New Minimum Efficiency Standard for 2006

There’s a New Minimum Efficiency Standard for 2006 Like many consumer products that use energy, air conditioners and heat pumps are manufactured to meet or exceed minimum efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy. For nearly a decade, that minimum has been 10 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). On January 23, 2006, the minimum will jump to 13 SEER, a 30% increase over the current standard.

Much like miles-per-gallon (MPG) for a car, the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) measures the efficiency of air conditioners and heat pumps. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the product.

Who will this affect?

The 13 SEER minimum applies to everyone - consumers, your local HVAC dealer and all manufacturers of air conditioners and heat pumps. However, it only applies to new equipment manufactured on or after January 23, 2006. In other words, you can continue to use your current system indefinitely, even if it operates below 13 SEER. However, if you own an older system that often needs repair, or if it is simply time to replace your current system, purchasing a 13 SEER model now will give you two advantages:

• You'll start saving money on your monthly utility bills with a newer, more energy efficient system.
• You'll be able to make the switch at today's costs instead of tomorrow's.

What does it mean to me?

For many homeowners, a 13 SEER air conditioner or heat pump will represent money saved on each month's electric bill. Exactly how much you can save will depend on the efficiency of your current system.

Buy a Furnace With a Variable Speed Motor

Throughout British Columbia, you’ll find that the most common heating appliance is the gas forced air
furnace. While the bulk of the energy used by this appliance is natural gas, a furnace does require a
substantial amount of electricity to power the blower motor that moves air throughout the home. In
many cases, these motors can use twice the amount of electricity as a new refrigerator. A high efficient
motor can change that.

Motor Speeds

Today’s furnace systems can provide not only heating, but also ventilation and cooling functions
for the home. Each of these functions requires a different motor speed, so that the blower can
deliver the appropriate amount of air.

• Heating — requires one or two medium speeds
• Cooling — requires the highest speed to deliver the heavier, cool air
• Ventilation — requires the lowest speed to provide continuous circulation

High Efficient Furnace Motors

While the conventional PSC (permanent split capacitor) motor can be made to operate at multiple speeds, it is most efficient at its highest operating speed. When the PSC motor is operated at slower speeds its efficiency drops off quickly — often by 20% or more — meaning you pay more
than you need to for its service.

Fortunately there is a high-efficiency option — the brushless DC motor. Also known as a variable speed
motor, or by the initials ECMTM or ICMTM, its speed is precisely controlled with electronics to maintain
efficiency at any speed.

Benefits of Variable Speed Motors

• Reduced operating cost: Throughout their operating range high efficient motors use less energy than conventional motors. At higher speeds the savings are typically 1/3; at lower speeds, even greater. That can add up to hundreds of dollars per year. So while it will cost more initially, the reduced operating costs can offset that in a matter of a few years.
  
  Two-stage furnaces are designed to add to the furnace’s gas efficiency and occupant comfort by
  operating for longer periods of time than a singlestage furnace. While designed to operate at highor low-fire - depending on how much heat the house requires - most of the time they operate at the low-fire stage. At low-fire the blower operates at a slower speed and here is where the high
  efficient motor can provide big electrical savings compared to a conventional PSC motor.
  
• Greater occupant comfort: The variable speed feature can add to occupant comfort if the furnace is being used for either heating or ventilation. In ventilation mode, the airflow can be adjusted to ensure that the volume of air being circulated is just right. Too great an airflow can create uncomfortable drafts and excessive noise through the duct work. This discourages use of the furnace’s ventilation feature where and when it would be most beneficial. Some furnaces even allow occupants to adjust the air circulation rate right from the thermostat.
  
  In heating mode, variable speed motors can be programmed to start slowly then speed up as the furnace comes up to temperature preventing an initial uncomfortable blast of cool air. The variable speed feature will also provide for better temperature control throughout the house.

• Long motor life: High efficient motors and controls are generally made with higher quality components and are less susceptible to overheating and stress on the motor components. Check
  around – some manufacturers offer longer warranties on their variable speed motors.
  
• Greater functional capability With variable speed capability, these motors are well suited to providing zoning, which can reduce gas consumption. They may also offer you greater flexibility. Able to operate over a greater range of speeds, you may choose to purchase air conditioning, a more efficient air filter or simply to circulate air continuously at a later date.

Fuel Cost Comparisons

How does your heating cost compare with the average?

Annual residential heating costs vary from year to year, depending on factors including energy costs, weather, occupant behaviour, and differences in heating systems and controls.

The table below shows the relative space and water heating costs for gas furnaces of various efficiencies and different electric systems. These figures are based on the average household consumption across mainland British Columbia, which is 86 gigajoules (GJ).

As shown above most customers will find that, to buy the same amount of useful heat, it currently costs less to heat with natural gas than with electric resistance heating. However, with gas rates fluctuating periodically, customers may be tempted to replace an older gas furnace with an electric heating system. If converting from gas heat to electric, customers should consider that most homes will have to upgrade their electrical service – at a cost – to handle the increased electric load.

For the warmer areas of British Columbia, heat pumps have the lowest consumption, but are more expensive to install and usually need a larger electrical service. They are a good choice where central cooling is required.

Saving Energy With Heat Pumps

When purchasing a new heat pump, be sure to check the efficiency rating of the proposed unit. A higher efficiency rating will result in lower operating costs. Heat Pump efficiency is generally designated by the term "SEER" (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) for cooling performance and the term "HSPF" for heating performance. New units have SEERs ranging from 10.0 to over 16.0 and "HSPF" from 8.0 to over 10.0. In B.C. where heating requirements are far greater than cooling, only the heating performance should be considered when selecting a heat pump. Higher the HSPF, lower the heating energy cost.

For split systems with an outdoor unit and an indoor coil, the efficiency varies with the match between the indoor cooling coil and outdoor condensing unit. The manufacturer should be consulted to determine the combined efficiency. The American Refrigeration Institute (ARI) publishes an annual directory listing various combinations of outdoor units and indoor coils with their HSPF and SEER rating. Most major manufacturers' product lines are included in this directory. All units must meet Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standard C273.3

Over the past several years, efficiency has increased due to the incorporation of the following improvements:

• Variable speed blowers, compressors, and motors - This equipment provides variable speeds of operation to optimize performance and efficiency. Heat pumps utilizing multi-speed components will typically start in the first stage or low speed. If comfort levels or control settings cannot be satisfied with the first stage, the second stage or high speed will activate. Some heat pump systems have more than two stages or speeds of operation.
  
• Larger Coil Surface Areas - Large surface coils provide maximum heat transfer efficiency.
  
• Time Delays - Time delays vary the on and off cycles of compressors, motors, and supplemental heat packages.
  
• Expansion Valves - Expansion valves control the flow of refrigerant in proportion to the load on the evaporator. Compared with other types of fixed metering devices, expansion valves are able to exercise control over a much wider range of operating conditions.
  

Other Energy Efficiency Features

Besides a unit's HSPF, there are additional energy saving features to look for when selecting a heat pump for your home.

• Dual fuel back-up- Dual fuel heat pump systems are supplemented by a fossil fuel furnace or boiler instead of the traditional electric resistance coils. When outdoor temperatures are moderate, the building heat requirements can be satisfied by the heat pump alone. When outdoor temperatures are below the economic balance point, the heat pump is switched off and the furnace or boiler supplies heat at close to its peak efficiency.
  
• Programmable setback thermostats - Programmable thermostats with adaptive-recovery or "ramping" are designed specifically for use with heat pumps. They allow the thermostat to be programmed for one or more "setback" periods per day. Their microprocessor unit senses the temperature differential to be overcome when bringing the space temperature back up, and brings the temperature up gradually over a longer period of time. This allows the heat pump alone to provide the temperature increase and minimizes the use of electric resistance auxiliary heat.

Operation & Maintenance

The following are some guidelines that should be followed to ensure efficient, comfortable operation of heat pumps.

• In the heating mode, do not set the temperature back at night or when you are at work unless a "smart" programmable heat pump thermostat is used. Since heat pumps operate differently than fossil fuel heating systems, setback of a standard heat pump thermostat can actually increase energy consumption: Although it would still be less than conventional resistance heating system. This is due to the use of supplemental heaters to bring the house temperature back to the desired setpoint. Use of supplemental heaters will reduce the efficiency of the heat pump system and result in higher energy costs.
  
• Keep the temperature setpoint consistent. A standard heat pump thermostat has two controls, one for the heat pump and one for the supplemental heat. If the temperature difference between the room and thermostat setpoint is more than -17° C or -16° C (2° or 3° F), the supplemental heat will be activated. Manually adjusting the thermostat will result in greater reliance on the supplemental heaters and will reduce the efficiency of the heat pump system and increase operating costs.
  
• Replace filters regularly. Vacuum dirt and dust from the indoor coil once a year to prevent restricted airflow. Adequate air flow through a heat pump system is critical to ensure efficient and comfortable operation.
  
• Keep supply vents open and free from obstruction. Closing off supply vents will restrict air flow and reduce system efficiency as well as reduce the life of the compressor.
  
• Keep the coil in the outdoor unit clear of snow, leaves and other debris so that air flow is not restricted.
  
• In belt-driven indoor units, check this tension in belt once a year and adjust if loose