Going green isn’t just a fringe movement anymore. As the prices of electricity and water continue to climb, people are actively seeking out ways to make their world more sustainable. This includes building owners who want to save serious cash on utilities.
Many people automatically assume that energy-efficient laundry equipment is synonymous with “bad laundry results.” This may have been true in the 90s, but it’s no longer the case. Energy efficiency and fresh laundry now go hand-in-hand.
So, how can you make your place more earth-friendly? It’s not just about encouraging people to do less laundry. Part of making your building’s laundry room sustainable deals with knowing what kind of equipment you have at your fingertips.
What are the biggest trends in sustainable laundry equipment?
Whether it’s home laundry equipment or shopping for laundry equipment for business purposes, there are a lot of new tech trends that you can use to cut down your resource use. These are the most popular ones on the market.
Energy Star® Machines
When it comes to home laundry equipment, one of the most reliable certifications is Energy Star. An Energy Star-certified laundry machine will use 25 percent less water and 33 percent less electricity than a standard washing machine.
If you see this certification, then you can rest assured that you will be able to save some serious money on your laundry batches. Homeowners should absolutely look at this government-backed certification.
It’s worth noting that there are Energy Star-certified professional-grade machines too. However, they max out at 3.5 cubic feet, so this might not be big enough for your operation.
Wash Cycle Customization
In the past, washing machines had a certain standardized process they would put all clothing through. This would involve a quick pre-wash, a standard spin cycle, and (maybe) a specific rinse. Ho-hum, right?
Wash cycles used to be set in stone, but sometimes, you just want a quick spin and rinse. Or maybe you need the full shebang. Either way, machines are starting to let people pick and choose what cycles they use.
If you’re a business owner, you need to consider this option. It gives your clients more freedom and also makes it easier for you to save on your utility bills.
Smart Washing Machines/Smart Dryers
If you want to opt for a state-of-the-art machine, then you might want to check out smart washing machines. These machines come with built-in computer systems that can do all of the following:
Alter how much water heating your machine does according to the temperature in your room. This can make it possible to shave off energy consumption and also reduce the time it takes to clean your clothing.
Alter how long your dryer takes according to the clothing material. Moisture sensors are super-sensitive these days. Some commercial laundromat equipment will even have sensors that measure out the weight of items in your dryer to help maximize the dryer’s barrel rotation too.
Prevent overheating and overdrying with temperature sensors. Yes, we all love the toasty feeling of freshly-dried laundry, but there’s a certain point where you can have too much of a good thing.
Dispense the perfect amount of detergent and softener. Certain models have “Intelligent Dosing,” which will dispense the perfect amount of High-Efficiency detergent for every batch of laundry you do.
Commercial Washer-Extractors
For commercial businesses, one of the biggest hurdles is trying to find a way to cut down washing and drying times. Washer-extractors make it possible to cut down drying time while also trimming the amount of energy that you may need to run that dryer.
Extractors work by creating an aggressive G-force spin cycle that literally pushes the water out of the clothes. The water is then drained out of the washer. Since the majority of the water is extracted during the wash cycle, drying the clothes becomes a faster, shorter step.
Eco-Friendly Laundry Accessories
A lot of commercial and home laundry equipment can become sustainable without having to involve a machine upgrade. There are tons of cool inventions that can make a huge difference in your laundry routine. These are the ones you may want to consider the most…
Woolen Dryer Balls. These will fluff up comforters and can also be used to disperse laundry fragrances in a pinch. Many upscale laundry rooms will have these available for sale as a perk.
Reusable/Green Laundry Packaging. A reusable laundry bag or a reusable laundry packaging system can make a big impact. Even using recycled laundry tags will help “green” your laundry room immensely.
Smart Plugs. This may not seem like a laundry accessory at first, but having smart plugs can help you trim the fat on energy consumption when no one is using those machines.
Environmentally-Friendly Laundry Detergent. This type of detergent is made using less harmful ingredients, fewer dyes, and fewer sketchy chemicals than a typical detergent will have. Though they often had dubious reputations in the past, the truth is that they have become far more powerful in recent years. They even have environmentally-friendly dryer sheets and softeners now, too.
Air Drying Racks. This is the ultimate sustainable accessory, but it doesn’t always make sense in commercial environments. This is more of a “home” thing, and may even be considered a “niche” thing.
Looking For A Team To Help You Create A Green Laundry Room?
Creating an environmentally-friendly laundry room isn’t just trendy. In fact, it isn’t just a way to make your home or business more appealing. It’s a financially smart thing to do. The biggest hurdle you have to overcome, though, is finding the right company to help you make it happen.
Designing and building a cost-efficient, energy-efficient, and sustainable laundry room isn’t easy. You are going to need a little expertise.
At Smart-O-Mat, our staff is fully trained in the latest laundry room design techniques. They’re also given the knowledge necessary to help you pick the best potential machines for your room.
If you’re ready to make a move towards a greener future, give our staff a call. We’re here to help you help Mother Nature out by getting the right machines for your room.
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