The 2008 minimum Energy Star Specifications for residential Central Air Conditioning and Air Source Heat Pumps are:
SEER1	EER2	HSPF3	Rebate
14	11.5 to 11.99	8.2	$300
14	12 or GREATER	8.2	$500*
Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TXV) or Electronic Expansion Valve (EXV) required for all systems. Rounding up of SEER/EER ratings is not acceptable.
*Requires Manual J sizing calculation, for which contractor receives $100.
1 SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio		3 HSPF – Heating Seasonal Performance Factor
2 EER – Energy Efficiency Ratio is a measure of instantaneous cooling efficiency. EER was reinstated as a standard of the ENERGY STAR specification on August 5, 2004.

To obtain EER and SEER information for central air conditioning and heat pump equipment, visit http://www.ceehvacdirectory.org or http://www.AHRIdirectory.org. The AHRI directory lists all equipment; the CEE directory is a subset provided by ARI which will accept the AHRI reference # as an input and lists only ENERGY STAR qualified equipment. The results found in the CEE and AHRI Directories supersede all other information sources.

Right Sizing Incentive
COOL SMART will provide an incentive of $150 per half ton of downsizing to the contractor and $150 per half ton of downsizing to the customer for replacement systems. The system must be sized to match ASHRAE Manual J sizing - or sized to match the measured system air flow of the existing ductwork. Pre-approval is needed when the new system to be installed is 3 tons or greater.

Controlling Electrical Demand
Reducing summer peak electrical demand use helps lessen the need for new power plants. Installing a properly sized unit that has a high EER is one of the best ways to reduce summer peak demand.

Other actions you take to save electricity during summer have a double benefit, because as you reduce the heat produced by appliances and lights you also lessen the air conditioner load and hence the electrical demand. For a MassSAVE list of energy and electrical savings tips click here.