Manufacturers Call on Congress to Modernize 50-Year-Old Appliance and Equipment Energy Standards La

Washington, D.C. (September 9, 2025) - With most major home appliances and commercial equipment now operating at or near peak efficiency, a coalition of seven leading manufacturing associations is urging Congress to take action on critical modernizations aimed at protecting consumer choice and affordability of home appliances and commercial equipment.

Together, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International; American Lighting Association (ALA), Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM); National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM); and National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) are asking lawmakers to consider how the 50-year-old Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) can be improved in light of decades of progress, manufacturer innovation and investment, and the need for a predictable, national marketplace for appliances and equipment.

"After years of dramatic improvements in appliance efficiency, additional, meaningful costjustified energy savings are unlikely under EPCA's current structure without forcing manufacturers and consumers to make tradeoffs in the form of features, performance and product availability," the associations stated. "Modernizations to EPCA will help ensure that consumers and businesses are able to choose the home appliances and commercial or industrial equipment that offer the features and performance that best meet their needs."

The upcoming Sept. 9 hearing by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Building the American Dream: Examining Affordability, Choice, and Security in Appliance and Building Policies,, can be the first step in Congress pursuing these longoverdue modernizations.

The associations support the committee's efforts to address EPCA's current flawed practice of updating standards based on the passage of time, rather than necessity, and look forward to working with the members of the subcommittee on other long-needed improvements to this outdated law.

About Us

AHRI represents more than 330 manufacturers of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVACR) and water heating equipment. It is an internationally recognized advocate for the HVACR industry and certifies the performance of many of the products manufactured by its members. In North America, the annual economic activity resulting from the HVACR industry is more than $211 billion. In the United States alone, AHRI member companies, along with distributors, contractors, and technicians employ more than 700,000 people.

AMCA is a not-for-profit association of manufacturers of fans, dampers, louvers, air curtains, and other air-system components for commercial HVAC, industrial-process, and power-generation applications. With programs such as product testing and certification, laboratory accreditation, and international-standards development, its mission is to advance the knowledge, growth, and integrity of the movement and control industry on behalf of more than 400 member companies worldwide.

ALA is a trade association representing the lighting, ceiling fan, and controls industries. It serves the largest network of residential lighting manufacturers, retail showrooms, manufacturers' representative, designers, and industry affiliates located throughout the United States and Canada, with a growing international membership presence. The residential lighting industry supports tens of thousands of American jobs and contributes significantly to the U.S. economy through design, manufacturing, distribution, and retail.

AHAM represents more than 150 member companies that manufacture 90% of the major, portable and floor care appliances shipped for sale in the U.S. Home appliances are the heart of the home, and AHAM members provide safe, innovative, sustainable and efficient products that enhance consumers' lives. The home appliance industry is a significant segment of the economy, measured by the contributions of home appliance manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers to the U.S. economy. In all, the industry drives nearly $200 billion in economic output throughout the U.S. and manufactures products with a factory shipment value of more than $50 billion.

NAFEM is a trade association of more than 600 commercial foodservice equipment and supply manufacturers - a $17 billion industry. These businesses, their employees, and the products they manufacture, support the food-away-from-home market - which includes more than one million locations in the U.S. and countless more around the world.

NAM is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing manufacturers of all sizes, in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing drives American prosperity-the industry employs 13 million people in the U.S., contributes $2.94 trillion annually to the U.S. economy and accounts for nearly 53% of all private sector research and development in the nation.

NEMA represents over 300 electrical equipment manufacturers that make safe, reliable, and efficient products and technologies that power, connect, and light our world. Together, our members contribute a full 1% of U.S. GDP and directly provide over 580,000 American jobs, adding more than $330 billion to the U.S. economy. Learn more at makeitelectric.org.

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