SAVE MONEY
USING ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCES
A study of efficient home appliances that include washers and dryers, dishwashers, showerheads, and others puts firm numbers on both the energy and water savings a typical US homeowner can expect to see by switching to these products.
The study, conducted as part of a US Department of Energy (DOE) national conservation initiative, used 50 homes in the cities of Wilsonville and Lafayette, Oregon as test sites.
Twenty-five homes in each city received Energy Star labeled clothes washers and dishwashers, highly efficient clothes dryers, toilets, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads that were donated by the product manufacturers.
DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory recorded and compared the actual electricity and water used by the original appliances and the high-efficiency products. What the study found was the homes - all built before 1992 when the use of some water and energy efficient equipment became mandatory in the cities - showed a savings of $200 per year in electricity and water bills, and 18,600 gallons of water. This equals a:
- 68 percent energy savings with efficient clothes washers (using electricity to run the washer and heat the water) and 38 percent water savings compared to older, standard models previously used in the homes;
- 39 percent reduction in the energy used by dishwashers to heat water and a 39 percent reduction in water use versus standard models;
- 25 percent reduction in the electricity used by clothes dryers; and
- 67 percent less water used by dual-flush toilets
The major appliances alone saved enough energy and water equal to 250 loads of laundry and 110 loads of dishes, plus enough electricity to run an energy efficient refrigerator for an entire year.
"These results mean good news for consumers who want to lower energy and water bills, and good news for communities with water and energy shortages," said Jay Penney, Electrolux Home Products vice president of sales and marketing. "We supported this study by donating 50 sets of highly efficient Frigidaire appliances because it shows how individuals and communities can reduce energy and water use through efficient products and education programs. That's why we offer Energy Star qualified appliances."
DOE notes that appliances and other products carrying the Energy Star label are typically 20 percent more energy efficient than standard products. Energy Star, a joint DOE/US Environmental Protection Agency program, promotes energy efficient products through labeling and consumer education.
For more information, see the online version of the report, The Save Water and Energy Education Program: SWEEP Water and Energy Saving Evaluation.
Written by: Energy Star
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