Noritz - 93% Efficient Tankless Water Heater!

We interviewed James from Noritz at this year's PCBC.  Noritz manufactures Tankless Water Heaters, and featured at the PCBC was a 93% efficient Tankless Water Heater.  According to James, this Tankless is more efficient than standard tankless which is 80% efficient, and significantly more efficient than the most efficient Tank Water Heater, which is only 60-65% efficient.  In the production of their products, Noritz makes every effort to reduce waste by recycling components and metals at the factory. Used and broken appliances can be returned to Noritz for re-use. This product has residential and commercial applications and is shipped using recycled cardboard packaging.

Yaakov: I'm here with James from Noritz, who is going to tell us about some really cool new products that Noritz is showcasing at the PCBC conference.

James: We're standing in front of our new 93% efficient condensing tankless water heater. One of the main difference between this unit and a standard tankless water heater is that this unit is more efficient. A standard tankless is 80% efficient, whereas this unit is 93% efficient.  There are a couple of features and benefits to increasing efficiency; one is venting. On a traditional tankless heater, you have to use category 3 stainless steel. Because we have increased efficiency in our tankless water heater, we're approved to use schedule 40 PVC, so it makes it a lot more versatile and can be used in tighter applications. It's also a cheaper alternative to category 3 stainless steel.

Yaakov: Is this Tankless Water Heater available for purchase now?

James: Yes it is. It actually debuted late last year. We have two different renditions of it, and our latest is our 842 series. It has a PVC adapter built onto it, and it's a little bit cheaper. They are both available now.

Yaakov: Is this technology going to trickle down to the rest of your products?  Meaning are your products all going to eventually be at least 93% efficient?

James: As time goes by, efficiency keeps increasing. Energy becomes more of an issue, globally, and what Noritz actually represents or means in Japanese is efficiency. And we try to implement efficiency in every step of the manufacturing process.  We have the ISO 14001 accreditation, we use a just-in-time manufacturing system like Toyota, and we try to do our part to reduce Carbon emissions. Three to five years from now, 93% efficiency will probably be the standard for tankless.

Yaakov: How would you compare Noritz's Tankless Water Heaters to the most efficient new Tank Water Heaters?

James: There's a substantial gap in efficiency.  This Tankless is 93% efficient, and I hear that Tank Water Heaters have about 60-65% efficiency.  The biggest benefits of our Tankless Water Heaters are increased efficiency, endless hot water, and space savings.  Some Tank Water Heaters still qualify for Energy Star Certification and tax credits, but as Tankless Water Heaters increase in efficiency, they will continue to raise that bar for Tank Water Heater manufacturers.

Yaakov: Are there any kind of green corporate initiatives at Noritz?

James: We have the ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 at our local branches.  What we do is package the tankless heaters in recycled cardboard. And when we get parts returned or we break down units, we melt the copper to reuse.  And we make every effort possible to limit the amount of waste generated.

Yaakov: Are you saying that Noritz will accept an old worn out product and recycle it?

James: Yes. In our facility, we have different bins for copper and cardboard. This is our commitment to making sure that future generations have a cleaner Earth than we do.

Yaakov: What's the target customer for this kind of product?

James: That's a good question. We actually have Tankless Water Heaters in a large selection of sizes that can accomodate the needs of apartment buildings and residences with one to six bathrooms. The sky's the limit with tankless. We have the capability to bank up to 24 units for 1 system.

Yaakov: Are you saying that this unit will actually connect to other units in a commercial application?

James: Yes.  Oakley, whose headquarters are in Irvine California, have 24 of our largest tankless heaters.

Yaakov: What is the price range a consumer can expect to pay for this?

James: You can anticipate double the cost of a Tank Water Heater if you want to upgrade to a Tankless, but the federal government has definitely stepped in to help bridge that gap. Since all Noritz heaters are Energy Star certified, they currently qualify for a tax credit of 30% of the cost of the invoice, with a max credit of $1500. You'd have to have a $4000 invoice to max that out, and local utility companies, like PG&E, PSE, or SoCal Gas, are also stepping in with additional incentives in the form of cash rebates.

Yaakov: That sounds amazing.  Do Noritz Tankless Water Heaters qualify for LEED credits?

James: They do. Our Tankless Water Heaters actually qualify for 2 LEED points.  I believe it takes 43-44 to be LEED certified.

Yaakov: And that's for residential as well as for commercial?

James: I know it's for residential for sure, and I would have to look into commercial.

Yaakov: You have a poster here with Brad Pitt's picture.  Can you tell us a little bit about this?

James: With hurricane Katrina, there were a lot of people who were left homeless in New Orleans. Brad Pitt was able to get a lot of people, manufactures, home builders, and local contractors to contribute their services or products towards building green sustainable homes for these people. Noritz donated 150 Tankless Water Heaters for these homes.  It's our commitment to helping out locally and nationally, and we see it as a good cause, so if someone wants to go green, we want to help drive that home.

Yaakov: Where can I find out information about Noritz, the different initiatives, and the different products you have?

James: Noritz.com, and the Make It Right Foundation by Brad Pitt. There are also things we're attempting to alleviate on the local level including the fires in southern California.

Yaakov: Where can I buy these products?

James: Only through professional distribution, and the reason for this is that we highly recommend that our products are installed by a licenced contractor. You have gas lines, venting, and things like that, so we want a professional installation. Since our products are available only through professional distributors, we encourage consumers to ask their plumbers questions regarding Tankless since they're the ones who are going to take care of it.

Yaakov: Are your products available throughout the US and Canada?

James: Yes.

Yaakov: Thanks James for interviewing with us and thanks for tuning into buildaroo.com!