The AHRI is supporting the Bush administration in a lawsuit brought by several states and advocacy groups that oppose the furnace efficiency standards adopted last year.

The Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, which represents HVAC manufacturers, has intervened in the lawsuit brought by the states of New York, Connecticut, California, Massachusetts and New Jersey, along with New York City and the Natural Resources Defense Council. The states say the U.S. Department of Energy should have established a 90 percent annual fuel utilization efficiency rating for residential and mobile home gas furnaces when it announced its new minimum standards.

The standard, currently at 78 percent AFUE, will rise to 80 percent by 2015.

The case is in front of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.