CLOTHES WASHERS
2007 PARTNER RESOURCE GUIDE
ENERGY STAR
-------
SECTION I : CONSUMER INFORMATION
LEARN MORE AT
energystar.gov
ENERGY STAR is a government-backed
program that helps consumers identify the
most energy-efficient products.
Don't get agitated. Save time, money, the
environment, and your clothes by purchasing
an agitator-free washer.
This document is designed to help partners promote ENERGY STAR® qualified
clothes washers.
• Section I includes the latest consumer messaging on product features
and benefits, as well as fun facts and usage tips.
• Section II summarizes the most recent data on ENERGY STAR market
share, ENERGY STAR criteria, energy savings, and cost-effectiveness.
Clothes washers that meet ENERGY STAR criteria use next generation technology
to cut energy and water consumption by over 40% compared to regular washers.
ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
ENERGY STAR clothes washers can be front-loaders or redesigned top-loaders,
but both include two technical innovations that help save substantial amounts
of energy and water:
NO CENTRAL AGITATOR
Front-loaders tumble clothes through a small amount of water instead of rubbing
clothes against an agitator in a full tub. Advanced top loaders use sophisticated
wash systems to flip or spin clothes through a reduced stream of water. Both
designs dramatically reduce the amount of hot water used in the wash cycle,
and the energy used to heat it.
HIGH SPIN SPEEDS
Efficient motors spin clothes two-three times faster during the spin cycle to
extract more water. Less moisture in the clothes means less time and energy
in the dryer.
ENERGY SAVINGS TIPS
FILL IT UP
WASH IN COLD
AVOID THE
SANITARY CYCLE
USE SOLAR ENERGY
Run full loads whenever possible.
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. Use the cold cycle when you can.
This super hot cycle, available on some models, increases energy use significantly, so only
use it when absolutely necessary.
On a sunny day, hang clothes outside to dry.
-------
An ENERGY STAR clothes washer can save over
7,000 gallons of water peryear compared to a
regular clothes washer.
SAVINGS
The average household does almost 400 loads of laundry each year, consuming
about 13,500 gallons of water. Selecting an ENERGY STAR qualified washer
instead of a regular clothes washer provides the following benefits:
• SAVE MONEY
By dramatically reducing energy and water consumption, these units cut
utility bills by an average of $50 per year.
• SAVE TIME
Without a bulky agitator there is more usable space in the tub for laundry—
and in particular for large items like comforters. More capacity also means
fewer loads of laundry each week. Some agitator-free washers can wash
over 20 pounds of laundry at once, compared to 10-15 pounds for a
conventional top-loader.
• SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT
Because they use less energy, these products reduce the air pollution and
greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil fuels. By reducing water consumption,
they also help protect our lakes, streams and oceans.
• SAVE YOUR CLOTHES
Instead of twisting and pulling clothes around a turning agitator, these
products wash clothes gently. This lengthens the life of often-washed items
and leads to less lint in the dryer! Because they are so gentle, many models
can safely clean silk, wool, and other hand-washables.
-------
RESIDENTIAL CLOTHES WASHER
LIFETIME OPERATING COSTS
ENERGY STAR® REGULAR
CLOTHES WASHER CLOTHES WASHER
D Water Costs
Energy Costs
Though it may seem cheaper atfirst, a regular
clothes washer can cost $550 more to operate
over its life compared to an ENERGY STAR
clothes washer.
FUN FACTS
ENERGY STAR clothes washers save over 7,000 gallons of water a year. Over the 11-year life of the washer, that's enough water to:
• Provide a lifetime of drinking water for six people
• Fill three backyard swimming pools
• Run an ENERGY STAR dishwasher over 15,000 times (or every day for 42 years)
• Take over 3,000 showers
• Water your lawn 770 times
• Wash your car 760 times
ENERGY STAR clothes washers save $50 per year. Over the 11-year life of the washer, that's enough money to:
• Buy a new ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher
• Buy a new clothes dryer
• Buy 65 bottles of laundry detergentfor enough detergent to do laundry forfouryears)
• Buy 15 pairs of jeans
• Buy over 235 pairs of socks
in *
SECTION I: CONSUMER INFORMATION
m
-------
SECTION II: MARKET DATA
ENERGY STAR MARKET SHARE
The national market share of ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers quadrupled
between 2000 and 2005, growing from 9% to 36%.
ENERGY STAR clothes washers have achieved healthy market share throughout
the country, though sales remain strongest in regions with active program sponsors
(such as California, the Pacific Northwest, and New England).
NEW
ENGLAND
ENERGY STAR CLOTHES WASHER
2005 REGIONAL MARKET SHARE
-------
ENERGY STAR CRITERIA
Clothes washer efficiency is measured by Modified Energy Factor (MEF) and
Water Factor (WF).
MEF is a comprehensive measure of energy efficiency that considers the energy
used by the washer, the energy used to heat the water, and the energy used to
run the dryer. The higher the MEF, the more efficient the clothes washer.
WF measures the water efficiency and is calculated as gallons of water used per
cubic foot of capacity. The lower the WF, the more efficient the clothes washer.
To meet the current ENERGY STAR criteria, clothes washers must be at least 37%
more energy efficient than the federal standard, plus they must meet stringent
water efficiency criteria. These criteria came into effect on January 1,2007.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 mandates the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
to establish new criteria levels for ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers by
January 1,2008 with an effective date of January 1,2010. The minimum federal
standard is not scheduled to change.
ENERGY STAR CRITERIA
CURRENT CRITERIA
(AS OF JANUARY 1,2007)
JANUARY 1,2010
ENERGY STAR
FEDERAL STANDARD
MEF £ 1.72, WFs 8.0
MEF& 1.26
TBD
MEF & 1.26
-------
COST EFFECTIVENESS
Average life = 11 years1
Average cycles per year = 392
Time to recover initial investment = 5 years
ENERGY STAR clothes washer price range = $550 -$1,5202
Conventional clothes washer price range = $240 - $770
ENERGY STAR SAVINGS
The annual dollar savings of a new ENERGY STAR clothes washer vary depending
on which fuel a customer uses to heat their water and run their clothes dryer.
Homes that have an electric water and an electric dryer—about 33% of U.S.
households—will save an average of $58 per year, whereas consumers that
use gas water heating and a gas dryer—21 % of households—will save an
average of $46 per year. The national weighted average is $51 per year.
Annual ENERGY STAR Savings Per Unit
Gas Water Heating
% of U.S.
Households
Water
Savings
Electric
Electric
Gas
None
29%
21%
9%
$32
$32
$32
$12
$2
$2
$7
$13
$7
Electric Water Heating
Electric
Gas
None
33%
2%
7%
$32
$32
$32
$26
$15
$15
—
$6
—
1 Annual Portrait of the U.S. Appliance Industry, Appliance Magazine, September 2006
2 National retailer Web sites.
National retailer vveo sites.
3 Electric, gas, and water rates used to estimate dollar amounts are as follows: 10.19e/kWh,$1.46/therm (Source: U.S. Department of Energy, 2006) and $.004529/gallon
(Source: Raftelis Water and Wastewater Rate Survey, 2004).
-------
------- |