ENERGY STAR Program Requirements
for Furnaces
Partner Commitments
Version 2.0 - Final Draft
Commitment
The following are the terms of the ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement as it pertains to the
manufacturing of ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces. The ENERGY STAR Partner must adhere to the
following program requirements:
•	comply with current ENERGY STAR Eligibility Criteria, defining the performance criteria that must be
met for use of the ENERGY STAR certification mark on furnaces and specifying the testing criteria for
furnaces. EPA may, at its discretion, conduct tests on products that are referred to as ENERGY
STAR qualified. These products may be obtained on the open market, or voluntarily supplied by
Partner at EPA's request;
•	comply with current ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines, describing how the ENERGY STAR marks
and name may be used. Partner is responsible for adhering to these guidelines and for ensuring that
its authorized representatives, such as advertising agencies, dealers, and distributors, are also in
compliance;
•	qualify at least one ENERGY STAR furnace model within one year of activating the furnaces portion of
the agreement. When Partner qualifies the product, it must meet the specification (e.g., Tier 1 or 2) in
effect at that time;
•	provide clear and consistent labeling of ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces. The ENERGY STAR mark
must be clearly displayed in product literature (i.e., user manuals, spec sheets, etc.) and on the
manufacturer's Internet site where information about ENERGY STAR qualified models is displayed. It
is also recommended that the label appear on the top/front of the product and on the product
packaging;
•	offer and encourage training to distributors and/or contractors on the following issues: system venting,
condensate removal, code compliance, and proper use of the Manual J calculation, or other
equivalent calculation, in order to encourage proper sizing of equipment;
•	provide to EPA, on an annual basis, an updated list of ENERGY STAR qualifying furnace models.
Once the Partner submits its first list of ENERGY STAR qualified furnace models, the Partner will be
listed as an ENERGY STAR Partner. Partner must provide annual updates in order to remain on the
list of participating product manufacturers;
•	provide to EPA, on an annual basis, unit shipment data or other market indicators to assist in
determining the market penetration of ENERGY STAR. Specifically, Partner must submit the total
number of ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces shipped (in units by model) or an equivalent
measurement as agreed to in advance by EPA and Partner. Partner is also encouraged to provide
ENERGY STAR qualified unit shipment data segmented by meaningful product characteristics (e.g.,
capacity, size, speed, or other as relevant), total unit shipments for each model in its product line, and
percent of total unit shipments that qualify as ENERGY STAR. The data for each calendar year
should be submitted to EPA, preferably in electronic format, no later than the following March and may
be provided directly from the Partner or through a third party. The data will be used by EPA only for
program evaluation purposes and will be closely controlled. If requested under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA), EPA will argue that the data is exempt. Any information used will be masked
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by EPA so as to protect the confidentiality of the Partner;
• notify EPA of a change in the designated responsible party or contacts for furnaces within 30 days.
Performance for Special Distinction
In order to receive additional recognition and/or support from EPA for its efforts within the
Partnership, the ENERGY STAR Partner may consider the following voluntary measures and should keep
EPA informed on the progress of these efforts:
•	consider energy efficiency improvements in company facilities and pursue the ENERGY STAR
mark for buildings;
•	purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. Revise the company purchasing or procurement
specifications to include ENERGY STAR. Provide procurement officials' contact information to
EPA for periodic updates and coordination. Circulate general ENERGY STAR labeled product
information to employees for use when purchasing products for their homes;
•	ensure the power management feature is enabled on all ENERGY STAR qualified monitors in use
in company facilities, particularly upon installation and after service is performed;
•	provide general information about the ENERGY STAR program to employees whose jobs are
relevant to the development, marketing, sales, and service of current ENERGY STAR qualified
product models;
•	feature the ENERGY STAR label(s) on Partner Web site and in other promotional materials. If
information concerning ENERGY STAR is provided on the Partner Web site as specified by the
ENERGY STAR Web Linking Policy (this document can be found in the Partner Resources
section on the ENERGY STAR Web site at www.enerqvstar.gov). EPA may provide links where
appropriate to the Partner Web site;
•	provide a simple plan to EPA outlining specific measures Partner plans to undertake beyond the
program requirements listed above. By doing so, EPA may be able to coordinate, communicate,
and/or promote Partner's activities, provide an EPA representative, or include news about the
event in the ENERGY STAR newsletter, on the ENERGY STAR Web pages, etc. The plan may
be as simple as providing a list of planned activities or planned milestones that Partner would like
EPA to be aware of. For example, activities may include: (1) increase the availability of ENERGY
STAR qualified products by converting the entire product line within two years to meet ENERGY
STAR guidelines; (2) demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency
through special in-store displays twice a year; (3) provide information to users (via the Web site
and user's manual) about energy-saving features and operating characteristics of ENERGY STAR
qualified products, and (4) build awareness of the ENERGY STAR Partnership and brand identity
by collaborating with EPA on one print advertorial and one live press event;
•	provide quarterly, written updates to EPA as to the efforts undertaken by Partner to increase
availability of ENERGY STAR qualified products, and to promote awareness of ENERGY STAR
and its message.
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ENERGY STAR® Program Requirements
for Furnaces
Eligibility Criteria
Version 2.0 -Final Draft
Below is the FINAL DRAFT Version 2.0 product specification for ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces. A
product must meet all of the identified criteria to earn the ENERGY STAR. Please note that this
specification is intended for furnaces installed and used in residences.
1) Definitions: Below are the definitions of the relevant terms in this document.
A.	Furnace: A heating unit with a heat output of less than 225,000 Btu per hour whose function is the
combustion of fossil fuel for space heating with forced hot air. Unit must include burner(s), heat
exchanger(s), blower(s) and connections to heating ducts. A heating unit that meets this definition
and also provides hot water for domestic or other use may be considered a furnace for purposes of
this agreement.
B.	AFUE: The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ("AFUE") measures the amount of fuel converted to
space heat in proportion to the amount of fuel entering the furnace. This is commonly expressed as a
percentage. For purposes of this agreement, the efficiency of a furnace shall be measured using
AFUE. Test procedures have been developed to test AFUE by the Department of Energy (DOE).
These procedures are specified in 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 430, Appendix N.
Note: It was brought to EPA's attention that the maximum heating capacity reference that was
included in the previous Draft specification was incorrect. This limit has been revised to match the
requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 103-1993 and DOE 10 CFR Part 430, Appendix N
referenced in Section 4, below.
EPA received a recommendation to remove the term "residential" from the furnace definition since
single-phase furnaces under 225,000 Btu/hour can be used in both residential and commercial
applications without modification to the design. In response to this comment, EPA has removed the
term "residential" throughout the specification. However, the intention of this specification continues
to be to recognize energy-efficient furnaces installed in homes. Therefore, EPA has added a
statement that explains that this specification is intended for furnaces installed and used in
residences.
The definition for Eae has been removed as a result of changes made to Section 3, below.
C. Manufacturer Limited Warranty: For purposes of this agreement, a manufacturer limited warranty
is an assurance by the Partner that purchased system equipment and components are warranted by
the manufacturer for a period of time. The period of time is typically expressed in numbers of years.1
The exact terms of the limited warranty shall be determined by the Partner.
2) Qualifying Products: Any furnace that meets the definition in Section 1A is eligible for ENERGY STAR
qualification.
1 At the time of writing, a manufacturer limited warranty is typically 20 years for the heat exchanger(s).
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3) Energy-Efficiency Specifications: Only those products listed in Section 2 that meet the following Tier I
and Tier II criteria may qualify as ENERGY STAR. Proposed effective dates for Tiers I and II are
covered in Section 5 of this specification.
Tier I
A.	Gas furnace models: > 90% AFUE rating
B.	Oil furnace models: > 83% AFUE rating
In addition Partner will:
•	Include a manufacturer limited warranty with its qualified furnace models.
•	Consider using high efficiency electric blower motors with its qualified furnace models.
Tier II
A.	Gas furnace models: > 90% AFUE rating and TBD requirement for electrical efficiency
B.	Oil furnace models: > 85% AFUE rating and TBD requirement for electrical efficiency
In addition Partner will:
•	Include a manufacturer limited warranty with its qualified furnace models.
Note on Proposed AFUE Requirement for Oil Furnaces: EPA received a number of comments on
the proposed new 83% AFUE minimum requirement for oil furnaces. While many stakeholders agree
with EPA's proposal to lower the AFUE for oil furnaces from the current 90% AFUE level, others do not.
Some stakeholders are concerned that the 83% level may not be representative of all available
configurations and have asked EPA to consider even lower levels (81 or 82% AFUE). Others stated
that 83% AFUE is not stringent enough and suggest an 84 or 85% AFUE requirement to ensure
significant energy savings over conventional furnace models. One stakeholder suggested making the
specification even more stringent than the current 90% AFUE level.
In light of this varied feedback, EPA revisited the most recent GAMA Product Certification Directory to
address concerns regarding availability of ENERGY STAR qualified oil furnace models across multiple
configurations and input capacities. The following four configurations were analyzed: upflow,
downflow, horizontal, and low-boy. According to the database 22% of "upflow" furnaces and 31% of
"low-boy" furnaces comply with the proposed 83% AFUE. Smaller percentages of "horizontal" and
"downflow" models meet the proposed 83% AFUE, but, according to a Department of Energy Market
and Technology Assessment, these technologies represent a small share of the overall oil furnace
market.
EPA also reviewed the GAMA Directory to determine whether the proposed 83% AFUE level was
representative of the different brands, manufacturers, and input capacities available. More than 25
manufacturers/brands have models that meet the proposed 83% AFUE level for oil furnaces,
representing multiple input capacities ranging from 50,000 - 225,000 MBtu. Therefore EPA has
decided to retain the 83% AFUE as it identifies top performers, is not exclusionary, and maintains
adequate product selection for consumers.
Note on Gas Furnace 90% AFUE Requirement: EPA received a request to consider separate gas
furnace AFUE requirements for models sold in northern and southern climates. Given that ENERGY
STAR is a national program, going to a regional requirement would add significant complications. In
the absence of a more compelling need, EPA cannot justify the additional program administration costs
and increased burden on manufacturers that would result.
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Note on Proposed Furnace Fan Efficiency Level: EPA received a number of comments on the
furnace fan efficiency Draft 1 proposal. One commenter noted that furnace fan electrical consumption is
a small piece of the total energy equation for furnaces and that, instead, attention should continue to
focus solely on the fuel efficiency of furnaces. While there was general support from other stakeholders
to include a fan efficiency requirement, many stated that EPA's initial approach of an 800 kWh/year
maximum Eae requirement failed to take into consideration differences in technologies and input
capacities. In particular, the use of a flat kWh/yr level would disadvantage large equipment while
allowing nearly all small equipment to qualify. Based on this input, EPA is considering the use of a
capacity-dependent criterion so as to ensure that ENERGY STAR represents high performance across a
range of furnace capacities. Over the next few months, EPA will continue to work with industry
stakeholders to identify the most appropriate approach for addressing electricity used by furnace fans
and propose new levels for industry review and comment. Therefore, the Tier II furnace fan efficiency
requirement now reads "TBD". Once finalized, EPA will update this Version 2.0 specification with the
new furnace fan efficiency levels and re-issue a new Version 2.1 document.
4) Test Criteria: Manufacturers are required to perform tests and self-certify those product models that
meet the ENERGY STAR guidelines. Partner agrees to measure a furnace model's energy-efficiency
using the test conditions as specified in 10 CFR Part 430, Appendix N.
Note: The reference to the Eae test procedure, as specified in 10 CFR 430, Appendix N, has been
removed until EPA determines how to address furnace fan efficiency in this specification. Once an
approach has been identified, all applicable test procedures will be listed in this section.
5) Effective Date: The date that manufacturers may begin to qualify products as ENERGY STAR, under
this Version 2.0 specification, will be defined as the effective date of the agreement. Any previously
executed agreement on the subject of ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces shall be terminated effective
October 26, 2006.
A. Qualifying Products Under Tier I of the Version 2.0 Specification: The first phase of this
specification is proposed to commence on October 27, 2006. All products, including models
originally qualified under Version 1.3, with a date of manufacture on or after October 27, 2006,
must meet the new (Version 2.0) requirements in order to qualify for ENERGY STAR. The date
of manufacture is specific to each unit and is the date (e.g., month and year) of which a unit is
considered to be completely assembled.
Note: As the proposed specification revision serves to relax the requirements for oil furnaces, any
product that currently qualifies for ENERGY STAR will continue to qualify once this revision becomes
effective.
B.	Qualifying Products Under Tier II of the Version 2.0 Specification: The second phase of this
specification, Tier II, is proposed to commence on October 1, 2007. All products, including
models originally qualified under Tier I, with a date of manufacture on or after October 1, 2007,
must meet the Tier II requirements in order to qualify for ENERGY STAR.
C.	EPA will not allow grandfathering under this Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR specification. ENERGY
STAR qualification under previous Versions is not automatically granted for the life of the
product model. Therefore, any product sold, marketed, or identified by the manufacturing
partner as ENERGY STAR must meet the current specification in effect at the time of
manufacture of the product.
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Note: EPA received a number of comments on the proposed new oil furnace AFUE level, which
required additional research and discussions with various stakeholders resulting in a delay in
distributing this final draft. As a result of this delay and in the interest of allowing stakeholders
sufficient time to review the Final Draft, EPA is pushing back the Tier I effective date to October 27,
2006.
The Final Version 2.0 specification will be issued in late-October. Over the next few months, EPA will
continue research and discussions with stakeholders regarding potential Tier II furnace fan efficiency
requirements. The goal is that a metric and associated levels can be determined by January 2007 so
that manufacturers will have enough time to prepare for the new requirements. EPA will also monitor
the oil furnace market to ensure that ENERGY STAR market penetration is increasing as a result of
the new AFUE level and determine whether it continues to be reasonable to raise the AFUE
requirement to 85% without negatively impacting progress in this market.
6) Future Specification Revisions: EPA reserves the right to revise the specification should technological
and/or market changes affect its usefulness to consumers or industry or its impact on the environment.
In keeping with current policy, revisions to the specification will be discussed with stakeholders.
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