Meanwhile, NCI has been hard at work to bring our message and field system performance measurement methods to the masses.

In 2016 we began developing ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 221, a process in which we voluntarily educated engineers, equipment manufacturers, utilities, and others on the value of measuring the performance of systems as they are installed in the field, not just in the lab.

We did this so that the hard work of high-performance contractors would finally be broadly recognized in the industry, not just by those in the know. In 2020 that hard work paid off with the publishing of ANSI/ASHRAE 221 for the first time. But we didn’t stop there.

Announcing NCI Certified System Performance

We are excited to announce that after two years of research, development, and field-testing, measured performance is evolving to the next level.

We created a certification process where you can not only promise measured performance, but you can also prove it! And it’s backed up by National Comfort Institute, a decades-old, advanced HVAC training and certification organization.

NCI has built the system certification process into our ComfortMaxx Verify™ cloud software. Once you’ve improved your customer’s system, you can “Test Out” using ComfortMaxx™, and if it qualifies, you can certify the system with the push of a button.

The "proof" you provide customers showing they have a certified high-performance HVAC system

You then sticker the entire system as NCI Certified. Once certified, your customer can access their certificate showing either a silver or gold level along with a report that shows exactly how their system performed at the time of the test.

The Verify test, by the way, is compliant with ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 221 Testing Protocol. This provides even more credibility to your company’s work.

NCI provides you with certification packets in advance to ensure a system can be immediately certified upon test-out. You can buy these packets in quantities of five or more. These sealed packets have the certification number label on the outside so they can remain sealed until a system is ready to be certified.

Upon achieving certification through the ComfortMaxx cloud software, you enter the certification number from the packet into ComfortMaxx, so it becomes that system’s official certification ID. Your technician then opens the packet containing indoor and outdoor labels, which they then apply to the equipment. The packet also includes literature for the customer about their newly certified system.

You should apply the service record label in a prominent place on the indoor equipment. Your technicians can use it to record baseline information that can be compared year after year on maintenance visits. This encourages customers to purchase long-term maintenance agreements to help keep their systems operating at peak performance.

Get Started

The first step is to be sure you have trained and certified technicians and installers who can perform the required testing. To qualify, they must hold an NCI Residential System Performance Specialist certification.

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