Cooperative Living August 2018 - 29

its particular function and even the time
of day it is most used.
Over the last few decades, new appliances
became more energy efficient, driven partly
by minimum government standards. These
standards, created by the U.S. Department
of Energy, save consumers over $60 billion
each year. Appliances are required to
include an Energy Guide label that shows
estimated energy use and operating cost
per year. These labels help you compare
different models and calculate the initial
cost against the long-term savings.
Some appliances will also have an
ENERGY STAR label. This indicates the
appliance is substantially more efficient
than the minimum standard. Your greatest
energy-saving opportunities can come
from replacing an old appliance with an
ENERGY STAR-rated appliance.
Removing a refrigerator that's 20 years old
and replacing it with a new ENERGY
STAR model can lower the monthly
electricity cost by 75 percent, from $16.50
to less than $4.
In some cases, the configuration of the
appliance can also make a substantial
difference. For example, a side-by-side
refrigerator/freezer uses about 70 percent
more energy than other configurations,
with all the most efficient models having
the refrigerator stacked on top of the
freezer. All 36 of the most efficient
clothes washers of 2018 were frontloading
models.
Consider how much you use the
appliance. The more you use the
appliance, the greater your savings will
be from choosing a more efficient model.
If you use the appliance less or have a
small household, you may get by with a
smaller refrigerator or freezer, which will
save you money. 
This column was co-written by Pat Keegan
and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative
Efficiency. For more information on saving
energy on your appliances, please visit:
www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.
SOURCES:
consumerreports.org/refrigerators/best-energy-efficient-refrigerators
energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_save_energy_at_home
energy.gov/eere/buildings/appliance-and-equipment-standards-program
siliconvalleypower.com/for-residents/save-energy/appliance-energy-use-chart
energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator
energystar.gov/productfinder/most-efficient/me-certified-refrigerators?me_type_
filter=Bottom%20Freezer
energystar.gov/most-efficient/me-certified-clothes-washers
www.co-opliving.com
August 2018 | Cooperative Living | 27

http://www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips http://www.consumerreports.org/refrigerators/best-energy-efficient-refrigerators http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_save_energy_at_home http://www.energy.gov/eere/buildings/appliance-and-equipment-standards-program http://www.siliconvalleypower.com/for-residents/save-energy/appliance-energy-use-chart http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator http://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/most-efficient/me-certified-refrigerators?me_type_ http://www.energystar.gov/most-efficient/me-certified-clothes-washers http://www.co-opliving.com

Cooperative Living August 2018

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