Does Product Lifetime Extension Increase our Income at the Expense of Energy Consumption? 1

For reasons related to new and improved design, increased functionality, improved economy, and energy efficiency, new products exert a strong appeal on consumers. While consumers may believe that the high energy efficiency of a new product will lead to a reduction in general maintenance costs and energy savings, they are unaware of the potential for reducing the energy consumption associated with the production of these new products. Although the rapid spread of new products may decrease energy consumption downstream at the end-use stage, the manufacture of new products is associated with increased energy consumption at the production stage.