Awards And Certifications From Nov. 6

Whirlpool Gets UL Green Certification For Washers: UL Environment recently awarded Whirlpool Corporation Multi-Attribute Product Certifications for select clothes washers including front load washers and the first certified top load models. The certification, AHAM 7003-2013/CSA SPE-7003-13/UL 7003, Sustainability Standard for Household Clothes Washers, is one of a group of voluntary standards which were the product of a cooperative effort by the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, UL Environment, CSA Group and an AHAM task force that included industry experts at Whirlpool Corporation and other manufacturers. This certification is just the latest recognition of Whirlpool Corp.'s efforts to manufacture appliances with the highest standard of energy and water efficiency as well as lifecycle sustainability without compromising performance. The certification examines six key points of environmental impact including: materials, manufacturing and operations, energy and water consumption during use, consumables, end of life, and innovation. Through Whirlpool's environmental initiatives spanning more than three decades, the average home's appliance energy use has dropped nearly 50 percent in the past 25 years, to levels as low as 13 percent of the home's total energy consumption today. More at www.whirlpool.com.

MVU Research Institute Named 2013 iNACOL Innovator: The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute, a division of Michigan Virtual University, has been awarded the 2013 iNACOL Innovator Award for Outstanding Research at the iNACOL Blended and Online Learning Symposium, which drew more than 2,000 education leaders. The award is presented annually by the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) and recognizes cutting-edge research in the field of blended and online learning. The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute was established in 2012 to support and accelerate innovation in education through a variety of activities, including researching technology-based instructional tools and online learning delivery models, designing professional development services for educators, and identifying and sharing best practices for implementing online and blended education delivery models. In addition to the Outstanding Research Award, awards for Innovative Blended and Online Learning Practice and Outstanding Individual Contribution to K-12 Blended and Online Learning were also presented at the learning symposium. MVU is a private, nonprofit Michigan corporation established by the state in 1998 to serve as a champion for online learning. It is the parent organization of the Michigan Virtual School, Michigan LearnPort, and the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute. Visit www.mivu.org for more information.