Hot water systems don’t usually drive early design decisions, but they probably should.

We had the STIEBEL ELTRON Australia team in with our electrical and hydraulic teams to run through electric hot water systems and how they’re being applied across current projects.

The discussion focused on the shift away from centralised plant and how this carries through into design and coordination.

Removing central plant and ring mains simplifies the building. Less plant space, shorter pipe runs and fewer coordination constraints across disciplines. It changes how services are laid out from the outset.

Energy performance was a key part of the session. Centralised systems rely on storage and recirculation, which introduces ongoing losses through pipework. With point of use systems, water is heated only when needed, removing that layer entirely.

Electrical demand is usually the main concern. The data shared showed how much diversity impacts actual load, with built projects operating well below connected capacity assumptions.

Cost was also addressed through project examples, showing a clear difference between centralised gas systems and decentralised electric systems, particularly across larger residential developments.

Sessions like this are part of how we test and challenge design decisions early. Understanding how these systems perform in real projects helps us make more informed recommendations, coordinate more effectively across disciplines, and respond to project constraints with practical solutions.

A valuable session with strong input from both disciplines. Thanks to Zack Kerr and Ash Davies from STIEBEL ELTRON Australia for the session.

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