BENTON HARBOR, Mich.,
June 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/
-- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the first
appliance manufacturer to offer an ENERGY STAR® certified clothes
dryer. The company received recent certification from the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR program on the
Whirlpool brand Duet® model WED87HED steam dryer.
The EPA announced its new Energy Star label for clothes dryers
on May 27. The new specifications
will recognize a selection of highly efficient electric, gas, and
compact dryers that will use approximately 20% less energy than
what is required by the minimum efficiency standards effective in
2015.
The Whirlpool Duet dryer uses new technologies that combine to
create a highly energy-efficient drying cycle. Advanced moisture
sensors are used to assure the cycle ends precisely when the load
is dry. This helps prevent over drying which can not only waste
energy, but also cause damage to fabrics. The dryer also uses dual
element modulation technology through the Ecoboost setting to
adjust the heat output based on the exact moisture content in the
clothes. This reduces the heat for the overall cycle, reducing
energy consumption, while only slightly extending the drying
time.
Whirlpool Corp. has a long history in environmental stewardship
including helping to draft the first ENERGY STAR appliance
standards which are one element of the company's broad-based
sustainability strategy. The company currently sells more than 400
ENERGY STAR appliance models – more ENERGY STAR qualified products
than any other manufacturer.
"Clothes dryers are the next frontier for significant
residential energy efficiency gains, and we are proud to be the
first manufacturer to offer Energy Star dryers," said Nick
Gillespie, senior manager of government relations
for Whirlpool Corporation. "Our long history of building
products that are both innovative and effective in protecting the
environment is key to our ongoing success."
According to the EPA over 80% of U.S. homes have a clothes
dryer, and these appliances account for approximately six percent
of residential electricity consumption. If all residential
clothes dryers sold in the U.S. meet these new requirements, the
utility cost savings will grow to more than $1.5 billion each year and more than 22 billion
pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented.
Whirlpool's full sustainability strategy engages nearly every
aspect of its business, from materials and processes, to product
technologies and end-of-life recycling, all aimed at a more
sustainable future. With more than 860 million appliances currently
in homes in the United States - many 10 or more years old
- our biggest opportunity for overall energy and water savings is
in educating consumers on the benefits of replacing old,
inefficient appliances with new advanced products.
About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading global
manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual
revenues 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 to consumers in nearly every country around
the world. Additional information about the company can be found
at www.whirlpoolcorp.com.
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SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation