Though clothes dryers are not yet—and may never be—qualified by Energy Star (basically, they all currently use about the same amount of energy), newer models feature a few inherent energy-saving features, such as moisture sensors that automatically turn off the unit when clothes are dry instead of allowing them to run until the end of a timed cycle. Some suppliers also offer dryers with a condensing operation that eliminates the need for a vent to the outside—meaning one less penetration to air-seal and more opportunity to put laundry equipment just about anywhere, perhaps spurring their specification in new homes and inspiring replacements at a higher rate.

And coming soon: dryers that integrate with the Department of Energy’s Smart Grid program, capable of reacting intelligently and automatically to signals from the Smart Grid by modifying their energy consumption. Whirlpool, for one, will produce 1 million Smart Grid–enabled clothes dryers by the end of 2011, thanks in part to grant money from that federal program. GE also is testing Smart Grid–compatible appliances.

BEHAVIOR MATTERS

Perhaps more than any other appliance or product designed to save resources, laundry equipment performance and efficiencies depend on how consumers use them, which means builders must educate homeowners if they wish to achieve desired energy savings.

For example, because a front-loading or advanced top-loading tub can hold more clothes per load, manufacturers, utilities and Energy Star encourage consumers to stuff the new machines to capacity. On comparable settings, “Clothes washers use about the same amount of energy regardless of the size of the load,” says the EPA’s Kristen Taddonio, who manages the category for Energy Star. “More capacity means fewer loads of laundry,” and thus reduced overall energy and water use.

Consumers can further reduce energy use by selecting the warm/cold cycle instead of the hot button. “That alone can cut the machine’s energy use in half,” and the all-cold option even more so, she says.

Other energy-saving tips include avoiding the washer’s super-hot sanitary cycle, cleaning the dryer’s lint filter after every load, and air-drying on a rack or clothesline.

BOTTOM LINE

Whether home buyers care about how today’s laundry sets save energy and water, or even their role in attaining those savings, they might listen to how much those efficiencies translate into personal financial gains.

According to Energy Star, a qualified clothes washer will save about $50 a year in utility costs compared to a non-qualified new washer, and perhaps $135 annually versus a machine purchased before 1998. It’s enough at the low end, says Energy Star, to offset the cost of the recommended high-efficiency detergent for a year or, at the high end and over the course of five years or less, recoup the cost of a companion dryer.

Qualified washers also meet the criteria for the federal Energy Tax Credit (30% of the purchase price per product, up to $1,500 total per year per household in 2010) and for many rebate and tax credit programs offered by state and local governments, utilities, and suppliers that could mostly or completely offset the average $258 premium cost for a qualified washer compared to a new, non-qualified machine.

And while money certainly talks, also consider—and educate your buyers—about the resource savings these high-level products produce. Over an 11-year life span averaging 400 loads a year, says Energy Star, a qualified clothes washer saves 75,000 gallons of water compared to a conventional unit, enough to supply six people with drinking water for a lifetime. Energy-wise, the machine also can save about 2,464 kilowatts of electricity while reducing carbon emissions by 3,795 pounds, the equivalent of one car removed from the road for about four months.

Rich Binsacca is a contributing editor for EcoHome.

Keywords

Modified Energy Factor (MEF). The standard measure by which clothes washers are rated for their energy use, calculated by dividing the machine’s capacity by its energy consumption per cycle. The higher the value (or quotient), the more efficient the machine. The current Energy Star standard is 1.8.

Water Factor (WF). The standard measure of water efficiency for a clothes washer, WF is the quotient of total-weighted per-cycle water consumption divided by the washer’s capacity. The lower the ratio, the more water-efficient the machine. The current Energy Star standard is 7.5.

Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). A group of efficiency program administrators from across North America; the CEE Tiered rating system is another measure of energy efficiency that some manufacturers adhere to. —R.B.