Decarbonization of Domestic Water Heating in Multifamily Buildings

Domestic hot water doesn’t get the attention it deserves, so this session will be talking about nothing but it! Decarbonizing DHW in multifamily settings is full of challenges, especially in a heating-dominated cold climate. We will be discussing decarbonization strategies from new construction and existing buildings, central and decentralized systems, and touching on adjacent topics like loads and futureproofing. The presenters will share their perspectives on the pros and cons of different DHW product types and system architectures, as illustrated by real-world case studies highlighting the performance, cost, and reliability of different systems.

Session Speaker(s): 

Session Chair(s): 

Event Time: 

Friday, May 7, 2021 - 11:30am to 12:30pm

Room / Location:

CEU Information: 

AIA 1.0 LU/HSW
BPI 1.0 hour
GBCI LEED BD+C, ID+C 1.0 hour
Mass. CSL 1.0 hour Energy
Conference-day attendance credits available from PHIUS, RESNET, and Mass. CSL

Learning Objectives:

  • List at least two strategies for lowering DHW loads in multifamily buildings
  • Explain why displacement strategies for meeting a portion of the DHW load via heat pumps may be more attractive in some buildings than strategies for meeting 100% of the load
  • List at least two issues to avoid when electrifying hot water in decentralized systems
  • List at least two strategies for making new construction more ready for electrified DHW systems

Session ID: 

BOS21-709