An article in the Clarion-Ledger says on January 1, 2015, new rules from the Department of Energy went into effect now requiring that all air conditioning units installed in the Southeast must have at least a 14 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating.
SEER measures air conditioning and heat pump cooling efficiency, which is calculated by taking the cooling output for a typical cooling season, and dividing it by the total amount of electricity required during the same period, according to the news outlet. The higher the SEER rating, the greater the energy efficiency.
The utility Entergy is offering an up-to-$500 rebate to consumers who install a new energy efficient air-conditioning unit.
Photo of air conditioners via Shutterstock
