Bosch Home Appliances Web Site Honored with Awards

September 25, 2007 – Already considered a leader in manufacturing energy efficient home appliances, Bosch’s Green Resource Center web site has been awarded with several of Building Products’ 2007 Vanguard Awards, including Best Overall, Best Product Information, Best Interactivity and Best Section for Professionals categories. Bosch’s unique site also earned honorable mentions in the Best Navigation, Design and Installation Support categories. In its debut year, Building Products’ Vanguard Awards are voted on by actual builders and remodelers, and honors manufacturers leading the way in digital media, while also showing a commitment to providing accessible product information to their professional clientele.

Launched in late 2006, Bosch created the special Green Resource Center section on its www.boschappliances.com site to educate the consumer, builder and designer on energy efficiency and green building. It has quickly become a valuable, one-stop destination, offering unique tools such as the Energy Savings Calculator, that quickly computes the annual energy costs and savings for individual Bosch appliances, and a localized Rebate Finder.

Understanding the different needs of homeowners and builders, developers and architects, the Center is divided into different sections for consumer and trade visitors. For example, the trade section simplifies the process of securing appliance credits for the many environmental certification programs, such as LEED® for Homes, Earthcraft House, BuildingGreen and the Santa Monica Green Building Program

“We know that gathering information on the latest environmental programs and products can be overwhelming, which is why Bosch developed the Green Resource Center,” Bob Carlson, VP of Marketing. “By making it easy for people to the see the amount of money and resources they will save with our appliances, homeowners and builders will be able to quantify the value of choosing Bosch whether they are installing them in a single home or a whole development.”

Energy Savings Calculator
A helpful tool for all visitors to the Green Resource Center, the Energy Savings Calculator provides a simple reference for the energy and water savings, as well as the financial advantage, of purchasing and using a Bosch appliance throughout its operational lifetime. This feature can be adjusted for multi-unit developments and local energy and water rates to give per day and cumulative saving totals. Using this innovative tool, builders and developers can tangibly demonstrate to homebuyers both the financial and environmental benefits of investing in Bosch products.

Rebate Finder
Used in combination with the Energy Savings Calculator, the Rebate Finder option delivers an even more substantial payoff for buying eco-friendly Bosch appliances. Offering valuable savings for consumers and trade visitors, the simple click of the Rebate Finder button links the user to ENERGY STAR® partners’ special offers and rebates on energy efficient products, including little known options from local utility companies.

Green Building with Bosch
Bosch applied its experience working with builders and organizations at the forefront of sustainable design and construction in a special section that assists professional builders looking to secure environmental certifications that can increase the value of their properties. The section outlines the certification points installing specific Bosch appliances will earn them in a variety of elite building programs, including LEED® for Homes, Earthcraft House, BuildingGreen, Santa Monica Green Building Program, Built Green™ Canada, Built Green Washington, BUILT GREEN® Colorado, Florida Green Building Coalition Inc. and the National Association of Home Builders. This feature also serves as a resource for consumers seeking an environmentally sound home or who are searching for a green home builder or program in their area.

Bosch Products
Browsing for the right Bosch product is simple for the consumer and builder with the Featured Bosch Products section, which provides specific energy and water conservation product information on every Bosch dishwasher, washer and refrigerator.

In the multi-media presentation “Making a Difference,” the combined positive effect every individual can have on the environment, just by purchasing an efficient Bosch “Green Machine,” is demonstrated. For example, in 2007, it is estimated that 8,205,102 U.S. consumers will buy a dishwasher. If each of these purchases were of an ENERGY STAR® qualified Bosch 800 Series, instead of a conventional dishwasher, the total energy saved would prevent 21 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the air.

As the only manufacturer with entire product lines of ENERGY STAR® qualified refrigeration, laundry and dishwashers, Bosch continues to create advancements that boost energy and water savings. Its new line-up of Evolution™ and Integra® dishwashers, featuring the quietest most energy efficient models in the country: the Evolution SHE98 and Integra SHX98. Both models exceed the minimum federal energy standard by 147% with a yearly usage of only 190 kWh and use approximately the same amount of energy as a dishwasher half its size.

Corporate Commitment
Visitors to the Green Resource Center can learn more about Bosch’s dedication to sustainable living and its current eco-friendly partnerships in this section. Beyond its commitment to the environment through its innovative approaches to low impact product manufacturing, Bosch continues to build strategic partnerships with other leaders and non-profits in green construction and design, including the U.S. Green Building Council, LivingHomes®, the Glidehouse and Earth Pledge.

For more information, please visit www.boschappliances.com or call 800.921.9622 to request a catalog.

SOURCE Bosch