Emerald wins three Gold awards at the International Sustainability Awards 2026
We’re proud to announce that Emerald has won three Gold awards at the International Sustainability Awards 2026.
The awards recognise our work to find practical ways to reduce energy consumption, lower emissions and support Australia’s transition to a more efficient energy future.
The three awards are:
🏆 Best Net-Zero
🏆 Best Sustainable Business Model
🏆 Best Innovation in Sustainable Technologies
The International Sustainability Awards recognise more than the products we make. They also recognise how technology and smarter energy use can work together to help more people make the switch to more efficient energy solutions.
Best Net-Zero
The Best Net-Zero award celebrates Emerald’s approach to reducing emissions through electrification, energy efficiency and smarter technology.
One of the judges, Juhi Yasmeen Khan, highlighted the way Emerald brings different parts of the energy transition together:
“I appreciate how the initiative combines technology, digital platforms and partnerships to deliver measurable emissions reductions at scale.”
Judge Mai Shalaby pointed to something we’ve worked hard to build over two decades:
“It is obvious that sustainability is at the very core of the company and its products.”
For everyday Australians, this means making energy-efficient technology easier to adopt. It also means finding smarter ways to use the energy we already have.
From high-efficiency heat pump hot water systems to technology that can optimise when energy is used, our focus is on practical solutions. These technologies can make a real difference in Australian homes.
Best Sustainable Business Model
The Best Sustainable Business Model award highlights how Emerald builds sustainability into our broader business model. It is not treated as something separate from the business.
Judge Dr. Samir Thabet described Emerald’s model as:
“an innovative, forward-looking approach to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions while also enhancing the company’s overall sustainability performance and market presence.”
And this quote from Julie Rowlandson highlighted something we’re very proud of:
“Very pleased to see that low income and vulnerable families and communities are being considered and catered for, ensuring the benefits of low cost hot water and air cooling is experienced by those who are most likely disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.”
The judges also recognised the role partnerships play in making the transition more accessible.
This includes the work we do with industry and tradespeople to build knowledge and confidence around electrification.
Best Innovation in Sustainable Technologies
The Best Innovation in Sustainable Technologies award celebrates one of the areas we’re passionate about: using heat pumps as part of a smarter energy system.
Traditionally, people think about a hot water system as something that simply heats water when we need it. Our technology takes a different approach by looking at when energy should be used.
A heat pump can also act as a form of thermal energy storage. This allows us to shift energy use to smarter times.
It can also help make better use of available renewable energy, such as excess rooftop solar, while reducing reliance on the grid at other times.
Judge Abdelrahman Elsherif described this shift as particularly significant:
“What stands out is the shift from simply improving efficiency to actively managing when energy is used, which tackles a real gap in the energy transition.”
He also highlighted the fact that the system remains simple for users despite the technology behind it, describing it as “a smart, forward-looking solution with clear impact and strong potential for wider adoption.”
His closing remark was one for the whole team:
“Please do everything possible to keep this passion and energy up.”
The impact of more efficient energy
The judges also recognised the scale of Emerald’s impact.
Since 2006, Australians have installed more than 60 million Emerald products, helping reduce 100 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
For us, these numbers represent more than milestones. They represent millions of individual products, households, businesses, installers and partners contributing to a more efficient energy system.
Every efficient hot water system can make a difference to the household using it. When millions of households make more efficient energy choices, the combined impact can be significant.
There's still more to do
Our focus remains on developing practical technology that helps Australian households and businesses use less energy, make smarter energy choices and reduce their impact on the environment.
Three Gold awards are something we’re incredibly proud of. But for us, the bigger goal is what those awards represent: helping make a more efficient, affordable and sustainable energy future a reality for more Australians.