Kitchen Design for the Future: Whirlpool's Green Kitchen Concept
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 03.19.08
Take a moment to gaze into the crystal ball at Whirlpool's recently unveiled green kitchen design concept. Taking everything that you need from a kitchen and integrating it into a smart, efficient system, the concept promises to cut way back on waste -- energy, water, and heat all included -- to the tune of increased energy efficiency of up to 70%.
It "diverts" 60% of the water and heat generated from appliances to fuel other functions and appliances, rather than just tossing it aside. For example: the heat produced in the compressor coils from running the fridge -- the one appliance that cycles on and off, 24 hours a day -- is used to heat water for the dishwasher, rather than just wafting out into the kitchen. And speaking of the fridge, it uses a drawer fridge that saves energy by preventing cold air from slipping out every time you open the door.
Sadly, it remains but a concept, so we'll take it as a sign of things to come, and hope the efficiency systems in place, if not the kitchen itself, catch on to help save energy and resources in kitchens soon. Until then, check out our How to Green Your Kitchen guide and cross your fingers that the future will get here soon. ::Yahoo! UK via ::Freshome
that's awesome.
Why does Treehugger stories always have such small diagrams that don't link to larger ones? This would be a lot more interesting if I could see the graphic easier without having to jump through links to find the original.
In the meantime, you can help improve the efficiency of the fridge you have by just keeping stuff in it - food, drinks, a water pitcher, phone books, even empty containers. It all helps reduce the amount of heat let into the fridge when you open the door and even out the load on the fridge when you close the door.
I mentioned this in another story about water pitchers, but though I would add it here, too, since it's more directly relevant here.
In the meantime, you can help improve the efficiency of the fridge you have by just keeping stuff in it - food, drinks, a water pitcher, phone books, even empty containers. It all helps reduce the amount of heat let into the fridge when you open the door and even out the load on the fridge when you close the door.
I mentioned this in another story about water pitchers, but though I would add it here, too, since it's more directly relevant here.
i would like to be able to read the diagram. Hard to even understand the design without being able to understand the components.
Well Im tired of wating for this great new green future....
Im puttin solar panels and wind turbines up, creating my own green cargotecture home with a kitchen of the future and coverting my gas car to solar/nimh electric!
Hi
Any idea if the top row is a growing plant unit a la VEGE from ELECTROLUX?
If so love to pinch the idea for my site
Anne