The winners of the second annualAHR ExpoInnovation Awards have been announced by the program sponsors. The most innovative products among the thousands on display at the 2004 AHR Expo have been selected as winners in eight specific categories: heating cooling refrigeration ventilation indoor air quality energy management tools & instruments and software.

Representing a broad cross-section of HVACR products from leading manufacturers around the world, product entries were judged for innovation, application, value to user, and market impact. A panel of judges, made up of ASHRAE members selected for their exceptional knowledge of the industry and its products, reviewed and evaluated all submissions. The 2004 awards program generated a total of 107 entries. The show will take place from January 26-28 at the Anaheim Convention Center.

"We were very pleased with the wide range and high quality of product submissions we received for the second year of the award," said Clay Stevens, president of IEC. "We see this as a win-win situation for everyone involved. The industry benefits from learning about new product innovation, and the winning companies are recognized for their excellence," Stevens emphasized.

Designed to encourage product innovation, the competition is jointly sponsored by ASHRAE; ARI; and International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and organizers of the AHR Expo. An award in each of the eight categories will be presented to the winners at a special reception during the 2004 AHR Expo.

The 2004 winners are:
Heating
Rheem Manufacturing Co. - Air Conditioning Division
Rheem & Ruud 90 Plus Gas Furnace

Cooling
York UPG
York SunLine MagnaDry

Refrigeration
Danfoss
CO2 Compressor
Ventilation
ebm Industries, Inc.
EC-GIANT

Indoor Air Quality
Lindab, Inc.
SPIRO+AgION

Energy Management
Ice Energy, LLC
IceBear-50

Tools and Instruments
Vulcain Alarm, Inc.
301 IRF

Software
Wrightsoft Corp.
Right-Suite Residential, HVAC Design Software

Products submitted by the following companies received Honorable Mention:
Heating
Riello Burners North America
R-Series Low Nox Gas Burners

Thermolec Limited
Thermo-V

S.T. Johnson Co.
Type RX Ultra Low Nox Burner

Texas Instruments
DiagnosTECH

Cooling
Bristol Compressors
Benchmark Scroll Compressor

EZ-Trap
Ultratrap

Outokumpu Heatcraft USA LLC
Desaturation Coil

Refrigeration
Alfa Laval Inc.
AlfaNova

Baltimore Aircoil Company
Aircoil Evaporators

Copeland Corp.
Vapor Injected Scroll Compressor

Heatcraft Refrigeration Products LLC
Beacon II Smart Defrost

Ventilation
J.P. Lamborn
AMBlue

Paramount Concepts, Ltd.
Paramount H

Quickdraft
Venturi Exhauster/Demister

Research Products Corporation
Ventilation Control System

Tamarack Technologies
R.A. P. (Return Air Pathway)

Indoor Air Quality
Airxchange
Enthalpy Wheel Cassette

GE Industrial Systems
84mm

Glasfloss Industries
Glasfloss Z-Line MR-11 Pleated Air Filter

Isolate, Inc.
ISO-UVC/HEPA

MSP Technology.com, LLC
MSP Unitary Dehumidifying Coil

Energy Management
Aircuity, Inc.
Optima

Bard Manufacturing Company
Bard CS2000 Energy Monitor

KLO-SHURE
KLO-SHURE Insulation Coupling

Tools and Instruments
CorrView International
CorrView Corrosion Monitor

MycoMeter/Indoor Air Solutions
MycoMeter

RAS Systems, LLC
12.35 Swaging Machine

Testo, Inc.
Testo Kool

Software
Automated Logic Corp.
CtrlSpecBuilder

HVAC Solution Inc.
HVAC Solution
Winners will receive special placards to place in their booths as well as an award to be displayed at their company headquarters. In addition to encouraging product innovation throughout the industry, the proceeds from the entry fee go to an HVACR scholarship fund at a Southern California-area vocational school.

As the largest and most inclusive exposition in the HVACR industry, AHR EXPO attracts thousands of attendees from all facets of the industry, including contractors, engineers, dealers, distributors, wholesalers, OEMs, architects and builders, industrial plant operators, facility managers, agents and representatives and more.

For more information visit www.ahrexpo.com.