Appliance labelling from a consumer's perspective - Priorities in clothes' washing

Panel: Panel 4: Sustainable Energy Use in Buildings

Author:
Diana Uitdenbogerd, NOVEM

Abstract

In 1995 the EU introduced its energy labelling for refrigerators and freezers, soon after followed by washing machines and clothes dryers. Within 5 years, the energy efficiency has improved by approx. 20%, by major efforts of manufacturers. Despite these developments, the energy demand for textile maintenance is still growing. It is believed that a shift in attention is needed, from factors influencing energy consumption under a standard test cycle to those influencing energy consumption in everyday life. A new reference cycle based on actual consumer behaviour might be a solution.

Factors that are discussed are:

the changing consumer behaviour,
the changing wash process and
the need for new definitions. Background developments in lifestyle and technology lead to different (demands on) washing processes. New definitions on aspects of efficiency then become needed. The washing machine itself can be used as an instrument to help increase the consumer's efficiency, which complicates the formulation of a new reference cycle.

In case the consumer behaviour is influenced by measures in the washing machine to improve load efficiency and detergent efficiency (which aim on the one hand at improving the consumer's wash performance and on the other hand at limiting the energy and water requirement), a definition for actual consumer behaviour in the new future technological setting might be not such a good idea after all. For now, the question remains how such a reference cycle in such a situation should look like.