
Equipment efficiency ratings rely on laboratory testing at design
conditions and may not reflect in-field conditions that can impose a BTO, EPA,
Conduct validation
Supporting variety of performance and efficiency losses. Energy efficiency programs Research Manufacturers,
studies on baseline
#5 in particular could benefit from research studies in various Organizations Trade
CAC/CHP ratings
locations/regions that characterize the performance losses that may be Associations
unavoidable for many installations.
BTO, EPA,
Develop a standard Even when selected and installed properly, CAC/CHP systems often
Energy
or specification for require some fine tuning to ensure that adequate airflow reaches each
Supporting Trade Efficiency
residential testing, thermal zone in the home. Incorporating standards and specifications for
#6 Associations Programs,
adjusting, and residential testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) into QI programs would
Research
balancing help ensure that occupants experience peak comfort and efficiency.
Organizations
Though ACCA Manual J is recognized as the industry standard for load
calculations, the complexity and time-consuming nature of the process
leads lower installer participation. Simpler tools for load calculations
Develop simpler load could help reduce installer inclination to use rules-of-thumb for CAC/CHP
Manufacturers,
Supporting calculation tools and system design. In addition, the load calculation tools are only as accurate Trade
Research
#7 measurement as the estimated inputs. Using improved measurement equipment (e.g., Associations
Organizations
equipment infrared cameras, runtime loggers) to identify a home’s characteristics
(e.g., duct/envelope leakage, insulation levels, window characteristics and
equipment runtimes) could significantly improve the accuracy of
equipment design methodologies.

Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives 23

RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Typically, manufacturers place a fixed refrigerant charge in CAC/CHP
outdoor units and installers adjust the charge on site to match the
Consider practices to
installation conditions (e.g., refrigerant piping length, coil selection). Manufacturers,
Supporting dry-ship equipment Research
Installers may not properly adjust the refrigerant charge, leading to Trade
#8 to incentivize proper Organizations
performance and efficiency losses. Dry-shipping equipment may reduce Associations
charging in the field
the chance of improper equipment charging because the installer must
charge the system completely in the field.

Consumers often assume that installers follow QI practices, and may not
appreciate the added cost and time necessary to perform QI. Standard
Energy
Develop a installer proposal forms could provide more awareness of QI benefits by
Efficiency
Supporting standardized clearly stating the specific steps each installer will perform, so consumers EPA,
Programs,
#9 proposal form for can make an informed decision about choosing QI installers. In addition, Manufacturers
Trade
installers consumers could compare quotes from multiple contractors more easily
Associations
since each proposal would have all relevant information and terms in a
standardized format.
Develop and
Many installers employ sales representatives who are not technicians to
promote sales
meet with homeowners and discuss CAC/CHP system options. Providing EPA, Energy
Supporting training programs Trade
QI training and certification programs for sales representatives would Efficiency
#10 and requirements for Associations
better incentivize the sales representative to communicate the benefits Programs
selling home
and value of QI practice to consumers.
performance
Airflow faults within the home, such as sagging flexible ducts or
Conduct research on
disconnected registers, often go unnoticed, but contribute to poor
Supporting the frequency of Research EPA, Trade
performance and efficiency. Conducting research to identify the most
#11 different airflow Organizations Associations
frequent airflow faults would allow for more targeted initiatives to resolve
faults
these issues.

24 Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Current CAC/CHP system design and load calculation tools often cannot
Develop design tools correctly size the airflow and thermal capacity needed to serve high- EPA,
Supporting capable of accurately performance homes that have low thermal demands. As low-load homes Research Manufacturers
#12 calculating small become more prevalent, industry should develop the next generation of Organizations Trade
loads design tools to provide accurate load and system design calculations for Associations
these homes.

Current HVAC design practices rely on assumptions for heating and

cooling load in each room or zone based on activity level, room type,
location, etc. However, several other contributing factors can affect
Conduct research on
Supporting thermal energy transfer and occupant comfort within the home such as Research
thermal energy BTO
#13 the placement of air handlers, ducts, major appliances, and other loads in Organizations
dissipation in homes
the home. Conducting research to study how thermal energy travels
through homes could identify ways to improve HVAC system design
methods.
Several asset rating systems have been developed to help homebuyers
understand the energy-efficiency characteristics of homes before
Develop and
purchase. Asset rating systems should incorporate information on
Supporting promote asset rating BTO, Trade
whether the HVAC system was installed to QI standards, ducts have been EPA
#14 systems that include Associations
repaired/sealed, and other attributes so that consumers can
QI provisions
communicate and understand the value of QI practices for efficient
homes.
Because some installers may not follow ACCA Manual J procedures and
manufacturers typically offer equipment in 0.5-1.0 ton increments,
Conduct research on Manufacturers,
Supporting CAC/CHP systems may be sized larger or smaller than necessary. Research
sensitivity to sizing of Trade
#15 Performing research to quantifying performance, comfort, and efficiency Organizations
system performance Associations
issues associated with improper equipment sizing would highlight this
issue, and stress the need for proper sizing and other QI practices.

Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives 25

RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Lead Supporting
ID Initiative Name Description
Stakeholder(s) Stakeholder(s)
Develop and
Proper design of CAC/CHP systems requires analysis of both sensible and
promote a single
total (sensible and latent) cooling capacities. Providing installers with
Supporting source for retrieving Trade
open access to accurate information to both capacity metrics (e.g., AHRI Manufacturers
#16 sensible and total Associations
website, equipment catalogs) allows for more accurate and consistent
performance
selection of indoor and outdoor components.
information
Properly designed and installed zoning systems can provide energy and
comfort benefits by distributing space conditioning where it is needed
Develop and
throughout the home. Zoned systems use a variety of dampers and Manufacturers,
Supporting promote better Research
controls that may introduce unintended issues during installation or Trade
#17 design approaches Organizations
operation. Conducting research to understand the QI practices needed for Associations
for zoned systems
zoned systems would help identify strategies to reduce improper
installation and potential losses in homes with zoned systems.
When following proper QI procedures and incorporating duct sealing,
installers can often specify a CAC/CHP system that is lower capacity than
the equipment being replaced. The smaller equipment may be less
Conduct research on
expensive, which may offset any cost increases associated with QI
Supporting the potential benefits Research
procedures. Nevertheless, installers may hesitate downsizing to reduce Manufacturers
#18 of smaller capacity Organizations
homeowner misunderstanding or callbacks if the home’s thermal loads
equipment
increase in the future. Conducting research to document the benefits of
using properly sized equipment would help clarify installer rules-of-thumb
or apprehension that contributes to equipment over-sizing.

26 Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

 RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix C – ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group Members

The table below lists the members from the ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group.13

Name Organization
Antonio Bouza U.S. Department of Energy
Don Brundage Southern Company Services
Andrew DeLaski Appliance Standards Awareness Project
Kristen Driskell California Energy Commission
John Gibbons Carrier Corporation
Marshall Hunt California Investor-Owned Utilities
John Hurst Lennox International Inc.
Charles McCrudden Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute
Karen Meyers Rheem Manufacturing Company
Nick Mislak Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute
Steve Porter Johnstone Supply
Harvey Sachs American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Rusty Tharp Goodman Manufacturing
Jim VerShaw Ingersoll Rand
Meg Waltner Natural Resources Defense Council

13ASRAC, CAC/CHP Working Group, Final Term Sheet, January 19, 2016. Available at:
https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-STD-0048-0076

Appendix C – CAC / CHP Working Group Members 27

For more information, visit: energy.gov/eere/buildings

DOE/EE-1496 • November 2016