Government House leads by example with a solar water heating installation
The solar thermal system should offset at least 18MW of energy per year and up to 240 tonnes of carbon...
Solar Water Heating - The Smart Choice
The Solar Association of New Zealand is the advocacy organisation for solar water heating solutions in New Zealand (originally the Solar Industries Association or SIA). The Association aims to serve and assist both industry and householders towards the widespread adoption of solar water heating, reducing power costs and supporting the environment. On this website you can find information on:
- what to look for when purchasing a Solar Association listed Complying SWH System
- how to find Accredited Suppliers and Installers, and system designers
- the range of systems available and how to choose a system, and
- the quality standards that solar specialists and their products are expected to achieve.
Solar water heating systems are a smart investment
Solar systems can be installed in new buildings, or in your current building connected to your existing hot water heating system or with a replacement high efficiency hot water cylinder. Solar systems are inexpensive to install, provide free energy once installed, and reduce overall water heating costs.
Purchase a complying system from an Accredited Supplier
When considering purchasing a solar water heating system, make sure you purchase from a solar specialist. To get the best energy performance out of your new solar system it should be of a design suitable for your situation and should be installed for optimal performance. There are a range of models of solar system available, but optimal energy performance will only come from a system that has been properly designed as an integrated unit (collector, hot water storage tank and controller) that meets the New Zealand design and durability standards.
A solar specialist is trained to advise you on the model of system appropriate for your application and to ensure that it is installed to meet the Building Code requirements. The Solar Association recognises solar specialists, by way of accreditation, as Accredited Solar Dealers.
Relax with our Customer Assurance Scheme
The Solar Association has a Customer Assurance Scheme which applies to solar water heating systems purchased from an Accredited solar water heating supplier which meet the requirements of the Solar Association Code of Practice (including using a model Solar Association Sale and Purchase Agreement). Read more here.