A life cycle assessment of a refrigerator shows that more than three-fourths of the total environmental impact occurs during use, in the form of electricity consumption and related carbon dioxide emissions.

Water efficiency also has an impact on energy efficiency. The US EPA states that water heating accounts for 19 percent of home energy use. If 20% of U.S. homes used high efficiency clothes washers, national energy savings could be enough to supply the needs of over one million homes.

A similar analysis of the total life cycle cost shows that electricity expenses exceed the initial purchase price. The pattern becomes even clearer when we chart life cycle impact and cost of an average washing machine (see diagram to the right).

For the customer, choosing an appliance with enhanced environmental performance brings long-term savings. For Electrolux, it means there is a competitive advantage in making consumers aware of the correlation.

Professional products

What is true for the household user is also true for the professional user—only more so. Professional appliances are usually used extensively; for at least eight hours a day and often up to 20 years. As a result, lifetime operating costs often exceed the initial purchase price, and efficiency represents substantial savings. It is a natural part of business for a professional customer to calculate an appliance's total life cycle cost. That makes environmental performance a paramount interest, whether for a hotel chain, a restaurant or shared laundry facilities in an apartment building.