As the demand for energy-efficient and sustainable building solutions grows, retrofit projects are increasingly turning to electric alternatives to replace traditional gas systems. The Rheem commercial heat pump water heaters are proving to be a reliable, high-performance option in these upgrades, offering significant benefits in energy savings, emissions reduction, and long-term cost efficiency.

With a Global Warming Potential (GWP) rating below 1 (<1) and an improved Co-Efficient of Performance (COP), the Rheem YF Series Commercial Heat Pump range is already a popular choice for commercial water heating retrofits. The YF Series provides a straightforward pathway to reducing a building’s carbon footprint and lowering overall energy costs, making it an ideal solution for businesses looking to upgrade to a more sustainable system.

Another advantage of the YF Series is its reduced complexity, plant footprint, and unit weight, which makes the system easier to house and install. The Air to Water (A2W) models are available with both vertical and horizontal discharge options, with fan options in ducted and non-ducted versions. Horizontal models can even be stacked two high to further reduce plant footprint. This gives business owners and installers plenty of flexibility in tight spaces.

Laser Plumbing Hamilton West has recently completed two notable retrofit projects replacing gas systems with Rheem YF Series Commercial Heat Pumps. The first was for Anglesea Motel in Hamilton, where the owner wanted a more sustainable option. Having experienced the efficiency and short payback of heat pump water heaters in his own home, the YF Series was an easy choice.

The Zeta Motel also chose to overhaul their boiler room setup, installing a YF Air to Water Series Heat Pump along with 3 x 430L storage tanks and a 50L commercial booster. Laser Plumbing had actually met with Rheem at the Laser Conference earlier this year and talked through some options, which led to Laser and Rheem being able to make the recommendation for the above solution.

While Laser Plumbing Hamilton West will be providing the exact savings and emissions data soon, previous data tell us that the new owners of these YF Air to Water Series will now be enjoying around a 50% reduction in their operating costs. According to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), traditional commercial boilers typically have a COP of 0.75 to 0.95, while the A2W models offer a COP of up to 4.28 for the 30kW unit and 4.23 for the 15kW unit. This high COP, combined with New Zealand’s low-carbon electricity grid, enables efficient heat generation with far less energy loss than traditional system, saving businesses money while also helping them meet sustainability targets.

If you’d like to learn more about Rheem Commercial Heat Pump products, get in touch with Rheem Commercial Sales Manager Paul Watson at [email protected] — he’ll work with you to find the right solution for your retrofit.