Tag: energy efficiency

• What’s next for ecodesign? A briefing ahead of the first ESPR Working Plan

  Press briefing | By 19 April, the European Commission will adopt its first Working Plan to implement the new EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). It will confirm which products will be addressed first before developing performance requirements to improve their environmental sustainability – including measures on durability and repair. The Working Plan will supplement other ongoing work on ESPR implementation, such as a ban on the destruction of unsold goods. What can we expect and when? Find out in our Q&A.

• Clean cooking in Africa is finally starting to get the spotlight it deserves

  Cooking poverty is in the sights of world leaders following a high-level summit convened by the IEA on clean cooking in Africa. Addressing this challenge will help to protect people (primarily women and children) and the environment from the dangers of polluting and hazardous cooking methods while advancing the energy transition. Success will depend on strong partnerships, strategies, policies, and standards – which ECOS is ready to contribute to. If the world gets this right – and it must – it will directly improve the lives of 2.3 billion people.

• How a new European standard could make washing machines more sustainable

  More than nine out of ten European households have a washing machine. While their energy efficiency has improved over the years, their overall sustainability still leaves a lot to be desired. Ensuring these appliances last for a long time is crucial if we want to manage global resources sustainably. This can be achieved by testing such products properly before they enter the market. With a new test methodology for washing machines in the pipeline, this could be just around the corner. Here’s how one new standard could help to make it happen.

• reaLIFEstandards: New project will strengthen environmental and consumer voices in standardisation

  Standards are a hidden pillar of EU policymaking, with the power to make or break legislation. Every part of our lives is touched by them – from the walls of our homes to the appliances inside. To ensure a clean energy transition, standards must be developed transparently, inclusively, and with a strong focus on the environment and consumers. This is the goal of the reaLIFEstandards project.