Irhma, the International Roundtable of Household Appliance Manufacturer Associations has recently closed its 3rd annual meeting in Shanghai. The participants underlined the fundamental role that now is playing by the global appliance industry of smart appliances in the near future. «Smart appliances – explained Paolo Falcioni, general director of the European Ceced, the European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers – help better manage home energy consumption while respecting users’ settings and keeping the same level of comfort. Such appliances will be able to provide a contribution to balancing the energy supply and demand on electricity grids. Consumers, using smart appliances, will thus play an important role in a country or region’s energy policy. But to actively engage, consumers have to see a real benefit out of the new service provided. They need to be incentivized to invest in those new technologies and adapt their consumption patterns to non-peak times or when energy is plentiful. This goes through the implementation of compensation mechanisms rewarding consumers for participating in this new approach to energy.” The International Roundtable of Household Appliance Manufacturer Associations (IRHMA) is comprised of the chief staff officials of the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) representing the industry in Canada and the United States; The National Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (ANFAD), representing the industry in Mexico; the Consumer Electronics Supplier Association (CEA), representing the industry in Australia; the Korea Electronics Association (KEA), representing the industry in Korea; The European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers (CECED) representing the industry in Europe; The China Household Electrical Appliances Association (CHEAA), representing the industry in China; and The Japan Electrical Manufacturers’ Association (JEMA), representing the industry in Japan.
