The Flatshare Fridge, a refrigerator with stackable modules that won the Electrolux Design Lab competition, is being touted as a way to keep housemates’ food stashes separate.

But I think it may have more potential as an energy-saving device.  According to the EPA, “In most households, the refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance.”  Refrigerators in Europe, Asia, and Latin America are small and energy-efficient — not much bigger than one or two of Flatshare compartments.  It’s one of the reasons why their per capita emissions are so much lower than ours.

The Flatshare could be a great way to “grow” your fridge according to your needs, moving from one or two components to three or four as you go from single girl to live-in lovahs to married with a rugrat or two.  And you could theoretically remove one of the components when you don’t have as much perishable food in the house or when you go on vacation, and add one when the in-laws are in town for the holidays.