A record nine companies with a variety of exciting and new products varying from humidity sensing fans to a remote environmental surveillance system have been selected as winners of the prestigious AHR Expo Innovation Award. The winners will be honored at a special ceremony during the 2007 AHR Expo in Dallas. The award presentation will take place on January 30 at 11:30 a.m. in the New Product Technology Theater A, located in Exhibit Hall A on the show floor. The most innovative product submissions from among the thousands that will be on display at the AHR Expo have been selected as winners in nine specific categories:

  • Building Automation
  • Cooling
  • Green Building
  • Heating
  • IAQ
  • Refrigeration
  • Software
  • Tools
  • Ventilation

The 2007 winners are:
BUILDING AUTOMATION
Company: Lennox International
Product: Comfort Sensor Zone Controller

COOLING
Company: Copeland Corporation / Emerson Climate Technologies
Product: Copeland Scroll Digital Compressor for Commercial Air Conditioning

GREEN BUILDING
Company: A.O. Smith Water Heaters
Product: Vertex High Efficiency Condensing Water Heaters

HEATING
Company: Empire Comfort Systems, Inc.
Product: Mantis Condensing Vented Gas Fireplace System

IAQ
Company: Lennox International
Product: Humiditrol Dehumidification System

REFRIGERATION
Company: Danfoss, Inc.
Product: ICF Valve Station for Industrial Refrigeration

SOFTWARE
Company: HVAC Solution
Product: HVAC Solution Pro 4.0, Design and Modeling Software

TOOLS
Company: Newport Electronics, Inc.
Product: NEWPORT ISE Web-Based Remote Environmental Surveillance

VENTILATION
Company: Broan-NuTone LLC
Product: Broan Humidity Sensing Fans

"We are very pleased with the wide range and high quality of product submissions we received for the fifth year of the award program," said Clay Stevens, President of International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and managers of the AHR Expo®. "It is a pleasure to recognize and honor manufacturers that have excelled through exceptional creativity in turning technology into useful and efficient products."

The following companies received Honorable Mention for these innovative new products:

BUILDING AUTOMATION

  • Building Automation Products, Inc.
    Wireless Temperature and/or Humidity Sensing System

  • Honeywell International
    Compact Input/Output Modules

  • KMC Controls
    BACnet Building Controller

  • Tridium
    Vykon Security System

  • WiSuite Wireless Automation & Control
    WiSuite Wireless Automation & Control

    COOLING

  • Carrier Corporation
    Aquaforce Air Cooled Chillers

  • Rheem Heating & Cooling Division
    Rheem and Ruud Comfort Control System

  • White-Rodgers/Emerson Climate Technologies
    UltraTech Unitary Control (UUC) for advanced system communication and protection

    GREEN BUILDING

  • Baltimore Aircoil Company
    TriArmor Corrosion Protection System

  • Continental Fan Manufacturing, Inc.
    CEC Motorized Impeller

  • Superior Manufacturing Division, Magnatech Corp.
    Environmentalist/Zero-Bleed Water Treatment Technology

    HEATING

  • Calorigen USA Corporation, Inc.
    Eutec Hybrid Radiator

  • The Fulton Companies
    VANTAGE Dual Fuel Natural Gas Condensing Boiler

  • Greenwood Technologies
    Greenwood Furnace

  • ITT Corporation
    VSX Double-Suction Split-Case Pump

    IAQ

  • Extech Instruments Corp.
    AN200 CFM/CMM Thermo-Anemometer

  • Hoffman Controls Corp.
    Temperature & Humidity Controller

  • ProMark Associates, Inc.
    PMA25 Media Holding Module

  • Rotronic Instrument Corp.
    DampGuard Mold Monitor

    REFRIGERATION

  • Emerson Climate Technologies, Refrigeration Group
    Intelligent Store Discus Compressor

  • Tecumseh Compressor Group
    Vector Series MRS Multi-Cell Packaged Rack System

    SOFTWARE

  • Bidtracer Specialty Software Group LLC
    Bidtracer

  • Efficiency Technologies, Inc.
    EffTrack Automated Chiller Data Collection Software

  • Wrightsoft Corporation
    Right-Universal (RU) HVAC Design & Sales Software

    TOOLS

  • Ashcroft Inc.
    Ashcroft Xmitr Refrigerant Pressure Monitor

  • Fieldpiece Instruments, Inc.
    SSX34 Subcooling and Superheating Meter

  • Fluke Corporation
    Fluke 975 AirMeter

  • Testo, Inc.
    testo AC/R System Analyzers

    VENTILATION

  • Arzel Zoning Technology, Inc.
    HeatPumPro Zoning System

  • CES Group, Inc.
    Fan Wall Technology Air Handler

  • Munters Corporation
    HCU Water Source Heat Pump

  • ThermaFlex
    FlexFlow Elbow

    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. Product entries were judged for innovation, application, value to user, and market impact.

    In addition to recognizing outstanding product innovation, entry fees from the award will be used to benefit local HVACR students in the Dallas area. During the first four years of the program, thousands of dollars have been donated to HVACR technical school scholarship funds.

    "The AHR Expo Innovation Awards program has a positive impact on the HVACR industry," said Clay Stevens, president of IEC, show producers and managers. "It calls attention to how successful manufacturers have been at turning new technology into useful and highly efficient products."

    "As the major trade show for the HVACR market, people look to the AHR Expo to provide leadership and be on the cutting edge of all aspects of the industry," said Stevens. "We see this as a win-win situation for everyone involved. The industry benefits from learning about product innovation, and an educational program is rewarded for teaching about innovations in products and technology to new generations of industry professionals."

    The AHR Expo Innovation Awards Competition, which is held in conjunction with the International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) every year, is designed to promote and encourage product innovation by recognizing exceptional achievements.

    The Innovation Awards are jointly sponsored by ASHRAE; ARI; and International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and organizers of the AHR Expo. Only one product per company may be submitted in each category and winning products from previous years cannot be re-entered. For more information on the AHR Expo Innovation Awards, visit www.ahrexpo.com.