The Department of Energy has issued efficiency standards that will reduce commercial clothes washers water and energy use, and are expected to net a typical owner of a commercial clothes washer $165 to $290 in savings over the life of the machine.

The final rule, which applies to washers used in laundromats and multi-family buildings, will cut the water consumption of front-loading washing machines by 20 percent.

The DOE also says it will save 70 trillion Btus of energy over 30 years of sales and will reduce the energy use of top-loading and front-loading washers by 15 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

The new standards will take effect Jan. 1, 2018.

Earlier this month low-water laundry system producer Xeros announced a Massachusetts hotel earned a $9,369 incentive from National Grid after installing its ultra-low water laundry system.

Photo Credit: commercial washing machines via Shutterstock