GAMA aims to lower consumers' heating costs.
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Press Release Summary:
On behalf of boiler industry and American Council for Energy Efficiency Economy, Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association has asked Congress to pass legislation establishing new federal minimum efficiency standards for residential gas and oil boilers. Proposed legislation calls for minimum 82% AFUE for gas hot water boilers plus specific design features that would save energy while avoiding potential safety risks and remodeling costs.
Original Press Release:
Boiler Manufacturers Announce Joint Effort with Energy Efficiency Advocates to Lower Consumers' Heating Costs
Arlington, Virginia, January 12, 2007--This year the boiler industry and a leading energy efficiency advocacy group have joined to ask Congress to pass legislation establishing new federal minimum efficiency standards for residential gas and oil boilers, Jack W. Klimp, President of the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA), announced today. GAMA is the national trade association representing manufacturers of appliances, components and related products used in space heating, water heating and other building services.
"GAMA, on behalf of the boiler industry, and the American Council for an Energy
Efficient Economy (ACEEE) have presented consensus boiler minimum performance
and design requirements to key Congressional staff for inclusion in an expected, new
comprehensive energy bill in the 110th Congress," said Mr. Klimp. "The boiler industry
directed GAMA to take this action as an alternative to new residential boiler standards
proposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that would compromise consumer
safety."
GAMA and ACEEE submitted a similar proposal last summer to DOE, explained Mr.
Klimp, as an alternative to standards DOE has proposed to adopt in its ongoing review
of boiler standards scheduled to conclude by September 2007. DOE said it could not
accept the proposal on the basis that the agency lacks legal authority to adopt design
requirements for these products.
DOE has proposed to mandate a minimum 84% AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) for gas hot water boilers. This standard level would require some consumers to incur great additional expense to insure safe installation of these models, according to
Mr. Klimp. The proposed legislation supported by GAMA and ACEE calls for a minimum 82% AFUE for gas hot water boilers plus specific energy saving design features. It would benefit consumers by saving more energy than the DOE proposal while avoiding potential safety risks and additional, possibly significant remodeling costs.
"For sound reasons of safety and economy," Mr. Klimp said, "GAMA's comments submitted to DOE today, January 12, 2007 oppose DOE's proposed 84% AFUE standard level for gas hot water boilers. We are disappointed that DOE has declined thus far to accept the boiler standards proposed jointly by GAMA and ACEEE. But whatever the outcome of DOE's review of boiler standards, GAMA will diligently pursue Congressional passage of the consensus boiler standards that will save energy while preserving consumer safety."
Established in 1935 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, GAMA represents
manufacturers of appliances, components and related products used for space heating,
water heating and other building services. In addition to gas-fired appliances, GAMA's
scope includes certain oil-fired and electrical appliances. GAMA member companies
account for more than 90 percent of U.S. sales of gas and oil-fired space heating
equipment and gas, oil and electric water heaters. GAMA's membership reaches beyond
the United States to include companies in Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Germany,
Italy, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Contact: Mike Blevins
703-525-7060
mblevins@gamanet.org
