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FINE HOMEBUILDING

The Energy- Smart Kitchen

use, with ranges, ovens, and cooktops accounting for

a little over one-quarter, and dishwashers the rest.

Add in the heating, air conditioning, hot water, and

lighting used in a kitchen, and this room is clearly the

energy hog of most houses. Putting your kitchen on

an energy diet might be one of the best things you can

do to save money and resources. Like most diets, it all

comes down to making informed choices.

Refrigerators are the top energy guzzlers

In a typical American home, the refrigerator accounts

for about 15% of total electricity use. Assuming heat

and hot water are not electric, that makes the refriger-

BY ALEX WILSON

hen it comes to electricity consumption, the kitchen is the

hungriest room in the house. Kitchen appliances—in-

cluding refrigerators, freezers, ranges, and dishwash-

ers—account for nearly 27% of household electricity use.

Collectively, that’s more than 300 billion kilowatt hours (kwh) per year in

the United States, or roughly the electricity output of 90 average-size coal-

fired power plants.

Not all appliances are equally voracious,

however. Refrigerators and freez-

ers account for nearly two-

thirds of kitchen energy

Choose the right appliances to curb

your home’s energy appetite

The blue Energy Star label and the yellow EnergyGuide sticker help con-

sumers identify energy-efficient appliances. Energy Star labeling indicates

compliance with guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

and the U.S. Department of Energy. Appliances rated by the program include

dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers (but not cooking appliances). While

Energy Star compliance identifies an energy-efficient appliance, some models

exceed the requirements more than others (see www.energystar.gov). Unlike

the voluntary Energy Star program, the EnergyGuide label is required by the

Federal Trade Commission on all fridges, freezers, and dishwashers (but not

on cooking appliances). The label shows the model’s capacity, its estimated

annual energy consumption and operating costs, and a scale that compares

its efficiency to that of similar models. The EnergyGuide label helps in com-

parison shopping but does not indicate Energy Star compliance.

Two tools to measure energy efficiency

hen it comes to electricity consumption, the kitchen is the

hungriest room in the house. Kitchen appliances—in-

cluding refrigerators, freezers, ranges, and dishwash-

ers—account for nearly 27% of household electricity use.

Collectively, that’s more than 300 billion kilowatt hours (kwh) per year in

the United States, or roughly the electricity output of 90 average-size coal-

Not all appliances are equally voracious,

however. Refrigerators and freez-

ers account for nearly two-

Choose the right appliances to curb

your home’s energy appetite

Two tools to measure energy efficiency

64%

26%

10%

Where does the

energy go?

Kitchen appliances on average

account for more than a quarter

of household electricity use, and

the appliances we use to keep

food cold—refrigerators and

standalone freezers—together

are the biggest consumers. Ov-

ens, coffeemakers, and cook-

tops, as a group, are the second-

hungriest appliances in the

kitchen, followed by dishwashers.

Drawing: Matt Collins

1 2 3 4 5 6

Summary of Contents

Page 1 - Energy- Smart Kitchen

FINE HOMEBUILDING54The Energy- Smart Kitchenuse, with ranges, ovens, and cooktops accounting for a little over one-quarter, and dishwashers the res

Page 2

www.finehomebuilding.comThe Energy- Smart KitchenREFRIGERATORS: Style and use determine efficiency WHAT TO LOOK FOR• The Energy Star label. The U.S

Page 3 - Electric wins over gas

ator a home’s single largest elec-tricity consumer. This is the case even though refrigerators have improved dramatically since the mid-1970s; today’s

Page 4 - MICROWAVE

FALL/WINTER 200757times called a “gas oven igniter”) is on, drawing about 375w. (Interestingly, at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando this ye

Page 5 - INNOVATIONS

FINE HOMEBUILDING58DISHWASHERS: Less hot water equals less energy useUSAGE TIPS• Insulate hot-water pipes from the water heater so that water stays

Page 6 - Dishwashers are

www.finehomebuilding.comor range. Downdraft fans, which are installed at the back or in the center of a range, rely on signifi-cant airflow (and power