January 2, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Howard Newman, CEE Communications Director
617-589-3949, ext. 209

CEE modifies specifications for residential and commercial clothes washers

With the ENERGY STAR^® performance levels for residential and commercial clothes washers set to increase on Jan. 1, 2004, CEE is modifying its tier structure to create harmony in the marketplace.

The Modified Energy Factor (MEF) for ENERGY STAR-qualified clothes washers will increase from 1.26 to 1.42 in 2004. MEF measures the amount of laundry (in cubic feet) that can be washed and dried with 1 kWh of electricity. The MEF for CEE’s Tier 1 (in both residential and commercial washer initiatives) is currently 1.26. CEE’s Tier 2 is 1.42.

“It makes sense to have our initial tier consistent with ENERGY STAR,” said CEE Program Manager John Taylor. “Most programs using the CEE specifications are also promoting ENERGY STAR. Our goal is to give programs an option for promoting super-efficient washers without causing consumer confusion or complication for programs and manufacturers.

“If we do not revise our specification, there would be more than 20 residential washers and an equal number of commercial washers that would be on our qualifying products list and not qualify for ENERGY STAR. Aligning the specifications is good for efficiency programs and industry.”

Since 2001, the number of models qualifying for the CEE Residential Clothes Washer Initiative has more than doubled, from 63 to 129, yet the number of models qualifying at Tier 1 has remained fairly static; the majority of new washers have qualified at the highest tiers. This indicates that many manufacturers have anticipated the proposed change and responded by producing washers that have an MEF of at least 1.42.

As further indication of a positive trend, there are currently 13 residential washers that qualify for CEE’s most efficient category. As recently as May 2002, there were none.

The production of commercial washers has followed a similar path so the CEE Appliance Committee eliminated Tier 1 in both the residential and commercial clothes washer initiatives as of Jan. 1, 2004 (the residential and commercial specifications are identical). CEE’s current Tier 2 would become Tier 1, and the remaining tiers would move up accordingly.

Specifications for CEE's Residential Clothes Washer Initiative

Specifications for CEE's Commercial Clothes Washer Initiative

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