LIFE Highly Efficient Ovens (HEO)

Whirlpool

Following a century of experience, we have grown into the world’s leading manufacturer of household appliances with 22 000 employees working in factories across seven countries in the EMEA region. To satisfy our global customer base, Whirlpool strives to build affordable and reliable products with increasingly ambitious environmental credentials.

Larger with Life

From 2012-2015, the EU LIFE Programme invested over €800 000 in the €1.8 million project Highly Efficient Ovens to reduce the heat losses and energy consumption of kitchen ovens. Whirlpool increased heat reflectivity inside electric ovens with a stainless steel cavity that reduces their energy consumption and applied a sol-gel coating to counter deterioration of the appliance over time.

EU added value

• Cut household expenses and bills
• Replaced all toxic Ni and Co in ovens
• CO2 savings of over 500 kg per oven

Prospects

• EU power savings worth €1 billion/year
• CO2 down 5 million tonnes a year
• Extend life cycle of other appliances

Achievements

• Saved 30% of energy consumed by ovens and 60% of energy needed to manufacture them
• Extended oven durability with new coatings, cutting life-cycle costs for consumer by over 25%
• Reduced the global warming potential of electric ovens by up to 60%
• The EC labelling scheme awarded Whirlpool ovens A++ classification for their energy savings
• Won the Best of the Best LIFE-Environment Award in 2016

Policy support

• Streamline manufacturing processes as set out in the Energy Efficiency Directive
• Pursue the objectives of the Industrial Emissions Directive to reduce factory pollution
• Cut CO2 emissions in line with the EU roadmap for moving to a competitive low carbon economy