Beko, one of the global leaders in the home appliance industry, has recently taken an important step towards promoting sustainability and environmental education. The company has launched an innovative educational platform on a local level that aims to increase Romanians' awareness of the importance of water conservation. This initiative emphasizes the company's commitment to sustainable practices and educating consumers about the responsible use of natural resources. The Beko initiative comes at a time when awareness of the impact of human activities on the environment is more important than ever.
Named “SaveWater”, the platform highlights, at the same time, how the choice of a household appliance, such as a dishwasher, can significantly contribute to reducing resource consumption. The initiative aims to show how the technologies developed by Beko can work for the benefit of the end user as well as the environment and society as a whole, while underlining the company's commitment to promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
SaveWater, a platform focused on sustainability
The platform provides information and resources aimed at changing unfounded perceptions that washing dishes by hand is in some ways preferable to using a dishwasher. In addition, the platform aims to raise awareness of the positive environmental impact of using a dishwasher.
“All market analyzes describe an increase in the segment of consumers who expect brands to adopt the principles of sustainability, who are aware of their impact on the environment and are willing to invest in sustainable products. In the context where today's decisions affect tomorrow's generations, brands have the power and duty to guide consumers towards informed choices. That's why, at Beko, we're committed to creating a synergy between sustainability and performance, seeking to innovate and inspire consumers to adopt practices that have a lower impact on the environment. Our SaveWater platform is a concrete example of this approach, educating the public about the benefits of behavior that emphasizes responsible consumption of resources, thus helping consumers make informed decisions.” says Gabriel Eremia, Marketing & Product Management Director of Arctic.
The content of the SaveWater platform brings into focus the results of a study, according to which using a dishwasher proves to be much more efficient in terms of resources than washing dishes by hand, with comparable or better cleaning results*.
The platform combats, with documented information, 10 of the most widespread “myths” about dishwashers and their use. The most common of these refer to water and electricity consumption. Although there are people who tend to think that the dishwasher uses more water than it would if the dishes were washed by hand, the truth is otherwise. According to the cited study, washing dishes by hand consumes an average of 103 liters of water per complete wash cycle, while with a dishwasher, the average consumption is around 15-22 liters of water.
As for the myth that the dishwasher consumes a lot of electricity, Beko's internal studies show that it needs 0.77 kWh per wash cycle**, thanks to the efficient energy class of the dishwashers and thanks to the ProSmartInverter motor, which contributes to a low energy consumption.
SaveWater™ technology, innovation in reducing water consumption
Thanks to the SaveWater technology, launched by the company for the first time in 2022 at the biggest technology fair, the Beko dishwasher can have a consumption of only 6.9 liters of water in the Eco program, which represents a reduction in the amount of water of 27%*** compared to the water consumption of the same program from Beko dishwashers that do not use SaveWater technology.
Through this technology, the last clean water from the rinsing stage is preserved, to be used at the beginning of the next washing cycle, which ensures a reduction in water consumption.
“At Beko, we have sought and continue to provide solutions that simplify people's everyday lives, allowing them to invest time in what really matters to them. In a world of changes, the contribution of responsible technology is essential, and we wanted to deliver technology that is accessible and beneficial to users in the long term, putting on the market products that reduce the impact on the environment”. says Murat Büyükerk, CEO of Arctic.
Change begins with every drop of water
The platform developed by Beko Romania also incorporates an important element of interactivity, through a quiz that brings to the fore the amount of water saved by using Beko dishwashers. Thus, the quiz becomes an element with an educational role regarding the reduction of water consumption per capita, essential for the sustainable management of this vital resource.
Through this quiz, consumers can find out that using the dishwasher once a day can save 32,120 liters of water/year – the equivalent of the amount of water needed for 44 years by a person who consumes 2 liters of water per day****.
Education for sustainability, through AI-generated content
In a novel imaginative approach to reminding the fundamental importance of protecting water, at the end of the quiz, an image generated by artificial intelligence correlates the importance of responsible behavior with an illustration of the importance of aquatic ecosystems.
In an effort to educate and inspire, these AI-generated images were the focus of the first art exhibition organized by Beko Romania, which aimed to convey an impactful message about the importance of water conservation. Organized together with the Immersive Museum of New Arts (MINA), the largest new media art center in Southeast Europe, the exhibition proposed an immersive and innovative experience.
For a month, visitors were able to experience a fascinating intersection between art and technology through the exhibition “SaveWater – The power of water meets artificial intelligence”. Each image told a story about the importance of water, reminding us to act responsibly to protect this vital resource.
“Through the SaveWater platform, we have shown that technology and responsibility can go hand in hand. We are happy to be able to contribute to the creation of a sustainable future and to offer Romanian consumers the necessary resources to make informed choices and to motivate them to adopt changes in their daily lives, for a better future for all”adds Murat Büyükerk, CEO of Arctic.
*Lotta Theresa Florianne Schencking and Rainer Stamminger What science knows about our daily dishwashing routineTenside Surfactants Detergents 59(3), March 2022
** Value calculated on the basis of internal studies carried out for consumption 77 kWh per 100 washing cycles, for the code BDFN38641XC – Beko Freestanding Dishwasher”
*** 6.9L water consumption on the Eco program for Beko dishwashers with SaveWater™ technology, representing a saving of 2.6L compared to the water consumption of the same program on Beko dishwashers that do not use the technology SaveWater™.
****Valid calculation for the difference in the number of liters of water needed for manual washing versus using the dishwasher, according to the study carried out at the University of Bonn, correlated with the frequency of washing once a day
