Kyung Dong Navien heat pump wins top prize at North American energy efficiency competition

Kyung Dong Navien has won the top prize at a North American energy efficiency competition with a water heater that combines an electric heat pump and a gas combustion system in a single unit. The company is targeting the North American water heater market with the "dual-fuel" design, which works within electrification policy frameworks while still making use of existing gas infrastructure.

Kyung Dong Navien said Thursday that its NXW700 dual-fuel heat pump hybrid water heater took the grand prize at the 2026 Integrated Home Competition held in the United States.

According to the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, which organized the competition, 26 electric and natural gas-based products advanced to this year's final round, with five selected as winners. The NXW700 was the sole grand prize recipient.

The NXW700 uses a 120V plug-in electric heat pump as its primary heat source and activates a high-efficiency gas combustion system as a supplementary source when hot water demand rises. Kyung Dong Navien said it is the world's first dual-fuel hybrid water heater to combine a 120V electric heat pump and a gas combustion system in a single unit.

Kyung Dong Navien sells its NPE series of condensing water heaters in the North American market and is expanding its water heater lineup by adding the NXW700 alongside the electric heat pump water heater NPW500. The NXW700 is scheduled for release in the first quarter of 2027.

"Building on the strong sales performance of the NPE condensing water heater in North America, we will continue to grow in the local market through the NPW500 and NXW700 electric heat pump water heaters," said Kim Taek-hyun, head of Kyung Dong Navien's US operations.