The Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) program aims to increase the energy efficiency of lighting, appliances and equipment used in the residential, commercial and manufacturing sectors in Australia and New Zealand. This is achieved through the delivery of an energy efficiency standards and labelling program which apply performance standards (Minimum Energy Performance Standards [MEPS] and High Efficiency Performance Standards [HEPS]) and comparative energy rating labelling. The Australian labelling programme is based on a star system, rated from one to ten. Performance standards and energy rating labelling are regulated through state and territory
government regulations and penalties exist for non-compliance. The E3 program is part of the National Strategy on Energy Efficiency and overseen at a ministerial level by the Standing Committee on Climate Change. Operational oversight occurs through the E3 committee comprising officials from the Australian Government, State and Territory government agencies and the New Zealand Government (International Energy Agency IEA 2014).
Energy
Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS)
Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) specify the minimum level of energy performance that appliances, lighting and electrical equipment must meet or exceed before they can be offered for sale or used for commercial purposes. MEPS are mandatory for a range of products in Australia and New Zealand. These products must be registered through an online database and meet a number of legal requirements before they can be sold in either of these countries. For white goods, Minimum Energy Performance standards are only defined for domestic fridges and freezers, not for dishwashers, washing machines or washer-dryers.
However, the ‘Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Determination 2012 for clothes washing machines’ defines labelling and communication requirements and other requirements on performance (Australian Government 2012):
The Determination covers clothes washing machines that are ordinarily supplied and used for personal, domestic and household purposes irrespective of the context in which they are used. For example, the Determination applies to household clothes washing machines that are used in a commercial context. Examples of appliances covered by this Determination are both horizontal and vertical axis single bowl machines (front or top loading), twin tub units and the washing function of combination washer/dryer units. The Determination does not cover:
Clothes washing machines that have:
- a rated load capacity of less than or equal to 2 kilograms for all textile materials; - no connections to a mains water supply; and
- no pump or other means for extracting water; and
Clothes washing machines that are only capable of being used for cold wash operations and have:
- no provision for internal water heating;
- a single water connection marked only for cold water; - automatic fill control;
- no programme that indicates (directly or indirectly) that a programme other than a cold wash programme is possible;
- a user manual that explicitly states it is only suitable for cold washing operations; and
- no associated product literature that states it is suitable for anything other than cold washing operations.
Labelling and communication requirements, as well as the product performance requirements (Percentage Soil Removal and Standard Deviation; Water Consumption; Water Extraction Index; Severity of Washing Action Index; Rinse Performance; and Water Pressure) refer to the requirements stated in the Australian standard AS/NZS 2040.2:2005 (cf. next
Performance standard AS/NZS2040 for clothes washing machines
Washing machines in Australia and New Zealand are measured according to the standard: AS/NZS 2040.1:2005/Amdt. 1:2007 (Energyrating) Performance of household electrical appliances - Clothes
washing machines prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee
EL-015, Quality and Performance of Household Electrical Appliances. The AS/NZS 2040 series comprises two parts:
AS/NZS2040: Performance of household electrical appliances - Clothes washing machines Part 1: Energy Consumption and Performance
AS/NZS2040: Performance of household electrical appliances - Clothes washing machines Part 2: Energy labelling requirements
Part 1 of the standard defines the test procedures for the determination of energy consumption and performance of clothes washers in Australia. Part 2 of the standard sets out the requirements for Energy Labelling of clothes washers in Australia. An approved Energy Label for clothes washers must be displayed on all products which are offered for sale in Australia (cf. next section).
The overall objective of the AS/NZS 2040 series is to promote high levels of performance and energy efficiency in electric clothes washers. It is in some aspects (e.g. load) based on IEC 60456:1994, Electric clothes washing machines for household use-Methods for measuring the
performance. Nevertheless, it differs from IEC standard in a number of ways, as follows:
Specific minimum performance requirements for washing, spinning and severity of washing are included (these are not specified by the IEC) in Part 2;
The water hardness is specified as 0.45 mmol/litre (in IEC 60456 it is 2.5 mmol/litre); The cold water temperature is 20 °C (in IEC 60456 it is 15 °C);
A particular phosphate-based detergent is used for other than drum type machines (not specified by IEC);
Only IEC Type B phosphate-based detergent is used for drum type machines (IEC nominates two detergents, with the stated intention of deleting Type B in the future);
AS9 soil swatches are used (IEC specifies four separate soil swatches which include carbon, blood, wine and chocolate);
A mixed cotton and polyester/cotton load is used (IEC specifies only sheets, towels and pillowcases for cotton);
Each AS9 soil batch is calibrated against a reference batch (soil batch calibration is not specified by IEC);
Same laboratory reference machine is not used to normalize results (IEC specifies a Wascator reference machine to normalize results);
The water extraction (spin) index is based on bone dry mass (IEC index is based on normalized mass with a nominal 8% moisture content);
Whiteness retention test (informative) is included (not specified by IEC);
Tests for rinse performance are included in Annex N (added in Amendment 4, of August 2005, with a different method compared to IEC);
Tests for acoustical noise are not included (these are specified by IEC).
The standard AS/NZS 2040-1, Amendment No. 4, August 2005 includes Appendix N - Determination of rinse performance and Appendix O – Measurement of PBIS concentration in the supply water and extracted liquor samples.
Appendix N sets out the procedure for determining the rinse performance of a clothes washing machine, through UV spectrophotometric measurement of a chemical marker (2-phenyl-5- benzimidazole-sulfonic acid or PBIS) in the rinse liquor extracted from the wet load at the end of the programme. The test for rinse performance is carried out in conjunction with tests to determine percentage soil removal, energy and water consumption, water extraction index, and severity of washing action index in accordance with Appendices D, E, F and G respectively of the standard AS/NZS 2040-1.
Rinse performance of a washing machine is determined by measuring the mass, per kilogram of rated load, of a marker (PBIS) present in the rinse liquor that is retained in the wet load at the end of the programme. The marker, analytical grade 2-phenyl-5-benzimidazole-sulfonic acid (PBIS) with a purity of 98% or better, is dosed into the wash program in proportion to the rated load, the dosage being 100mg PBIS per kilogram of rated load. A standard percentage soil removal test is then conducted in accordance with Appendix D of AS/NZS 2040-1, using a conditioned load. At the completion of this test (following the weighing of the load) the load is placed in a spin extractor and a sample of rinse liquor recovered. A spin extractor of any size may be used for the purpose of this test provided that it can generate sufficient G force to extract from the rinsed load sufficient rinse liquor (typically 100 ml, but no more than 150 ml) for the purpose of UV spectrophotometric measurement of the extracted sample. Ideally a spin extractor that can accommodate the entire load in a single run should be used. If a smaller spin extractor is used, the entire load will need to be divided into two or more equal parts.
Using UV spectrophotometry the concentration of retained PBIS is then determined by comparison with measurements from solutions of known PBIS concentration.
The rinse performance is then determined from the concentration of PBIS in the extracted rinse liquor multiplied by the mass of retained moisture in the load measured at the end of the program. As a check on the accuracy of the dosing of PBIS, a sample of the wash liquor is also collected during the test and measured for PBIS concentration.
The rinse performance score (in mg/kg of load) is determined from the following equation: Rinse performance score
RC m Cm r
where:
Cm = concentration of PBIS found in the rinse liquor adjusted as required for the apparent
concentration of PBIS in the supply water (mg/l) mr = mass of retained moisture in the load (kg)
RC = rated load capacity claimed by the manufacturer for a normally soiled load (kg). A test is not valid unless the following criterion is met:
tot wash PBIS wash Q M PBIS 0,7 where:
PBISwash = the concentration of PBIS found in the sample of wash liquor (mg/l)
MPBIS = the dose (mass) of PBIS used in the test (mg)
Qwash tot. = the total volume of water, including any water added with the detergent, used in the initial
The procedure for measuring the concentration of PBIS in the supply water and extracted liquor samples is specified in Appendix O: the test procedure employs the measurement of the absorbance of ultraviolet light by a sample water at the absorbance maximum for PBIS (302 nm) and at a background point of 330 nm. The measurement of a background point at 330 nm enables correction for background absorbance due to turbid samples.
However, the PBIS method presents some drawbacks, e.g. it has not been investigated whether the dilution effect of freshwater on PBIS in the wash liquor and wash load is the same as the dilution effect of freshwater on the detergent ingredients. The same AS/NZ standardisation organisation is at the moment exploring the possibility of adopting different methods (cf. also section 1.2.2.1 for European standardisation activities on rinsing performance).
Energy Rating Label
The Energy Rating Label, or ERL, is a mandatory comparative Energy Label that provides consumers with product energy performance information at point-of-sale on a range of appliances. Attached to each appliance, it allows comparison between similar appliance models through a star rating of between one and six stars (the greater the number of stars, the higher the efficiency) and the annual energy consumption. Further, the label provides information about the energy use of the appliance in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year when tested to the relevant standard.
In Australia and New Zealand, clothes washers are mandatory required to display the Energy Rating Label under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act 2012. For clothes washers, the standard star rating system has a minimum of 1 star and a maximum of 6, shown in half star increments, cf. sample label in the figure below.
Figure 1.6: Australia’s Energy Rating Label for washing machines. Left: warm wash; right:
warm and cold wash; source: Australian, State and Territory and New Zealand Governments (2014c)
Different procedures and equations have been developed to rate the least efficient products at around 1 star. The Base Energy Consumption (BEC) defines the “1 star” line for particular products. An additional star is awarded when the so called Comparative Energy Consumption (CEC) of the model is reduced by a defined percentage from the BEC.
For washing machines, the Base Energy Consumption is defined as BEC = 115 x rated capacity. The energy reduction factor per star is 0.27, i.e. 27%. For example, a model that had a CEC that was 0.73 of the BEC or less would achieve 2 stars. Similar, a CEC of 0.533 (0.73 x 0.73) of the BEC or less would achieve 3 stars and so on. For clothes washers, front and top loading models are rated on the same basis. The warm wash energy consumption and a component of residual moisture (spin performance) are used to define the star rating in comparison with the BEC. Therefore a model that
has a good spin performance may get a marginally higher star rating than a model of the same capacity and CEC with a poor spin performance (Australian, State and Territory and New Zealand Governments 2014b).
The Comparative Energy Consumption of a washing machine is measured under conditions specified in an Australian and New Zealand Standard (cf. section above). Over a year, it is assumed that the washing machine is used 7 times per week (365 times per year). For clothes washers, the star rating index is also influenced by the spin performance of the machine, as it is assumed that some of the load will be put into a dryer. So the normal ratio of CEC/BEC in the Star Rating Index (SRI) equation is replaced as follows (EES 2010):
where
SRI = Star Rating Index F = 0.1;
WEI = water extraction index for the model (also called spin index); WEIref = 1.03.
WEI is usually in the range of 1.1 (maximum allowable) to about 0.55 (best on the market) and is the ratio of moisture remaining in the load compared to the bone dry mass of the test load (which is nominally the rated capacity / 1.08).
Energy Star Australia
The US Energy Star has been adopted by several countries, also by Australia. The Energy Star mark is awarded to the top 25% most energy efficient products; inter alia to washing machines (Australian, State and Territory and New Zealand Governments 2014a).
Water
Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme
WELS is the Australia's water efficiency labelling scheme that requires certain products to be registered and labelled with their water efficiency in accordance with the standard set under the national Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005. The WELS label replaces a prior voluntary water conservation rating 'AAAAA' label endorsed by the Water Services Association of Australia. The water-using WELS products are inter alia washing machines, including combination washer/dryers (Australian, State and Territory Governments 2014b).
The standard that sets out the criteria for rating the water efficiency and/or performance of each WELS product type is the Australian and New Zealand Standard AS/NZS6400:2005 "Water-efficient products - Rating and labelling". This standard is the basis for the star ratings and water consumption and flow displayed on the WELS label.
The average total water consumption for washing machines is determined by testing three models on a programme recommended to wash a normally soiled cotton load at the rated load capacity of the machine. The water efficiency rating is determined by using a formula derived from the total water consumption. Other tests performed include soil removal, water extraction, severity of wash and rinse performance. These tests have performance thresholds which must be met in order for the product to be registered and labelled (Australian, State and Territory Governments 2014a): Combined washer-dryer machines may use water to dry loads. Since 1 November 2011 it has been mandatory for combined washer-dryers registered after that date to carry a WELS label stating the water usage of the dryer function.
Minimum Water efficiency Standards (WES)
Washing machines also have minimum water efficiency standards (WES): Washing machines with a capacity of 5 kg or more must rate at least 3 stars, while those with a capacity of less than 5 kg must rate at least 2.5 stars (Australian, State and Territory Governments 2014b). The minimum Water Efficiency Standard (WES) for washing machines came into effect on 1 November 2011.