Short Cycles

Following is the new Electrolux laundry. It is twice bigger than a top loader at 4.7 cubic feet and uses 1/3 the water. This machine has incredibly intuitive controls as well as LED lighting inside the unit.


But how long is a regular cycle?





18 minutes wash, 18 minutes dry......or about a hour less than a regular machine.

Aqua-Fridge

Look at any refrigerator:





At 18 cents per Kilowatt Hour, the average consumer should save around $100 in just energy....But the savings could be much greater....Look again





Depending on when you are reading this, you are probably drinking a bottled water. That bottled water costs about $1.29 on average. Multiply that number by how many you drink per week, month and year.

Guess what, the water filter in the refrigerator will deliver better water for a fraction.


Now what are the true savings

Another Great Deal?

I have started watching this website called GardenWeb. Yes, it is about gardening, but they also have a significant home improvement section with peer to peer reviews including a significant feature on appliances and lighting.

One of the posts was dedicated to the best appliance values. The person posting was talking about her parents refrigerator and how it lasted for 58 years. My feelings about this are mixed. First, I hate to throw anything of value away.

However, a refrigerator purchased today uses 50% less electricity than similar products from less than 15 years ago. A 58 year old refrigerator probably costs about $400-500 a year to operate versus $50-60 for a similar unit purchased today. Antiquated technologies in general like incandescent bulbs and top load laundry are probably costing the individual consumer hundreds of dollars a year every year.

But lets look at something new....What do these refrigerators have in common?



Yes they are Energystar, but there are instant rebates of $75 to 100 on all GE, Maytag, JennAir, Whirlpool and KitchenAid french door and side by side refrigeration.

The EnergyStar

Look at this Bosch washer:







Now guess how much it costs to operate?






You are probably thinking...Yeah, but it is way smaller than my present top loader. Wrong thought. The new Bosch 24 inch front loaders are 3.2 cubic foot in capacity. Your top loader is 2.4-2.5 without the agitator, uses about $100-150 more in electricity, 30 gallons more water and requires more detergent as well. The Bosch spins at 1200 RPM as opposed to 400, so the clothes require less drying time.


One last note: The Bosch is gentler on your clothes, because it does not have an agitator.

The Green Kitchen....Almost Done

I love big sales events. All the projects for Innovation 08 have to be completed by Friday at 5 PM, so it is fun to watch the mad scramble. Although we have revamped 3 displays, hung about 75 new fixtures and added about 40 new appliances, my favorite is this Green Kitchen.

Have a look:



I like it, because the lighting creates the environment. The bamboo pendants look great and they use 13 watt fluorescent bulbs. The recessed is 12 watt LED instead of 100 watt incandescent. This kitchen dispels the notion that fluorescent is ugly or LED is too dim. To encourage people to embrace this new technology, we will be selling any fluorescent or LED product at 10% off this weekend.

Just for fun...Look at this kitchen in stages.

The Green Kitchen Stage 2

Look at this almost completed kitchen. As I have said
in previous posts, this will be a totally Green kitchen....But what is involved for a kitchen to be called Green?

Lets look:



Counters: Marble chip or recycled marble.



Tile: Actually recycled sea glass.



Cabinets: MDF particle board with a wood laminate front...Looks pretty good.



Floor: Bamboo..as I have said in the last post bamboo is sustainable and grows back in about a year.

Appliances: Bosch Energystar

Lights: When installed, the fluorescent pendants and LED undercabinet lights will emit about 50 watts...Not bad when you consider the incandescent equivalent will be about 600 watts.

Our First Green Kitchen

About 1 year ago, we installed the first all glass kitchen in the country. Our idea was to show the latest and greatest products. We also wanted consumers to understand the installation behind a wall oven or an undermount sink while they were comparing products...







Now we are on to greener pastures...literally, with the first totally green kitchen










Its a little unfinished, as we just layed the flooring. A totally Green kitchen is not that difficult.

First, for flooring try bamboo. Bamboo actually grows 3 inches per month and replaces itself in one year

Second, cabinets and counters can be replaced with reclaimed materials used previously. Don't think junk...think antique.

For lighting use LED or fluorescent (as I have blogged continuously), because they use up to 80% less energy than incandescent

Lastly and most easily, EnergyStar appliances will save a ton of energy. We will be using Bosch for this display, but there are many other brands

I will post the completion in May

Frigidaire EnergyStar Laundry

For April, there are $250 instant store rebates on front loaders from GE, Whirlpool, Maytag, Bosch and Frigidaire. Most of these companies have national programs as well..


Consider this, the Frigidaire basic front loading washer and dryer after rebates is $699.


Have a look (can be stacked or side by side.)

EnergyStar Laundry

My racquetball partner, Alex, believes our next economic boom will happen when we become energy independent. He mentioned the cost of gas, etc.

My position on Green products is simple. Consumers will buy Green if there is an advantage or payback. In my opinion, people will not spend exorbitant amounts of money just being Green. Then again, he did beat me in racquetball, so I could be wrong...

The textbook example of Green products with almost immediate payback is laundry..Energy efficient, specifically front load laundry is the best residential investment....The average front loader is 40% larger, uses between 25-30 gallons less water and at least half the energy... In other words, you wash more clothes yet use less water and energy...

Which brings me to the question...What do these front loaders from Bosch, Maytag and Frigidaire have in common?

Boston.com And CFLs

Following is an article written on Boston.com about the potential dangers of compact fluorescent. Below is my response, which was written nearly a month ago.

Article:
Boston.com article

Response:
YaleAppliance Blog response

I am not minimizing any threats to you and/or your family, but lets be realistic...

Energy Efficiency Part 1 Dishwashers

It was 68 in Boston yesterday and almost 60 today. Both are highs for this time of year. In my humble opinion, its a rather ominous sign of Global Warming and all the problems associated with nature out of balance. It really does not have to be this bad. At Yale, we have The Green Project, which basically is a buying guide of the most efficient appliances and how to use them. We would save a ton of energy just by operating our appliances differently.

The following few entries will be dedicated to Energy Saving tips. Then we will list the most efficient models.

First blog: Dishwasher Tips

1. Avoid using the Heated Dry option: Use Air dry and Somat or Jet Dry to aid condensation especially on metallic surfaces. Interestingly enough, Bosch and Miele do not offer a heated dry option on most of their dishwashers.

2.Run your Dishwasher with a full load: Most of the energy goes to heat the water. Since you cannot decrease the amount of water per cycle, fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it.

3.Don't Pre-Rinse your dishes: Just scrape off the food and let the dishwasher do the rest. If you are a habitual rinser, then use cold water.

4. Do not hand wash: It uses 25 gallons or 2 and one half times a pots and pans cycle when the tap is half open.

5. Look for the Energystar label: Estar qualified dishwashers use 25% less energy than regular dishwashers.


These are easy changes. Try them. If you know of any other energy savings tips or suggestions, then please email me at steve.sheinkopf@yaleappliance.com

The Green Project At Yale..."Saving money and the environment one product at a time"