New Minimum Efficiency Requirements for HVAC Equipment

What does SEER mean?

SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating. SEER2 is an updated version of SEER for air conditioners and heat pumps, effective January 1, 2023.

What is a SEER2 Rating in an HVAC system?

SEER2 measures air conditioner and heat pump cooling efficiency, which is calculated by taking the cooling output for a typical cooling season and dividing it by the total electric energy input during the same time frame.

The new SEER2 metric utilizes a new M1 blower testing procedure. The updated testing procedure more accurately reflects real world conditions for HVAC systems by changing the static pressure used in the testing lab from 0.1” w.g to 0.5” w.g. by up to 5 times. New testing procedures change the minimum energy efficiency required for cooling and heating systems.

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