A. O. Smith, a leader in water heating and water treatment solutions, has announced it has received a 2024 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Partner of the Year Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is the company’s sixth consecutive ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award, and its fourth time being selected as one of a few esteemed Sustained Excellence partners. The Sustained Excellence honor distinguishes companies that have made a long-term commitment to energy management through their products or services. 

“This year, A. O. Smith celebrates its 150^th anniversary. It’s only fitting that during this milestone year, we are recognized for our commitment to sustainability and innovation that continues to drive our business forward,” said Francois Lebrasseur, A. O. Smith business development manager, utilities. “We’re proud to partner with such a well-respected organization to provide our customers with cost-saving, energy-efficient solutions that push the water heating industry toward a greener future.” 

Many accomplishments and collaborations led to this prestigious award, including the following:

• The launch of A. O. Smith’s latest ENERGY STAR-certified product, the Voltex 120V Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater. The Voltex 120V model on a shared 15A or 20A circuit is the first heat pump water heater that has been made available to customers across the U.S. with no limitations on region or climate. Four times more efficient than a standard tank water heater and three times more efficient than a standard gas condensing tankless unit (according to Department of Energy test procedures and conversion rates), the Voltex 120V HPWH is specifically designed as an emergency replacement for gas water heaters with no need for electric work. 
• Proactively leading webinars and in-person training events, most notably in collaboration with ENERGY STAR Manufacturer Action Council (ESMAC), to educate more than 1,000 contractors and wholesalers across the country on energy-efficient water heating technology. 
• Educating nearly 500 contractors on heat pump technology through the introduction of new training content at A. O. Smith University using a mix of in-person and online classes. 
• A complete overhaul of A. O. Smith’s website that now offers an immersive and user-friendly experience with a focus on meeting the diverse needs of today’s trade professionals and homeowners, including easy-access to the rebate finder and ENERGY STAR products.
• A mix of additional awards that exemplify our commitment to providing customers with reliable, efficient hot water, while also generating awareness and education around high-efficient water heaters. 
• A quarterly promotion for A. O. Smith’s wholesale partners and their customers, which offered incentives for contractors who purchased select HPWHs.

Each year, the ENERGY STAR program honors an elite group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to energy efficiency and the transition to a clean energy economy. Award winners lead their industries in the production, sale and adoption of energy-efficient products, homes, buildings, services and strategies. According to ENERGY STAR, these efforts have saved more than five trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity over the past 30 years.

“I congratulate this year’s ENERGY STAR award winners for their innovation and leadership, in delivering cost-effective energy efficient solutions that create jobs, address climate change, and contribute to a healthier environment for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.

Winners are selected from a network of thousands of ENERGY STAR partners. For a complete list of 2024 winners and more information about ENERGY STAR’s award program, visit energystar.gov/awardwinners.