Heat pump water heaters (HPWH) are a more recent market entry with nearly triple the efficiency of electric resistance models. HPWHs function similarly to space heating heat pumps: instead of generating heat from electric resistance coils, heat is moved from ambient air to a hot water tank. The ambient air can come from either inside the building or from the outdoors. Once heat has been extracted from the air, cold air is discharged from the unit.
The Maryland Clean Buildings Hub (the Hub), an initiative of the Maryland Energy Administration, empowers Maryland’s building owners to make well-informed energy investments in their properties by connecting them to financial, educational, and technical assistance. Sign-up for the Hub newsletter here. Have questions? Contact [email protected].
Water heating is one of the more difficult areas to retrofit for buildings, but the challenges are not insurmountable:
- Considerations may include increased equipment space needs, additional venting requirements, and possible noise mitigation, and comfort issues for residents.
- It is critical to engage a mechanical design team early in the process to assess the feasibility of the retrofit.
Building owners and operators can tap into a range of incentives to help defray the costs of heat pump water heaters. The
Maryland Clean Buildings Hub (the Hub) is committed to help building owners or operators understand the range of incentives that they may be eligible to receive.
State:
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MEA's Commercial & Industrial Grant Program: This program provides eligible commercial buildings funding for cost-effective energy efficiency and conservation upgrades for existing, major renovation, and new construction projects that are above minimum code and performance standards and claim at least 20% energy savings.
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MEA's Decarbonizing Public Schools Grant Program:This program provides incentives for school districts looking to expand their capacity to manage energy data and reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions while planning for future high-performance schools.
Local:
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BGE Business Program - Get financial incentives to cover up to 50% of the cost of energy-efficient appliances and equipment for individual units in multifamily housing, including apartment buildings and condominiums.
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BGE Small Business Program - Take advantage of incentives that cover up to 85% of the cost of qualifying upgrades. Plus, choose to spread your 15% of the cost over 12 monthly payments through a no-interest BGE Small Business Energy Advance, so you’ll see a fast return on your investment.
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BGE Heat Pump Water Heater - For water heaters more than 10 years old, avoid the hassle, stress and extra costs of water heater failure by planning ahead and replacing it early with an ENERGY STAR® certified model.
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Potomac Edison Business Program - Bring everyday savings to your business with energy-efficient appliances and incentives from Potomac Edison’s Energy Solutions for Business Program. Qualified appliances offer outstanding performance and are built to use less energy than standard models.
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Heat Pump Water Heater Guide: Covers the basics of integrated heat pump water heaters, including design, installation, and maintenance. It highlights best practices and common technical considerations for professionals supporting heat pump water heaters for single-family and multifamily new construction.
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Heat Pump Water Heater Technical Guide: Covers the benefits and features of heat pump water heaters, how they work, an installer flowchart, design considerations, installation best practices, code and inspection checklists, FAQs, and more.
Suggestions for additional resources can be directed to [email protected].
