In another innovation that promises to aid us in reducing our carbon footprint, Hydromatic's technology targets one of the biggest energy guzzling appliances found in the home - the clothes dryer. Launched at the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, the Dryer Miser system uses a specially-engineered fluid in the heat exchange process to reduce energy consumption by up to 50% and cut clothes-drying time by up to 41%.

Traditional dryers use a gas flame or an electrical element to produce heat. The Dryer Miser system works by heating up a specially formulated, non-toxic and non-corrosive heat transfer fluid that is transferred to a heat exchanger where it is mixed with air. According to Hydromatic Technologies Corporation the self-contained system delivers significantly faster drying times, resulting in less energy consumption and reduced energy costs. Additionally, your clothes are less likely to shrink, the machine doesn’t transfer burnt lint odors into the clothes, it reduces wrinkles and eliminates ultra fine CO2 particles. The Dryer Miser utilizes dual voltage (240/110) technology that allows it to be plugged into any 110 volt receptacle.

An international patent is currently pending for Hydromatic’s technology, and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the internationally recognized source for product compliance, is scheduled to give approval of the product in April 2008. In addition, the product prototype has been declared market-ready by the US Department of Energy. The Dryer Miser will be available for public purchase late in 2008 with a recommended retail price yet to be announced. With consumers in the US spending around $440 billion annually on energy (not to mention the impact for carbon emissions), appliances such as this one that combine energy savings and environmental credentials will be warmly welcomed.