Better Appliances: An Analysis of Performance, Features, and Price as Efficiency Has Improved

108 Pages·2013·1.44 MB·English

by  Joanna Mauer

Better Appliances: An Analysis of Performance,
Features, and Price as Efficiency Has Improved
Joanna Mauer, Andrew deLaski, Steven Nadel, Anthony Fryer, and
Rachel Young
May 2013
Report Number A132

© American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
529 14th Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20045
Phone: [phone]  Twitter: @ACEEEDC
Facebook.com/myACEEE  www.aceee.org

and

© Appliance Standards Awareness Project
16 Cohasset St., Boston, MA 02131
Phone: [phone]  www.appliance-standards.org

Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. v
Performance ................................................................................................................................................. vii
Features ......................................................................................................................................................... vii
Price .............................................................................................................................................................. viii
Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................................................. ix
Introduction .........................................................................................................................................................1
Findings ................................................................................................................................................................1
Refrigerators—1990, 1993, and 2001 Standards .........................................................................................1
Clothes Washers—1994, 2004, 2007, and 2011 Standards ........................................................................2
Dishwashers—1994 and 2010 Standards .....................................................................................................2
Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps—2006 Standard ...............................................2
Toilets—1994/1997 Standard ........................................................................................................................2
General Service Light Bulbs— 2012-2014 Standard ...................................................................................3
Incandescent Reflector Lamps—2012 Standard .........................................................................................3
Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts—2005/2010 Standard ......................................................................................3
Commercial Rooftop Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps—2010 Standard ...........................................3
Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines—2012 Standard .....................................................................4
Discussion .............................................................................................................................................................4
Performance ....................................................................................................................................................4
Features ............................................................................................................................................................5
Price ..................................................................................................................................................................5
Energy Savings, Economic Benefits, and Emissions Reductions from Existing Efficiency Standards .....5
Research Methodology........................................................................................................................................7
i
Refrigerators ........................................................................................................................................................ 8
History and Scope of Refrigerator Standards ............................................................................................. 8
1990, 1993, and 2001 Standards ................................................................................................................... 8
Performance, Features, and Price ................................................................................................................ 9
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 18
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 19
Clothes Washers ............................................................................................................................................... 19
History and Scope of Clothes Washer Standards .................................................................................... 19
1994, 2004, 2007, and 2011 Standards ....................................................................................................... 20
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 21
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 31
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 31
Dishwashers ....................................................................................................................................................... 32
History and Scope of Dishwasher Standards ........................................................................................... 32
1994 and 2010 Standards ............................................................................................................................ 32
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 33
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 39
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 39
Residential Central Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps .............................................................................. 39
History and Scope of Central Air Conditioner and Heat Pump Standards ......................................... 39
2006 Standard ............................................................................................................................................... 40
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 41
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 46
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 46
ii
Toilets ................................................................................................................................................................. 47
History and Scope of Toilet Standards ...................................................................................................... 47
1994/1997 Standard ..................................................................................................................................... 47
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 48
Current State Standards .............................................................................................................................. 53
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 53
General Service Light Bulbs............................................................................................................................. 54
History and Scope of General Service Lamps Standard.......................................................................... 54
2012-2014 Standard ..................................................................................................................................... 54
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 55
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 61
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 61
Incandescent Reflector Lamps ........................................................................................................................ 62
History and Scope of Incandescent Reflector Lamps Standard ............................................................. 62
2012 Standard ............................................................................................................................................... 62
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 64
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 66
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 66
Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts ............................................................................................................................... 67
History and Scope of Ballast Standards .................................................................................................... 67
2005/2010 Standard ..................................................................................................................................... 67
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 68
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 72
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 72
iii
Commercial Rooftop Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps ........................................................................... 73
History and Scope of Commercial Rooftop Unit Standards .................................................................. 73
2010 Standard ............................................................................................................................................... 74
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 75
The Next Standard ....................................................................................................................................... 79
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 80
Refrigerated Beverage Vending Machines .................................................................................................... 80
History and Scope of Beverage Vending Machine Standards ................................................................ 80
2012 Standard ............................................................................................................................................... 81
Performance, Features, and Price .............................................................................................................. 82
New ENERGY STAR Specification and The Next Standard ................................................................. 88
Summary of Findings .................................................................................................................................. 88
Conclusions ....................................................................................................................................................... 89
References .......................................................................................................................................................... 91

iv
Executive Summary
Efficiency standards have played a major role in saving energy and water and reducing utility bills. In
this report, we analyze how the choices available to consumers have changed over time as efficiency
standards have taken effect for ten residential, commercial, and lighting products. We found that as
products have become more efficient:
 Performance generally stayed the same or improved;
 Manufacturers offered new features to consumers; and
 Prices declined or stayed the same for five of the nine products for which we could obtain
price data, and for the other four products, observed price increases are outweighed by
electricity bill savings.
Using the best available data, we compared products available before and after national efficiency
standards took effect and evaluated how three product dimensions—performance, features, and
price—have changed over time. For most of the ten products, we examined the current standard
(which in three cases was also the first national standard established for the product). However, for
refrigerators, clothes washers, and dishwashers, we examined multiple standards that have taken
effect over the last 20-25 years. For these three products, sufficient historical data were available to
examine how they have changed over time as standards have been established and updated.
Where possible, we examined models available at three points in time: when the standard was
established; one year after the standard took effect; and today. Table ES-1 below shows the specific
performance attributes and product features that we examined for each of the ten products.
v
Table ES-1. Products, Performance Attributes, and Features Examined
Refrigerators Clothes Washers
 Temperature  Washing performance
performance
 Method of loading
 Door configuration
 Tub capacity
 Volume
 Cycle time
 Through-the-door ice  Automatic
 Noise temperature control
 Additional features  Additional features
 Efficiency  Efficiency
 Price  Price
Residential Central Air Conditioners
Dishwashers
and Heat Pumps
 Washing
performance  Cooling capacity
 Cycle time  Size and weight
 Tub material  Dehumidification
 Delayed start feature  Additional features
 Additional features  Efficiency
 Efficiency  Price

 Price
Toilets General Service Light Bulbs
 Light output
 Flush performance
 Light color
 Bowl cleaning
 Dimmability
 Style
 Lifetime
 Efficiency
 Efficiency
 Price
 Price

Incandescent Reflector Lamps Fluorescent Lamp Ballasts
 Light output
 Ballast factor
 Light color
 Lifetime
 Dimmability
 Additional features
 Lifetime
 Efficiency
 Efficiency
 Price
 Price

vi
Commercial Rooftop Air Conditioners Refrigerated Beverage Vending
and Heat Pumps Machines

 Machine type
 Cooling capacity  Volume
 Size and weight  Controls
 Additional features  Customer interaction
 Efficiency features
 Price  Efficiency
 Price

PERFORMANCE
We found that product performance generally stayed the same or improved as efficiency standards
took effect. Refrigerator temperature performance has improved and noise levels have dropped over
time. Manufacturers have maintained good dishwasher performance even as energy and water use
have decreased substantially. General service light bulbs and incandescent reflector lamps that meet
new efficiency standards provide the same light output, lifetime, color quality, and dimmability as
lamps that were available before standards took effect. Electronic ballasts are quieter and lighter than
older less efficient magnetic ballasts and do not produce the visible flicker that is characteristic of
magnetic ballasts. And there was no significant difference in the range of available cooling capacities
of residential and commercial air conditioners and heat pumps before and after standards took effect.
In just two instances (clothes washers and toilets), an increase in poor performance ratings was
reported immediately after the implementation of efficiency standards. However, this effect was
temporary. Manufacturers responded by eliminating or re-designing poorly-performing models, and
the incidence of poorly-performing models declined. More importantly, over the longer term,
performance has improved beyond what was available before the standards. Many clothes washers
today do a better job of removing stains and are gentler on clothes than older washers, and today’s
consumers have enormous choice of toilets with excellent flushing performance.
FEATURES
We found that for each of the ten products we evaluated, manufacturers introduced and expanded the
availability of new features as efficiency standards took effect. The average volume of available
refrigerator models has increased over time; consumers now have a significantly wider range of
options in bottom-freezer units including French-door models; and refrigerators offer a range of new
features including new types of water dispensers, in-the-door ice makers, and additional
compartments. The availability of clothes washers with large tub capacities has increased dramatically,
and new features include electronic controls and displays, steam cycles, and automatic dispensers.
Features such as stainless steel tubs and delayed start have become more common on dishwashers,
even on low-price-point models. Most central air conditioners now have thermal expansion valves,
which can improve both comfort and efficiency and increase equipment reliability. And
manufacturers have introduced efficient halogen incandescent and LED light bulbs, which were
previously unavailable.
vii
PRICE
We found that prices declined or stayed the same as efficiency standards took effect for five of the nine
products we evaluated for which we could obtain price data.1 Between 1987 and 2010, real prices of
refrigerators, clothes washers, and dishwashers decreased by 35%, 45%, and 30%, respectively. For
toilets and fluorescent lamp ballasts, the incremental cost of the more efficient products at the time
the standards were established had disappeared either by the time the standard took effect (in the case
of fluorescent lamp ballasts) or within two years after the standard took effect (in the case of toilets).
For general service light bulbs and incandescent reflector lamps, prices have increased modestly, but
the total cost (purchase price plus operating cost) is lower for the lamps meeting the new standards
compared to pre-standard lamps. Finally, for residential and commercial air conditioners and heat
pumps, observed price increases are likely attributable at least in part to significant increases in metal
prices, which are independent of efficiency standards. However, even if the entire price increases were
due to the standards, the payback periods (six years and three years for residential and commercial
units, respectively) are significantly shorter than the average lifetimes of this equipment (19 years and
15 years, respectively).
In sum, we found that as efficiency standards have taken effect, product performance generally stayed
the same or improved, and manufacturers offered new features to consumers. Prices declined or
stayed the same for five of the nine products we evaluated for which we could obtain price data, and
for the other four products, observed price increases are outweighed by electricity bill savings.

1 We were unable to evaluate how refrigerated beverage vending machine prices have changed due to a lack of data.
However, we found that the manufacturer selling price decreased in the decade before the efficiency standard took effect,
while energy use decreased significantly.
viii