Choosing appliances
In this section:
- ENERGY STAR®
- Energy Rating Labels
- Minimum Energy Performance Standards
- Checklist for choosing a smart appliance
- Easy energy savers
There are several labels that you can use to help you choose energy efficient appliances and products.
ENERGY STAR ®
New Zealand recently joined the global ENERGY STAR® programme to help you choose the most energy efficient appliances and products.
Look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark – it tells you at a glance which models are the very best in terms of energy efficiency. At present, you’ll find the mark on heat pumps, washing machines, dishwashers, televisions, home electronics, computers and imaging equipment. EECA will continue to introduce the mark on a wider range of products over the coming years.
For more information and to view a list of products that have earned the ENERGY STAR mark, visit www.energystar.govt.nz
Energy rating labels
In New Zealand, it’s mandatory for the energy rating label to be displayed on fridges and freezers, heat pumps/air conditioners, washing machines, dishwashers and dryers when they are available for sale at a retail outlet.
When buying one of these appliances, you can use the energy rating label to help you compare the energy consumption of models. The more stars on the label, the less energy the appliance needs to get the same performance level as a comparable model.
Choose the most energy efficient model that’s the right size for your needs and suits your budget.
Also look for the red energy consumption box – the number in this is the amount of electricity used to run the appliance over a typical year.
The lower the number, the less it will cost to run and the lower the environmental impact.
To find out about energy consumption of appliances in more detail, you can visit the Energy Rating website.[1.]
Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS)
New Zealand has regulations that prevent the sale of the appliances that don’t meet minimum standards. First introduced in 2002, these standards eliminate the worst performers from the market and help you to save money on your power bill.
Checklist for choosing a smart appliance
Fridges and freezers
After water heating, the fridge is the single biggest household energy user. A typical fridge uses between 600 and 900 kW a year.
Fridges and freezers use about 10% of an average household’s electricity bill.
You can cut down on operating costs by choosing the right fridge for your needs. As well as energy efficiency, it’s also worth considering:
- Size - choose a fridge or freezer that is the right size for your household - it’s more efficient to run one large fridge than two small ones, but it’s inefficient to run a fridge that’s far bigger than you need.
- Defrost controls - manual defrost models are generally more efficient than auto-defrost models if they’re well maintained
- Shape - chest freezers are more efficient than upright models. With an upright freezer, cold air escapes every time you open the door. Upright freezers with enclosed drawers (not baskets) are a good compromise. Upright fridge-freezers with one door above the other are generally more efficient than units with side-by-side doors.
- Water and ice dispensers - through-the-door features such as cold water dispensers and ice-makers use more energy so cost more to run.
Washing machines
For significant energy savings, use cold water to wash your clothes most of the time, with an occasional hot wash to flush the machine.
Water makes up a large part of the cost of running a washing machine.
When you are buying a new washing machine, check its water usage as well as the energy rating. The most energy and water efficient models earn the ENERGY STAR mark.
Other things to think about when choosing a washing machine are:
- selecting the right size for your needs – if you choose a machine that’s too big, you’ll be tempted to run it when it’s not full (most families use a 6.5kg machine)
- has a cold wash cycle - a lot of energy is used for water heating
- has auto load sensing or load size selection - so you’re not using more water and energy than you need
- has a high spin speed - a fast spin speed will mean the clothes spend less time in the dryer
- has an economy cycle.
Dryers
Clothes dryers are inefficient users of energy. Many receive only 1-2 stars on the Australia-New Zealand energy rating scheme.
If you do buy a dryer, look for a model with an auto-sensing feature or a timer. Auto-sensing prevents over-drying. This saves energy and is also better for your clothes.
Make sure your dryer is vented to the outside so the moisture doesn’t make the house damp.
Ideally, the best place to dry clothes is outside in the fresh air and sunshine, but sometimes this is impossible. You can set up a covered outside area for clothes drying.
Try to avoid drying clothes inside on racks as moisture will be released into the house.
Easy energy savers
Cut your bills by around $600 per year with no cost and low cost actions at the same time as making your home more comfortable to live in:
- Use your heated towel rail for just a few hours per day instead of leaving it on permanently – typical saving $90 per year.
- Recycle (or switch off) the spare fridge – typical saving $150–$300 per year.
- Use cold water for laundry – typical saving $50 per year.
- Set your hot water to be 55 degrees Celsius at the tap – typical saving $30 per year. Note that you will need an electrician to do this if you don’t have a consumer adjustable thermostat.
- Turn appliances off instead of leaving them on standby – typical saving $75 per year.
Related links:
Note:
[1.] This site is administered jointly by EECA and the Australian Greenhouse Office.
