Roadmap to Scaling: Best Practices from CO2 Heat Pump Water Heater System Pilots

The complexities of effectively implementing and operating system-level innovations makes pilots prone to failure, impeding their scalability. To increase the likelihood of pilot  success, we propose a paradigm shift toward an iterative and data-driven continuous  commissioning process. We applied this hands-on process to the startup of two multi-family central water heating systems with CO2 HPWHs. When our initial analyses revealed poor performance, we worked closely with the contractor  and manufacturer to diagnose the reasons, leading to controls and system piping modifications that significantly improved performance. We will share lessons learned for multifamily central HPWH systems and how to apply this approach to other complex building systems.

Session Speaker(s): 

Session Chair(s): 

Event Time: 

Thursday, March 20, 2025 - 1:00pm to 2:00pm

Room / Location:
Marina 1

CEU Information: 

Credit pending for AIA, BOC, GBCI, MA CSL, NAHB, NARI, PHI, Phius, and RESNET certification.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recognize the common pitfalls of implementing a novel system in new markets
  • Integrate measurement and verification with commissioning to increase the likelihood of pilot success
  • Define best practices to effectively implement new mechanical systems
  • Explain how project planning can effect pilot outcomes

Session ID: 

BOS25-128