High Performance Homes
Kitchens - Making Green Building Choices
The kitchen has the greatest number of devices and appliances that affect the usage of electricity and water. According to the U. S. Department of Energy (DOE), the average American household spends $1,500 on energy bills and appliances with the ENERGY STAR ® designation can save up to 30% per year.
Refrigerators are the largest energy hogs in most American households. New ENERGY STAR ® refrigerators with high efficiency compressors, better insulation, and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms use about half the energy as earlier models. Home owners can further reduce the amount of energy their refrigerators use by:
Placing the appliance out of direct sunlight and away from stoves and dishwashers
Leave enough space for air to circulate around the compressor coils
Make sure door seals are airtight
Maintain the internal temperature between 35 and 38 degrees, and freezer temperature at 0 degrees Fahrenheit
Shut the door quickly after opening
ENERGY STAR ® dishwashers use 25% less energy than other dishwashers because they use less hot water and they save money over their lifetime. Homeowners can further reduce the amount of energy their dishwasher uses by:
Only run the appliance when it is full
Don't use the appliance's heat-dry, rinse-hold, and pre-rinse options
Appliances purchased after 2002 and are ENERGY STAR ® approved is a homeowner's best choice. Replacing earlier models not only makes since from a design standpoint, but from an energy saving standpoint as well. When replacing older models be sure to properly recycle them.
