Whirlpool Corporation Receives Highest Honor With 22nd ENERGY STAR Award

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR), the world's leading home appliance manufacturer, has been recognized with the 2010 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The award recognizes the company's continued leadership in offering consumers energy and water efficiency through its leading home appliance brands. This is the company's eleventh top ENERGY STAR award and fifth consecutive Sustained Excellence win. Whirlpool has been honored with 22 ENERGY STAR awards overall, more than any other appliance manufacturer.

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According to a 2009 Whirlpool Corporation survey conducted in conjunction with Harris Interactive, energy efficiency is more important than ever in the purchase decision of consumers shopping for major appliances.  The majority of U.S. consumers (59%) said they would rather spend more money now to save energy (and money) later when it came to home appliances.

The company praised the federal government's recent enforcement actions that help ensure consumers' confidence as they purchase ENERGY STAR qualified major appliances.  These actions will help ensure manufacturers of appliances are held accountable to deliver the energy savings they promise. In turn, consumers will be able to confidently use the Energy Guide label to make energy performance comparisons among brands while shopping, and to attain, in real world use, the energy efficiency promised when they purchased the appliance. Whirlpool has been involved in helping to set and define federal energy standards since their inception in the 1970s.

"EPA is recognizing Whirlpool Corporation with our highest ENERGY STAR award - the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award," said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. "Whirlpool Corporation's continued leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is a testament to what we can accomplish to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our global environment."

Whirlpool Corporation offers some of the most water and energy efficient products on the market, in the kitchen and the laundry room and across all price points.  

• ENERGY STAR® qualified washers are one of the leaders in energy and water savings. Replacing a washer made before 2000 with a new ENERGY STAR® model can save up to $135 annually according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).  Whirlpool Corporation offers both front- and top-load high-efficiency washers. For example, the Whirlpool Duet,® front-load washer uses 74 percent less water and 80 less energy, the Maytag Performance Series front-load washer uses 70 percent less water and 70 percent less energy and the new Amana Tandem® front-load washer uses 73 percent less water and 71 percent less energy, all compared to pre-2004 conventional top-load washers. The Maytag Bravos® top-load laundry pair uses 70 percent less water and 67 percent less energy and the Whirlpool Cabrio® top-load laundry pair uses 71 percent less water and 69 percent less energy, compared to pre-2004 conventional top-load washers.
• Replacing a refrigerator made before 2000 with a new ENERGY STAR® model can save approximately $40 annually according to the DOE. The Whirlpool brand offers the industry's most energy efficient side-by-side refrigerator.  By exceeding efficiency standards by 30 percent, the Whirlpool brand Resource Saver™ refrigerator exceeds the EPA's ENERGY STAR guidelines, helping consumers reduce their family's carbon footprint.  This model uses less energy than a 60-watt light bulb and is the most energy efficient side-by-side refrigerator ever.
• Replacing a dishwasher made before 2000 with a new ENERGY STAR® model can save approximately $50 annually according to the DOE. The new Superba EQ models from KitchenAid are the best dishwashers ever from the brand that pioneered home dishwashers 60 years ago.  Tests show they perform better and dry better than competitive models and are the quietest dishwashers in the industry.  At 56 percent greater efficiency than the minimum federal energy standards, they are even eligible for an energy rebate in some states.

"We look forward to continuing our alignment with both the EPA and DOE to help to build on the integrity of the ENERGY STAR label," said Tom Catania, vice president, Government Relations, Whirlpool Corporation. "We also are helping to identify ways to provide new ways to conserve our natural resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including helping to create unifying standards for the smart electricity grid."  

In 2009, Whirlpool announced  a commitment to make all the electronically controlled appliances it produces -- everywhere in the world -- capable of receiving and responding to signals from smart grids by 2015.  The company's ability to successfully deliver on this commitment, in this timeframe, is dependent on the development by the end of 2010 of an open, global communication standard and appropriate policies that reward consumers, manufacturers and utilities for using and adding these new peak demand reduction capabilities.

About Whirlpool Corporation

Whirlpool Corporation was the world's first appliance manufacturer to announce a global greenhouse gas reduction target in 2003.  The company continually strives to understand and manage the environmental effects of its business by creating new and innovative products that consume less energy and water, improving its processes and using materials that minimize the impact on the planet.  

In 2009, Whirlpool Corporation was named one of the 500 greenest big companies in America by Newsweek magazine, one of Fortune magazine's "Most Admired Companies," one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine, one of the "Top 50 U.S. companies for Social Responsibility" by the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and Reputation Institute, and one of the "Top 50 Most Respected U.S. Companies" by the Reputation Institute and Forbes.com.

Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009, approximately 67,000 employees, and 67 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: http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation