Residential Real EstateNew Household Appliances Generate Big Energy Savings
A typical family living in a 10-year-old home could save $200 annually by switching to energy efficient appliances, according to a new study conducted on behalf of the Department of Energy.
"The numbers in this study speak for themselves," said Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham. "If every American household installed these products, the annual water savings would equal the average flow of the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico for five entire days."
The "Save Water and Energy Education Program" (SWEEP) study was conducted in 25 homes in each of the water-strapped Oregon cities of Wilsonville (pop. 13,991) and Lafayette (pop. 2,586). The test homes were built before 1992, when the use of some water and energy efficient equipment became mandatory.
Manufacturers donated new Energy Star-labeled clothes washers and dishwashers, highly efficient clothes dryers, toilets, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads. Appliances and other products carrying the Energy Star label are typically 20 percent more energy efficient than standard products.
The results showed 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.
Dishwashers used 39 percent less energy to heat the water and 39 percent less water than standard models. Clothes dryers used 25 percent less energy, and dual-flush toilets used 67 percent less water than baseline models.
The major appliances alone saved enough energy and water to wash an additional 250 loads of laundry and 110 loads of dishes, plus enough electricity to run an energy efficient refrigerator for an entire year. The study confirmed that energy and water use can be reduced through intensive conservation campaigns and by replacing older appliances with more efficient models.
Overall, the study found that a typical family in a home that"s at least 10 years old could save 18,600 gallons of water and $200 a year by switching to highly energy and water efficient appliances. And families in new houses could save almost as much.
"These results mean good news for consumers who want to lower their energy and water bills, and good news for communities with water and energy shortages," said Jay Penney of Electrolux Home Products, which donated 50 sets of highly efficient Frigidaire appliances because for the study.
"This is good news for everyone," agreed John McLain of Portland General Electric"s National Earth Advantage Center, which not only acted as the overall project manager for the study but also donated showerheads. "Saving water and energy through high efficiency appliances and plumbing fixtures is cheaper than building new power plants and reservoirs, and this is good news for everyone."
Other SWEEP partners include Caroma USA (high-performance, dual-flush toilets), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Energy Technology Laboratories (showerhead and faucet aerator), the Oregon Office of Energy, CTSI Corp. (a water conservation consulting firm), the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, the League of Oregon Cities, and the Mid-Willamette (Ore.) Valley Council of Governments.
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