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Changing Installation Practices of A/C Installers: Three Years of Results

Michael Stockard, TXU Electric Delivery
Phil Audet and Jay Zarnikau, Frontier Associates

Abstract

As new federal air conditioning efficiency standards are implemented, the potential for achieving incremental savings by promoting higher efficiency equipment is becoming limited. Nonetheless, significant savings can be obtained by promoting better installation and sizing practices. This paper reports on one large utility’s results in implementing a market transformation program to improve AC installation practices.

In 2003, TXU Electric Delivery began implementing an AC Installer and Information Market Transformation Program. This program was designed to encourage quality installation practices based upon the Consortium for Energy Efficiency Quality Installation Standards. The impacts of this program were measured by comparing the installation practices of installers who had completed training efforts offered through the program against those of nonparticipating air conditioning technicians, both within the utility’s service area and in adjacent utility service areas.

For the past three years, annual surveys of participants and non-participants have been conducted. The results of these surveys indicate that:

  • Participating installers are more likely than non-participants to install complete HVAC systems (ARI-matched condensing unit and coil) in retrofit applications when only one of the components fails.
  • Relative to non-participants, participating installers have a higher percentage of their installations in the 13-16 SEER range, and a lower percentage in the 10-11.9 SEER category.
  • Installer program participants are more likely to install correctly-sized units in retrofit applications, and more likely to include duct leakage testing and sealing in new construction installations.
  • Program participants are more likely to use longer-lasting materials to seal ductwork than non-participants.

Note: In the conversion of abstracts from the original proceedings for publication on the eceee web site, minor errors may have occurred. References should be made from the original documents.

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Acknowledgement: eceee is grateful for the support of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) for making the proceedings from the ACEEE summer study available to members of eceee online. To learn more about ACEEE or purchase their proceedings on CD, please visit aceee.org.

Panels of the 2006 ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings:

Panel 1. Residential Buildings: Technologies, Design, Performance Analysis, and Building Industry Trends
Panel 2. Residential Buildings: Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation
Panel 3. Commercial Buildings: Technologies, Design, Performance Analysis, and Building Industry Trends
Panel 4. Commercial Buildings: Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation
Panel 5. Utility Regulation and Competition: Incentives, Strategies, and Policies
Panel 6. Market Transformation: Designing for Lasting Change
Panel 7. Human and Social Dimensions of Energy Use: Trends and Their Implications
Panel 8. Changing the Climate for Energy Efficiency: Local, National, and International Policy Dimensions
Panel 9. Appliances, Lighting, Information Technologies, Consumer Electronics, and Miscellaneous End Uses
Panel 10. Roundtables and Interactive Sessions: Learning by Doing
Panel 11. Efficient Communities
Panel 12. Energy Conversations
Product EfficiencyGo to SpringerLink

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