DETROIT, May 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Starting today at the Sustainable Brands 2017 conference in Detroit, Whirlpool Corporation is celebrating its 47-year leadership in sustainability and product excellence. The company will be showcasing the waste-reducing benefits of the latest products from WLabs, the innovation incubator of Whirlpool Corporation, as well as providing a virtual look into its living research laboratory, ReNEWW House.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here:
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"Finding solutions to today's sustainability issues isn't just an environmental concern -- it's smart business," said Ron Voglewede, Global Sustainability Director of Whirlpool Corporation. "At Whirlpool, we're constantly adopting a consumer-facing approach to look for innovative solutions that will help our customers live more sustainable lives. We're thrilled to showcase the innovation and research that allows us to solve real-world issues."

The Whirlpool Corporation booth experience will feature the following highlights:

    --  ReNEWW House Virtual Tour: booth visitors will have the chance to
        virtually experience ReNEWW House, a living research laboratory
        spearheaded by Whirlpool Corporation and Purdue University to explore
        innovations that will shape the future of sustainable living and improve
        quality of life. The home allows Whirlpool Corporation to collaborate
        with Purdue researchers to accelerate the development of next-generation
        ultra-high efficiency appliances. The collaboration has demonstrated
        that existing technologies can be used to achieve net-zero energy and
        water consumption. The end goal is to create a model that allows the
        home to work for people, rather than people working for their home.
    --  ReNEWW House Research Collaboration: Whirlpool Corporation will also
        today announce new collaborations that will elevate the ReNEWW House
        experience by enabling researchers to explore sustainable solutions
        across all areas of the home.
        --  Collaborations with Ford and BTCPower will allow ReNEWW House to
            explore how vehicles and the home can interact as a cohesive
            ecosystem. Ford will be supplying a new Focus Electric with all-new
            DC fast charge capability that can be charged using a BTCPower DC
            Fast Charger, connecting to the home via smart connection.
        --  Through collaborations with P&G and other leading companies,
            Whirlpool Corporation will further ramp up its research in
            addressing waste.
    --  The Latest Innovations from WLabs: The recent debut of WLabs, Whirlpool
        Corporation's innovation incubator, is allowing the company to engineer
        innovations outside of its core business. At Sustainable Brands, WLabs
        of Whirlpool Corporation will be showcasing two new products.
        --  Zera(TM) Food Recycler: Engineered to tackle the pressing issue of
            food waste, Zera(TM) Food Recycler can convert one week's worth of
            the average U.S. family's food waste into homemade fertilizer within
            24 hours([1]), helping reduce the amount of food waste that ends up
            in landfills. The Zera(TM) Food Recycler, which was launched at the
            Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2017, was inspired by an insight
            that an average family in the United States produces over 400 pounds
            of food waste every year. This food waste accounts for an estimated
            20 percent of America's landfill waste.([2] )Upon its debut at CES,
            the Zera(TM) Food Recycler received Best of Innovation Awards
            Honoree in the Eco-Design and Sustainable Technologies category and
            Innovation Awards Honoree in the Tech For A Better World and Home
            Appliances categories.
        --  Vessi(TM) Beer Fermentor and Dispenser system: Also on display from
            WLabs will be the Vessi(TM) Beer Fermentor and Dispenser system,
            which -- launched in 2016 -- ferments, carbonates and dispenses
            home-brewed beer in as little as seven days([3]). The at-home
            process can reduce bottle and can waste, and many brew enthusiasts
            work with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.

"It is imperative that product designers and engineers today take into consideration real-world sustainability challenges," said Jennifer Bonuso, Senior Director of CPG & WLabs for Whirlpool Corporation. "We've taken this approach to heart at WLabs. The Zera(TM) Food Recycler is just one example of how product innovation can improve consumers' lives while simultaneously helping them to live more sustainably."

Further demonstrating its commitment to purposeful, sustainable innovation that delivers on unmet consumer needs, Whirlpool Corporation will also be sponsoring the Sustainable Brands Innovation Open, which encourages entrepreneurs and inventors to think outside the box when finding solutions to today's environmental challenges. Colette Matthews, Director of Global Innovation for Whirlpool Corporation, will be among the judges for the competition.

Whirlpool Corporation's involvement in Sustainable Brands is one part of the company's larger commitment to sustainability. On the consumer product side, Whirlpool Corporation engineers its products to be more energy efficient than ever before -- for example, the refrigerators it makes today use less energy than a 60-watt incandescent light bulb.([4] )This commitment to sustainability is also integrated into supply chain and operations, where the company is incorporating wind energy to power its manufacturing facilities. With a zero waste-to-landfill goal for all of its global manufacturing facilities by 2022, Whirlpool Corporation continues to work to minimize its impact on the environment.

Attendees at Sustainable Brands can learn more about the ReNEWW House, the Zera(TM) Food Recycler, the Vessi(TM) Beer Fermentor and Dispenser, and other innovations at booth 709.

([1]) Based on estimated 3.5 kg weekly household food waste for average U.S. family
([2]) Brew times will vary. Based on a light blonde ale beer at 3.3% ABV and use of clarification agent.
([3]) Based on U.S. DOE refrigerator testing data and 60 Watt light bulb used 24 hours/day.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 93,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2016. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.

 

 

 

 

 

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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation