In early February we had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas to the AHR Expo. For those of you who have never heard of it, it’s a ginormous, 50,000 person, expo focused primarily on space and water heating systems, a Mecca of sorts for heat pump dorks like us.
While there, we stopped by dozens of booths and talked with dozens of manufacturers to see the latest innovations in heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) for both residential and commercial buildings.
Here are four top, water heater takeaways from a jam packed two days at the Expo.
In mid-February, Great Northwest Installations installed the first flexible voltage 120V / 240V HPWHs in Portland, Oregon. AWHI is conducting one of the first field studies on this technology in the country. Flexible voltage HPWHs can be plugged into a standard 120V shared circuit and then later upgraded to 240V if a homeowner decides they would like to use the electric resistance backup elements. The technology could be an important tool to help more homes, especially those with gas water heaters, switch to heat pumps.
Stay tuned!
March 4, 2026, 11am-12pm Pacific
Buildings tend to be the primary energy consumer in the U.S.—and amid rising utility prices and concerns about the impacts of climate change, efforts are being made to incorporate energy saving strategies into commercial building design, construction, and operation. The concept of a Net Zero Energy building, which produces as much energy as it uses annually, is a reality in most regions. These buildings often come with added benefits that include improved comfort and resilience.
In this online event, our panelists will discuss Net Zero Energy buildings. Presenters will clarify what these terms mean and how they compare with other classifications, such as Net Zero Carbon or Living Buildings, and introduce Future‑Ready building concepts. The session will feature case studies, explore why clients made this choice, and highlight how the current market for these buildings is evolving today.
This webinar is developed in partnership with San Diego LEARN, New Buildings Institute, and Advanced Water Heating Initiative.
AWHI’s monthly working group meetings are always full of incredible content on advanced water heating. Here is a selection from our January and February webinars and meetings:
February Residential AWHI Working Group
February AWHI Webinars
Cold Climate VRF Manufacturer’s Roundtable recording
Electrifying “Weird” Loads webinar recording
January Hydronic Working Group - AHRI + CEE discussion of test procedures
Catherine and Anthony just self-installed a new HPWH while remodeling their bathroom in Portland, Oregon and shared this picture. Great work!
Feel free to share installation photos from your HPWH install if you’d like to celebrate them in our newsletter. Email info@advancedwaterheatinginitiative.org
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