Our work
For 25 years, Whirlpool Corporation has collaborated with Habitat for Humanity to help improve and broaden the ways Habitat can assist more families to achieve housing stability. Since 1999, Whirlpool Corporation has helped improve the lives of more than 1 million people in more than 50 countries through supporting house builds, engaging in U.S. advocacy efforts and donating appliances. Now, Whirlpool Corporation’s goal is to double their impact by supporting new programs like Habitat for Humanity’s BuildBetter with Whirlpool. This five-year program will expand upon Habitat’s current efforts to help homeowners mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events by supporting the building of more than 250 energy-efficient and resilient homes. The aim is to produce a long-term reduction in operating costs for homeowners through an expected improvement in energy efficiency of approximately 15% compared to homes built to the current local government code.
Whirlpool Corporation’s support of the Cost of Home advocacy campaign enabled Habitat organizations, partners, volunteers and community members in the United States to help 10 million people have access to an affordable home. Through sponsorship of Habitat’s global housing forums, Whirlpool has helped to increase access to shelter for vulnerable populations around the world by joining housing organizations and nonprofit, for-profit, public sector, academia, philanthropic and global institutions to create innovative housing solutions. Whirlpool employees around the globe are engaging in the building of Habitat houses in the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Latin American and Caribbean countries. Whirlpool is also commissioning an energy efficiency study of the refrigerators and ranges that are donated to Habitat families in the United States.
BuildBetter with Whirlpool
Habitat for Humanity’s BuildBetter with Whirlpool Initiative expands Habitat’s existing BuildBetter program through a five-year effort to make more than 250 houses climate-resilient and energy-efficient. The initiative will help reduce operating costs for homeowners with limited budgets through an expected energy efficiency improvement of approximately 15% compared to homes built to current local codes. In addition to enhanced storm-resilient features, such as secure and sealed roof decks, homeowners can choose at least one upgrade to address a hazard specific to their region, including enhanced flood or fire defense.
- Participating Habitat organizations will receive technical guidance on construction design and implementation, as well as funding for energy-efficient upgrades, including solar panels.
- Whirlpool Corporation employees will volunteer alongside Habitat to help build these homes. Whirlpool’s support will also enable focused research to expand sustainable housing to more communities and help reduce the environmental impact of home construction.
- The first phase of the initiative focuses on research and collaboration to establish an accurate baseline for measuring sustainable building standards across the construction industry.
- The second phase will pilot proven tactics in target markets to increase energy conservation and resiliency.
- The initiative will conclude with a third phase focused on developing resources and learnings from phases one and two that can be expanded and implemented nationwide.
- Whirlpool’s support will help Habitat increase its tracking and measurement efforts from 15 markets to more than 60 markets across the U.S.
- At the end of five years, the program is expected to achieve a 15% to 65% reduction in predicted energy costs per family and a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per home.
- In 2026, an Institutional Review Board-approved research study will be published to share findings from the initiative.
Cost of Home advocacy
Five years ago, Habitat set out to accelerate action on home affordability through the Cost of Home campaign, which ran from 2019-2024. Whirlpool had been a partner in the work the campaign has done to access more stable, affordable homes for people like Mattie — helping to secure more than 200 policy wins across the U.S. Through this campaign, local and state Habitat for Humanity organizations, partners, volunteers and community members across the United States worked together so that 9.5+ million people could have access to an affordable home.
The Urban Institute examined Cost of Home policy successes and noted the transformation the campaign led within its first four years. Here are the Cost of Home campaign results.
Learn more about how Habitat and Whirlpool are working together
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Since 1999, Whirlpool Corp. has supported Habitat for Humanity to help improve and broaden the ways Habitat can assist more families to achieve housing stability.
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David and Daniela achieve greater financial security in their Habitat home thanks to solar panels funded by a Whirlpool Corporation grant.
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Over the next two years, the Whirlpool Foundation will allocate $2.5 million to help the global housing nonprofit construct stronger, more energy-efficient homes that are responsive to changing climate conditions and increasing climate hazards.
Learn more about Whirlpool Corporation’s approach to social responsibility and partnership with Habitat.
