Industry Buyer/Seller Directory | Knowledge Base

Overview

A searchable directory of companies in the AU/NZ heat pump water heater industry. Company types include manufacturers, importers, distributors, plumbing wholesalers, testing laboratories, certification bodies, and installers. Each listing has a company profile page with contact details, market coverage, and links to their products in the platform database. Listing tiers allow companies to promote their presence on the platform.

The directory serves two purposes: helping buyers (installers, builders, procurement teams) find suppliers; and giving sellers (manufacturers, importers, distributors) a channel to reach buyers in a targeted professional context.

User Stories

As a plumber looking for a new HPWH supplier, I want to browse a directory of importers and distributors in my state so I can find who to contact for trade pricing.
As a manufacturer entering the AU market, I want a directory listing so potential distributors and installers can find us.
As an EnergyAE consultant, I want to quickly find the contact details for a specific certification body or test laboratory so I can refer a client.
As a manufacturer, I want a premium listing that shows my products from the platform database and highlights our certifications so my profile stands out.

Directory Scope

Company types (filterable)

Manufacturer: produces HPWH products
Importer / distributor: brings overseas products to the AU/NZ market; distributes to trade
Plumbing wholesaler: distributes through the trade channel (e.g. Reece, Tradelink)
Installer / plumbing contractor: residential and commercial installation
Testing laboratory: accredited for AS/NZS 5125.1 or AS/NZS 4234 testing (e.g. CVC, Intertek, NMI)
Certification body: issues Watermark and electrical safety certifications
Consultant: compliance, modelling, and engineering consultants (EnergyAE is listed here)
Regulator / scheme administrator: ESC, CER, IPART, EECA (informational, not advertising listings)

Listing Tiers

Free listing (standard)

Company name, type, and state/country
One contact email or phone number
Website URL
50-word description

Standard listing (paid)

All free fields plus:
Full company description (up to 500 words)
Logo
Up to 5 contact details (name, title, email, phone)
Services / product categories offered
Market coverage: AU / NZ / both; state(s) if relevant

Premium listing (paid)

All standard fields plus:
Featured placement in search results (shown above standard listings)
Products from the platform database displayed on the profile (manufacturer’s product cards with links)
Certification badges (Watermark, GEMS, scheme registrations) pulled from product records
“Featured supplier” badge

Pricing for standard and premium tiers is set by Alastair and is outside the scope of this PRD.

Company Profile Page

Each listing has a public profile page at /hpi/directory/[company-slug]:

Profile sections

Company name, logo (if standard/premium), and tier badge
Company type and market coverage
Description
Contact details (as per tier)
Products (premium listings only): cards for each product in the platform database, showing model, tank volume, COP at 20°C, and certification status
Certifications held (premium listings): badges for Watermark, GEMS, scheme registrations (pulled from product records)
Location on a simple map (state/territory level, not precise address)

Search and Browse

Search

Keyword search across company name, description, and services offered.

Filters

Company type (multi-select)
Market: AU / NZ / both
State / territory (for installers and wholesalers)
Services: testing / certification / distribution / installation / consulting

Sort

Default: featured first, then alphabetical
Option: most recently updated

Results display

Card-based layout showing: logo (if available), company name, type, location, one-line description, and a “View profile” link.

Listing Management (Self-Service)

Manufacturers and other companies manage their own listings:

Create listing: via a form in the platform (or email Alastair for free listings if the company doesn’t have a platform account)
Edit listing: self-service for standard/premium tier holders via their account
Product linking: premium tier holders with a platform account can link their product database records to their profile (automatic if they have products in the platform database and an active premium listing)
Listing review: all new listings are reviewed by Alastair before publication (to prevent spam and ensure relevance)

For companies without a platform account: a public “Submit a listing” form that collects the free listing fields and queues it for Alastair’s review.

Regulator and Laboratory Listings

A curated set of listings for regulators, scheme administrators, and accredited laboratories. These are maintained by EnergyAE (not self-service) and are always free. They exist primarily as a reference for platform users who need to contact these organisations.

Key entries to include at launch:

Essential Services Commission Victoria (VEU scheme)
NSW ESC / IPART (ESS scheme)
Clean Energy Regulator (SRES/STCs)
EECA New Zealand
CVC Laboratories
Intertek
SAI Global (Watermark certification)
JAS-ANZ accredited HPWH test labs (Alastair to provide list)

Out of Scope (v1)

Two-sided marketplace (requests for quote, messaging between buyers and sellers)
Product availability or pricing data from distributors
Verified reviews or ratings
International companies outside AU/NZ
Integration with trade directories (Master Plumbers, HIA, etc.)
API access to directory data

Data Model (indicative)

directory_listings
  listing_id
  company_name
  slug (URL-safe unique identifier)
  company_type (enum)
  listing_tier (free / standard / premium)
  description
  logo_url (nullable)
  website_url (nullable)
  market (AU / NZ / both)
  states (array)
  contact_details (JSON array: name, title, email, phone)
  services (array of tags)
  is_published (boolean)
  is_curated (boolean, for regulator/lab listings managed by EnergyAE)
  org_id (nullable, if linked to a platform organisation)
  created_at
  updated_at
  published_at

Acceptance Criteria

Open Questions

Should the directory be publicly accessible (no login required), or only visible to logged-in platform users? A public directory maximises reach for listed companies and drives inbound traffic to the platform. Alastair to decide.
Who is responsible for ongoing listing quality? If companies do not maintain their listings, details will become stale. Alastair to define a review cadence and process for chasing outdated listings.
Should EnergyAE have its own premium listing as a demonstration? This is a natural way to show what a premium listing looks like and ensures EnergyAE appears prominently in search results.