A Human Factor Study of Individual Home Appliance Energy Use

Abstract

For ten different kitchen ranges, forty-six different cooks prepared a standard 21 meal menu while the energy used by each cook was measured. The energy efficiency of each range was then determined and the ranges were rank-ordered in two ways—on the basis of measured range efficiency and energy actually used by cooks. In general, the higher the measured efficiency the lower the total energy use. This was an important result because it meant that the range efficiency test method to be required by Department of Energy (formerly Federal Energy Administration) regulations was a fair method for manufacturers to use. In addition to that result, large differences were noted in energy consumption by different cooks on the same range. The implications of those differences, and the need for further research about them will be discussed.