RHA

Overview

RHA will assemble a large and diverse team of stakeholders from an existing network of Advanced Water Heating Initiative (AWHI) members to create an open source HPWH retrofit installation best practices and field guide to be piloted with a small group of contractors.

Research Questions:

• How do we better ensure quality, replicable HPWH retrofits across California through knowledge sharing?
• How do we ensure that trained contractors have access to just-in-time knowledge about installation methods as they work?

Market Barrier

HPWHs are widely commercially available, but they aren't widely installed. While the number of available trainings has significantly increased, they are inconsistent and often insufficient for contractors to feel fully confident about a new technology to maintain its adoption after their first heat pump installation.

Proposed Solution

Create a field guide with agreed-upon best practices as a basis for sound training and provide just-in-time learning to contractors when they are in the field installing a technology that is new to them.

Theory of Change

The industry lacks a standard set of best practices to guide quality outcomes, and installers lack a clear, step-by-step visual guide to use in the field. Without these, available training and resources are inconsistent or inaccurate, and installers do not have proper knowledge of the technology and are impeded by perceived risks associated with using this product in retrofits. Providing a visually-based field resource will contribute to maintaining adoption of a new technology by contractors.

Project Status:

In progress

Housing Type:

Residential

Technology:

HPWH

Location:

This field guide is piloted with a small group of contractors in SoCal Gas territory. It maintains a focus on contractors who serve households benefiting from the California Energy Savings Assistance program.

Download Best Practices Manual

Download HPWH Job Aids