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AHRI Update

February 6, 2024

Top Stories

AHRI to Host Educational Sessions at 2025 AHR Expo

AHRI is proud to co-sponsor the 2025 AHR Expo, which will be held in less than two weeks at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, from February 10-12. AHRI staff will be on hand at booth 3300 to discuss the value of the association’s globally recognized certification and standards programs, membership, the updated AHRI Directory, the AHRI Data Subscription Program, educational scholarships, and more. AHRI staff and working groups have organized nine different educational sessions covering some of the most significant topics in the industry.

A detailed description of each session is available here, and the schedule is below. Click here for the most up-to-date list of all education sessions being offered during the Expo.

Monday, February 10

Tuesday, February 11

Contact: Adanna Le Gendre.

Session Spotlight: Flammable Refrigerants (A2s and A3s) – What You Need to Know

Every week leading up to the 2025 AHR Expo, AHRI will be highlighting one of the educational sessions organized by our staff and working groups. During the session “Flammable Refrigerants (A2s and A3s) – What You Need to Know,” AHRI Vice President of Research, Xudong Wang, will participate in a panel to discuss the regulatory landscape regarding “ultra-low GWP” refrigerants.

While the transition to A2L refrigerants is not complete, some policymakers at the state and federal level are already discussing a follow-on transition to even lower-GWP refrigerants that ASHRAE currently categorizes as A3 (flammable). The panel will cover the current state of the conversation in states and the federal government, the potential path toward the widespread use of A3s, and how that transition could impact technician training and safety.

The panel will be moderated by Rajan Rajendran with Five Rivers Consulting and will feature, in addition to Wang, Brian Rodgers, Principal Engineer of Product Safety with UL Solutions; Kashif Nawaz, Section Head of Building Technologies with Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and Jim VerShaw, Chairman of ASHRAE Standard 15.2 for Refrigeration Systems in Residential Applications. The session will take place on Monday, February 10 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in room W311EF of the Orange County Convention Center. Contact: Adanna Le Gendre.

AHRI/ Industry News

AHRI Issues Statement Opposing Mexico, Canada Tariffs

AHRI issued a statement February 3 regarding the tariffs placed by the Trump Administration on imports from Canada and Mexico, which have now been paused for 30 days. Noting that our industry supports more than 700,000 jobs here in America, AHRI stated its concern “that the announced tariffs could not only jeopardize existing jobs but could prevent the industry from increasing American employment for the foreseeable future.” AHRI also noted its support for “the administration’s desire to end the scourge of fentanyl coming across our borders…."

“In addition to potential job losses, the statement notes, “the announced tariffs will almost certainly raise the cost of products and equipment essential for maintaining health-affirming residential and commercial heating, cooling, and water heating as well as keeping food and medicines at optimal temperatures for human health and safety. Rising costs of these products disproportionately affect those least able to afford increases, including those on the margins, the elderly, and even America’s middle class, which has been buffeted by price increases and inflation for the past several years.” The administration issued this Fact Sheet on the tariffs. Contact: Samantha Slater.

Legislative and Regulatory

Energy Secretary Calls for Appliance Affordability and Consumer Choice

In his first Secretarial Order, issued February 5, new Energy Secretary Chris Wright listed as a “top priority” affordability and consumer choice in the Department of Energy’s appliance standards program. He said the Department “will initiate a comprehensive review of the…program,” and that “…standards should include a cost-benefit analysis considering the upfront cost of purchasing new products and reflecting actual cost savings for American families.” The Order, entitled Unleashing the Golden Era of American Energy Dominance, can be found here. Samantha Slater.

AHRI-opposed ASME BPVC Scope Proposals Omitted from 2025 Code

The ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code, Section VIII, will not include the scope proposals (#07-245 and #16-2389) that AHRI opposed in the 2025 edition of the code. A coalition of AHRI member companies and other impacted industries generated more than 260 comments during public review. These comments all emphasized the need to preserve the longstanding exemptions for many types of HVACR equipment and components that exist in Section VIII, and highlighted the robust network of codes and standards that govern the industry and ensure safety and reliability. AHRI is grateful for the monumental effort of the many member companies that have participated in this process.

AHRI will continue to interact with ASME BPVC Section VIII to ensure that these scope exemptions are maintained in future cycles and will work with the proponents of the scope proposals to address their concerns without negatively impacting the HVACR industry. Contact: Tom Deary.

Certification

AHRI Welcomes New Certification Program Participants

AHRI is pleased to welcome Avantec Aircon Private Ltd., to the Forced Circulation Air-Cooling & Air-Heating Coils (ACHC) Program as an Original Equipment Manufacturer. Contact: Bill Tritsis.

Standards

AHRI Standards Open for Public Review and Comment

Technical Review – Under review

The Packaged Terminal Standards Technical Committee (STC) is aligning the single package vertical unit (SPVU) product definitions in AHRI Standard 390 (I-P), Performance Rating of Single Package Vertical Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps, with the 2022 Department of Energy SPVU test procedure. AHRI invites public comments on the technical content of the draft AHRI standard. Based upon comments received, the STC will decide whether to make changes prior to publication. A copy of the draft and the list of revisions are available through the document link below.

Document Designation & Title: BSR/AHRI Standard 390-202x (I-P), Performance Rating of Single Package Vertical Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps
STC: Packaged Terminal STC
Public Review Deadline: March 17
Contact: Colin McDermitt

Limited Review

AHRI invites public comments on a limited review of the technical content of the following draft AHRI standard. Based upon comments received, the Hydronic Systems STC will decide whether to make changes prior to publication. A copy of the draft and an explanation regarding the limited review is available at the document link below.

Document Designation & Title: BSR/AHRI Standard 1400-202x (I-P), Performance Rating of Indirect Water Heaters
STC: Hydronic Systems STC
Public Review Deadline: March 17
Contact: Panos Fykas

Weekly Update from ASHRAE, ANSI, and SCC

This week’s summary of standards activities at ASHRAE, ANSI, and SCC that are relevant to AHRI’s work is available here. Current and previous standards activities for ASHRAE can be found here. Current and previous standards activities for ANSI can be found here.

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