BENTON HARBOR, Mich.,
April 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- An
energy-inefficient, late 1920's vintage bungalow in West Lafayette, Ind., will become a living
laboratory for appliance and resource efficiency research thanks to
a combined effort by the Whirlpool Corporation and Purdue University.
As part of corporate commitments to sustainability and
advancements in the home building and remodeling industries,
Whirlpool Corporation engineers are working with Purdue University to transform an off-campus house
into a net-zero energy, water and waste structure. Called the
ReNEWW house – for Retrofitted Net-zero Energy, Water and Waste –
the structure will be renovated to include energy-saving features,
solar panels, a "gray" water system that reuses water from sinks
and showers, and other technologies that promote resource
efficiency.
"Net-zero energy means that over a certain timeline, usually an
entire year, energy production equals energy consumption," said
Eckhard Groll, project sponsor,
professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Office of
Professional Practice at Purdue
University. "It's going to be a super-efficient home."
Over the next three years, Whirlpool Corporation engineers that
participate in the Whirlpool Engineering Rotational Leadership
Development (WERLD) Program and are enrolled in the engineering
graduate program at Purdue University will have the option to live
and work in the house, which Benton
Harbor-based Whirlpool Corporation is leasing from the
University. After initial collection of baseline data, such as how
much energy and water the home consumes, Groll said the students
will work on converting the house into a net-zero home.
Improvements will include replacing windows, insulating and air
sealing the building envelope, installing a solar power system and
a very efficient HVAC system.
Plans for the home also call for finishing the large basement
into a laboratory environment. Engineers will install an
instrumentation system that monitors key data and employ the lab
and data collected to help develop a next-generation,
high-efficiency appliance suite in conjunction with Purdue University.
"The goal of this project is not only to learn more about
resource sustainability, but also to demonstrate how any home can
become resource efficient when the right kind of modifications are
made," said Bob Bergeth, Whirlpool's
general manager of builder sales. "After we've compiled this
valuable research, we plan to share it with our homebuilder
partners interested in the benefits of sustainable building. The
project will also provide valuable insights which inform our
engineers on future product design."
Ron Voglewede, Whirlpool
Corporation's Global Sustainability Lead, added that the
residential remodeling sector is an area that is particularly ripe
for efficiency improvements considering that a majority of the
nation's housing stock was built before the first energy crisis and
with little regard for resource efficiency.
"We want to focus on ways to dramatically improve the existing
residential stock in the United
States, which is why the project research will stress
integrated appliance design that seamlessly increases resource
efficiency," said Voglewede. "By creating products that
perform better while significantly lowering operating costs and
environmental impacts, we're able to give consumers more choice,
not compromises."
Involvement in the ReNEWW House is a continuation of the
sustainability efforts that take place every day at Whirlpool
Corporation, Bergeth said, noting the company's goal of creating
both business operations and products that conserve water, reduce
energy consumption, reduce carbon intensity, minimize or eliminate
waste and facilitate the responsible, global recycling of
appliances.
For more information about both sustainability practices and
builder and contract channel solutions, including how Whirlpool
Corporation helps builders nationwide grow their businesses, visit
www.InsideAdvantage.com.
Inside Advantage, by Whirlpool Corporation, is designed
exclusively for professionals to facilitate the designing, building
and remodeling process for any project involving major appliances.
Backed by Whirlpool Corporation's depth of consumer insight and
supported by its strong portfolio of brands, Inside Advantage helps
designers, builders and remodelers create more livable spaces.
Sales support materials and logistical services are readily
available to Inside Advantage members.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading global manufacturer
and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of
approximately $19 billion in 2013,
69,000 employees and 59 manufacturing and technology research
centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag,
KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and
other major brand names. Additional information about the company
can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.
SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation