2024 Heat Pump Water
Heater Day

Thank you for joining us on October 23, 2024.

An entire day dedicated to heat pump water heater (HPWH) education and awareness.

We know that collectively we have the power to create a clean energy, low-carbon future. On HPWH Day we connect with advocates, manufacturers, installers, homebuilders, and HPWH owners to showcase ENERGY STAR certified HPWHs and the ways they help create a better future. So we ask, how will you help bring about the future we need right now? Join us on HPWH Day and every day!

Check out this year’s program below.

2024 Program Schedule

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

8:00 AM

Welcome and Keynote Address

Welcome and Keynotes recordings

Emcee: Joe Wachunas | Senior Project Manager, Advanced Water Heating Initiatve (AWHI) New Buildings Institute (NBI)

8:05 AM

Keynote Address

Jennifer M. Granholm | Secretary, Department of Energy

8:10 AM

Keynote Introduction

Emcee: Smita Gupta | Acting Director of Codes and Policy, Advanced Water Heating Initiatve (AWHI) New Building Institute (NBI)

8:15 AM

Keynote Address

Sponsored by:

Ram Narayanamurthy | Deputy Director, Building Technologies Office, Department of Energy

8:25 AM

Plenary Introduction

Emcee: Joe Wachunas | Senior Project Manager, Advanced Water Heating Initiatve (AWHI) New Buildings Institute (NBI)

8:30 AM

Heat pump water heaters are on a rapid growth trajectory which new standards are likely to accelerate. But the road to full market transformation over the next 15 years has both ample challenges and opportunities. In HPWH Day’s opening plenary, our panel will look into their crystal balls to try to gauge what it will take to completely transform the water heating market to heat pumps by 2040 and the key work that remains to be done to ensure this occurs.

Session recording and Presentation slides

Moderator: Deepti Dutt | Manager, Technology Market Transformation, Northeast Energy Efficient Partnerships (NEEP)

Andrew McAllister | Commissioner, California Energy Commission

Maggie Kelley Riggins | Senior Program Manager, Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA)

Joshua C. Greene | Vice President of Government, Regulatory, and Industry Affairs, A.O. Smith

9:20 AM

Residential heat pump water heaters are rapidly gaining market share but are still facing challenges to widespread adoption in multi-family and light commercial buildings. Space constraints when replacing in-unit water heaters are calling for new technical solutions. Many existing products are still untested, and adequate sizing guidance and education for building owners is lacking. This panel will feature some of the industry leaders trying to remedy this situation. The panel will outline what solutions exist today for replacing in-unit multi-family and light commercial water heaters with heat pumps, what products are coming and what research and development is still needed.

Session recording and Presentation slides

Jon Heller | President, Ecotope

Kyle Jason | A.O. Smith

Sponsored by:

Moderator: Vidhisha Moopnar | New Buildings Institute (NBI)

Emily Rosenbloom | Senior Program Manager, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA)

Russell Stevens | Senior Energy Efficiency Account Manager, TRC

Gregg Holladay | Bradford White

10:20 AM

Roughly 15% of new water heaters are installed in new construction annually. Making sure those water heaters are heat pumps is a key task in market transformation. Increased rebates for ENERGY STAR and Zero Energy Ready certified homes are driving both large and small home builders to install heat pump water heaters. Yet, cost and installation challenges remain. This panel will explore where the new construction market currently is with heat pump water heaters and will highlight the experience of early home builders making the switch to efficient water heating.

Session recording and Presentation slides

Sponsored by:

Moderator: Trude Namara | Communications Manager, New Buildings Institute (NBI)

Moderator: Paul Campbell | Director, Energy and Sustainability Marketing, ICF

Elliot McCrary | QA Engineer, Clayton Homes

Brian Shanks | Manager of National Accounts & Governmental Affairs, Beazer Homes

Dean Gamble | Technical Manager, ENERGY STAR Single-Family New Homes

11:30 AM

Central heat pump water heaters for multifamily and commercial buildings are having a moment. New manufacturers are entering the market, codes and the necessity of decarbonization are driving building owners to install increasing numbers of systems and the potential to load shift their usage is emerging as an asset to utilities. This roundtable will feature central HPWH manufacturers and distributors who will highlight where the market currently is and where it is going. They’ll profile their unique products, strategies for reducing costs and ensuring installation success and discuss optimal building types and scenarios for central HPWH installations.

Session recording and Presentation slides

Sponsored by:

Moderator: Keshmira Engineer | Program Manager, Energy Efficiency Emerging Technology
Bonneville Power Administration and Advanced Water Heating Initiative (AWHI)

Moderator: Helen Townsend | PMP, Sr. Project Manager

Albert Rooks | CEO, WaterDrop Systems

Tim Totten | Laars

Anne Yardly Caldwell | Team Lead, Applied Products, Elmco Stewart

12:35 PM

The Excellence in Water Heating Awards will recognize leaders in residential and commercial water heating nationally. Our hosts will present recognition in five categories based on recommendations from an expert panel of judges. Join us for a fun celebratory moment to honor individuals and organizations leading the way towards decarbonized water heating.

Session recording and Presentation slides

Susan Grant Harris | New Buildings Institute (NBI)

Paul Campbell | Director, Energy & Sustainability Marketing, ICF

Amanda Hatherly | Chief Executive Officer, Building Performance Institute (BPI)

Keshmira Engineer | Program Manager, Energy Efficiency Emerging Technology
Bonneville Power Administration and Advanced Water Heating Initiative (AWHI)

Angie Ostaszewski | Energy & Equity Expert

Owen Howlett | California Energy Commission

1:15 PM

An important sign of HPWH market transformation is the increasing number of manufacturers bringing products to the market. Join us for a session that will feature many of the companies that have brought new heat pump water heaters to market recently along with others that plan to release products in the near future. These manufacturers will describe their new products along with their plans to grow market share in an increasingly crowded market.

Sponsored by:

Session recording and Presentation slides

Moderator: Joe Wachunas | Senior Project Manager, Advanced Water Heating Initiatve (AWHI) New Buildings Institute (NBI)

Moderator: Brian Stewart | Electrify Now

Victoria Otto | Senior Product Manager Water Heating, Bosch Thermotechnology Corp

Ankur Maheshwari | Director, Global Product Management, Decarbonization Products, Rinnai America Corporation

Rod Williams | Executive Vice President EMBERTEC USA LLC

Michael Rigney | CEO & Cofounder, Cala Systems

Renae’ Turnbaugh | Senior Builder National Sales Manager, LG Electronics

2:20 PM

As water heating is increasingly electrified, load shifting water heater run times from periods of peak demand has already become crucial to utilities. Both commercial and residential HWPH load shifting pilot projects have demonstrated the ability to successfully shift usage with minimal disruption to the end consumer. This session will explore key HPWH load shifintg lessons from the field. Panelists will discuss how to scale HWPH load shifting and highlight technical developments in progress to allow this scaling to take place.

Session recording and Presentation slides

Sponsored by:

Moderator: Noah Gabriel | Senior Project Analyst, New Buildings Institute (NBI)

Geoff Wickes | Senior Product Manager, Emerging Technologies, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA)

Peter Grant | Energy/Environment Technology Researcher, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Amélie Besson | Manager of Programs, Association for Energy Affordability

3:30 PM

120-volt, plug-in heat pump water heaters have now been on the market for 2 years and have started to see significant adoption especially in the California market. We’ll check in with manufacturers and installers of this crucial technology, which allow easier replacement of gas water heaters, on the lessons learned from the first two years of market availability and get an update on next generation 120-volt heat pump water heaters in development.