Consumers and manufacturers are beginning to recognize the benefits of investing in energy efficient appliances, according to recently released statistics.
The Association of Home Appliance
Manufacturers (AHAM) released new data based on 2007 shipments of major
appliances, highlighting dramatic decreases in home appliance energy consumption since
2000.
Refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers account for a 43% combined decrease in
energy consumption since 2000. From a global climate change perspective, the energy
savings realized in 2007 shipments of refrigerators, dishwashers and clothes washers
would offset the CO2 emissions of more than 698 million gallons of gasoline consumed
or the annual CO2 emissions from 1.3 coal fired power plants.
Clothes washer energy consumption has decreased by 63% since 2000 while tub capacity
has grown by 8%.
Dishwasher energy consumption has dropped nearly 30% and water
consumption has declined 29% since 2000.
Refrigerator energy consumption has also
decreased 30% since 2000 and efficiency, measured by a unit’s energy factor has
increased 39%.
Home appliances have proven to be an effective way of reducing residential energy
consumption. Replacing older, inefficient appliances with more modern appliances is a
leading way for consumers to reap tremendous energy savings. Additional savings can
be obtained by purchasing Energy Star designated appliances.
Energy Star is a joint program of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy that provides efficiency labels for qualifying products in more than 50 categories–from televisions to light bulbs to furnaces to clothes washers.
55% of the major appliances shipped to stores and distributors in the first half of 2008 carried the Energy Star rating for high energy efficiency–up from just under 50% a year ago, according to AHAM.
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