What type of efficiency does reducing off-cycle losses primarily improve?

Reducing off-cycle losses primarily improves steady-state efficiency. Steady-state efficiency is a measure of how well a heating, ventilation, or air conditioning system operates when it has reached a consistent state of performance, as opposed to during its startup or shutdown phases. Off-cycle losses refer to the energy wasted when the system is not actively heating or cooling, such as when it is in standby mode.

When off-cycle losses are minimized, the system retains more of the energy used during operation, leading to a better overall efficiency during the periods it is actively generating heating or cooling. This means that it uses less energy to maintain the desired temperature within a space over time, which directly contributes to improved steady-state efficiency.

The other types of efficiency mentioned—seasonal efficiency, peak efficiency, and maximum efficiency—focus on different performance metrics at various points in operation or over an entire season, rather than the steady-state performance that bounces back from losses during inactive times. Thus, reducing off-cycle losses distinctly enhances steady-state efficiency more than the others.