I agree with munter.
The system GBD proposes, while excellent in and of itself, would be very costly to implement and might confuse people too much.
Buying a washing machine would then be like buying a new computer, and who really understands the jargon used in that industry????
I'd like to see dishwashers receive an additional rating that would more accurately demonstrate to the prospective purchaser the difference in energy and water efficiency of using the dishwasher alone, OR using the dshwasher when one also has to use the sink anyway.
It's my belief that dishwashers, while they might save a modicum of labour, are, effectively, just a "wet cupboard" in which householders hide dirty dishes so that their kitchen looks clean.
Here's the rationale:
- based on my experience assessing homes for energy and water consumption, MOST people find they have to fill the sink with water at least once a day, to wash the stuff that won't go into or doesn't fit into the dishwasher
Ergo: fitting a dishwasher uses MORE water than just using the sink.
- most modern dishwashers have ONLY a cold water inlet, therefore they also have an electric element to heat the water
Ergo: they are NOT energy efficient, as most homes have hot water stored for use,
and in homes with solar HW this is actually a contradiction in terms of energy
consumption reduction efforts
The "argument" used by the manufacturers to validate their fitting of cold-only inlet and electric heating element is that they are managing the "risk" of "unregulated hot water temps" which in the past have damaged their poor sensitive equipment.
In other words, avoiding the cost of warranty claims!!
The solution is simple: now that the BCA requires a temperature regulation device for shower, bath and basin, simply add "dishwasher" to the list and manufacturers can then rely on "regulated water temps."
Getting rid of that energy hungry (and in my view TOTALLY wasteful) electric element from inside dishwashers should be a priority.
Simply regulate that a "tempering device" must be fitted to ALL dishwashers, and get industry to make it specific that WARRANTY is invalid if one is NOT fitted and the need for the element would soon be gone.
Then, for those who INSIST on owning a dishwasher, at least they could be water and energy friendly without any need for effort on their part, poor dears.
Personally I'd ban the bloody things. My gran managed without one for 80-odd years, and I've never used one, even when I lived in a rented house that contained one.
They are a "wigwam for a goose's bridle" as my grandfather used to say - ie: useless and/or a waste of space and resources. IMHO. 
Posted Friday 30 Apr 2010 @ 12:56:08 am from IP
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