GreenYour.com

Like homes, offices often make use of common appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and dishwashers. Three factors affect an appliance’s eco-friendliness: energy efficiency, water consumption, and toxicity.

Commercial buildings consume energy for a variety of uses, and appliances take up their fair share: water heating uses 9 percent, cooling and ventilation 10 percent, cooking 5 percent, and refrigeration 3 percent.[1] Energy efficient appliances reduce energy consumption in two ways—by slashing operational costs and by cutting the power required for cooling, since efficient appliances generally produce less heat.[2][3] ENERGY STAR appliances, using advanced technologies and stringent standards, reduce energy and water consumption by 10 to 50 percent compared to conventional models.[4]

Conventional air conditioners and refrigerators contain refrigerants that, when released into the atmosphere, deplete stratospheric ozone, increasing susceptibility to ultraviolet radiation and skin cancers, but greener options now exist. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were the main refrigerant used prior to 1987, at which point the Montreal Protocol began a world-wide phase out of the compound. Hydrochloroflourocarbons (HCFCs) are substantially less damaging to the ozone layer, but still contain chlorine, the main element involved in ozone depletion. HCFC R-22 (a freon coolant) has been a popular refrigerant for the past few decades and is used in most air conditioning units. Unfortunately, its manufacturing contributes to global warming. R-22 is in the process of phase-out, and air conditioners are beginning to be manufactured containing ozone-friendly refrigerants, such as R-410A (known under different brand names, including Puron).[5]

Most appliances—nearly 84 percent in the US, in fact—are now recycled since state and municipal disposal bans have become effective.[6] The plastic, steel, glass, refrigerant, oil, and blowing agent found in old appliances can be salvaged and recycled for use in new products.[7] By weight, most appliances are 75 percent steel. The Steel Recycling Institute saves the equivalent of 18 million households worth of electric energy every year by recycling steel.[8]

Questions to get you started...

1. Does your building have an energy management system to track energy use and reduce energy costs?
2. Is energy efficiency factored into your procurement policy?
3. Have you procured ENERGY STAR appliances?

External links

• ENERGY STAR - Refrigerator Calculator
• American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
• Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute