The combined energy consumption of refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines has decreased 43% since 2000, according to statistics released by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM).

The data is based on the amount of each major appliance shipped in 2007. Manufacturers submit the average amount of water and energy each appliance uses to AHAM, which then figures out energy savings per year, says Jill Notini, the group’s vice president of communications and marketing.

"This basically means of all the products manufacturers are shipping, they are getting increasingly more efficient over the years,” Notini tells EcoHome. "People are buying more energy-efficient appliances.”

Since 2000, manufacturers have continued to refine the three appliance categories to significantly reduce consumption: There has been a 63% average decrease in energy consumption by clothes washers, while tub capacity has grown by 8%; the energy consumption for dishwashers decreased nearly 30% on average, and water consumption declined 29%; and refrigerator energy consumption dropped 30% on average, according to AHAM.

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