DOE Publishes NOI for Commercial Clothes Washers Energy and Water Conservation Standards

On March 4, 2014 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a notice of proposed rulemaking and a public meeting related to new energy conservation standards for commercial clothes washers. The public meeting will be held on Monday, April 21, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Easter Standard Time, in Washington, DC. The meeting will also be broadcast as a webinar for those who cannot attend in person.

Public comments on the rulemaking may be provided through May 5, 2014. All pertinent information can be found on the DOE Rulemaking for Commercial Clothes Washers Energy Conservation Standard page, including instructions on how to register for the public meeting webinar.

The current standards for commercial clothes washers went into effect on January 8, 2013. The proposed standards are the same until January 2015. After January 1, 2015 differing standards would go into effect for commercial clothes washers:

Note the proposed standards use “integrated water factor” as the terminology and the existing standards use “water factor.”  According to 10 CFR 430, Subpart B, Appendix J2:

“Water factor means the quotient of the total weighted per-cycle water consumption for cold wash divided by the cubic foot (or liter) capacity of the clothes washer.”

“Integrated water factor means the quotient of the total weighted per-cycle water consumption for all wash cycles in gallons divided by the cubic foot (or liter) capacity of the clothes washer.”