Product Comparison Tool
Side-by-side comparison of 2-3 heat pump water heater products across specifications, performance data, certifications, price, and estimated running costs.
Overview
A structured comparison table that places 2-3 HPWH products side by side across a comprehensive set of attributes: physical specifications, performance data, certifications, scheme registrations, retail price, and estimated annual running costs. The user selects products from the platform database and immediately sees a formatted comparison.
The tool serves both technical and commercial use cases: a plumber or installer comparing products to recommend to a customer; a manufacturer comparing their product against competitors; a consultant briefing a client on market alternatives.
User Stories
- As a plumber, I want to quickly compare two or three heat pump products across price, COP, and certifications so I can explain to a customer why I’m recommending one over another.
- As a manufacturer, I want to see how my product compares to one or two anonymised competitors on key specs so I can identify differentiators and gaps.
- As a consultant preparing a client recommendation, I want to export a comparison table as a PDF I can include in a written recommendation.
- As a user, I want the comparison table to highlight the best value in each category so I don’t have to scan every row manually.
Product Selection
User selects 2 or 3 products to compare. Selection can be made via:
- Search by brand or model number
- Browse from product database (with filters for category, market, tank volume)
- Pre-populated from the sizing tool (when the user clicks “Compare these products” from a sizing recommendation)
At least 2 products must be selected before the comparison table generates. Maximum 3 products in a single comparison.
Comparison Attributes
Physical specifications
| Attribute | Product 1 | Product 2 | Product 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | |||
| Model | |||
| System type (integral / split) | |||
| Tank volume (L) | |||
| Rated heating capacity (kW) | |||
| Boost element power (kW) | |||
| Refrigerant | |||
| Dimensions (H × W × D mm) | |||
| Weight (kg) | |||
| Noise level dB(A) | |||
| Minimum operating ambient (°C) | |||
| Maximum operating ambient (°C) | |||
| Warranty (years) |
Performance data
Sourced from the 5125.1 database where available:
| Attribute | Product 1 | Product 2 | Product 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| COP at 7°C | |||
| COP at 15°C | |||
| COP at 20°C | |||
| COP at 35°C | |||
| Zone energy factor (AS/NZS 4234) | |||
| MEPS compliant | |||
| Energy star rating |
Certifications and registrations
| Attribute | Product 1 | Product 2 | Product 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watermark certified | |||
| GEMS registered | |||
| SRES STC registered | |||
| VEU Activity 44 registered | |||
| ESS HEAB registered | |||
| NZ EECA registered |
Financial comparison
Estimated values based on a standard profile (medium household, platform default climate zone, platform default tariff). User can override the tariff and climate zone.
| Attribute | Product 1 | Product 2 | Product 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail price (AUD) | |||
| Installed price (approx.) | |||
| Available STCs (approx.) | |||
| Net cost after STCs | |||
| Annual running cost | |||
| Annual savings vs ESWH | |||
| Payback vs ESWH (years) |
Visual Highlights
Cells where one product is clearly better than the others are highlighted:
- Green background: best value in the row
- Amber background: middle value
- Red background: weakest value in the row (only shown if the gap is significant — Alastair to define threshold)
Highlighting applies to: COP values, noise level (lower is better), annual running cost, warranty, and payback period.
Rows where all products have the same value are shown without highlighting (identical = no comparison value).
Missing data cells show “No data” rather than a blank, to distinguish “same as others” from “unknown.”
Access Control
- Product identity visibility follows the same rules as the price-performance map: EnergyAE staff see all identities; manufacturer clients see their own products in full and others anonymised.
- Anonymised competitor products appear as “Competitor A”, “Competitor B” with only specification data visible (no brand, no model number).
Export
- PDF comparison table: formatted as a clean, printable document suitable for attaching to a quote or recommendation letter. Includes all sections.
- Toggle EnergyAE branding on the PDF: on / off.
- Excel: raw comparison data table.
Out of Scope (v1)
- Comparing more than 3 products simultaneously
- Historical comparison (comparing a product to an older version of itself)
- Side-by-side simulation runs from the comparison table
- Public access version
- Automated data refresh when product specs change (data is current as of the platform database at time of comparison)
Data Model (indicative)
The comparison tool queries existing product and performance data tables. A saved comparison record stores the selected products and the financial assumptions used:
saved_comparisons
comparison_id
user_id
created_at
product_ids (array of 2-3 product IDs)
financial_assumptions (JSON: tariff, climate zone, household profile)
share_token (nullable)
share_expires_at (nullable)Acceptance Criteria
- Product selection works via search and browse, with a maximum of 3 products
- All comparison attributes populate correctly from the product database
- Missing data cells show “No data” not blank
- Green/amber/red highlighting applies correctly for the numeric comparison rows
- Financial estimates are correct for the default assumptions (Alastair to verify for a known product combination)
- User can override the tariff and climate zone and the financial rows update
- EnergyAE staff see full product identities; manufacturer clients see competitors anonymised
- PDF export is clean and formatted correctly for all three columns
- EnergyAE branding toggle on PDF works correctly
- Saved comparison can be retrieved by the user
Open Questions
- Should the comparison tool be accessible without login (for plumbers/installers who haven’t registered), or require a platform account? A public comparison tool could be a strong acquisition channel for installer users.
- For anonymised competitor products: should the anonymisation be consistent with the price-performance map (same product gets the same label across features), or independent?
- Should “installed price” be user-editable in the comparison (since it varies by location and installer) or shown as a fixed estimate from the platform?
- When a comparison is shared via link, should the recipient need to log in, or can it be publicly viewable? Read-only public comparison links would be useful for installers sharing with customers.