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