AHAM's Blog

New Standards to Save $350 Over the Life of an Appliance

In a move that will save consumers over $20 billion on their electricity and water bills, the US Department of Energy announced today new standards for dishwashers and clothes washers.

Developed in conjunction with AHAM, appliance manufacturers and consumer and environmental groups, beginning in 2013 new dishwashers will use 15 percent less energy and 20 percent less water. Beginning in 2015, new clothes washers will offer consumers more efficient choices and save households approximately $350 over the lifetime of the appliance.

AHAM President Joe McGuire said, “DOE’s implementation of these new standards reflects the consensus agreement reached by stakeholders. It will result in tremendous energy savings for the consumer while preserving product choice and minimizing manufacturer impact. The home appliance industry is proud of its long history of energy efficiency advancements benefiting consumers and applauds DOE for working with stakeholders to increase energy efficiency,”

For more than 20 years, there has been a steady increase in the efficiency of home appliances as manufacturers have developed ways for dishwashers and clothes washers to use less electricity and water. For example, in 1991 the average dishwasher consumed 2.67 kilowatts (kWh) per cycle and by 2010 it was only 1.37 kWh/ cycle – that’s nearly a 49% decrease! Also, clothes washers consumed 2.68 kWh/cycle in 1991 and in 2010 it had dropped by 75% to .66 kWh/cycle!

If you’re in the market now for a new appliance, you can search AHAM’s directory of certified clothes washers and dishwashers.  All of the models listed in the directory have been verified for water and energy use.

For more information on DOE’s announcement, click here.

Meet AHAM's Newest Members: CS Bright and A. Raymond Tinnerman International

AHAM is thrilled to announce that we have recently added two new members to our Supplier Division!

A. Raymond Tinnerman International, whose U.S. offices are headquartered in Brunswick, OH, manufactures plastic and metal fasteners as well as adhesives.

CS Bright is located in Chung-Ho City, Taiwan and the company manufactures LED displays used in appliances.

Please join us in welcoming them to AHAM!

It's AHAM's 45th Anniversary!

2012 marks AHAM’s 45^th anniversary— and a lot has changed since 1967!  In 45 years, the appliance industry has grown to a $30 billion industry, shipping more than 200 million home appliances per year!   Watch Leading the Way a retrospective on our proud history and how AHAM will lead into the future.

 

 

1967 was also the year that the Amana Radarange, the first major introduction of a microwave oven, went on sale for sale for $495, or about $2,000 in today’s dollars. The House Beautiful and Retro Renovation have slideshows of typical American kitchens from the 1960s.  Talk about Memory Lane!

Here are some other 1967 stats thanks to these two web sites (here and here)! 

How much things cost in 1967
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 2.78%
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 905
Average Cost of new house $14,250.00
Average Income per year $7,300.00
Average Monthly Rent $125.00
Gas per Gallon 33 cents
Average Cost of a new car $2,750.00
Movie Ticket $1.25
The Federal Minimum Wage is increased to $1.40 an hour

Headlines from 1967

• Jimmy Hoffa begins an 8 year prison term for defrauding the union and jury tampering
• The 25th Amendment to the constitution is ratified which deals with succession to the Presidency
• Thurgood Marshall becomes the first black justice on the Supreme Court.
• Muhammad Ali is stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing induction into US army
• President Johnson asks for a 6 percent increase on taxes to support the Vietnam War
• Ten of thousands of Vietnam War protesters march in Washington, D.C.
• World’s First Heart Transplant operation in South Africa by Dr. Christiaan N Barnard
• The Concorde is seen for the first time in public.
• The first ATM ( Automatic Teller Machine ) is put into service in Barclays Bank in London

AHAM’s Clothes Washer Verification Program Provides Consumers with Confidence

With the rising cost of utility bills, consumers looking to buy a new clothes washer often take into consideration the energy efficiency ratings when deciding which washer to purchase.   In fact, energy efficiency ranks third in terms of important purchase factors, according to AHAM consumer research conducted in 2010. Performance ranks second, and cost is the number one factor according to the same study.  That’s where AHAM’s Clothes Washer Verification Program comes in.

Recently, AHAM’s Jill Notini, Vice President for Communications & Marketing, spoke with the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists about the AHAM Verification Program, which independently verifies manufacturers’ energy efficiency ratings.

“This program is a response to manufacturers’ desire to strengthen consumers’ confidence in their ratings claims,” she said.

As the article notes, “Verification of manufacturers’ energy ratings is performed through random testing by an independent laboratory. Licensees do not have to be AHAM members. Currently, licensees include Alliance Laundry Systems, GE Appliances & Lighting, Miele Inc., Samsung Electronics America Ltd., and Whirlpool Corp. Verified washing machines carry the AHAM Mark, assuring that “the product’s energy consumption rating is consistent with the energy consumption measured against standard test methods.”

Notini added, “[AHAM’s work] is leading to next generation issue [solutions]. We are working with Energy Star to include an allowance for products that have smart grid capabilities.”

Read the full article here.

Target and Best Buy Headline AHAM’s Annual Meeting

Top executives from retailers Target and Best Buy will speak at AHAM’s annual member meeting being held on April 22-23 at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, FL.

On April 23, Stacia Andersen, Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Home at Target will give the keynote address during the General Session Breakfast.    Later that day, Liz Haesler, Merchandising Vice President – Appliance, Home Trends Essentials and Pacific Sales, of Best Buy will provide the keynote address at the Retail & Appliance Industry Connections Lunch.  

Both Andersen and Haesler will provide insights as leading retailers and their strategies for the future.  Check back next week for a recap of their remarks!

Meet Patrick Walsh, AHAM's Project Engineer

Patrick Walsh joined AHAM as Project Engineer in February 2009 after receiving a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from University of Rochester. In his role at AHAM, Patrick assists with day-to-day operations of AHAM’s six EPA-recognized certification and verification programs, as well as working on the development of new programs and continuous improvement of the operations of the current programs. Patrick assists AHAM’s Director of Product Certification and Verification and acts as the primary point of contact for prospective companies joining the verification programs.  In addition, Patrick assists AHAM’s Director of Standards on the dozens of external standards with which AHAM is engaged, including UL and the National Electric Code.

Keeping the Faith

Sometimes it can seem like modern technology has a way of interfering with age-old traditions and beliefs. However, a recent article in the Toronto Star explains that appliance manufacturers have responded to the needs of Jewish consumers by equipping refrigerators and ovens with an optional “Sabbath mode” which allow them to prepare meals without breaking  Jewish law.

According to Jewish law, observant of the faith may not work on the Sabbath (between Friday evening and Saturday evening). In older times, work meant using fire to prepare food. However, as the use of appliances have taken the place of fire, turning an oven on or opening the refrigerator can be considered “work” because an electrical circuit is being completed.

The Sabbath mode, allows users to disengage some features and keep ranges producing low levels of heat for extended periods of time. On refrigerators, the mode disables the lights and other electrical devices, such as the compressor and thermostat, from engaging while the door is opened.

General Electric, Electrolux, Sub-Zero, Frigidaire, Whirlpool, Maytag and Viking offer Sabbath mode features on their refrigerators and ranges.

GE Spokeswoman Kim Mann told the Toronto Star, “This is not market driven. It’s culturally driven. All ranges manufactured since the late ’90s have a Sabbath mode.”

Click here to read the full article.  

Strategies for the Future - AHAM Annual Member Meeting

AHAM’s annual meeting is right around the corner! Strategies for the Future, scheduled for April 22-April 23 includes meeting sessions and panel discussions offering you an opportunity to gain fresh perspectives about the appliance industry from respected industry voices, including retail speakers from Target and Best Buy.  The panel,  Home Economics:  Perspectives on Trends, Purchase and Design, offers presentations from Sundberg-Ferar, Bellomy Research and the National Association of Home Builders, focusing on the economic impact on housing trends, appliance purchases and home design.   There are plenty of changes ahead for AHAM, to be unveiled along with AHAM’s new strategic plan.  The division business meetings scheduled throughout the meeting provide detailed information about the issues that affect our industry.   AHAM’s Industry Achievement Awards will be presented during the Chairman’s Dinner.  Click here to review the meeting program in more detail and register!  Remember that AHAM’s room block expires April 3 and our reduced registration fee ends on April 11.

Meet Wayne Morris, AHAM's Vice President, Technical Operations & Standards

Wayne Morris is AHAM’s Vice President, Technical Operations & Standards. In this role, he is the staff leader on a host of technical and regulatory issues, including liaison with safety and performance standards organizations. He is the staff coordinator for technical activities on recycling, product safety, and technical trade issues and coordinates AHAM's Product Safety and Liability Conferences. Wayne serves on the Board of Directors of the International Consumer Product Health & Safety Organization (ICPHSO) and is the Chairman of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Commerce on Standards and Technical Barriers to Trade. Prior to joining AHAM in 1994, Wayne held various engineering and technical positions with appliance manufacturers, including Black & Decker and Pollenex. He has extensive product design and compliance experience with kitchen electrics, air, and water treatment products. Wayne holds a master’s in Administration from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor of science in Biology and Natural Sciences from West Virginia Wesleyan College. 

The Home of the Future…from 1957

What images are conjured up when you envision the “Home of the Future?”   Nowadays, you might think of a kitchen equipped with modern-looking smart appliances that can be controlled from your smart phone.  If so, you would be correct because those technologies are currently being developed and will not only save you time and effort in the kitchen, but help to lower your utility bills with increased energy efficiency.

However, six decades ago, the “Home of the Future” was envisioned very differently.  At Disneyland in Anaheim California, the Monsanto Home of the Future became a major attraction in 1957 that showcased what a typical American home would be like in 1986. Some things, such as microwaves and dishwashers, would become ubiquitous. However, some parts of this futuristic kitchen never came to pass and now seem kitschy by today’s standards, such as all-plastic dinnerware, using the dishwasher to store the dishes, and replacing the refrigerator/freezer with hidden “cold zones” for “irradiated food.”

This website features more information about the Monsanto Home of the Future and includes a fun 8-minute film from the late 1950s of a housewife daydreaming about living there. You can see more pictures of the Home of the Future here.  

Or watch here:

 

What do you think of this Monsanto Home of the Future?    What do you hope the Home of the Future will look like?    Tell us!