A.O. Smith worked with the U.S. Department of Energy and TIAX LLC to increase efficiency in residential water heaters and develop the Vertex™.



From 2003 to 2006, A.O. Smith worked with the U.S. Department of Energy and TIAX LLC to increase efficiency in residential water heaters. This partnership resulted in the development of the Vertex™-a residential gas water heater that combines higher gas input and more-efficient combustion to deliver more hot water while reducing operating costs.