In seeking to help build the future-ready homes of tomorrow, Whirlpool has announced its plans to continue its longstanding partnership Habitat for Humanity by broadening the nonprofit’s BuildBetter program. The three-year initiative will help build upon Habitat’s current efforts to help develop homes that are more energy-efficient and resilient in the face of worsening weather conditions due to climate change.

The initiative will be broken up into three phases, with the first phase of the program focusing on research and collaboration to establish a more accurate baseline for measurable sustainable building standards across the construction industry. This will then be followed up by a pilot of proven tactics implemented in target markets to increase energy-conservation and resiliency.

The program will then conclude in the third phase, which will focus on creating resources around findings from phases one and two that can be expanded upon and implemented across the United States.

Whirlpool’s support of the BuildBetter program will help increase Habitat’s tracking measures of 15 markets to more than 60 markets across the U.S. where local Habitat organizations operate. The aim is to deliver a long-term reduction in operating costs for homeowners through an expected improvement in energy efficiency of approximately 15% compared to homes built to current local government code.

BuildBetter Initiative to be Just the Start for Whirlpool-Habitat Collaboration

In addition to the BuildBetter with Whirlpool initiative, Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat are also collaborating to:

• Inaugurate October as Global Build Month, during which Whirlpool Corporation will provide nearly $6 million in funding and home appliances to Habitat organizations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, India, Singapore, Poland and the UK.
• Host three Habitat global housing forums in Europe, Middle East and Africa; the Latin America and Caribbean region; and the Asia-Pacific region that bring together the best minds in affordable housing to spur innovation that meets the needs of the planet’s growing population, while addressing increasing challenges related to climate change.
• Help advance the Habitat Cost of Home advocacy campaign, a five-year program through which local Habitat organizations, partners, volunteers and community members across the United States work together to help 10 million people have access to an affordable home.

“Whirlpool Corporation has been a tremendous partner in helping us improve and broaden the ways we can help more families achieve housing stability,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Through the launch of our BuildBetter initiative, Whirlpool’s support will help us accelerate the construction of resilient, energy-efficient homes and can result in greater savings for families. Whirlpool’s dedication to this program will enable the focused research needed to expand sustainable housing to even more communities, helping with neighborhood revitalization and environmental impact.”