Samsung Electronics Achieves Industry Milestone With DUCD-Based Carbon Reduction Verification for AI Energy Mode
Samsung Electronics has announced a landmark achievement in sustainable technology, revealing that the carbon reduction impact of its AI Energy Mode for select washing machines has been independently verified by Carbon Trust Assurance. The verification was conducted under the Decarbonizing the Use-Phase of Connected Devices (DUCD) specification, marking the first time globally that a product feature has been validated using this newly established framework.
This milestone represents a significant step forward in how carbon reductions are measured and recognized within the consumer electronics industry. Unlike traditional carbon accounting methods that primarily focus on emissions generated during manufacturing, the DUCD specification emphasizes emissions reductions achieved during the actual usage phase of connected devices. Samsung’s successful verification demonstrates that advanced digital features, when thoughtfully designed and responsibly implemented, can deliver measurable greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in real-world consumer environments.
Recognizing Carbon Savings During Real-World Use
The verification confirms that Samsung’s AI Energy Mode—an intelligent energy-saving function available on select washing machine models—produces verifiable reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions during daily household use. The assessment, conducted by Carbon Trust Assurance Ltd., independently validated the emissions reduction achieved when users activated AI Energy Mode compared with standard operation.
This distinction is especially important as it addresses a long-standing challenge in sustainability reporting: how to accurately measure and attribute carbon savings that occur after a product has been sold and is actively being used by consumers. By applying the DUCD specification, Samsung and the Carbon Trust were able to quantify emissions reductions that occur during the appliance’s operational lifecycle, providing a clearer picture of its environmental benefits.
Jeong Seung Moon, Executive Vice President and Head of the R&D Team for the Digital Appliances Business at Samsung Electronics, emphasized the significance of the achievement.
“At Samsung, environmental responsibility is embedded in the way we design, develop, and deliver our products,” he said. “AI Energy Mode is a strong example of how intelligent software can enhance efficiency without compromising performance. With this third-party verification now recognizing its real-world effectiveness, we will continue to advance features and services that reduce environmental impact during everyday use.”
Samsung’s Long-Term Commitment to Carbon Management
Samsung’s success under the DUCD framework is the result of years of sustained effort to build objective, transparent, and systematic approaches to carbon management across its home appliance portfolio. The company has consistently invested in data-driven tools, connectivity platforms, and AI-based technologies that allow users to monitor and reduce energy consumption in their homes.
As part of this broader commitment, Samsung joined the DUCD initiative in September 2022 as a Secretariat member. By participating in the initiative from its early stages, Samsung played an active role in shaping how emissions reductions from connected devices could be standardized and reliably measured on a global scale.
The DUCD initiative is led by the Carbon Trust, a globally recognized climate consultancy that works with businesses, governments, and financial institutions to accelerate climate action. Through collaboration with major technology companies and industry stakeholders, the initiative aims to establish consistent methodologies for calculating energy use, energy savings, and associated carbon reductions resulting from smart and connected devices.
A core objective of DUCD is to ensure that emissions savings from features such as AI-driven optimization, automation, and connectivity are quantified in a credible and comparable way. This is particularly relevant as smart home technologies become increasingly widespread, offering new opportunities to reduce energy consumption but also raising questions about how such benefits should be measured and reported.
Establishing a Global Standard for Connected Devices
In November 2024, the DUCD initiative published its global specification, introducing a unified framework for measuring emissions reductions during the use phase of connected devices. Known as DUCD Part 1: Specification and Guidance, the framework sets out clear principles, boundaries, and calculation methods that companies can use to assess the carbon impact of digital energy-saving features.
This approach represents a departure from conventional life-cycle assessments that often focus heavily on production-related emissions. Instead, DUCD places emphasis on consumer behavior and real-world device operation, acknowledging that software-driven efficiency gains can play a crucial role in decarbonization efforts.
Samsung’s AI Energy Mode verification serves as a pilot application of this specification, demonstrating how the framework can be applied at scale across a global product lineup. The successful assessment provides a practical reference point for other manufacturers seeking to validate the environmental benefits of connected features.
Independent Verification of AI Energy Mode Performance
Following the publication of the DUCD specification, Carbon Trust Assurance Ltd.—the independent assurance arm of the Carbon Trust—conducted a pilot assessment on Samsung’s global washing machine lineup. The evaluation focused on comparing carbon emissions generated during appliance use when AI Energy Mode was enabled versus when it was not.
The assessment covered a one-year period, from July 2024 through June 2025, capturing real usage data from select energy-efficient washing machines connected via the SmartThings platform. By analyzing energy consumption patterns and applying DUCD-approved calculation methodologies, the assurance process verified the net emissions reductions attributable to AI Energy Mode.
According to the verification results, the total energy consumption of the assessed washing machines during the evaluation period amounted to 12.28 gigawatt-hours (GWh), corresponding to 5,266 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e). Within this total, AI Energy Mode accounted for verified energy savings of 5.02 GWh, translating into greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 2,084 tCO₂e.
These savings were independently validated in accordance with DUCD Part 1: Specification and Guidance, ensuring transparency, credibility, and methodological consistency.
Putting the Impact Into Perspective
To illustrate the scale of the verified energy savings, Samsung highlighted that the amount of electricity conserved through AI Energy Mode during the assessment period is equivalent to the daily electricity usage of approximately 169,000 households. This comparison is based on average daily electricity consumption figures for U.S. residential customers, estimated at around 29.54 kilowatt-hours per household.
By translating abstract energy metrics into everyday terms, Samsung aims to help consumers better understand the tangible impact of using energy-efficient features. The results underscore how small changes in user behavior—such as enabling AI Energy Mode—can collectively produce significant environmental benefits when adopted at scale.
Advancing Sustainable Innovation Through Connectivity
AI Energy Mode leverages artificial intelligence and connectivity to optimize washing performance while minimizing energy use. By analyzing factors such as load size, fabric type, and usage patterns, the system automatically adjusts settings to reduce electricity consumption without sacrificing cleaning effectiveness.
Integrated with Samsung’s SmartThings platform, the feature also allows users to monitor energy usage, set efficiency goals, and receive insights that encourage more sustainable habits. The DUCD-based verification confirms that these digital tools are not only convenient but also deliver measurable emissions reductions in real-world conditions.
Samsung views this achievement as part of a broader strategy to combine hardware efficiency with intelligent software solutions. As connected appliances become more prevalent, the company believes that AI-driven optimization will play an increasingly important role in reducing household energy demand and supporting global decarbonization goals.
Source Link:https://news.samsung.com/
