Navien‘s NXW700 Dual Fuel Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater has won the Grand Prize, the top award at the 2026 Integrated Home Competition held in the United States. The NXW700 is the world’s first dual fuel hybrid heat pump water heater to combine a 120V plug-in electric heat pump and a high-efficiency gas combustion system in a single unit.
The Integrated Home Competition is hosted by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE), a leading organization in the North American energy efficiency market and is sponsored and judged by major utilities and industry associations across the U.S. and Canada. The competition aims to identify innovative, high-efficiency products for adoption into energy efficiency incentive programs, with winners selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of energy savings, connectivity, consumer experience, and demand response capabilities. This year’s competition drew participation from major global HVAC companies with Navien’s NXW700 earning high marks for its differentiated energy efficiency, ease of installation, and stable hot water supply capacity.
A key feature of the NXW700 is that it uses an electric heat pump as its primary heat source while drawing on a gas combustion system as a supplementary heat source when needed, alternating between the two to maximize energy efficiency. Much like a hybrid vehicle optimally switches between its engine and electric motor depending on driving conditions, the NXW700 efficiently operates its heat pump and gas burner according to hot water demand.
The NXW700 stands out for being able to be installed and operated using only a standard North American 120V outlet. While typical heat pump water heaters require additional construction to install a dedicated 240V circuit, the NXW700 can be installed without separate wiring work, significantly improving installation convenience and reducing construction costs. It is also equipped with a high-efficiency condensing gas burner rated at 60,000 BTU/h, ensuring stable supply even in high-volume hot water usage environments.
Despite its compact 50-gallon size, the unit achieves a Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) of 3.80, delivering high energy efficiency. Notably, its First Hour Rating (FHR) reaches up to 100 gallons, enabling stable hot water supply for large families or high-demand environments without increasing the unit’s size.
The NXW700 offers multiple operating modes depending on usage conditions: an E-Saver mode that prioritizes heat pump operation to reduce energy costs, and a Hi-Demand mode that rapidly supplies hot water for high-volume usage environments.
The product also incorporates control technologies to enhance energy efficiency. These include a Demand Response feature that automatically adjusts energy usage in accordance with signals from North American utility providers to ease strain on the power grid, and an Intelligent Thermal Storage feature that analyzes users’ hot water usage patterns to pre-store hot water when needed. Additionally, a patent-pending Smart Load Sensing technology optimizes the operation of the heat pump and gas burner in real time based on hot water demand, improving both energy efficiency and supply stability.
Hygiene has also been reinforced. An anti-Legionella feature periodically performs a high-temperature sterilization cycle in the hot water storage tank to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria and maintain cleaner water quality. In addition, built-in NaviLink Wi-Fi supports remote monitoring and control, as well as over-the-air (OTA) wireless firmware updates.
Taek-hyun Kim, CEO of Navien, Inc., said, “Building on the success of our condensing tankless water heater NPE, which has become a steady bestseller with strong sales performance in the North American market, we will continue our growth momentum in the local market through both our already-launched electric heat pump water heater (NWP500) and the new dual fuel hybrid heat pump water heater, the NXW700.”
Meanwhile, CEE continues to expand its influence in the industry by establishing performance standards and certification systems for a range of high-efficiency product categories, including heat pumps, HVAC systems, water heaters, lighting, and EV chargers. CEE’s certifications and awards serve as objective indicators of energy efficiency and technological competitiveness, playing an important role in building trust with local consumers and installers and in securing sales contracts in the North American market.
Notably, the NXW700 is drawing attention as an effective alternative in the domestic market, where the electrification of heating is expanding. This is because the NXW700’s “dual fuel” technology, which combines electricity and gas, can compensate for the performance limitations of air-source heat pumps that decline in colder winter temperatures. This allows for a stable hot water supply even during extreme cold spells, and the product is expected to establish itself as a new option in the eco-friendly heating market by simultaneously enhancing energy efficiency and user convenience. The NXW700 is scheduled for release in early 2027.
