Towards Sustainability
The story so far
Our journey to renewable energy and zero waste
Rheem has set some big sustainability goals for 2025, and we’re already on the path to achieving them – but quick fixes won’t do. Big problems require thoughtful, comprehensive solutions, so we’re making sure our approach addresses Rheem's three sustainability pillars: Intelligent Products, Responsible Processes, and Inspired People. We’re proud of our progress and hope you’ll join us on our journey to renewable energy and zero waste.
Degrees of Innovation
Degrees of Efficiency
Degrees of Leadership
We’re committed to Aotearoa – the land, the people, and our future.
Degrees of Innovation
Our 2025 global goal: launch a line of heating, cooling and water heating products that boast a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas footprint.
We’re Innovating
Rheem Vitreous Enamel-Lined Water Heaters are more sustainable than ever.
All Vitreous Enamel water heaters’ insulation meets or exceeds NZ MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standards), reducing the energy demand of the product.
We fit the heaters with a sacrificial magnesium anode to provide additional corrosion protection to the cylinder in adverse water conditions, giving the product a longer life cycle.
We use Solstice ZD Blowing Agent for foam insulation, which has very low GWP & zero Ozone-Depleting properties.
The recyclable cardboard packaging goes only on the top rim of the water heater, meaning there is no unnecessary waste.
The cylinder’s jacket, tank and valves can all be stripped and recycled.
Rheem Factory Solar Installation
Earlier this year, we installed solar panels on the Rheem factory in Avondale...
This gave us a chance to see our new Rheem Solar Solutions in action firsthand, while also lowering the overall energy consumption of the factory. In the month of May, the solar panels produced, on average, 214 kwh per day. To put this in context, the average NZ home uses around 20 kwh per day.
This means that Rheem Avondale is now making meaningful use of a renewable energy source, lowering both its carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment. The energy produced by the solar panels also resulted in roughly $1395 of savings in May 2023 alone – and this was a cloudy, wet month!
Degrees of Efficiency
Our 2025 goal: reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% and achieve zero waste to landfill in our global manufacturing operations.
Zero Waste Audit, Avondale 2023
With a goal of zero waste to landfill by 2025, we needed to assess how much of our current waste was being recycled sustainably.
Earlier this year, the Rheem Global Sustainability team joined us and a bunch of generous volunteers to spend three days collecting and counting trash.
The occasion: the 2023 Rheem Avondale Waste Audit.
It may not be the cleanest of jobs, but the waste audit was an essential part of our overall sustainability strategy. Our goal is zero waste to landfill by 2025, which means we needed to assess how much of our current waste was being recycled in a sustainable way. And as zero waste is a global goal, we were lucky enough to have the Rheem Global Sustainable team fly all the way from America to help us with the audit.
On Wednesday 8th February, the waste audit started at 6am and would continue for 24 hours. The plan was to collect all the waste the Rheem Avondale factory and office staff produced in a 24-hour period, and then work out what recycling processes are working well, and where there is room for improvement.
The way we measure the sustainability of our waste management is by calculating the “Diversion Rate”. Simply put, the diversion rate measures the portion of waste not sent to the landfill. The greater the diversion rate, the more sustainable the waste management processes, so tracking the diversion rate over time is a great way to measure the effectiveness of reuse, recycling, and organic composting programs.
On Thursday morning, the 24-hour sample period was complete and we all gathered at 10am to start processing the waste. We were fortunate enough to be joined by a group of wonderful volunteers who helped us sought and document the waste.
With the waste processed, we were finally able to see the results of the audit and discuss our areas for improvement at a ‘lunch & learn’ on the Friday. In short, we collected 105.5kg of waste – three cubic metres – over the 24-hour period.
Most of that waste was able to be diverted with our current recycling streams. This included bottles & cans, cardboard, paper, food, paper towels, metal, plastic wrap and E-waste. The EPS, enamel bags, mixed soft plastics, PPE masks, PPE, plastic plugs & gaskets and foam cutouts can also all be diverted under existing recycling streams.
This was a great start for Rheem Avondale, but still a long way off our goal to have zero waste to landfill. We are dedicated to achieving this goal, so we’re currently working hard to find recycling solutions for all our waste.
84.7%
87.6%
98.8%
Degrees of Leadership
Our 2025 global goal: train 250,000 plumbers, contractors and key influencers on sustainable products or sustainable installation and recycling best practices.
Progress we’re proud of
