Whirlpool Corporation Teams Up with Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business to Build Habitat Home with Sustainable Features

Whirlpool Corporation employee volunteers worked side-by-side with representatives from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County and Habitat for Humanity International to help construct a new, sustainable five-bedroom home in Bloomington, IN. This is the 14th home they've worked together to build.

As part of Habitat for Humanity's BuildBetter with Whirlpool initiative, the new home will be climate-resilient and energy efficient. The 260 total homes built across the United States through the BuildBetter with Whirlpool program in the last three years aim to deliver an average of 45% predicted energy cost savings per family (compared to code-built homes) and a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per home.

As a result of prior efforts through the program, Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County recently received a $250,000 grant from the City of Bloomington to install solar panels on 30 additional homes in the Osage community where four BuildBetter with Whirlpool homes with solar panels are located. The solar panels come with monitors, which allow homeowners to manage the electricity usage in their homes.

"We're thrilled the BuildBetter with Whirlpool program is delivering energy efficient homes and inspiring even more sustainable actions like the city's grant to support solar panels," said Jim Peters, Kelley School graduate and Whirlpool Corp. executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer. "Working side-by-side with the homeowners, students and community members to build sustainable homes makes me incredibly proud of the work Whirlpool has done and continues to do in Bloomington."

The new owner of the home, Angelique Nesbitt, and her family symbolically received keys to the home after the dedication, on the field at Memorial Stadium before IU's homecoming football game. Nesbitt, the mother of six children, including four who live with her between the ages of 9 to 18, is looking forward to the stability that home ownership provides after years of renting and receiving public assistance. "That restores your faith in humanity," she said. "We see so much bad and the good that's come from this is overwhelming."

Families qualify for the Habitat program based on three criteria: need for housing, ability to pay back their affordable mortgage and a willingness to partner. Each adult member living in a Habitat home must invest 250 hours of volunteering, called "sweat equity," before closing on their house.

"Habitat's work is about building hope and opportunity, as seen in our partnership with Angelique and her family. Not only will they gain a place to call home, but we know homeownership has a long-lasting, generational impact," said Wendi Goodlett, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County. "Whirlpool's commitment to corporate social responsibility and their 25 years of support for Habitat, including generous donations of energy-efficient appliances, have greatly impacted our community and countless families like Angelique's."

Whirlpool Corp. and Habitat for Humanity together are working to help build a better world where families have access to safe, decent and affordable housing. To date, Whirlpool Corp. has donated $140 million in funding and more than 241,000 home appliances and had a positive impact on nearly 1,000,000 individuals around the world through the relationship with Habitat.