When we think about appliances as they relate to green homes, we tend to consider the energy and water savings from dishwashers, refrigerators, and washing machines, or about the inherent indoor air quality benefits of range hoods and bath fans.
But some appliances go even further, representatives from German appliance maker Miele tell ebuild, with special cycles, improved engineering, and add-on options that provide a host of bonus attributes that can take a healthy-built home to the next level.
Here are a few examples of additional features Miele says are worth considering when specifying appliances:
–Dishwashers: Water must be hot enough to kill germs, so models with sanitizing-wash programs provide an additional option for loads with items like baby bottles or cutting boards. Miele’s units also feature the “CleanAir” drying system, which circulates air around an outer chamber for drying, rather than pulling in room air into the clean cavity.
–Washing machines:
–Like dishwashers, consider units with a sanitization setting for those items that need special hygienic care. Miele also offers a “sensitive” option, which adds an additional rinse for those users who cannot have any detergent residue or fragrance on their clothes for health reasons.
–It takes 2,900 gallons of water to manufacture a pair of jeans; 766 gallons to make one cotton T-shirt. This means that washers, particularly front-loaders that are more gentle on clothes and therefore help them last longer, don’t just save homeowners money, they conserve water from manufacturing.
–Stainless steel: New versions of stainless steel engineered to resist fingerprints and smudging mean simple wet-rag cleanup instead of using smelly, slimy stainless steel cleaners.
–Steam ovens: These units are growing in popularity both for their speed and their health benefits—foods can be cooked without oils or sauces and vegetables retain more vitamins and minerals than traditional cooking methods.
–Ventilation: Select hoods that ventilate to the outside.
–Vacuum cleaners: Though these are typically an aftermarket product, the company suggests offering a HEPA-outfitted model as a move-in gift to homeowners, ensuring the healthy-built home isn’t tarnished by the swirling microscopic particulates that can be stirred up by lesser-quality vacs. But even all HEPA models aren’t created equal, so compare the filtration statistics before committing to a unit.
Appliances with these higher-end features often cost more, but their durability and expanded options are attributes that frugal buyers are latching on to. “Builder grade” has become synonymous with “cheap,” says Miele’s director of public relations Paul McCormack. “Customers are getting back into a 1950s mentality,” he says. “No longer do they want disposable items.” –Katy Tomasulo
