Residential Water Heating Program

The Gas Technology Institute proposed and executed this 36‐month research program of closely linked projects to help facilitate the overall goal of reducing natural gas consumption for residential water heating in California. Using guidance from the Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research Program on appliance research topics, the program met the overall goal with a broad based set of one administrative and five project activities that included: 1. Developing an integrated hot water generation and distribution system analysis tool, efficient water heating equipment and piping system best practices, and a design guide. 2. Revisions for water heater standard testing and rating methods, and updates to building and energy efficiency codes. 3. Laboratory evaluations of water heating equipment and hot water distribution piping. 4. Field performance monitoring of water heaters and surveys of consumer hot water use behaviors and plumber distribution system installation practices. 5. Advanced water heating system training for the plumbing and other trades.