U.S. President-elect Barack Obama received a letter Nov. 20 from the Air Conditioning Contractors of America.

In a letter sent Nov. 20 to President-elect Barack Obama, ACCA President Paul Stalknecht said that the organization’s members are uniquely positioned to help achieve energy independence and jump-start the economy.

The letter from Stalknecht also provided a background on the Air Conditioning Contractors of America and how the association can help the country reduce its energy consumption.

Stalknecht provided statistics from the Department of Energy, which says that 56 percent of total energy consumption is from U.S. buildings.

“Nearly $150 billion was spent in 2006 on space heating and cooling for both residential and commercial buildings combined,” wrote Stalknecht.

The solutions the ACCA is encouraging include the promotion of routine maintenance on HVAC systems, a shorter depreciation life on HVAC equipment, proper installation and whole-building energy auditing.  

The letter also requested that Obama enforce the Clear Air Act’s section No. 608 program.

“Every American relies on refrigerant gases such as CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) and HCFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) for comfort and convenience, but they have a harmful effect on the environment if they are released into the atmosphere,” Stalknecht wrote. “The EPA’s Section 608 program controls the handling of these substances, but unfortunately, due to limited enforcement resources, very few lawbreaking contractors are ever caught.”

The ACCA also asked Obama to expand the tax incentives for installing high-efficient HVACR systems, as well as promote the development of green jobs. 

“ACCA welcomes the opportunity to work with your administration on ways to strengthen our economy, embrace sustainability for future generations, and maintain national security through energy independence,” Stalknecht concluded.