ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY BEATS PRICE

Australian householders ranked energy star rating more important than price or brand when buying a new refrigerator, freezer or clothes
dryer, according to ABS’ Energy Use and Conservation survey, released last month.

Water efficiency rating was ranked first for washing machines, although price was ranked the most important factor when buying a heater.

This compares with a previous survey in 2002, when price was generally the most important factor when choosing white goods.

Some of the other key findings in the survey were:

• The number of households with air-conditioning or evaporative cooling more than doubled between 1994 and 2008 – from almost a third (32%) to two-thirds of households (67%).

• The proportion of households using solar energy increased by 60% between 2002 and 2008 (from 5% to 8%). Most of this was for solar hot water.

• Leading states for solar hot water were the Northern Territory and Western Australia, where it was used by 54% and 21% of households respectively.

• Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Australian households used cold water in washing machines, an increase from 61% in 1994.

• Almost one in five households with an LCD TV had two or more of this type of TV.

For further information, see the publication Environmental Issues: Energy Use and Conservation (cat. no. 4602.0.55.001) released 28 November on the ABS website or contact Kay Barney, (02) 6252 6766 or email k.barney@abs.gov.au