CFA joined other consumer groups in urging the Department of Energy to adopt the Trial Standard Level (“TSL”) 8 as proposed by DOE in the agency's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Adopting TSL 8 would set the efficiency level (more precisely, the annual fuel utilization efficiency, or “AFUE”) at 95%, a standard that requires the furnace to use condensing technology.

As heating bills are often the largest utility bill households face, adopting the proposed standard would promise substantial financial benefits for consumers, especially low-income consumers.