Every successful project starts with a framework. A vision statement. A blueprint. The staff of Engineered Systems is proud to present The Blueprint — a monthly Q&A interview with HVACR engineering’s leading voices. These one-on-one discussions examine the trade’s history, current industry trends, the factors shaping the sector’s future, and more.

In this Blueprint Q&A, Paul Fakes, director of government relations, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), offers his perspective on the legislation.

Engineered Systems: What is ASME’s initial reaction to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act?

Fakes: The bill provides important incentives for clean energy development and deployment priorities supported by ASME, many of which are complimentary to last year’s bipartisan infrastructure law. The new and expanded tax incentives will offer important assistance for homeowners to upgrade their appliances to more energy-efficient water heaters, heating and cooling systems, as well as other home efficiency upgrades, including weatherization and electrical renovation to support rooftop solar and home electric vehicle charging.

Importantly, Congress provided long-term stability for homeowners and manufacturers by providing clear guidance on eligibility standards as well as a long-term authorization — through 2032 — for many of the key energy efficiency credits and incentives newly reworked by Congress to increase their impact on progress toward meeting U.S. emission reduction goals. They’ve also backed up a lot of these incentives with grant assistance for energy planning and conservation activities.

For example, the bill provides more than $670 million in grants for states and localities to assist in the adoption of the latest building codes, including those that meet or exceed the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) for residential buildings or the ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2019 for commercial buildings.

Read the entire interview on Engineered Systems’ website.

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