Solar water heating: a comprehensive buying guide

For economic and environmental reasons solar water heating systems are becoming a popular option for home water heating in New Zealand, and are also beginning to feature in commercial and industrial applications.
Making greater use of the sun's energy to heat water contributes towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, helps lower New Zealand's dependency on non-renewable resources and reduces the rate of electricity demand growth.
It also offers benefits for individuals. In many New Zealand households, between 30% and 50% of energy costs can be attributed to heating water, and an effective and correctly installed solar water heating system can be sized to reduce electricity consumption for water heating by between 50% and 75% over the course of a year. Solar water heaters can also make a major contribution to the supply of hot water for commercial and industrial applications.
This guide provides information such as the costs and benefits of solar water heating, compliance with the New Zealand Building Code, residential and commercial applications of solar water heating and the design and installation of solar water heaters.
The appendices to this guide provide additional technical information, but it should be noted that this is not an installation guide. Consult with an accredited solar water heating supplier, building or engineering professional as necessary.