The IFA Berlin, on of the worlds biggest appliances fairs is coming to an end today. And how about sustainability in the latest offerings. Not bad in general, all major manufactures spend time on it and if you compare the offerings with those of 15 year ago you see much is gained since then. 50-70% of energy reduction and the same counts for water consumption in washing machines and dishwashers.
In respect to dishwashers I recall a friend saying she believed not much is gained in real energy consumption reduction since her kids put after every drink their glasses in the dishwasher. In the past, when dishes were washed by hand, they did the whole day with their glass. But that is an other topic and I refer you to one of the videos where Prof Casper Boks talks on design for sustainable change.
Back to the IFA. Panasonic made a good impression on their philosophy on sustainability. They have the mission to become the No.1 Green company by 2015. And that should be achieved by designing products that “add value to users’ lives, while reducing the impact on the environment”. It seems they and I are of the same mind. Words are of course just words so do we see results in their product offerings compared with the competition in the European market?
Washing machines
Panasonics offerings in Europe, front loaders are the common models, are 10% more energy efficient and 25% more efficient in water consumption than the next competiton AEG. 0.8kwh compared to 0.89kwh for one cotton cycle and 45 versus 57 liter of water. I was shocked to see the poor results of Miele, considered the Rolls under the appliances, with 0.91kwh and 64 liter of water for a machine that costs over 2000 euro! Or 4 times as much. Siemens and Bosch did even worse with 1.05kwh or 20% than Panasonic, but with better water consumption, 42 liter.
Fridges
Not so good here. The 315 liter fridge including freezer part (90L) consumers 249 kWh per year but comparable 300 liter fridge/freezers of Bosch and Siemens (both 90L freezers) consume only 149 kWh so 100 kWh per per year or 40% less (would mean about 20€ per year on energy) And the Bosch or Siemens cost half the price of a Panasonic with the same steel front looks and functionality there I cannot see the sustainable value.
42" HD-TV, 100Hz
Panasonic TX-LF42E30, 677 euro, uses 102W in on and 0.3 in standby mode, an average of 151kWh a year, calculated with 4 hrs watching per day. There next model in 42" the Viera will have better efficiency with 62W in on-mode.
LG 42LW650S, 716 euro, needs 96.8W in on and only 0.1W in standby totaling 142W per year
Philip 42PFL7606H, 789 euro, does best energy efficiency wise with 59W and 0.14W in standby but higher in a year calculation 87W per year. 20% lower than Panasonic and still better than the next model Panasonic, the Viera.
Concluding: Maybe Panasonic didn’t introduce their most energy efficient product yet in Europe but except for washing, they are still far of from the best. Just in general it are not necessary the brands with the traditional best image on quality that do best in efficiency. Panasonic has nice defined ambitions but doesn’t deliver yet. This is of course a snap shot in time, september 5th 2012, but I compared comparable models and the best in class. Using sites vergelijk.nl and kieskeurig.nl, thus the dutch market
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