Energy Efficiency Modeling of Gas-fired Heat Pump Water Heaters

Water heating represents significant energy use in residential applications. Therefore, energy efficient water heating is an essential component to achieve California’s saving goals. Although gas-fired heat pump water heaters (gHPWH) have been around for over three decades, this technology has only matured in recent years, in part because of improved systems and infrastructure as well as emerging energy conservation standards on water heating. This project is proposed to develop energy models by using ResStock by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), to forecast the overall impact of a gas-fired heat pump water heater (gHPWH) on energy consumption, utility bills, and greenhouse gas emissions in the low-rise (5 stories or less) in multifamily residential sector for buildings with a central water heater as well as various other technologies. This work will specifically focus on this sector as the gas heat pump water heater of interest (Robur’s GAHP-A is sized larger than typical single family residential homes, making multifamily the best fit for this product).