We have talked a lot about Watersense here on GetWithGreen.com.  The first WaterSense Partners of the Year are being recognized for encouraging Americans to tap into their water resources wisely over the last year.

“EPA commends these partners for being blue ribbon winners in water efficiency,” said Benjamin H. Grumbles, EPA’s assistant administrator for water. “These water stars are helping WaterSense transform the way Americans view and value our most precious liquid asset and, as a result, we are saving more and wasting less for future generations.”

While EPA’s WaterSense program depends on the efforts of more than 1,000 partners, these four exceptional partners earned this special distinction from EPA:

Promotional Partner of the Year: The Saving Water Partnership

Manufacturer Partner of the Year: Kohler Co.

Retailer and Distributor Partner of the Year: Ferguson

Irrigation Partner of the Year: Timothy Malooly of Shorewood, Minn.

These organizations and individual represent the best of WaterSense’s four partner categories. The Saving Water Partnership is a collaboration between Seattle Public Utilities and 17 participating local water utilities. Kohler Co. is a leading bathroom and kitchen product manufacturer. Ferguson is one of the country’s largest wholesale distributors of plumbing supplies. Timothy Malooly is a WaterSense irrigation partner and president of two Minnesota-based irrigation firms: Irrigation Consultants & Control and Irrigation By Design.

The 2008 Partners of the Year helped advance the WaterSense mission through a range of activities demonstrating creativity and collaboration, and promoting water efficiency from New York City’s Times Square to the Minnesota Zoological Garden. Three of the winning organizations have also worked together to educate plumbers and consumers on the benefits of WaterSense labeled products.

In 2007, WaterSense partners were responsible for labeling, selling and promoting more than 193,400 WaterSense labeled products, saving the United States more than 277 million gallons of water annually.

WaterSense, a partnership program launched in 2006 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water.

The first WaterSense Partner of the Year awards are being presented at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas, Nev., the first national water-efficiency conference for an interdisciplinary audience.

WaterSense Partner of the Year awards: http://www.epa.gov/watersense/awards.htm

Information on the WaterSense program: http://www.epa.gov/watersense

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So you say you want to go “tankless” for your water heating needs?  Let’s get started!  There are at least 7 different well marketed tankless water heater manufacturers on the market to choose from, and many more lesser known.

You will quickly find that each manufacturer has at least 7 models (often double that).  Tankless water heaters for indoor installation…tankless water heaters for outdoor installation…tankless water heaters for commercial use…tankless water heaters for residential…gas…electric…   Before your head explodes while doing research, it is not really that hard.   Gary Gudbranson from Cottage on the Edge breaks down 6 Criteria for Selecting a Tankless Water Heater, and we’ve added one more here at GetWithGreen:

7 Criteria for Selecting a Tankless Water Heater

1. Determine your Hot Water Requirement (flow rate and simultaneous users)
2. Single Application, or supply for the Entire house.
3. Powered by Electricity or Gas
4. If Gas, Propane or Natural
5. Indoor or Outdoor Installation Location (Venting Configuration)
6. Venting Location
7. Read more about Tankless on GetWithGreen (see links below)

Gary goes into details for all of the above in his article.  It’s a quick read that will help you during your investigation.  Take a look.

More on Tankless Water Heaters from GetWithGreen.com:

• Velux introdues new tankless water heater
• GE introduces tankless water heater product
• In defense of tankless water heaters

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Add Velux (the skylight company you find at The Home Depot) to the list of companies now offering Solar Water Heaters.  This week the company announced their plans to start offering the products that have been proven in Europe.

The company worked hard to ensure that the roof collectors aesthetically pleasing and to integrate well with rooflines while delivering exceptional energy collection capabilities. The units also integrate with VELUX roof windows. The collectors are certified by independent testing agencies in Europe (Solar Keymark) and in the United States (SRCC) and installers must have completed advanced training to assure reliable installations.

The cost of installed systems will vary depending upon the volume of heated water required in a home. Two to three rooftop solar collector panels will usually be installed and solar hot water holding tanks are available in 80- and 120-gallon sizes.

Tim Miller, President of VELUX America, says that federal tax credits can help pay 30 percent up to $2,000 for a system and that some states and utilities offer additional support resulting in credits that could offset up to half of the cost. This, combined with savings on home energy bills, he says, should result in an anticipated payback period of 3-7 years in most areas depending on geographic location, utility rates and other factors.
Jim Cika, manager, solar products for VELUX, says that the systems can provide up to 100 percent of the demand for heating hot water in a home, with typically up to 80 percent of hot water needs coming, ?free from the sun,? while replacing or adding on to an existing water heating system.

The U.S. Department of Energy, in it?s EERE Consumer?s Guide, says that, ?On average, if you install a solar water heater, your water heating bills should drop 50%-80%. Also, because the sun if free, you?re protected from future fuel shortages and price hikes.?

Solar energy systems can take advantage of this free energy source throughout the year as solar energy can be produced even at low temperatures. According to Cika, the capacity for widespread use is a particularly attractive feature of the VELUX system. ?We us a glycol, or antifreeze solution in our system,? Cika says, ?so it?s suitable for use anywhere in the United States, with the exception of some parts of Alaska, which is not the case with all solar water heating systems.?

Cika says that the VELUX system has a much lower system and installation cost than solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. ?Basically, our system utilizes low-profile roof-top solar energy collectors to gather heat. An electronic controller activates a pump to feed the heated solution through insulated tubing to a solar hot water tank. The heat is transferred from the solution, through a heat exchanger, to the water in the insulated tank, where it is held until needed, and the glycol solution, which never enters the water supply, is returned to the collectors to be reused,? Cika says. He also points out that the solar collectors utilize the same proven flashing materials and techniques employed to install VELUX roof windows.

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Yesterday GE announced their new line of tankless water heaters.  The products are available this month.  Here is what GE had to say in their announcement:

A hot shower. Few rituals bring as much pleasure as does standing beneath a warm spray. And few things can spoil that ritual as much as finding that the person who showered before you has used up every drop of hot water.

The new line of GE® tankless gas water heaters provides a continuous supply of hot water* when and where you need it. No more dipping the finger into the spray to see if the temperature is just right, or standing in a cold bathroom waiting for hot water that’s been drained from the tank.

Unlike conventional water tanks that heat and store hot water around the clock, GE’s tankless gas water heater only activates when you start to use hot water, and immediately de-activates when you are done. The result is a more energy-efficient system; using a tankless gas heater can save homeowners up to 25% annually on water heating costs on their energy bill over a standard 40-gallon gas tank water heater.** Those savings are a result of eliminating standby losses?the energy lost from warmed water sitting in a tank. GE’s tankless gas heaters have an Ef rating of. 82, whereas a standard gas water heater has an Ef rating of just .53?.62.

The tankless system delivers continuous hot water at the precisely heated temperature to every faucet, fixture or appliance in the home.* The electronic digital control allows the homeowner to adjust the hot water temperature at the touch of a button, while the Precise Temp feature keeps water temperature within three degrees (+/-)of the heater’s set point.

Another advantage of the tankless gas water heater is that with proper sizing, it is capable of providing continuous hot water even when multiple showers, tubs, sinks or appliances are in use at the same time.*

GE’s tankless gas water heaters also fit in small spaces. Available in both outdoor and indoor models, the tankless gas water heater’s compact footprint (approximately 23-inches height x 14-inches width x 10-inches; deep, and weighing 50 pounds) allows installation in attics, garages, closets or other out-of-the-way locations. For the ultimate in convenience, units can be equipped with an optional remote controller, which allows the user to monitor and adjust hot water temperature in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry room or any other room. Outdoor units are equipped with ceramic heaters that prevent them from freezing at temperatures as low as ?30°F.

Available June 2008, the GE tankless gas water heater is available in two sizes (7.5-gallon-per-minute flow and 9.4-gallon-per-minute flow), indoor and outdoor. The 7.5-gallon-per-minute flow is available in natural gas; the 9.4-gallon-per-minute flow is available in natural gas or LP gas.

*Size appropriately, as flow rates may diminish based on simultaneous use of multiple showers/baths and/or appliances.
** Based on testing conducted by the Department of Energy. 

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Some of our most heated emails and comments on GetWithGreen.com have to do with the savings around tankless water heaters.   We will continue to bring you all sides of the story, as we install them ourselves, and discover differences of opinions out there in the marketplace. 

Just yesterday, the SF Chronicle ran another article on the subject.  Take a look as they deliver some pros/cons:  In defense of tankless water heaters

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Sooooo much buzz continues around solar water heaters. Mati Bishop recently posted to Building Seattle Green highlighting Ten Misconceptions and Truths about these popular talked about products.

His article Top Ten Misconceptions and Truths about Solar Hot Water, to explain that even in Seattle where it rains alot, you can still get hot water from one of these devices.  He brushes on topics such as rebates, using hot water from a solar system at night, expense of a system and installation.

For more on solar water heaters, see our recent article on solar water heater manufacturers and rebates.

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Conventional water heaters, tankless water heaters, & solar water heaters.

The solar water heater buzz is rising across the internet, and feeding the frenzy is the emergence of rebates — especially in California where Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation last Fall to spend $250 million over the next 10 years on rebates for solar water heaters.

Rebates from your gas utility can be as much as $1,500. Rebates are paid for by everyone who doesn’t have a solar water heater as your monthly bill will see a small increase of less than twenty cents.

The city of Palo Alto, CA this week joins communities such as Sacramento and Austin with an outline to their rebate program. The latter two programs are already live.

The DOE’s Consumer’s Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has some great information on the topic of solar hot water heaters. There are several flavors of solar hot water heaters, and you’ll need to take a small amount of time to see which type is right for you. The DOE includes a cost calculation sheet on their site that you can work the numbers to understand your payback.

Take a look at the following links for more information on suppliers and pricing; AET, Solar Direct, SolarRoofs.com, Heliodyne (images in this article), Sun Ray Solar, Sun Earth Inc., Sun Systems Inc., ThermoTechnologies, and Apricus.

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You will most likely go back and forth and debate the benefits of a tankless hot water heater over a conventional one in your remodel – many of us at GetWithGreen.com have during our remodels (we all went tankless ).  

The space savings will be a big draw for those of you living in smaller homes, and for some it will be the energy consumption of the tankless vs. a conventional model, or which one pays back faster? Tankless water heaters deliver hot water “on demand”, without storing it.  They circulate water through burners or coils which heat the water.  Therefore, a tankless unit never runs out of water in theory, but they do have limitations on flow should too many family members try to consume hot water at the same time – although design of your system should limit this.

One debate that rages on across the internet is the time you will be required to wait for hot water.  Will a tankless get your hot water faster, or do you get it faster with conventional?   The LA Times’ Pardon Our Dust blog posted one perspective on the topic, and we think it is a good quick read.  The article is written by Bill Doering, and it outlines a little test he performed on his own to see which type of heater delivered hot water the fastest.  On-demand water heaters: A homeowner’s experience

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A payback analysis for a tankless water heater is something that every energy conscious consumer should consider…

There are a lot of tankless water heater manufactures claiming a wide range of savings on your next water heating bill. A quick search on the web will show you a percent reduction of up 80%.   However the question still exists: how much would you really save on your water heating bill using a tankless water heater?

Most importantly what is the payback or ROI of the average tankless water heater and how does it compare to a traditional tank hot water system? Let us try to answer these questions:

Annual costs associated with water heaters of any type are divided into (3) categories:

1. Energy costs to heat the water from its incoming temperature to the desired temperature.
2. Standby energy costs: in the case of traditional tank heaters, standby cost is the cost of the energy to keep the water hot in the tank all day. For a tankless water heater standby cost is the cost of energy when the tankless water heater is running idle (minimal).
3. Installation costs: This is the cost to install the heater and all its piping system.

So let us examine these costs for both traditional tank heaters and tankless water heaters in detail.

Average Annual Traditional Tank Heater Costs

- Annual hot water demand: 87 gallons / day

- 335 days / year = 29,145 gallons/ year

Power to heat up 1 gallon of water from 57 to 110F according to the multi-housing laundry association is 0.2 kWh. The annual power requirement of heating the water from 57 to 110F for an American household is: 29,145 gallons/ year x 0.2 kWh/ gallon = 5,900 kWh/ year

The cost of 5,900 kWh: 5,900 kWh/ year x $0.11/ kWh = $649/ year

The cost to keep one gallon of water hot is $0.003. So, the cost to keep 21,145 gallons of water hot (standby): 21,945 gallons/ year x $0.003/ gallon = $87

So the total annual cost of heating water using a traditional tank system is $649 + $85 or $736

Average annual Tankless Water Heater Costs

Average energy to heat water to 110F is 6.2 kW

Average daily usage is 1.5 hours

Daily power needed to heat the water to 110F is: 1.5 hours x 6.2 kW = 9.3 kWh

Annual costs to heat water using a tankless water heater is: 9.5 kWh/ day x 335 days/ year x $0.11/kWh = $343

The total cost of heating water using a tankless water heater is $343 + $17 or $360.

What do these numbers mean?

The percent annual savings using a tankless water heater over a traditional tank system is 50% or $375.

This amount ($375) is equal to the cost of an average mid-size tankless water heater. Please note: Installation costs were found to be comparable for both tank and tankless systems, ~$150.

In addition there is the potential for tax credits for any tankless water heater. Please visit http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm for more information.

Given the longer life of a tankless water heater at 22 years versus a tank system 10 years there is the potential of saving over $4,000 over the long term.

The incoming water temperature from which the Department of Energy (DOE) calculations are made, has been established at 57F. In many parts of the world one does not normally experience inlet temperatures this cost year round however, we used 57F as our inlet temperature. 110F is the average household hot water operating temperature. This translates to 53 degrees of temperature rise for both tank and tankless water heating systems. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (July 2006) the average American household consumes 87 gallons of hot water per day. Average cost of electricity for the at the time of writing, is $0.11 kWh, as per the Department of Energy (DOE). Based on a DOE report July 2006.

Disclaimer: The information on the system, product or material presented herein is provided for informational purposes only. Please ensure that you consult a qualified technician prior to installing a tankless water heater or any suggestions put forward by e-Smart Living.There are no warranties, either expressed or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information.

[via e-smartliving.com]

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With winter just around the corner, we now have access to a tool that can help us evaluate and possibly reduce our energy bills up to 25 percent by making some simple improvements around the home, according to the EPA.  The new tool from EPA, the Energy Star Home Advisor, provides consumers with customized recommendations for improving energy efficiency and comfort at home. And as we know, using energy more efficiently is also another way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

?Dropping temperatures don?t have to lead to rising energy bills. By making a few energy saving home improvements, Americans can stay warm this winter, while keeping more cold cash in their pockets,? said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.

The average family spends $1,900 per year on energy bills. For example, EPA estimates that homeowners can save up to 10 percent on their annual energy bill simply by sealing air leaks and adding insulation. If every American home improved energy efficiency by 10 percent, the result would be 800 pounds of carbon removed from the air each year.

Using the Energy Star Home Advisor, we can enter our zip code and some basic information about the types of fuel used to heat and cool their home, and get recommended home improvement projects to increase energy efficiency and comfort. Homeowners can also see the average energy savings for these improvements and associated greenhouse gas reductions.

Common recommendations for homeowners include sealing air leaks and ducts; adding insulation; installing a programmable thermostat; replacing older heating, cooling, and water heating equipment with more efficient units; as well as changing lighting, appliances and windows to Energy Star qualified models.

Homeowners can visit the Energy Star Home Advisor at: http://www.energystar.gov/homeadvisor

Energy Star was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the Energy Star label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products as well as new homes. Products that have earned the Energy Star designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. Last year alone, Americans, with the help of Energy Star, saved about $14 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 25 million vehicles.

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