First Sustainability Standard for Household Cooking Appliances Published

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2015 /CNW/ -- The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM), CSA Group, and UL Environment today announced the release of AHAM 7004-2015/CSA SPE-7004-15/UL 7004-15, Sustainability Standard for household cooking appliances, the first voluntary sustainability standard for household cooking products.

The cooking products covered in the standard include convection, non-convection and steam products such as ranges, built-in cook tops and ovens.  This new standard is the fourth in a family of product sustainability standards under development by AHAM, CSA Group, and UL Environment intended for use by manufacturers, governments, retailers, and others to identify environmentally preferable products.  The standard is based on a lifecycle approach for identifying the environmental impacts of household cooking appliances in five key areas: materials, manufacturing and operations, energy     consumption during use, end-of-life, and innovation.  This standard will serve as an objective and practical measurement tool to assist cooking appliance manufacturers in evaluating the environmental sustainability of home appliances.  Other major appliance standards are under development and are expected to be published later in 2015.

"The household cooking standard continues our commitment to provide consumers and retailers with credible measures for comparing home appliance sustainability attributes," explained Joseph M. McGuire, AHAM President.

"The new standard for household cooking appliances is part of a series of standards to help identify environmentally friendly products and is part of CSA Group's commitment to contribute to a more sustainable world," said Gianluca Arcari, Executive Director, Standards and Vice President, CSA Group. "The four product sustainability standards are part of a forward-thinking life-cycle approach. It helps identify environmentally preferable products based on the materials used to manufacture the product right through to the disposal at the end-of-life, helping give a big picture of the overall environmental impact."

"Evaluating cooking appliances for lifecycle impacts is the logical next step for manufacturers to take to ensure that they meet the sustainability needs of consumers," said Lisa Meier, Vice President and General Manager of UL Environment.  "Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of the products they choose to purchase.  The kitchen is the core of a home – usually the first room upgraded during a home renovation and where we spend much of our time."

About AHAM
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) is a not-for-profit trade association representing manufacturers of major, portable and floor care home appliances, and suppliers to the industry and is headquartered in Washington, DC.  AHAM is a standards development organization, accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and has authored numerous appliance performance testing standards used by manufacturers, consumer organizations and governmental bodies to rate and compare appliances. You can visit the AHAM web site at www.aham.org

About CSA Group
CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit membership association dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. Its knowledge and expertise encompass standards development; training and advisory solutions; global testing and certification services across key business areas including hazardous location and industrial, plumbing and construction, medical, safety and technology, appliances and gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability; as well as consumer product evaluation services. The CSA certification mark appears on billions of products worldwide. For more information about CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.

About UL Environment
UL Environment, a business unit of UL, works to advance global sustainability, environmental health, and safety by supporting the growth and development of environmentally preferable products, services, and organizations. We help companies achieve their sustainability goals—and help purchasers, specifiers, retailers, governments, and consumers find products they can trust. UL Environment offers environmental claim validations, multi-attribute product certifications, environmental product declarations, indoor air quality certification, product emissions testing, organizational sustainability certification, and consulting. For more information, visit www.ul.com/environment.    

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SOURCE Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Jill Notini, AHAM, 202-872-5955 x318, [email protected], Allison Hawkins, CSA Group, 416-747-2615, [email protected], Dagmar Ebaugh, UL Environment, 678-872-0320, [email protected], http://www.aham.org