2008 Super Nova Star Award Winner: Rinnai Corporation

For more than 30 years, Rinnai – winner of the Alliance’s award for innovation in energy efficiency – has been a leader in innovative gas appliance technologies that have kept the company at the forefront of energy efficiency. Rinnai also was instrumental in the U.S. Department of Energy’s February 2007 decision to establish an ENERGY STAR program for residential water heating – the only major residential energy end use without an ENERGY STAR designation at that time.

In January 2008, Rinnai launched the industry’s first line of high-output, high-efficiency tankless water heaters for residential and commercial applications, as well as the first Tankless Heating System that works in concert with its tankless water heaters to deliver on-demand, comfortable heat using the same source for household hot water and space heating. While the Energy Factors (EF) of water tanks is typically 59 to 62 percent, Rinnai’s gas tankless units typically have EFs of more than 80 percent, with some as high as 87 percent.

Beyond their energy efficiency and water-saving gains, tankless water heaters have additional and substantial environmental benefits. They are one-fifth the size of tank water heaters and last twice as long; and most of their components can be recycled, reducing landfill load by approximately 600 million pounds over 10 years.

Said Rinnai Executive Vice President Ervin Cash, “We at Rinnai appreciate the Alliance’s award recognizing our company’s strides in making homes and commercial buildings more energy efficient. Builder magazine has ranked Rinnai tankless water heaters the most popular product among builders for four years, demonstrating that energy-efficient products are getting more attention from builders than typical aesthetic products. This is great news for energy-efficiency advocates, for -consumers, and for our nation.”