As of January 1, 2012, all certification programs formerly under AHRI’s certification umbrella – ARI Performance Certified, GAMA Energy Efficiency Rating Certified, and I=B=R program (for hydronic heating equipment) – will be brought under one certification program and logo:  AHRI Certified, according to a recent statement from the organization. Until January 1, 2014, the I=B=R mark can be displayed simultaneously with the AHRI Certified mark.

Many building owners are familiar with AHRI’s predecessor certification programs and regularly insist on equipment and components that bear those marks, for a very good reason:  AHRI Certified products save building owners money because AHRI certified products have been tested to ensure that the manufacturer’s performance claims are accurate. So while those marks will gradually disappear from the marketplace, building owners can rest easy, knowing that the AHRI Certified mark that takes their place provides the same level of performance assurance they have come to expect from AHRI’s programs. The logo is all that has changed; equipment performance claims are still independently measured and verified using independent third-party laboratories, ensuring consumer confidence and enabling fair product comparisons.

AHRI’s certification program is voluntary and is open to manufacturers of HVACR and water heating equipment and components and to private brand marketers that produce or market products within the scope of one or more of the certification programs. AHRI’s 37 certifications programs provide accurate, unbiased evaluation to ensure that manufacturers’ performance claims are accurate. AHRI’s certification program is recognized by the Department of Energy (DOE), the Energy Protection Agency (EPA), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), and California Energy Commission (CEC).

For more information: www.ahrinet.org/certification.aspx