New ENERGY STAR Specification for Clothes Washers in Canada
New specifications in Canada for ENERGY STAR qualified residential clothes washers and residential-style commercial clothes washers will come into effect on January 1, 2011.
On January 1, 2011 the requirements will be a minimum Modified Energy Factor (MEF) of 56.6 L/kWh/cycle (2.0 ft³/kWh/cycle) and a maximum Water Factor (WF) of 0.8 L (6.0 gal/ft³).
Products affected: Only standard sized (larger than 45 litres/1.6 cubic feet) front- and top-loading clothes washers.
To display the ENERGY STAR symbol, ENERGY STAR qualified residential clothes washers and residential-style commercial clothes washers manufactured after January 1, 2011, must meet the new 2011 specification. Models remaining in stock can continue to display the ENERGY STAR symbol up to and including April 1, 2011. Thereafter, the ENERGY STAR symbol and related information must be removed from unsold, ineligible models.
To manage these transitions, retailers must either:
- remove the ENERGY STAR portion at the bottom of the EnerGuide label, or
- replace the entire EnerGuide label with a new label from the manufacturer.
As always, the EnerGuide label must, by law, remain on the appliance until its first retail sale.
Effective April 1, 2011, in retail catalogues, the ENERGY STAR symbol must not refer to washers that cease to qualify as of January 1, 2011.
In provinces where rebates or tax exemptions are available to consumers, retailers should contact rebate-granting organizations to find out how the organizations will handle the change.
This article is taken from the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE).
