Just about everyone is looking to reduce energy consumption. Whether it’s to lower utility bills or environmental impact concerns, reducing energy use remains a high priority in many households. The primary culprits contributing to increased energy usage in most homes are air conditioning/heating equipment and water heating, followed by appliances, lighting and television/media equipment.
With January 10th marked as National Cut Your Energy Costs Day – a day to increase awareness of the importance of energy efficiency – let’s look at some consumer brands making homes more efficient this winter.
When it comes to saving on energy costs, most homeowners focus on the furnace and how it operates – and rightfully so. Optimizing the amount of heated air that fills the home while cutting down on how often the furnace cycles on and off is one way to manage energy bills. Smart thermostats such as the Google Nest by Alphabet Inc. (Tii:GOOG) are designed to provide hands-off control of thermostat programming. On the HVAC manufacturing side, Lennox Residential, a division of Lennox International Inc. (Tii:LII) boasts some of the quietest and most efficient units on the market, the first ultra-low emissions furnace, and hospital-grade air filtration. Most of the company’s units come with fully digital user interfaces that give homeowners easy-to-use control of their home’s environment.
A recent Whirlpool Corporation (Tii:WHR) study of more than 19,000 people across ten countries found that consumers value innovations that use less energy (40%) and have a lower carbon footprint (35%), followed by saving money (32%) or time (26%). With a portfolio of appliance brands that include Kitchen-Aid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, and Indesit, many of the company’s products carry the ENERGY STAR designation, a government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. Whirlpool’s ENERGY STAR products include refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, dishwashers and more.
Whirlpool shareholders are eligible for a STOCK PERK to receive exclusive discounts from the Whirlpool family of brands.
Traditional water heaters are notoriously inefficient – to which many homeowners can attest. Named one of “America’s Most Responsible Companies 2022” by Newsweek, Watts Water Technologies, Inc. (Tii:WTS) is a leading global manufacturer of plumbing, heating, and water quality products and solutions for residential, industrial, municipal, and commercial use. Its portfolio of products includes high-efficiency boilers and water heaters, floor heating and snow melting systems. Despite supply chain disruptions, sales for the company’s third quarter increased 18% to $455 million.
According to the US Department of Energy, lighting accounts for around 15% of an average home’s electricity use, and the average household saves about $225 in energy costs per year by using light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. General Electric Company (Tii:GE) manufactures a line of energy-efficient and long-lasting LED lightbulbs, including smart lights, grow lights for plants, and even mood lighting. On the home entertainment front, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Tii:SSNLF), Sony Group Corporation (Tii:SONY) and VIZIO Holding Corp. (Tii:VZIO) all manufacture ENERGY STAR certified HDTVs. These televisions are, on average, 25% more energy-efficient than conventional models.
Energy efficiency has gone from a cost-saving move to an environmental imperative. As more consumer purchases and investments are made with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations, energy efficiency is likely to become the norm – and that’s a good thought for National Cut Your Energy Costs Day.