Today, residential water heating systems are facing a wide range of new demands. In the last ten years, homes have expanded by approximately 20%. As these houses continue to grow, their hot water needs do so simultaneously. Bath tubs are larger; showers have multiple heads; bathrooms have more extensive faucets. At the same time, the cost of energy has been rising drastically and consumers are looking for more efficient options to heat their water.

No one is more aware of these trends than Gregg Johnson, Corporate Board Member for SKYE International manufacturer of a new line of tankless electric water heaters. Heating water accounts for over 25 percent of households’ annual energy costs. If electricity were only used when hot water was needed, the costs of heating water could be reduced by as much as 40 to 60 percent. This is why SKYE developed a tankless water heater, which provides only as much water as needed, when needed. Unlike conventional water heaters, which continuously heat water and store it in tanks until needed, the tankless solution significantly reduces the amount of energy spent on heating water during off peak hours.

Gregg and his team set out in 2004 to improve their water heaters in response to the increase in hot water consumption of larger homes; the team also tackled various design elements which they felt could be improved upon. They needed a tankless product that could compete with all tankless water heaters in performance and price, yet offer the benefits of electricity, easy installation and maintenance.

In April, 2006, SKYE will launch the new tankless, electric water heater, FORTIS© in the United States. The new heater will be more efficient and consumers will earn fast returns by investing in it. Compared to the cost of operating a traditional tank system, FORTIS© pays for itself in as little as three years.

SKYE’s principle is that quality should be the fundamental driver behind designing and manufacturing a product, instead of cost. Their goal was to return to the era where “things were just built better.” “Like the toaster your mother bought in the 50s and gave to you when you moved out; and that you could probably give today to your children when they move out”, says Gregg. SKYE wanted to build a consumer appliance that was not cost reduced to a point where product failure and component replacement occurred in only five years. They are going back to quality.

This is one of the reasons they chose Siemens Energy and Automation, Inc. as a supplier of one of the most mission critical components in the water heater – the component that switches the power to heat up the water on and off - a Siemens Sirius SC solid state relay. For SKYE, Siemens embodies the reputation for quality and engineering excellence. SKYE examined the products of other suppliers of solid state relays and were not convinced that they would be able to fulfill their promise of offering a product that had the same longevity with minimal product failures.

Among other benefits, the Sirius SC relay offers a fault-proof method of connecting to the heater; where there is only one way it can be connected. This elimination of error exemplifies what Gregg and his team were striving for. “We wanted to eliminate as many “opportunistic errors as possible in the design, so that we can get as close as we can to Six Sigma.”

This move to a solid state relay approach to heating water was a major change in the redesign and is also a key differentiator from the competition. “No other competitor uses this methodology,” says Greg, “probably due to cost.” The Siemens investment is a testament to SKYE’s commitment to quality over cost. Siemens’ solid state relay can switch the heater on up to 1,000 times a minute.

After launching in the US and maximizing production, SKYE plans to market their tankless electric water heaters around the globe. Asia will be the first stop. Because Siemens is present in over 160 countries worldwide, Skye is well positioned to distribute their products for these global markets, as well.

FORTIS’ sleek design comes in stainless steel and also in optional designer colors. It can be quickly and easily installed by licensed contractors. In addition, it can be wall-mounted due to its extremely compact design - just over one-half cubic foot in volume.