The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has approved more stringent Energy Star criteria for clothes washers and water heaters and has expanded the categories of compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) under the Energy Star label.

The requirements for clothes washers carrying the Energy Star label will take effect in two phases. In order to qualify, clothes washers must be a minimum of 43 percent more efficient than current federal energy efficiency standards with a maximum Water Factor (WF) of 7.5, as of July 1, 2009. As of Jan. 1, 2011, clothes washers must be a minimum of 59 percent more efficient with a maximum WF of 6.0. WF measures the water efficiency and is calculated as gallons of water used per cubic foot of capacity. The lower the WF, the more efficient the clothes washer.

Following the 2011 criteria change for clothes washers, consumers are expected to save $120 million on utility bills annually, 11.2 billion gallons of water, and 659 million kilowatt hours of electricity. Current Energy Star-qualified clothes washers use 75 percent less energy than clothes washer models manufactured in 1980. The Energy Star criteria for clothes washers, last modified in January 2007, were drafted with input from stakeholders and public review and comment.

For the first time, the following five categories of residential water heaters will be eligible for an Energy Star label: high-performance gas storage, whole-home gas tankless, advanced drop-in or integrated heat pump, solar, and gas condensing.

The new criteria for high-performance gas storage water heaters will also take effect in two phases. The first phase goes into effect Jan. 1, 2009, and requires gas storage water heaters to have a minimum Energy Factor (EF) of 0.62, or they must be 6.9 percent more efficient than the Federal Standard. The Energy Factor is a measurement of relative energy efficiency for a water heater; the higher the Energy Factor, the more energy efficient the water heater. A 50-gal. high-performance gas storage water heater that meets the new Energy Star criteria, for example, is estimated to yield annual savings of 7.3 percent and annually save $26 using the national average gas rate. Effective Sept. 1, 2010, phase two requires the EF to increase to 0.67, or 15.5 percent more efficient than the federal standard, resulting in annual savings of 14 percent and $51 for a single high-performance gas storage water heater.

Taking effect Jan. 1, 2009, whole-home gas tankless water heaters must have a minimum EF of 0.82, minimum gallons-per-minute flow of 2.5 at a 77 DegF rise, or be 41.4 percent more efficient than the current federal standard. A whole-home gas tankless water heater with a 0.82 EF is expected to achieve a 30 percent reduction in energy use and save a consumer approximately $108 in annual energy costs compared to a typical gas storage water heater.

Energy Star criteria for residential drop-in or integrated heat pump water heaters require a minimum EF of 2.0 or must be 121.2 percent more efficient than the federal standard, and a minimum First-Hour Rating requirement of 50 gal.-per-hour, effective Jan. 1, 2009. Under these criteria, a heat pump water heater is expected to save consumers nearly 55 percent in energy use and yield annual energy savings of approximately $277 compared to a typical electric resistance water heater.

Effective Jan. 1, 2009, solar water heaters must have at a minimum Solar Fraction of 0.5 and OG-300 certification from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) in order to carry the Energy Star label. An OG-300 certified solar water heater with a 0.5 Solar Fraction and a fifty-gallon electric storage auxiliary water heater would achieve a Solar Energy Factor of 1.8, saving 50 percent in energy use and annual savings of $180, compared to a typical electric storage water heater.

To qualify for the Energy Star label, residential gas condensing water heaters must have an EF of 0.8, which is 37.9 percent more efficient than the federal standard, and a minimum First-Hour Rating of 67 gallons-per-hour. Under these criteria, taking effect Jan. 1, 2009, a 50-gal. water heater would save nearly 30 percent in energy consumption and result in $102 in annual energy savings compared to the conventional typical gas storage water heater.

CFL products under the Energy Star label, which include new categories for CFLs that contain less mercury, new candelabra products and more rigorous testing procedures, are expected to save about $30 billion in utility costs over the next five years. The DOE has set the limits of mercury that a CFL can contain to less than 5 milligrams for most bulbs. The agency has incorporated a third-party testing program for all bulbs effective in November 2008, and tightened lamp color requirements, and added high-heat testing requirements for reflector products. Revised Energy Star criteria for CFLs takes effect Dec. 2, 2008. The criteria for CFLs were last updated in 2003.

BANNING DISPOSALS. In an effort to prevent and minimize sewer overflows, the Raleigh City Council voted to ban new or replacement garbage disposal units from being installed or connected to the city’s sanitary sewer system. The owners of functional garbage disposals may continue to use the appliances. Raleigh averages 48 to 50 sewer overflows annually, and city officials claim that roughly 40 percent of these overflows are directly caused by food and grease being placed in the sewer system. Makers of garbage disposals lobbied against the ban, saying the appliances should not be singled out as the only source of sewer grease. Executives from InSinkErator said that garbage disposers are good for the environment because they reduce the amount of waste going to landfills.

SEARS SELLS MORE. Sears Holdings said it plans to sell appliances in more of its Kmart stores and would open more dealer stores this year. Sears Holdings, based in Hoffman Estates, Ill., said it “will continue to explore opportunities to profitably cross-merchandise products and services” between its Kmart and Sears stores, according to a Reuters report. The company plans to continue rolling out home appliances, such as those in its Kenmore brand, to more Kmart stores. Appliances accounted for about 15 percent of company revenues during fiscal 2007. In 2007, 280 Kmart stores sold major home appliances, which is up from about 100 stores in 2005. The company said it opened 40 dealer stores during fiscal 2007, and would open more in rural and urban areas this year. Sears has 857 dealer stores, which sell appliances, electronics, lawn and garden equipment, hardware and car batteries.

GE's Global Research Center demonstrates first roll-to-roll manufactured OLED.

ROLL-TO-ROLL OLEDS. GE Global Research, the centralized research organization of General Electric, and GE Consumer & Industrial, demonstrated what it called the world’s first roll-to-roll manufactured organic light-emitting diode (OLED) lighting device. This demonstration is a key step toward producing OLEDs and other organic electronic products at dramatically lower costs, the company says. The demonstration completes a four-year, $13 million research collaboration among GE Global Research, Energy Conversion Devices Inc. and the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. GE researchers provided the organic electronics technology and were responsible for developing the roll-to-roll processes, while ECD provided its roll-to-roll equipment-building expertise to build the machine that manufactures the OLED devices. The machine is being utilized for further manufacturing research at GE’s Global Research Center in Niskayuna, N.Y.

ELDERLY WANT TECHNOLOGY. Two new reports find that older adults want to use technology so they can age safely in their home, but cost is a concern. A report from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) identified a willingness to try technology like home security services, sensors to detect falls and devices to regulate temperature, lights and appliances. But, cost remains a factor with 75 percent of caregivers and 80 percent of those 65 years old and older willing to pay $50 or less per month for the service. There is also a conflicting perspective between caregivers and those likely to need care. People 65-plus report a high willingness to use technology, but more than eight in 10 caregivers believe they would have some, or a great deal of difficulty convincing those they care for to adopt the technology.

A separate report from the Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) details five categories of technologies that can ease the burden of care giving, including: sensors; health technologies such as blood pressure monitors; medication dispensers; and computer games that provide social networking, brain stimulation and can monitor cognitive abilities through the use of diagnostic games.

SAMSUNG GETS CLAIRVOYANTE. Samsung Electronics has acquired the IP assets of Clairvoyante, Cupertino, Calif., an IP licensing company responsible for the development of PenTile subpixel rendering display technology and associated gamut mapping algorithms. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. After the acquisition of IP assets, Clairvoyante will be dissolved. A new entity, Nouvoyance, has been formed. It will be led by Candice Brown Elliott, a founder of Clairvoyante, and staffed with the Clairvoyante engineers.

The iRobot Verro 500 pool cleaning robot.

ROBOT GETS FILTERED. iRobot Corp., Burlington, Mass., has expanded its iRobot Verro Pool Cleaning Robot line. Verro robots now come equipped with an internal filtration system that removes debris and particles as small as two microns  from pool surfaces and water, providing a cleaner and healthier pool. Three robots are being offered, including two new models, the Verro 100 Pool Cleaning Robot and the Verro 500 Pool Cleaning Robot. The Verro 100 is designed specifically to clean above ground pools, while the Verro 500 is designed to clean in-ground pools.

SATELLITE MERGER. The U.S. Department of Justice has approved Sirius Satellite Radio’s $5 billion buyout of rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings. The transaction was approved without conditions, despite opposition from consumer groups and a lobbying campaign by the land-based radio industry. The combination still requires approval from the Federal Communications Commission. The buyout received shareholder approval in November. The companies said the merger will save hundreds of millions of dollars in operating costs. The FCC had no comment on the decision, but had opposed such a possibility when the satellite radio operating licenses were granted in 1997. If the deal is approved, the companies have said they would offer pricing plans ranging from $6.99 per month, for 50 channels offered by one service, up to $16.99 a month, where subscribers would keep their existing service plus choose channels offered by the other service.

BIG LIGHT, LITTLE BULB.  Luxim, Sunnyvale, Calif., has developed a light source that emits full spectrum light with a luminous efficacy of 144 lumens per watt, almost twice the efficacy of other full spectrum sources, according to the company. The bulb uses no electrodes, but instead contains argon gas and metal halides that form a light-emitting plasma when subjected to a high-energy electric field. Target markets for the technology include projection display, architectural lighting, retail and theatrical lighting, and applications in medical and analytical instruments.

HAIER PLANS GROWTH. The China-based Haier Group expects its overseas sales to grow by 50 percent annually in the next three to five years as the company explores new markets in Africa and Latin America. That forecast growth does not take into account possible overseas acquisitions and would outpace the group’s overall sales growth, but not by a big margin. Haier’s overseas sales grew 25.8 percent last year to $4.1 billion, accounting for one-fourth of the group's total revenue of $16.2 billion. Haier has set up operations in more than 30 countries and employs more than 50,000 workers.

WHIRLPOOL’S CHINA RETAILER. Whirlpool of Benton Harbor, Mich., has granted exclusive distributing rights to Suning, the second largest home appliance retailer in China. Whirlpool will initially sell eight series of air conditioners at 200 of the 600 Suning chain stores. The first store to sell Whirlpool products is Suning’s flagship store in Shanghai. Whirlpool plans to sell mid-range priced products in China.

ONEIDA SIGNS AGREEMENT. Oneida Ltd., the Oneida, N.Y., based manufacturer of tabletops, kitchen appliances and other merchandise, has signed a licensing agreement with Greystone Brands Ltd. Under the terms of the agreement, Greystone will license the Oneida brand for use in marketing a wide range of small electrics products for home kitchen use. Greystone Brands is a marketer of kitchen and personal care electrics. The company recently entered into a licensing agreement with Bugatti brands. The Oneida-branded products are expected to be available in the market in the fourth quarter of 2008.

INDESIT IN TURKEY. Italy’s Indesit, one of Europe’s largest household appliance manufacturers, will launch its new brand “Hotpoint-Ariston” in Turkey before marketing it globally. Hotpoint-Ariston is a dual brand concept created by Indesit after the acquisition of Hotpoint, a U.K. brand. Last year, Indesit reached 3.5 billion Euro of global sales and achieved 105 million Euro of net profit. The company has carved out a 15 percent share in the  European market, a record for the company, and plans to invest 40 to 50 million Euro in Turkey between 2009 and 2010.

HUSQVARNA BUYS JENN FENG. Husqvarna, the Sweden-based maker of garden and construction equipment has signed a deal to buy the outdoors products division of Jenn Feng Co. Ltd. in Taiwan. Husqvarna gave no financial details of the deal, but said that the division of Jenn Feng being bought had sales of around $120 million in 2007, around half of which were in Europe. Jenn Feng makes chainsaws and trimmers for the consumer market and also makes lawn mowers, high-pressure washers and generators. It also gives Husqvarna rights to the McCulloch brand in the North American market. Husqvarna already has the rights to the McCulloch brand in the rest of the world.

UL ISSUES NOM MARK. Underwriters Laboratories (UL), of Northbrook, Ill., is the first third party provider to issue the Normas Oficiales Mexicanas (NOM) Mark for Mexico. The product certification mark was issued to a global electronics manufacturing customer entering the Mexican market. UL says it worked closely with the government of Mexico to obtain accreditation as a third-party product certification organization to help manufacturers speed the entry of their products into the Mexican market. Mexico is the world’s 13th largest economy.

There are nearly 2,000 product categories — ranging from household appliances to electronics — that must undergo mandatory testing to the NOM standards by a nationally accredited body. Until recently, companies worked directly with the Mexican government to test and certify products. To quicken this process, UL established subcontracted test data exchange agreements with testing laboratories in Mexico. The agreements allow UL to conduct NOM testing that can be accepted and used to generate a valid test report. Essentially, products can be tested in the U.S. for multiple marks, including the NOM, with results verified by a laboratory in Mexico, which means less product shipping, less management and faster time to market.

AIRWAVE AUCTION. The FCC has auctioned off blocks of airwaves, including the consumer friendly “C” block that are considered the best part of the airwaves. Two companies, AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless combined to account for $16 billion of the $19.6 billion bid in the auction, according to the Associated Press analysis of FCC data. Verizon Wireless bid $9.4 billion and captured a lions’ share of the C block airwaves. AT&T bid $6.6 billion to win 227 licenses. While no other companies won licenses that would allow them to establish a nationwide system, 99 bidders did win 754 more localized licenses. The results raised concern that the auction failed to attract any significant new competitors to the cellular telephone market to challenge the dominant companies. For example, Google Inc. was not among the winners, meaning the search engine giant will not be entering the wireless business.

Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. and British telecom giant Vodafone Group PLC, won nearly every license in the “C block.” The frequencies, which encompass about one-third of the spectrum at auction, are thought to be ideal for mobile Web access because they can travel long distances and pass through walls and other barriers. The licenses are subject to “open access” provisions, which mean that people on the network can use whatever phones or software they wish. Verizon Wireless won enough of the C-block licenses to cover every state but Alaska.

Bids for “D” block airwaves, those set aside for public safety, fell short of the FCC’s minimum required bid of $1.3 billion. The FCC separated those airwaves from the rest of the auction and will reconsider ways to license them.

RIDING ON PROPANE. Researchers at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) say switching to propane to fuel lawnmowers can help reduce emissions caused by gasoline-powered lawnmowers. To determine the effectiveness of propane-fueled mowing equipment, PERC and the University of Tennessee plan to conduct a two-year comparative study of the benefits of propane-fueled riding mowers. The study will monitor the lawnmowers’ emissions, as well as performance, efficiency and operation costs. Evaluation parameters include mower performance at several cutting heights and speeds. Each mower will operate between five and eight hours per day for at least five days per week during the study.

DELPHI REALIGNS SHARE. As part of its restructuring efforts to reduce its compressor business cost structure and strengthen its global footprint, Delphi Corp. has realigned its share holdings in two compressor joint ventures with Japan-based Calsonic Kansei Corp. Delphi purchased the remaining 10 percent venture shares of Delphi Calsonic Hungary Ltd. from Calsonic Kansei Europe PLC. And, it its remaining 49 percent shares in its Japan-based venture, Calsonic Harrison Co. Ltd. to Calsonic Kansei. The dissolution of the two joint ventures will help the company to become more focused and cost competitive on a global basis. The Hungary-based venture manufactures compact variable compressors (CVC).

BATTERY RECYCLING DEAL. The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corp. has partnered with Fastenal, operators of stores selling industrial and construction supplies. Customers at more than 1,900 Fastenal stores throughout the U.S. can recycle rechargeable batteries and cell phones by dropping them off in designated Call2Recycle collection boxes. The rechargeable batteries collected will then be sent back to RBRC’s recycling facility for proper disposal at no cost to the consumer, or to Fastenal.

ITW A STAR. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy named ITW Food Equipment Group–North America (ITW FEG) as the 2008 Energy Start Partner of the Year – Product Manufacturer. ITW FEG is the only commercial foodservice equipment manufacturer to receive the 2008 Energy Star Partner of the Year award. ITW companies including Hobart, Stero, Vulcan, Traulsen, and Wittco contributed its efforts in designing and manufacturing products that earn the Energy Star label. Currently, commercial foodservice products in six categories can earn the Energy Star: fryers, hot-food holding cabinets, commercial solid-door refrigerators and freezers, commercial steam cookers, commercial dishwashers and commercial icemakers. Qualified products can save up to as much as 50 percent over their conventional counterparts.

HAIER IN INDIA. Haier Appliances India, the wholly owned subsidiary of China-based Haier Group Corp., is planning to acquire brands and companies in India as part of its growth strategy. In 2007, Haier entered into a joint venture with Sanyo of Japan to sell refrigerators under the Sanyo brand in Asia. Haier India has been able to garner 2 percent of the Indian durable market since its debut in 2004. To establish its hold, the company is trying to replicate its international business strategy of acquiring brands and facilities to drive growth. Haier’s new approach includes consolidating its dealership and distribution network, upgrading products and entering new segments. The company recently launched a new range of air conditioner comprising 16 split AC models and nine window AC models along with nine new refrigerator models in frost-free and direct-cool categories.

WIRELESS MEDICAL SECURE. Some medical devices such as implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers are now equipped with wireless technology, allowing for remote device checks and freeing patients from repeated doctor visits. But, this convenience may come with unanticipated risks. A team of researchers from three universities has demonstrated that patients’ private medical information could be extracted and their devices reprogrammed without the patients’ authorization or knowledge. The researchers say there has not been a reported case of a patient with an implantable cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker being targeted by hackers. The study was led by two computer scientists, Tadayoshi Kohno of the University of Washington and Kevin E. Fu of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and cardiologist Dr. William H. Maisel of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School.

Clariant Masterbatches Chip Cube.

GET COLOR. What colors will appeal to consumers next year? To help answer that question, Clariant Masterbatches has released the 2009 edition of ColorForward, a color trend analysis and design tool. The 2009 edition focuses on four key societal trends: Grow Your Own Future, which looks at consumers and their feelings about the environment; Global Repositioning, which looks at cross-cultural connections; Duality, which considers how consumers often have multiple facets of their own personality; and Mosaic, which reflects the intermingling of ideas and ethnic influences while retaining unique cultural roots. Once the societal and mass-market concepts were identified, the ColorForward team considered how these ideas are likely to play out in color. They identified 20 colors, four basic colors and one effect color for each of the four societal and lifestyle trends. The 2009 edition is the first ColorForward release to include special effects that incorporate non-color ingredients that add sparkle, reflectivity, depth and other qualities to enhance the base color.

Electrolux Inspiro oven.

COOKING ON AUTO. Electrolux of Sweden is launching the “Inspiro” oven that uses a heat management technique designed to automatically select the right heating mode based on the food items to be cooked. Rather than just measuring the air temperature with a thermometer and regulating it with a thermostat, the way a conventional oven operates, Inspiro uses sensors and electronic controls to calculate what combination of heating modes (top, bottom, side, hot air, grill) are required, and the precise combination of heat and time needed to bring the food to the correct temperature. When the sequence is complete, the oven automatically shuts off and alerts the user.

SOLAR WASHER. Italy’s Rex Electrolux introduced a new clothes washer that runs with water heated by solar energy. Sunny, as the washer is called, has special programs that use water from the hot water circuit without turning on the heating element. The washer has a double input supply hose for hot and cold water, so it can be installed in houses and apartments where the water is heated by thermal solar panels. The washer can also be heated by boilers fueled by methane gas, pellets, or other fuel sources, as long as a second hot water tap is available. This solution can reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent. Electrolux has teamed with Australia-based Solahart, makers of solar hot water systems to promote the product.

HEALTH IN THE HOME. The digital health industry still faces formidable challenges in convincing private insurers to adopt home health-monitoring technologies, according to a new study. However, vendors can overcome insurer resistance by providing independently verifiable trial results and further education regarding the benefits of home health monitoring technologies, according to “Private Insurance and Digital Health Solutions,” a new study by Parks Associates. The new Parks Associates study outlines ten recommendations for vendors to strengthen home health monitoring technologies’ visibility and value proposition, including providing independently verifiable trial results, gaining recognition from the medical community, and presenting a practical plan that will prevent over-utilization of the technology.

RESPIRONICS ACQUIRED. The $5.1 billion acquisition of Respironics, Murrysville, Pa., by Royal Philips Electronics was approved by the European Union. The approval by U.S. regulators was granted in January. Respironics is expected to be headquartered in Murrysville and be run by Respironics’ top five operating executives, led by CEO John Miclot. Respironics manufactures sleep therapy products and breathing-aid devices.

Meetings

May
Green West Expo & Conference 2008
May 20-22, Los Angeles, Calif.
Contact: 310/984-6919
Email: info@GreenWestExpo.com
Website: www.GreenWestExpo.com

Rapid 2008 Conference & Exposition
May 20-22, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Contact: 800/733-4763
Email: service@sme.org
Website: www.sme.org/rapid

June
PLASTEC East
June 3-5, New York, N.Y.
Contact: 310/445-4200
Email: pleinfo@cancom.com
Website: www.devicelink.com/expo

Sensors Expo & Conference 2008
June 9-11, Rosemont, Ill.
Contact: 800/748-5045
Website: www.sensorsexpo.com

Quality Expo Detroit
June 11-12, Novi, Mich.
Contact: 310/445-4200
Email: feedback@devicelink.com
Website: www.devicelink.com/expo/canonqualityshows/quality_detroit.html

ASHRAE Annual Meeting
June 21-25, Salt Lake City, Utah
Contact: 404/636-8400
E-mail: jyoung@ashrae.org
Website: www.ashrae.org

July
2008 Annual Product Safety & Liability Conference
July 24-25, Milwaukee, Wis
Contact: 262/594-5198
Email: rgoodden@ipslp.com
Website: http://randallgoodden.com

August
Product Safety & Product Liability Prevention Seminar
Aug. 13-14, Seattle Wash.
Contact: 262/594-5198
Email: rgoodden@ipslp.com
Website: http://randallgoodden.com

IFA 2008
Aug. 29 - Sept. 3, Berlin, Germany
email: ifa@messe-berlin.de
www.ifa-berlin.com

September
IMTS 2008
Sept. 8-13, Chicago, Ill.
Contact: 800/828-7469
Email: AMT@amtonline.org
Website: www.amtonline.org

Powder Coating Forum
Sept. 10-11, Cleveland, Ohio
Contact: (888) 530-6714
Website: www.pcimag.com/pcforum

2008 IDSA National Conference & Expo
Sept. 10-13, Phoenix, Ariz.
Contact: 703/707-6000
Email: gigit@idsa.org
Website: www.idsa.org

Thermoforming Conference 2008
Sept. 21-24, Minneapolis, Minn.
Contact: 203/775-0471
Email: conferences@4spe.org
Website: www.4spe.org

Coating 2008
Sept. 22-25, Indianapolis, Ind.
Contact: 513/624-9988
E-mail: lmuck@one.net
Website: www.thecoatingshow.com

AHR Expo Mexico
Sept. 23-25, Mexico City, Mexico
Contact: 203/221-9232
Website: www.ahrexpomex.com

National Manufacturing Week
Sept. 23-25, Rosemont, Ill.
Contact: 203/601-3732
Email: nmwinfo@cancom.com
Website: www.devicelink.com/expo

Assembly Expo
Sept. 23-25, Rosemont, Ill.
Contact: 203/601-3734
Email: feedback@devicelink.com
Website: www.devicelink.com/expo

Electronics Assembly Show
Sept. 23-25, Rosemont, Ill.
Contact: 310/445-4200
Website: www.devicelink.com/expo

Medical Design & Manufacturing
Sept. 23-25, Rosemont, Ill.
Contact: 310/445-4200
Website: www.devicelink.com/expo

National Coil Coating Association Technical Meeting
Sept. 23-26, New Orleans, La.
Contact: 216/241–7333
Email: ncca@coilcoating.org
Website: www.coilcoating.org

Polyurethanes 2008 Technical Conference
Sept. 29-Oct. 1, San Antonio, Texas
Contact: 703/741-5103
Website: www.polyurethane.org