The US Energy Department will stop measuring furnace efficiency with the harder test

The US Energy Department is proposing to remove one of two tests for commercial furnace efficiency. The agency says the harder test is too burdensome for manufacturers to conduct. This means furnaces will only need to pass the easier test to be sold.

For years, commercial furnace manufacturers had to meet two different efficiency standards. One of those standards, Appendix B, was more difficult to pass. Removing it means manufacturers will have an easier path to market, potentially allowing less efficient furnaces to be sold. This could slow down the adoption of more energy-efficient heating systems in commercial buildings.