"Could it be that the lifespan of a appliance is shortened because it his to be more energy-efficient?" No. It's designed to fail as the article shows. Many co

"Could it be that the lifespan of a appliance is shortened because it his to be more energy-efficient?" No. It's designed to fail as the article shows. Many components are like this by implication where they're designed for everything but quality and longevity. Things that reduce those two. There could be some extra effect on the two traits due to energy efficiency. The overall problem is there by design. It's also very profitable. ;)