U.S. DOE HVAC and Appliance Energy Efficiency Standards: The 2026 Process Rule Amendment NOPR and the "Energy Efficiency Reform Act of 2026"

Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set minimum energy conservation standards for residential and commercial HVAC equipment, water heaters, and various appliances. During the Biden administration, numerous stringent standards were established, including effective tightening of requirements for gas appliances. In July 2026, however, DOE under the Trump administration published a proposed amendment (NOPR) to revert the "Process Rule"—which governs the procedures and economic justification thresholds for revising energy efficiency standards—to the industry-favorable 2020 framework. Separately, the "Energy Efficiency Reform Act of 2026" was introduced in the U.S. Senate, advancing a legal framework to restrain the adoption of overly stringent energy efficiency standards.