Sector: Retail 

Address: 22 Harrington Square, Altona VIC 3018 

Environmental upgrade: Upgrade of machines to Tesla branded washes and dryers 

Key drivers: Improve appliance efficiency and reduce water, energy and gas consumption  

Problem 

Washers and dryers use a lot of energy to get your clothes clean. This laundromat owner wanted to install machines that would wash and dry more efficiently, without compromising on quality.

Eco Laundry Room is a family-run business in Altona, using state of the art washers and dryers for a better laundry experience. When Managing Directors Ilch and Dijana Mickovski established the business in 2013, they wanted to use technology that would minimise the use of electricity, water and gas, without compromising on the quality of a wash and dry. 

“We first established ourselves in 2013 with one little laundromat in Altona, and we loved the idea of becoming that local laundromat that was really eco-friendly,” says Ilch.  

Solution

Ilch began research into how they could run the laundry as energy efficiently as possible and decided to upgrade the existing machines to new Tesla Professional technology.  

“We went and looked at the best of the best technology that we could find, and that was a worldwide search,” says Ilch. “We now exclusively have the Tesla Professional laundry technology which are effective and efficient with the amount of water and gas they use, and the washer and dryer experience itself is top quality.”  

The Tesla Professional washing machines that they installed use up to 50% less water than household washer of a comparable size. For example, the 8kg washer uses between 27 and 60 litres of water, with smart technology that adjusts the water used to the size of the load. A similar sized household machine can use up to 120 litres of water. The dryers installed have moisture sensors to detect when clothes are dry, which reduces the drying time, saving gas and electricity.  

During COVID-19 restrictions, Ilch and his team were able to make innovations to help people who still needed to access this essential service, such as 15-minute wash cycles, and drum cleans to sanitise the machines naturally between clients. To top it off, all products used on site are environmentally friendly! 

Process 

As the appliance upgrades had a positive environmental benefit, Ilch and his team were able to access finance through an Environmental Upgrade Agreement. They worked with Sustainable Australia Fund and Hobsons Bay City Council to upgrade 20 of their washers and dryers to Tesla Professional machines. 

“We saw that the upgrades would reduce the cost of running the store by using less water, less power less gas,” says Ilch. “Plus the new technology gave us more features and benefits within the store.”

Outcome

The machines save the business $17,500 in operating costs each year. At the end of their lifecycle, the machines will be 95% recyclable.  

After upgrading the first store, the business has gone from success to success. In the first year of business, Eco Laundry Room won the Hobsons Bay New Retailer of the Year award. They soon opened a second business in North Melbourne, and the business has continued to grow since then. There are now 13 stores, including their first store in New South Wales. 

Clients find value in knowing that they’ll get a superior wash and dry, while minimising their environmental impact.  

“We look at the long-term picture. When you’ve got a better product offering, you’ve got more customers coming to your store,” says Ilch. “We’ve definitely seen a benefit because we’ve improved the offering to our customers, and we’ve also improved our bottom line.”