There's a yahoo group for my neighborhood that is a good place for contractor recommendations. So I would look for something like that in your area. It's a good way to ask neighbors for help even if you don't know them personally.

Another place I would look for advice here in the DC area is a small hardware store that only sells merchandise that is good for the enviroment -- stuff like VOC-free paint, building products made from recycled materials, LED light fixtures. They're very knowledgeable and happy to share info that will help the enviroment. So if there are any stores like that near you, it might be helpful to stop in and get to know them.

But first I would do some research on tankless water heaters. It's not always possible or a good idea, depending on your home. And there could be issues -- a contractor who lives in my 'hood installed one in his house and later took it out and replaced it with a regular tank-style water heater because he had problems with sediment build-up. And once you determine you don't have barriers to having one installed, you can learn about different brands.

I've found this site to be helpful for learning about and researching appliances:

http://www.consumersearch.com/water-heaters