Residential Central Air 

Conditioning and Heat Pump 

Installation–Workshop 

Outcomes

W. Goetzler, R. Zogg, J. Young, and Y. Bargach 

November 2016
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NOTICE

This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the 

United States Government. Neither the United States Government, nor any agency 

thereof, nor any of their employees, nor any of their contractors, subcontractors, or 

their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal 

liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any 

information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use 

would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific 

commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, 

or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, 

recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency, 

contractor or subcontractor thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed 

herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or 

any agency thereof.

Available electronically at www.osti.gov/home/
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

ii Preface

Preface

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technology Office (BTO), a part of the 

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) engaged Navigant Consulting, Inc., 

(Navigant) to facilitate a workshop to identify policy changes, deployment strategies, and 

technology development initiatives for improving design and installations of residential central 

air conditioners (CAC) and heat pumps (CHP). 

The initiatives identified in this report are Navigant’s recommendations to BTO and other 

stakeholders for pursuing in an effort to achieve DOE’s energy conservation goals. Inclusion in 

this report does not guarantee funding; individual initiatives must be evaluated in the context of 

all potential activities that BTO could undertake to achieve its goals.

Prepared for: 

U.S. Department of Energy

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 

Building Technologies Office

energy.gov/eere/buildings

Prepared by:

Navigant Consulting, Inc.

77 South Bedford Street, Suite 400

Burlington, MA 01803

William Goetzler

Robert Zogg

Jim Young

Youssef Bargach
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Acknowledgements iii

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the workshop participants and other industry experts who provided 

valuable insights for this report, including:

Name Organization

Jim Bergmann North Park Innovations

Antonio Bouza U.S. Department of Energy

Don Brundage Southern Company

Dan Cautley Seventhwave

Roy Crawford Trane

Helen Davis Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute

Paul Doppel Mitsubishi

Steve Dunn U.S. Department of Energy

Sarah Edwards Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

John Gibbons United Technologies

Chandra Gollapudi Emerson

Carter Haynes Gulf Power Company

Kristin Heinemeier University of California Davis Energy Efficiency Center

Hugh Henderson CDH Energy Corp.

Dale Hoffmeyer U.S. Department of Energy

Glenn Hourahan Air Conditioning Contractors of America

John Hurst Lennox

James Jackson White-Rodgers

Diane Jakobs Rheem

Barton James Air Conditioning Contractors of America

Harlan “Skip” Krepcik Tidewater Community College

David Lee U.S. Department of Energy

Mike Lubliner Washington State University Energy Program

Charles McCrudden Daikin

Johnathan Melchi Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International

Karen Meyers Rheem Manufacturing Company

Rob Minnick Minnick’s

Courtney Moriarta CSRA

Casey Murphy ICF International

Jonathan Passe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Vance Payne National Institute of Standards and Technology

Hung Pham Emerson

Patrick Phelan U.S. Department of Energy

Steve Porter Johnstone Supply

Reinhard Radermacher University of Maryland

Harvey Sachs American Council for and Energy-Efficiency Economy

Anthony Spagnoli North American Technician Excellence

Charlie Stephens Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance

John Taylor Consortium for Energy Efficiency

Buck Taylor Western HVAC Performance Alliance / Roltay Inc. Energy Services

Rusty Tharp Goodman Manufacturing

John von Harz Environmental Systems, Inc.

Chandler VonSchrader U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Eric Werling U.S. Department of Energy

Dave Winningham Lennox
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

iv List of Acronyms 

List of Acronyms

A/C Air Conditioning

ACCA Air Conditioning Contractors of America Association

ASRAC Appliance Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee

BTO Building Technologies Office

CAC Central Air Conditioning

CHP Central Heat Pump

DOE U.S. Department of Energy

EIA U.S. Energy Information Administration

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

FDD Fault Detection and Diagnostics

HVAC Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

QI Quality Installation

R&D Research and Development

RECS Residential Energy Consumption Survey

SEER Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio

TAB Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Executive Summary v

Executive Summary 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Office (BTO) within the Office 

of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works with researchers and industry partners to 

develop and deploy technologies that can substantially reduce energy consumption in residential 

and commercial buildings. This report aims to advance BTO’s energy savings, emissions

reduction, and other program goals by identifying research and development (R&D), 

demonstration and deployment, and other non-regulatory initiatives for improving the design and 

installation of residential central air conditioners (CAC) and central heat pumps (CHP). 

Improving the adoption of CAC/CHP design and installation best practices has significant 

potential to reduce equipment costs, improve indoor air quality and comfort, improve system 

performance, and most importantly, reduce household energy consumption and costs for heating 

and cooling by addressing a variety of common installation issues.

This report identifies and characterizes a set of policy changes, deployment strategies, and 

technology development initiatives for BTO and other stakeholders to consider that could 

incentivize greater adoption of CAC/CHP quality installation (QI) practices. The investigation 

scope covers design and installation of CAC/CHP systems common for residential buildings.

To gather input for this report, on May 12, 2016, BTO convened a stakeholder workshop of 

experts with wide-ranging backgrounds, including manufacturers, energy efficiency programs, 

and representatives from key industry groups. During the workshop discussions, stakeholders 

emphasized the need for R&D investment to better understand current CAC/CHP installation

practice, encourage wider awareness and adoption of QI practices, and develop the next 

generation of technologies, policies, and practices that reduce installation losses. The key themes 

that arose from the stakeholder workshop include:

 Conduct research to quantify of benefits QI

 Evaluate best practices of energy efficiency QI programs

 Develop and promote QI practices among installers, energy efficiency program 

implementers, and policymakers

 Improve education to consumers on the value of QI

 Develop policies and programs that increase the installer adoption of QI certifications and 

best practices

 Conduct R&D to improve and validate new tools, techniques, and equipment designed to 

reduce losses associated with installation practices.

In all, stakeholders provided 66 unique ideas for R&D and other non-regulatory initiatives that 

could benefit CAC/CHP equipment design and installations. Following the stakeholder 

workshop, we characterized the full set of initiatives and combined similar ideas into a final list 

of 31 initiatives. We then evaluated this list using several qualitative prioritization metrics such 

as expected impact on key barriers and criticality of involvement for key stakeholders. We then 

selected the most promising initiatives recommended for BTO and other stakeholders to pursue, 

and supporting initiatives that would have a more moderate impact. For each initiative, we 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

vi Executive Summary 

assigned lead stakeholders who are critical to the initiative’s success as well as any additional 

stakeholders who can have a supporting role. 

Table ES-1 outlines the resulting five recommended initiatives for BTO to lead on improving

CAC/CHP installations. These initiatives represent some of the key areas in which BTO could 

improve the adoption of QI practices and achieve significant energy savings for U.S. homes with 

collaboration from other stakeholders. 

Table ES-1: Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

ID Initiative Category

BTO #1

Conduct research to quantify the benefits and energy savings of QI to 

support trade practices and energy efficiency programs

Deployment

BTO #2 Expand federal programs to incentivize QI Policy

BTO #3 Develop and promote better tools for field measurements Technology

BTO #4

Conduct research to support energy efficiency programs that minimize 

duct losses Deployment

BTO #5

Develop guidelines on duct leakage and repair techniques by home type

and duct location Deployment

Because each initiative only targets a specific issue, no single initiative can solve the 

multifaceted problems facing manufacturers, installers, energy efficiency program managers, and 

other stakeholders. Furthermore, other parties may be better suited than BTO to lead certain 

initiatives. As such, Table ES-2 delineates the eight key areas in which other stakeholders can 

lead initiatives to improve the design and installation of CAC/CHP equipment. A combined 

effort between BTO and other industry stakeholders, coupled with a multi-initiative approach 

could provide the best pathway to achieving the desired savings. 

Table ES-2: Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

ID Initiative Category

Other #1 Develop resources to promote education across the value chain Deployment

Other #2 Develop energy efficiency and state programs to incentivize QI Policy

Other #3 Review policies surrounding installer certification requirements Policy

Other #4 Remove regulatory barriers to duct sealing installers Policy

Other #5 Include whole home energy audits as part of QI energy efficiency programs Deployment

Other #6

Develop procedures for 3rd-party verifications and penalties for poor 

installations Deployment

Other #7

Conduct a study to evaluate success and failures of past and current QI 

programs

Deployment

Other #8 Develop user-friendly tools for QI and promote their usage Deployment

This report provides background on BTO’s role in improving CAC/CHP installations, discusses

key trends facing the HVAC industry, and describes recommended and supporting initiatives.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

 Table of Contents vii

Table of Contents

Preface............................................................................................................................................. ii

Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................iii

List of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................... iv

Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ v

Table of Contents.......................................................................................................................... vii

1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background ...................................................................................................................... 1

1.2 CAC and CHP Rulemaking Working Group ................................................................... 3

1.3 Project Objective .............................................................................................................. 4

2 Project Approach .................................................................................................................... 5

2.1 Stage 1: Identify Initiatives.............................................................................................. 5

2.2 Stage 2: Characterize Initiatives....................................................................................... 5

2.3 Stage 3: Prioritize Initiatives............................................................................................ 6

3 Market Overview .................................................................................................................... 8

3.1 Equipment Sizing ............................................................................................................. 8

3.2 Equipment Selection ........................................................................................................ 9

3.3 Equipment Installation ..................................................................................................... 9

4 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives ................................................................ 11

4.1 Central Themes .............................................................................................................. 11

4.2 CAC/CHP Installation Initiative Summary.................................................................... 12

4.3 Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead ................................................................... 14

4.4 Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead ............................................ 15

4.5 Supporting Initiatives..................................................................................................... 18

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives..................................................... 19

Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives ....................................................................... 22

Appendix C – ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group Members..................................................... 27
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 Introduction 1

1 Introduction

1.1 Background

The Building Technologies Office (BTO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office 

of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy works with researchers and industry to develop and 

deploy technologies that can substantially reduce energy consumption and emissions in 

residential and commercial buildings. Residential heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning 

(HVAC) systems experience significantly increased energy consumption when improperly 

installed. As depicted in Figure 1-1, HVAC systems account for approximately 36% of all 

residential primary energy consumption.1

Source: 2013 data from DOE/BTO Prioritization Tool2

Figure 1-1: Residential primary energy consumption; 21.5 quads total

HVAC systems that provide space conditioning throughout the home rather than a single room 

are known as central air conditioners (CAC) and central heat pumps (CHP). The installation of 

CAC/CHP systems is of particular interest due to their prevalence in U.S. homes and increasing 

performance and efficiency in recent years. Today, 60% of U.S. homes use CACs for space 

cooling, with an additional 14% of homes using CHPs for space cooling and 9% for space 

 

1 Figure includes space cooling and space heating energy consumption from all HVAC system types, not just CAC/CHPs. 

2 2013 data from DOE/BTO Prioritization Tool, which references U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) 2010 Annual 

Energy Outlook 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

2 Introduction 

heating.3Increasing adoption of CAC/CHP design, and installation best practices4represents a 

significant opportunity to reduce energy consumption across residential building stock. 

Conservative estimates of unit savings potential from improved design and installation practices 

show 20% energy savings5, which could achieve savings of 0.5 Quads annually.

6

Several federal initiatives have identified specific opportunities for energy savings through 

quality installation (QI) practices and programs. For example, U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR program has a long history of working with manufacturers, 

homebuilders, energy efficiency programs, and other stakeholders to address energy efficiency 

issues, such as CAC/CHP installation. ENERGY STAR initiatives to support the adoption of QI 

programs have identified equipment sizing, airtightness of ducts, correct flow, and proper 

refrigerant charge as some common installation issues that reduce the efficiency and 

performance of residential CAC and CHP. As shown in Figure 1-2, these issues can cause a 

significant discrepancy between the factory-rated efficiency of equipment (e.g., Seasonal Energy 

Efficiency Ratio [SEER] for cooling) and its performance in the field.

Source: ENERGY STAR Verified HVAC Installation Program7

Figure 1-2: Theoretical field adjusted SEER caused by installation issues

 

3 EIA’s 2009 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS), Table HC 6.6 and HC 7.6. Accessed May 2016. Available at: 

http://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/

4

Installation of a residential CAC or CHP system requires a multistep process that combines factory-built equipment, fieldassembled components, and estimates of the home’s characteristics. Throughout this report we refer to “design and installation” 

to include all of the necessary steps to properly install CAC/CHP equipment and achieve the performance, comfort, and energy 

efficiency expected for CAC/CHP systems. 

5 Estimated 20%-40% energy savings cited in ASRAC, CAC/CHP Working Group, Final Term Sheet, January 19, 2016. 

Available at: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-STD-0048-0076 Note – the source for this estimate is 

not provided in the Final Term Sheet

6 Energy consumption associated with CAC/CHP estimated by DOE Scout Market Calculator Tool, which references EIA’s 2015 

Annual Energy Outlook. Accessed May 2016. Available at: https://trynthink.github.io/scout/calculator.html

7 EPA ENERGY STAR. Sponsoring an ENERGY STAR Verified HVAC Installation Program. Accessed May 2016. Available 

at: https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=bldrs_lenders_raters.nh_sponsoring_hvac_installation_esvi_program

Theoretical Field Adjusted SEER Caused 

by Installation Issues
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

 Introduction 3

The figures above highlight the magnitude of potential savings associated with improved 

practices for CAC/CHP design and installation. Furthermore, these resources identify some of 

the specific practices that contribute the most losses to the overall efficiency of CAC/CHP 

systems.

Reducing CAC/CHP installation losses is an important goal for many stakeholders, but past 

efforts have resulted in limited adoption by industry. Several energy efficiency programs offer 

QI programs that incentivize installers to perform CAC/CHP installations to Air Conditioning 

Contractors of America Association (ACCA) Standard 5 or other QI specifications. Despite these 

efforts, a California study revealed that only 10% of residential installers were participating in 

energy efficiency QI programs. In this case, only 42% of residential installers were aware of 

ACCA Standard 5 and only 14% said they adhere to all its specifications.8 Because installers 

play such an important role in the design and installation of CAC/CHP systems, engaging the 

installer community is key to achieving greater adoption of QI practices.

1.2 CAC and CHP Rulemaking Working Group

In July 2015, DOE established a working group of industry experts under the Appliance 

Standards and Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee (ASRAC) to discuss and develop 

recommendations on amending energy conservation standards and proposed test procedure for 

residential CAC/CHPs.9 The working group consisted of a diverse set of 15 members from DOE, 

manufacturers, energy efficiency programs, industry organizations, and other parties having a 

defined stake in CAC/CHP standards.10 As part of the final Term Sheet approved by the DOE

and the ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group, the parties committed to exploring routes to 

improve installations of CACs and CHPs. Specifically, as part of Recommendation #11 (below), 

the DOE agreed to convene a workshop for all stakeholders to consider and rank alternatives for 

improving system design and installation practices:

Recommendation #11. 

“All parties recognize that the performance for any HVAC system relies on high quality 

installation. A typical residential system can lose 20% to 40%11 of the energy available at 

the equipment plenum because of poor installation practices, depriving the homeowner of 

expected gains in efficiency while increasing operating costs. 

Typical deficiencies include: (1) selecting the wrong equipment for the home (climate 

conditions, capacity sizing, matching of components and controls, application usage), (2) 

poor installation and commissioning procedures (issues include: refrigerant charging, 

airflow/waterflow), (3) poor design, installation, and retrofitting of the air distribution 

system (excessive air leakage in supply or return, high ESP [External Static Pressure], 

 

8 NMR Group. 2015. “Baseline Characterization Market Effects Study of Investor-Owned Utility Residential and Small 

Commercial HVAC Quality Installation and Quality Improvement Programs in California.” CALMAC Study ID CPU0102.01. 

January 14, 2015. Available at: http://www.calmac.org/publications/CPUC_HVAC_Baseline_Market_Study_Final_Report.pdf

9 ASRAC, CAC/CHP Working Group, Final Term Sheet, January 19, 2016. Available at:

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-STD-0048-0076

10 Appendix C contains a list of working group members.

11 Note – the source for this estimate is not provided in the Final Term Sheet
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

4 Introduction 

under insulation of ducts), and (4) failing to assure that the owner can operate the system 

as designed. 

All parties commit to exploring routes to improve installations for all consumers, using 

multiple processes and approaches, ranging from policies (such as tax incentives or 

inspections) to improved training and consumer information. Within six months, DOE 

shall convene a workshop for all stakeholders to consider and rank alternatives, and to 

develop a roadmap for action, including both technical and policy items”.

Navigant, on behalf of the BTO, hosted a workshop on May 12th, 2016, at BTO offices in 

Washington, DC, to gather stakeholder input on CAC and CHP installation challenges, and 

technical and policy options for the industry. The ideas proposed during this workshop informed 

this report by identifying initiatives that BTO and other stakeholders could pursue to improve the 

performance, reliability, and energy efficiency of CAC/CHP systems installed in U.S. homes

1.3 Project Objective

The project objective was to identify and highlight initiatives that BTO and other industry 

stakeholders could support to help reduce energy losses associated with improper design and 

installation of residential CAC and CHP equipment.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

 Project Approach 5 

2 Project Approach

Figure 2-1 outlines the three stages for developing and evaluating opportunities.

Figure 2-1: Opportunity development steps

2.1 Stage 1: Identify Initiatives

We gathered information on current industry practices and field studies of residential CAC/CHP 

installations through review of past research, hosting a stakeholder workshop, and conducted 

several post-workshop interviews. We began with secondary research of available academic 

studies on efficiency losses during installation, their prevalence in new and retrofit equipment 

installations, and the potential for new technologies to mitigate these losses. We then hosted a 

stakeholder workshop to better understand the key barriers to widespread adoption of QI 

practices, the reasons why approaches to promote QI have faltered, as well as gather expert 

insights into non-regulatory approaches to address these efficiency degradations. For those who 

could not attend the workshop in person, we then conducted several follow-up interviews to 

capture their thoughts. The participating stakeholders helped generate the majority of the 

opportunities, barriers, and ideas that we subsequently developed into clear initiatives and 

prioritized.

2.2 Stage 2: Characterize Initiatives

Following the workshop, we refined the 66 initiatives suggested at the workshop to eliminate 

duplicates and combine similar ideas. We segmented the remaining 31 initiatives into one of 

three categories highlighted in Table 2-1: technology, deployment, or policy (technology 

development, deployment strategies, or policy changes; see Section 4). Each category includes a 

set of opportunities to increase energy savings and reduce the losses associated with improper 

installation practices. Given the interacting drivers and impacts of CAC/CHP installations, 

opportunity areas may overlap into multiple categories, but designating each initiative into a 

category assists in finding key themes and patterns of roles for each stakeholder. We then 

outlined each initiative’s purpose and goals, its potential to address key installation barriers, and 

identified which key stakeholder groups would have a leading or supporting role in the initiative.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

6 Project Approach 

Table 2-1: Key Opportunities

Category Opportunity Areas

Technology

 Manufacturer equipment / system designs that facilitate QI for installers 

 Installer equipment / system design practices to reduce pre-installation losses

o Equipment sizing, selection, and matching

o Air distribution system design, balancing, etc.

 Installer equipment / system practices to reduce on-site installation losses

o Proper refrigerant charging

o Airflow leakage, high static pressure, duct insulation, etc.

Deployment

 Research initiatives on installation practices

 Field evaluations

 Increasing consumer awareness

 Enhancing installer training requirements

 Strategies to reduce any additional installation costs

 Innovative 3

rd

-party products to improve installation processes

 Manufacturer tools to verify equipment performance

Policy

 Voluntary programs through industry organizers and energy efficiency 

program implementers

 Bridging the gap between policies and in-field installations

 DOE and other industry programs to incentivize technology and policy 

initiatives

 Supplemental standard evaluations and test procedures for technologies such 

as fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) systems

Note – Given the interacting drivers and impacts of CAC/CHP installations, opportunity areas may 

overlap into multiple categories, but designating each initiative into a category assists in finding key 

themes and patterns of roles for each stakeholder.

2.3 Stage 3: Prioritize Initiatives

In consultation with BTO, Navigant prioritized the initiatives, then identified the stakeholder 

group (BTO, EPA, energy efficiency programs, manufacturers, trade associations, and research 

organizations) most appropriate to lead each initiative. To prioritize initiatives, we scored each 

using three metrics (see Table 2-2). The aggregation of these scores, along with the number of 

stakeholder votes for each initiative, determined its final ranking.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

 Project Approach 7 

Table 2-2: Initiative Scoring Metrics – Definitions

Scoring 

Metric

Scale for 

Scoring

Definition

Impact 1 – 5

Expected impact on developing new technology or performing 

research that addresses a critical knowledge gap and/or key barrier to 

improved design and installation of CAC/CHP systems.

Criticality of 

BTO

Involvement

1 – 3

Relative importance for BTO to participate and/or lead the initiative or 

whether industry will be successful without BTO’s participation.

Criticality of 

Other 

Stakeholders’ 

Involvement

1 – 3

Relative importance for other stakeholders to participate and/or lead 

the initiative or whether other parties are better suited to carrying out 

the initiative.

Several members of the Navigant team independently scored each initiative, and we averaged 

these scores for each metric. Appendix A outlines the specific scoring criteria for each metric. To 

incorporate voting from the stakeholder workshop (Section 2.1), we assigned each initiative to a

scoring tier, depending on the relative number of votes:

 Tier 1: More than 10 votes

 Tier 2: 2 to 10 votes

 Tier 3: Fewer than 2 votes.

We present the prioritized set of initiatives and key characteristics in the form of a “heat map” 

shown in Appendix A. The heat map visually displays the scoring and prioritization of each 

initiative determined by the number of stakeholder votes, initiative impact, and criticality of 

involvement for each stakeholder group. 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

8 Market Overview 

3 Market Overview

Installation of a residential CAC or CHP system requires a multistep process that combines 

factory-built equipment, field-assembled components, and estimates of the home’s 

characteristics (e.g., dimensions, occupants, envelope, etc.). Figure 3-1 highlights several of the 

key components in residential split-system CAC and CHP installations. At each step of this 

process, industry developed best practices are not followed, which result in lower performance, 

efficiency, and/or occupant comfort. While not exhaustive, the following sections describe key 

issues to proper design and installation for residential CAC and CHP systems. 

Source: energy.gov12

Figure 3-1: Illustration of key CAC/CHP components

3.1 Equipment Sizing

Prior to selecting a CAC/CHP system, an installer must determine the thermal load required to 

cool and/or heat the home. This process, commonly referred to as “equipment sizing,” 

incorporates an analysis based on the physical dimensions of the conditioned space, 

characteristics of the enclosure (e.g., air tightness and insulation of walls, roof, windows, etc.),

climate, and other factors. When the properties of a residence are input to an ACCA Manual J 

load calculation spreadsheet or software, the installer can estimate the required capacity for both 

space cooling and space heating. 

 

12 U.S. Department of Energy. 2014. Energy Saver 101: Home Cooling Infographic. Accessed October 2016. 

http://energy.gov/downloads/energy-saver-101-home-cooling-infographic
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

 Market Overview 9

Nevertheless, the ACCA Manual J process is only accurate if followed correctly and if using 

accurate input data. Especially for existing homes, rather than using Manual J, installers

frequently specify new equipment with the same capacity, or larger, compared to the existing 

CAC/CHP system to save time and avoid callbacks. Without a new load calculation, installers 

may be mistakenly assuming that the existing system was correctly sized in the first place, and 

the home has not experienced any changes that would affect load (e.g., recent additions, 

occupancy changes, window replacements, etc.). Replacing a system with one of equal capacity, 

however, can perpetuate system inefficiencies resulting from either system over-sizing or system 

under-sizing. In addition, installers may not have access to accurate information on the home’s 

insulation levels, air tightness, duct leakage, and other parameters, which can result in an 

inaccurate sizing recommendation. Using empirical data and analyses (e.g., blower door tests, 

duct blaster tests, infrared images, duty-cycle measurements on existing heating/cooling 

equipment, billing analyses, and/or indoor-outdoor temperature-difference measurements with 

known heat inputs) to develop inputs could significantly improve the accuracy of equipment 

sizing methodologies and reduce time/cost for on-site walkthroughs. Also, photo-based software 

to streamline geometry measurements could provide significant cost reductions, improved 

accuracy, and increase use of Manual J. For new homes, installers should work with the 

homebuilder and architect to gather correct sizing plans for the Manual J calculation, while also 

identifying other solutions to avoid installation inefficiencies (e.g., duct location and layout, 

equipment placement, etc.).

Further discussed in Section 3.2, CHPs introduce additional design complexity because the

single system must satisfy both space heating and space cooling loads, which may lead to 

equipment being over-sized or under-sized for cooling and/or heating modes.

3.2 Equipment Selection

When designing the CAC/CHP system, numerous issues can arise when selecting the correct 

components (e.g., outdoor unit, indoor coil and air handler). Matching an indoor unit with an 

outdoor unit is of particular importance in split system CAC/CHPs, and mismatched pieces can 

result in poor performance and efficiency. In addition, the blower fan must be adequately sized

(e.g., airflow rate, static pressure, etc.) to the indoor coil specifications, and duct configuration to 

provide proper airflow temperatures and distribution. CHP systems in particular pose significant 

problems because the equipment must satisfy both space heating and space cooling loads using 

the same outdoor unit. In situations where the design cooling and heating loads are significantly 

different, selection problems can occur where the outdoor unit or blower is over-sized or undersized relative to the load. 

3.3 Equipment Installation

When installing CACs and CHPs at a customer’s home, installers have numerous subsystems 

and components to place, connect, and adjust in a short amount of time, providing the temptation

to overlook best practices to save time and money. Common issues that affect performance and 

efficiency include:

 Refrigerant Charging – Manufacturers typically ship CAC/CHP equipment pre-charged 

with refrigerant, and require the installer to adjust the refrigerant charge to accommodate 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

10 Market Overview 

the specific home’s needs. An improperly charged system, whether under-charged or 

over-charged, can increase energy consumption and the risk of system failure. New 

technologies are available to accurately determine the correct refrigerant charge, such as 

digital gauges and tools, but many installers still use rule-of-thumb methods or rely on 

less expensive analog gauges. Traditional methods allow installers to quickly start up 

equipment for customers, but can create long-term inefficiencies through over- and/or 

under-charging.

 Duct Systems – Improperly designed, sealed, insulated, or balanced duct systems reduce

the effectiveness of in CAC/CHP systems. Leaky duct systems allow conditioned air to 

escape, draw potentially polluted or unconditioned air through the return, and increase 

fan energy consumption. Poorly insulated duct systems increase heat transfer, resulting in 

less thermal energy reaching its intended zone and potentially introducing condensation 

issues. Finally, improperly balanced systems disproportionally allocate airflow to specific 

rooms within a home, so that the CAC/CHP system needs to overcompensate to reach 

zones with insufficient airflow.

 Controls Setup – CAC and CHP systems rely on thermostats, zoning systems, 

humidifiers/dehumidifiers, and other control systems to properly satisfy indoor 

conditions, which can introduce additional installation issues. Placing thermostats in 

areas with direct sunlight or in direct contact with the supply air stream can produce 

unrepresentative readings. Although more user-friendly products have been introduced in 

recent years, many consumers have difficulty setting up and configuring their thermostats

to maintain a comfortable temperature schedule. CHPs pose additional challenges for 

installers when configuring the switchover to auxiliary or secondary heating sources and 

setting a quick-recovery schedules. 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 11 

4 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

Workshop outcomes are summarized below in five sections: 

 Central Themes (Section 4.1): Summary of themes that emerged during the stakeholder 

workshop that carry common threads through many (if not all) of the initiatives

 CAC/CHP Installation Initiative Summary (Section 4.2): Summary of recommended 

initiatives 

 Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead (Section 4.3): Detailed descriptions for 

recommended initiatives that require critical BTO involvement.

 Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead (Section 4.4): Detailed 

descriptions for recommended initiatives requiring extensive contributions from other 

industry stakeholders.

 Supporting Initiatives (Section 4.5): Brief descriptions of supporting initiatives with 

limited impact and stakeholder involvement.

4.1 Central Themes

The stakeholder workshop in Washington D.C., in addition to providing valuable input on 

specific initiatives, also uncovered some key themes that can guide much of the future work that 

BTO or industry groups may pursue. Stakeholders emphasized the need for R&D investment to 

better understand current CAC/CHP installation practices, encourage wider awareness and 

adoption of QI practices, and develop the next generation of technologies, policies, and practices

that will reduce losses related to installation. The key themes arose from the stakeholder 

workshop, including:

 Conduct research to quantify of benefits QI

 Evaluate best practices of energy efficiency QI programs

 Develop and promote QI practices among installers, energy efficiency program 

implementers, and policymakers

 Improve education to consumers on the value of QI

 Develop policies and programs that increase the installer adoption of QI certifications and 

best practices

 Conduct R&D to improve and validate new tools, techniques, and equipment designed to 

reduce losses associated with installation practices.

Because of the multifaceted nature of CAC/CHP installation issues, numerous stakeholders will 

play with a key role in overcoming shortcomings with current practices. Table 4-1 lists key 

industry stakeholders and describes the areas in which each can contribute to improved 

CAC/CHP installation processes. 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

12 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

Table 4-1: Key Roles for Industry Stakeholders

Stakeholder Key Roles

BTO Support research initiatives and case studies, provide guidelines on specific 

practices, conduct field demonstrations to test and validate approaches

EPA Develop enabling government programs, promote education, evaluate 

successes and failures of other programs

Energy Efficiency 

Programs

Develop incentive programs, conduct 3

rd

-party evaluations, perform energy 

audits, and encourage specific practices

Manufacturers Develop more resilient equipment, collect installation data, provide 

installation guidance to installer networks

Trade Associations Provide a single source for performance information, educational 

resources, industry standards, and training programs

Research Organizations

(e.g., National Labs)

Perform validation studies, research equipment faults, and evaluate 

systems

4.2 CAC/CHP Installation Initiative Summary

We prioritized the initiatives to provide guidance to BTO and other stakeholders on which 

initiatives showed greater potential impact, closer fit with each stakeholder’s mission, and other 

considerations (see Section 2.2 above). While not exhaustive, these initiatives represent some of 

the key areas in which BTO and other stakeholders could work to improve the quality of

CAC/CHP installations. Each initiative targets only a specific issue, and no single initiative can 

solve the multifaceted problems manufacturers, installers, and energy efficiency program 

managers’ experience with current CAC/CHP installation practices. A multi-initiative approach 

could prove more effective. Either way, recommended initiatives offer a substantial opportunity 

to reduce energy losses due to poor design and installation practices. 

Table 4-2 and Table 4-3 identify the most promising initiatives recommended for BTO and other 

stakeholders to pursue in the areas of policy changes, deployment strategies, and technology 

development. We categorize recommended initiatives to be lead by either BTO or other 

stakeholders to highlight where each group has a major role in the most impactful initiatives. For 

each initiative, we designate lead stakeholders who are critical to the initiative’s success as well 

as any additional stakeholders who can have a supporting, but less critical role. The sections that 

follow detail the recommended initiatives, with supporting initiatives described further in Section 

4.5.

The following list highlights key findings from the recommended initiatives: 

 Stakeholders developed consensus around the need for improved education, research and 

development opportunities, and programs to enable specific QI practices. 

 The Tier 1 initiatives for both BTO and other stakeholders to lead have good alignment 

with the stakeholder votes assigned at the workshop.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 13 

 BTO has a primary role for developing initiatives that quantify the benefits of QI, 

supporting potential federal incentives that enable QI, and evaluating better tools for field 

measurements.

 Other stakeholders (e.g. EPA, energy efficiency programs, manufacturers, trade 

associations, and research organizations) primarily should focus on initiatives that 

promote education for both customers and contractors, support certifications and QI 

adoption among contractors, and support the development and promotion of utility 

programs around QI.

Table 4-2: Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

ID Initiative

Tier 1-BTO #1

Conduct research to quantify the benefits and energy savings of QI to support trade 

practices and energy efficiency programs

Tier 1-BTO #2 Expand federal programs to incentivize QI

Tier 1-BTO #3 Develop and promote better tools for field measurements

Tier 1-BTO #4 Conduct research to support energy efficiency programs that minimize duct losses

Tier 1-BTO #5

Develop guidelines on duct leakage and repair techniques by home type and duct 

location

Table 4-3: Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

ID Initiative

Tier 1-Other #1 Develop resources to promote education across the value chain

Tier 1-Other #2 Develop energy efficiency and state programs to incentivize QI

Tier 1-Other #3 Review policies surrounding installer certification requirements

Tier 1-Other #4 Remove regulatory barriers to duct sealing installers

Tier 1-Other #5 Include whole home energy audits as part of QI energy efficiency programs

Tier 1-Other #6 Develop procedures for 3rd-party verifications and penalties for poor installations

Tier 1-Other #7 Conduct a study to evaluate success and failures of past and current QI programs

Tier 1-Other #8 Develop user-friendly tools for QI and promote their usage
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

14 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

4.3 Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

Table 4-4 provides brief descriptions of recommended initiatives that BTO could lead to address CAC/CHP installation issues, as well as 

list of other lead and supporting stakeholders. 

Table 4-4: Descriptions of Recommended Initiatives for BTO to Lead

ID Initiative Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s) Category

Tier 1-

BTO #1

Conduct research 

to quantify the 

benefits and 

energy savings of 

QI to support 

trade practices 

and energy 

efficiency 

programs

Develop case studies and national scale studies on 

potential benefits of QI as well as the effectiveness of 

specific QI practices such as proper ACCA Manual J 

sizing, matching indoor and outdoor components, and 

duct sealing. These studies could assist with customer 

education and industry support for QI programs.

BTO, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, 

Research 

Organizations

EPA, Trade 

Associations Deployment

Tier 1-

BTO #2

Expand federal 

programs to 

incentivize QI

Create a federal incentive program that provides 

rebates or tax credits to consumers or homeowners 

who perform QI on eligible installations. Ideas include: 

tying state energy efficiency funding to QI program 

participation, tax credits to homeowners who install 

equipment with QI from a certified installer, and 

incentives for installers that have their technicians 

complete QI training.

BTO, EPA Trade 

Associations Policy

Tier 1-

BTO #3

Develop and 

promote better 

tools for field 

measurements

Current installer field measurement tools and methods 

are insufficient for quick, cost-effective, and accurate 

assessments of building envelope, duct system, and 

HVAC equipment characteristics. Further research into 

improved field measurement strategies could support 

more installers performing QI practices.

BTO, EPA, 

Manufacturers 

Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, Trade 

Associations

Technology
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 15 

ID Initiative Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s) Category

Tier 1-

BTO #4

Conduct research 

to support energy 

efficiency 

programs that

minimize duct 

losses 

Especially in existing homes, leaky ducts contribute to 

higher thermal energy loads and higher fan energy 

consumption to deliver space heating and cooling 

throughout the home. Strategies such as duct 

inspection and sealing, or incorporating ductless 

CAC/CHP systems, and locating ducts in conditioned 

space can reduce duct losses and should be promoted 

in deployment programs. Conducting research to 

quantify duct losses and developing low-cost prevention 

strategies can support the development of energy 

efficiency programs that incentivize practices that 

minimize duct losses. 

BTO, EPA

Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, Trade 

Associations

Deployment

Tier 1-

BTO #5

Develop 

guidelines on duct 

leakage and repair 

techniques by 

home type and

duct location

Duct placement and its impact on HVAC system 

efficiency can vary greatly depending on the design of 

the home. For example, ducts located in an uninsulated 

and vented attic require different approaches than 

those located within the conditioned space, such as a 

ceiling chase. Guidelines for reducing duct leakage in 

common home types could help improve duct systems.

BTO

EPA, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, Trade 

Associations, 

Research 

Organizations

Deployment

4.4 Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

Table 4-5 provides brief descriptions of recommended initiatives that other stakeholders (e.g., EPA, energy efficiency programs, 

manufacturers, trade associations, research organizations) could lead to address CAC/CHP installation issues, as well as list of other lead 

and supporting stakeholders.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

16 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

Table 4-5: Descriptions of Recommended Initiatives for Other Stakeholders to Lead

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s) Category

Tier 1-

Other #1

Develop 

resources to 

promote 

education across 

the value chain

Increased consumer and installer awareness of QI 

practices and programs can help overcome some of the 

misconceptions about CAC/CHP installations. A 

coordinated marketing and educational effort from 

ENERGY STAR, trade associations, manufacturers, 

energy efficiency incentive programs, and others should 

help communicate the importance of QI, what QI 

involves, and how consumers are missing out on 

efficiency and performance.

EPA, Trade 

Associations

BTO, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, 

Manufacturers,

Research 

Organizations

Deployment

Tier 1-

Other #2

Develop energy 

efficiency and 

state programs to 

incentivize QI

High efficiency CAC/CHP equipment cannot deliver its 

promised energy savings when improperly installed, 

reducing the energy savings captured by energy 

efficiency incentive programs. Basing HVAC incentive 

programs on HVAC system performance would reward 

true savings achieved with QI practices, rather than 

assuming that poor installation practices will not erode 

savings of high efficiency equipment.

EPA, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs

BTO Policy

Tier 1-

Other #3

Review policies 

surrounding 

installer 

certification 

requirements

Supporting standardized educational and certification 

programs for CAC/CHP installers to ensure that 

installers are aware of industry QI standards and best 

practices for mitigating installation losses.

Trade 

Associations

EPA, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs

Policy

Tier 1-

Other #4

Remove 

regulatory 

barriers to duct 

sealing installers

Some states require an installer license or certification 

to repair ducts, which limits the potential for 

weatherization or other home efficiency companies 

from offering duct sealing services. Revising state 

requirements for installers regarding duct sealing could 

encourage more companies to offer duct sealing.

Energy Efficiency 

Programs

BTO, Trade 

Associations Policy
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 17 

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s) Category

Tier 1-

Other #5

Include wholehome energy 

audits as part of 

energy efficiency

QI programs

QI practices require a thorough understanding of the 

home’s building envelope and duct system to properly 

design and install the right CAC/CHP equipment in 

existing homes. Energy efficiency programs should 

encourage or require a detailed energy audit for 

existing homes prior to HVAC installations to help 

installers estimate thermal loads and identify other 

opportunities to improve energy efficiency prior to 

HVAC system selection.

Energy Efficiency 

Programs

BTO, EPA, Trade 

Associations, 

Research 

Organizations

Deployment

Tier 1-

Other #6

Develop 

procedures for 

3rd-party 

verifications and 

penalties for poor 

installations

Requiring 3rd-party verification for installations, either 

as part of building code requirements, energy efficiency

incentive programs (as part of T1-Other #2), or 

manufacturer installer programs, would help ensure 

that installers follow QI practices. In addition, these 

programs should develop simplified validation tools for 

inspectors and potentially carry penalties as part of the 

verification process.

Energy Efficiency 

Programs

EPA, Trade 

Associations Deployment

Tier 1-

Other #7

Conduct a study 

to evaluate 

success and 

failures of past 

and current QI 

programs

Energy efficiency programs across the U.S. have offered 

a variety of CAC/CHP energy efficiency and QI programs 

for many years, but limited information exists on their 

effectiveness and best practices. Studying the history of 

QI programs across various utilities and states, and 

investigating what made them successful or 

unsuccessful through a root cause analysis, would help 

other utilities and other energy efficiency program 

implementers improve their QI programs.

EPA, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs

BTO, Trade 

Associations, 

Research 

Organizations

Deployment

Tier 1-

Other #8

Develop userfriendly tools for 

QI and promote 

their usage

The lack of cost-effective and simple installer tools 

increases the time and cost for QI practices and limits 

their adoption. Developing intuitive, user-friendly tools 

could help achieve widespread adoption and therefore, 

facilitation, of QI programs.

EPA, Trade 

Associations

BTO, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs Deployment
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

18 Recommended CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

4.5 Supporting Initiatives

Supporting initiatives are also valuable opportunities to address CAC/CHP installation issues and 

should be considered for future action. Stakeholders identified these initiatives as important in 

reducing installation losses, and they can have at least a moderate impact. Appendix B contains 

the list of supporting initiatives. 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 19 

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives

The heat map in Figure A-1 indicates which stakeholder groups are most critical to each initiative. This heat map aggregates data 

surrounding an initiative’s potential impact (as described by the legend in Figure A-2), criticality of specific stakeholders’ involvement 

(detailed in Figure A-3), and number of stakeholder votes at the industry workshop, and can be sorted according to each of those 

parameters. 

Each cell in the heat map is colored according the associated scoring metric:

 Green cells represent significant impact, critical levels of involvement, and ultimately Tier 1 initiatives. 

 Yellow cells represent moderate impact initiatives, beneficial levels of stakeholder involvement, and a Tier 2 rating. 

 Red cells represent initiatives with minimal impact, unnecessary stakeholder involvement, and Tier 3 overall score.
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

20 Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 

Figure A-1: Heat map of CAC/CHP initiatives

Note – Initiatives that could have a significant impact with a clear lead organization were deemed Tier 1 even without high stakeholder support. 

ID Activity/Initiative Topic Impact BTO

Role

EPA

Role

Utility 

Role

OEM 

Role

Trade 

Asc. Role

Research 

Org Role

Stakeholder 

Votes

BTO Tier 

Rating

Other 

Tier 

Rating

Tier 1-BTO #1 Conduct research to quantify the benefits and energy savings of QI Deployment 4.5 3 2 3 1 2 3 20 Tier 1 Tier 2

Tier 1-BTO #2 Expand federal programs to incentivize QI Policy 5.0 3 3 1 1 2 1 19 Tier 1 Tier 2

Tier 1-BTO #3 Develop and promote better tools for field measurements Technology 4.0 3 3 2 1 2 1 14 Tier 1 Tier 2

Tier 1-BTO #4 Conduct research to support energy efficiency programs that minimize duct losses Deployment 4.5 3 3 2 1 2 1 1 Tier 1 Tier 2

Tier 1-BTO #5 Develop guidelines on duct leakage and repair techniques by home type and duct location Deployment 4.5 3 2 2 1 2 2 0 Tier 1 Tier 2

Tier 1-Other #1 Develop resources to promote education across the value chain Deployment 4.0 2 3 2 2 3 2 16 Tier 2 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #2 Develop energy efficiency and state programs to incentivize QI Policy 5.0 2 3 3 1 1 1 15 Tier 2 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #3 Review policies surrounding installer certification requirements Policy 4.0 1 2 2 1 3 1 14 Tier 2 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #4 Remove regulatory barriers to duct sealing installers Deployment 5.0 2 2 3 1 2 1 5 Tier 2 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #5 Include whole home energy audits as part of QI energy efficiency programs Deployment 4.5 2 2 3 1 2 2 4 Tier 2 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #6 Develop procedures for 3rd-party verifications and penalties for poor installations Policy 4.5 1 2 3 1 2 1 4 Tier 3 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #7 Conduct a study to evaluate success and failures of past and current QI programs Deployment 4.0 2 3 3 1 2 2 0 Tier 2 Tier 1

Tier 1-Other #8 Develop user-friendly tools for QI and promote their usage Deployment 4.5 2 3 2 1 3 1 0 Tier 2 Tier 1

Supporting #1 Develop CAC/CHP systems with improved on-board diagnostics and monitoring Technology 3.5 2 2 1 3 1 3 12 Tier 2 Tier 2

Supporting #2 Develop more adaptable and fault tolerant CAC/CHP systems Technology 3.5 2 2 1 3 1 3 11 Tier 2 Tier 2

Supporting #3 Periodically review QI standards to continually improve industry practices Deployment 3.0 2 3 2 1 3 1 7 Tier 2 Tier 2

Supporting #4 Develop policies that ensure premium equipment is only installed by premium installers Policy 2.5 2 2 2 2 3 1 4 Tier 2 Tier 2

Supporting #5 Conduct validation studies on baseline CAC/CHP ratings Technology 3.5 2 2 1 2 2 3 3 Tier 2 Tier 2

Supporting #6 Develop a standard or specification for residential testing, adjusting, and balancing Deployment 3.5 2 2 2 1 3 2 1 Tier 2 Tier 2

Supporting #7 Develop simpler load calculation tools and measurement equipment Technology 4.5 1 1 1 2 3 2 4 Tier 3 Tier 2

Supporting #8 Consider practices to dry-ship equipment to incentivize proper charging in the field Deployment 3.5 1 1 1 3 3 2 1 Tier 3 Tier 2

Supporting #9 Develop a standardized proposal form for installers Deployment 3.0 1 2 3 2 3 1 1 Tier 3 Tier 2

Supporting #10 Develop and promote sales training programs and requirements for selling home Deployment 3.0 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 Tier 3 Tier 2

Supporting #11 Conduct research on the frequency of different airflow faults Technology 4.0 1 2 1 1 2 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 2

Supporting #12 Develop design tools capable of accurately calculating small loads Technology 3.5 1 2 1 2 2 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 2

Supporting #13 Conduct research on thermal energy dissipation in homes Technology 3.0 2 1 1 1 1 3 4 Tier 2 Tier 3

Supporting #14 Develop and promote asset rating systems that include QI provisions Deployment 2.5 2 3 1 1 2 1 1 Tier 2 Tier 3

Supporting #15 Conduct research on sensitivity to sizing of system performance Technology 3.0 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 Tier 3 Tier 3

Supporting #16 Develop and promote a single source for retrieving sensible and total performance Deployment 1.5 1 1 1 2 3 1 1 Tier 3 Tier 3

Supporting #17 Develop and promote better design approaches for zoned systems Deployment 2.5 1 1 1 2 2 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 3

Supporting #18 Conduct research on the potential benefits of smaller capacity equipment Deployment 2.0 1 1 1 2 1 3 0 Tier 3 Tier 3
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix A – Heat Map of CAC/CHP Installation Initiatives 21 

Figure A-2: Heat map legend – impact score

Figure A-3: Heat map legend – criticality of involvement
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

22 Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

Table B-1 provides brief descriptions of supporting initiatives to address CAC/CHP installation issues, as well as list of lead and 

supporting stakeholders. We scored these initiatives during the prioritization process (see Section 2.2) and present them here in order of 

decreasing rank. 

Table B-1: Descriptions of Supporting Initiatives for BTO and Other Stakeholders

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

#1

Develop CAC/CHP

systems with 

improved on-board 

diagnostics and 

monitoring

On-board FDD systems would assist installers by verifying proper start up 

and monitoring the performance of the CAC/CHP system over time. 

Developing on-board or after-market FDD systems could improve the 

certainty and effectiveness of QI practices, increasing their adoption.

Manufacturers,

Research 

Organizations

BTO, EPA

Supporting

#2

Develop more 

adaptable and fault 

tolerant CAC/CHP 

systems

During CAC/CHP installations, installers must pair an outdoor unit, indoor 

coil, air handler, and other components into a complete system, and 

sometimes encounter compatibility issues that reduce system efficiency. 

More adaptable systems would have adjustable operating settings to 

accommodate a wider range of equipment. For example, a standardized 

communication kit that identifies the specific indoor and outdoor 

components, refrigerant pipe length, and other parameters could 

communicate necessary adjustments to installers or automatically modify 

on-board controls.

Manufacturers,

Research 

Organizations

BTO, EPA

Supporting

#3

Periodically review QI 

standards to 

continually improve 

industry practices

The HVAC industry continues to evolve as new technologies, installer 

tools, and installation techniques enter the marketplace. QI standards, 

such as ACCA Standard 5, should be continually reviewed by industry 

stakeholders and updated as necessary, with each update promoted to 

energy efficiency programs and other QI stakeholders.

EPA, Trade 

Associations

BTO, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives 23 

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting

#4

Develop policies that 

ensure premium 

equipment is only 

installed by premium 

installers

Consumers who are paying a premium for high efficiency equipment 

should have an expectation that their system will operate as designed, 

and not experience unnecessary losses resulting from poor installation. 

Industry, state, or energy efficiency programs could develop policies that 

prohibit the sale of high efficiency equipment to installers that do not 

have QI certifications to ensure that premium equipment is installed by 

premium installers.

Trade 

Associations

BTO, EPA, 

Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs,

Manufacturers

Supporting

#5

Conduct validation 

studies on baseline 

CAC/CHP ratings

Equipment efficiency ratings rely on laboratory testing at design 

conditions and may not reflect in-field conditions that can impose a 

variety of performance and efficiency losses. Energy efficiency programs 

in particular could benefit from research studies in various 

locations/regions that characterize the performance losses that may be 

unavoidable for many installations.

Research 

Organizations

BTO, EPA,

Manufacturers, 

Trade 

Associations

Supporting

#6

Develop a standard 

or specification for 

residential testing, 

adjusting, and 

balancing

Even when selected and installed properly, CAC/CHP systems often 

require some fine tuning to ensure that adequate airflow reaches each 

thermal zone in the home. Incorporating standards and specifications for 

residential testing, adjusting, and balancing (TAB) into QI programs would 

help ensure that occupants experience peak comfort and efficiency.

Trade 

Associations

BTO, EPA, 

Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, 

Research 

Organizations

Supporting

#7

Develop simpler load 

calculation tools and 

measurement 

equipment

Though ACCA Manual J is recognized as the industry standard for load 

calculations, the complexity and time-consuming nature of the process 

leads lower installer participation. Simpler tools for load calculations 

could help reduce installer inclination to use rules-of-thumb for CAC/CHP 

system design. In addition, the load calculation tools are only as accurate 

as the estimated inputs. Using improved measurement equipment (e.g., 

infrared cameras, runtime loggers) to identify a home’s characteristics 

(e.g., duct/envelope leakage, insulation levels, window characteristics and 

equipment runtimes) could significantly improve the accuracy of 

equipment design methodologies.

Trade 

Associations

Manufacturers,

Research 

Organizations
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

24 Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting

#8

Consider practices to 

dry-ship equipment 

to incentivize proper 

charging in the field

Typically, manufacturers place a fixed refrigerant charge in CAC/CHP 

outdoor units and installers adjust the charge on site to match the 

installation conditions (e.g., refrigerant piping length, coil selection). 

Installers may not properly adjust the refrigerant charge, leading to 

performance and efficiency losses. Dry-shipping equipment may reduce 

the chance of improper equipment charging because the installer must 

charge the system completely in the field.

Manufacturers,

Trade 

Associations

Research 

Organizations

Supporting

#9

Develop a 

standardized 

proposal form for 

installers

Consumers often assume that installers follow QI practices, and may not 

appreciate the added cost and time necessary to perform QI. Standard 

installer proposal forms could provide more awareness of QI benefits by 

clearly stating the specific steps each installer will perform, so consumers 

can make an informed decision about choosing QI installers. In addition, 

consumers could compare quotes from multiple contractors more easily 

since each proposal would have all relevant information and terms in a 

standardized format.

Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs, 

Trade 

Associations

EPA, 

Manufacturers 

Supporting

#10

Develop and 

promote sales 

training programs 

and requirements for 

selling home 

performance

Many installers employ sales representatives who are not technicians to 

meet with homeowners and discuss CAC/CHP system options. Providing 

QI training and certification programs for sales representatives would 

better incentivize the sales representative to communicate the benefits 

and value of QI practice to consumers.

Trade 

Associations

EPA, Energy 

Efficiency 

Programs

Supporting

#11

Conduct research on 

the frequency of 

different airflow 

faults

Airflow faults within the home, such as sagging flexible ducts or 

disconnected registers, often go unnoticed, but contribute to poor 

performance and efficiency. Conducting research to identify the most 

frequent airflow faults would allow for more targeted initiatives to resolve 

these issues.

Research 

Organizations

EPA, Trade 

Associations
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives 25 

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting

#12

Develop design tools 

capable of accurately 

calculating small 

loads

Current CAC/CHP system design and load calculation tools often cannot 

correctly size the airflow and thermal capacity needed to serve highperformance homes that have low thermal demands. As low-load homes 

become more prevalent, industry should develop the next generation of 

design tools to provide accurate load and system design calculations for 

these homes.

Research 

Organizations

EPA, 

Manufacturers

Trade 

Associations

Supporting

#13

Conduct research on 

thermal energy 

dissipation in homes

Current HVAC design practices rely on assumptions for heating and 

cooling load in each room or zone based on activity level, room type, 

location, etc. However, several other contributing factors can affect 

thermal energy transfer and occupant comfort within the home such as 

the placement of air handlers, ducts, major appliances, and other loads in 

the home. Conducting research to study how thermal energy travels 

through homes could identify ways to improve HVAC system design 

methods.

Research 

Organizations BTO

Supporting

#14

Develop and 

promote asset rating 

systems that include 

QI provisions

Several asset rating systems have been developed to help homebuyers 

understand the energy-efficiency characteristics of homes before 

purchase. Asset rating systems should incorporate information on 

whether the HVAC system was installed to QI standards, ducts have been 

repaired/sealed, and other attributes so that consumers can 

communicate and understand the value of QI practices for efficient 

homes.

EPA BTO, Trade 

Associations

Supporting

#15

Conduct research on 

sensitivity to sizing of 

system performance

Because some installers may not follow ACCA Manual J procedures and 

manufacturers typically offer equipment in 0.5-1.0 ton increments, 

CAC/CHP systems may be sized larger or smaller than necessary. 

Performing research to quantifying performance, comfort, and efficiency 

issues associated with improper equipment sizing would highlight this 

issue, and stress the need for proper sizing and other QI practices.

Research 

Organizations

Manufacturers,

Trade 

Associations
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

26 Appendix B – Summary of Supporting Initiatives

ID Initiative Name Description Lead 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting 

Stakeholder(s)

Supporting

#16

Develop and 

promote a single 

source for retrieving 

sensible and total 

performance 

information

Proper design of CAC/CHP systems requires analysis of both sensible and 

total (sensible and latent) cooling capacities. Providing installers with 

open access to accurate information to both capacity metrics (e.g., AHRI 

website, equipment catalogs) allows for more accurate and consistent 

selection of indoor and outdoor components.

Trade 

Associations Manufacturers

Supporting

#17

Develop and 

promote better 

design approaches 

for zoned systems

Properly designed and installed zoning systems can provide energy and 

comfort benefits by distributing space conditioning where it is needed 

throughout the home. Zoned systems use a variety of dampers and 

controls that may introduce unintended issues during installation or 

operation. Conducting research to understand the QI practices needed for 

zoned systems would help identify strategies to reduce improper 

installation and potential losses in homes with zoned systems.

Research 

Organizations

Manufacturers,

Trade 

Associations

Supporting

#18

Conduct research on 

the potential benefits 

of smaller capacity 

equipment

When following proper QI procedures and incorporating duct sealing, 

installers can often specify a CAC/CHP system that is lower capacity than 

the equipment being replaced. The smaller equipment may be less 

expensive, which may offset any cost increases associated with QI 

procedures. Nevertheless, installers may hesitate downsizing to reduce 

homeowner misunderstanding or callbacks if the home’s thermal loads 

increase in the future. Conducting research to document the benefits of 

using properly sized equipment would help clarify installer rules-of-thumb 

or apprehension that contributes to equipment over-sizing.

Research 

Organizations Manufacturers 
RESIDENTIAL CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONER AND HEAT PUMP INSTALLATION WORKSHOP OUTCOMES

Appendix C – CAC / CHP Working Group Members 27 

Appendix C – ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group Members

The table below lists the members from the ASRAC CAC/CHP Working Group.13

Name Organization

Antonio Bouza U.S. Department of Energy

Don Brundage Southern Company Services

Andrew DeLaski Appliance Standards Awareness Project

Kristen Driskell California Energy Commission

John Gibbons Carrier Corporation

Marshall Hunt California Investor-Owned Utilities

John Hurst Lennox International Inc.

Charles McCrudden Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute

Karen Meyers Rheem Manufacturing Company

Nick Mislak Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration Institute

Steve Porter Johnstone Supply

Harvey Sachs American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Rusty Tharp Goodman Manufacturing

Jim VerShaw Ingersoll Rand

Meg Waltner Natural Resources Defense Council

 

13 ASRAC, CAC/CHP Working Group, Final Term Sheet, January 19, 2016. Available at: 

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EERE-2014-BT-STD-0048-0076
For more information, visit: energy.gov/eere/buildings

DOE/EE-1496 • November 2016