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:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8099451-whirlpool-corporation-sustainable-brands-conference-2017/
"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™ Food Recycler: Engineered to tackle
the pressing issue of food waste, Zera™ 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™ 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™ 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™ Beer Fermentor and Dispenser system:
Also on display from WLabs will be the Vessi™ 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 ZeraTM 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™ Food Recycler, the
Vessi™ 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] Based on USDA information.
https://www.usda.gov/oce/foodwaste/faqs.htm
[3] Brew times will vary. Based on a light blonde ale beer at
3.3% ABV and use of clarification agent.
[4] 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