WESTPORT, Conn. - The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) has added a new category to its fourth annual Innovation Awards competition. The Greenovation Award, recognizing excellence in green building products and technology in the HVACR industry, joins the other eight categories in the award competition.

The first winner of the Greenovation Award (for 2006) is VRTX Technologies LLC for the VRTX Systems, which treats industrial cooling water from condensers and cooling towers. It relies on kinetic energy, hydrodynamic cavitation, and chemical equilibrium to control scale, corrosion, and biofouling without hazardous chemicals. The system is said to reduce water usage, operating costs, and environmental impact, and also improve worker safety.

"We are very excited about this new category in the awards competition," said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and managers of the AHR Expo. "Green building is playing an increasingly more influential role in the HVACR industry and we want to recognize products that are leading that change."

The products that received honorable mention in this category include:

  • The SONOXIDE® ultrasonic water treatment system from Ashland Specialty Chemical, Drew Industrial, which combines low-power, high-frequency ultrasound and a microbubble aeration to kill microorganisms without hazardous chemicals.

  • The GAHP-W from Robur Corp., which simultaneously produces hot and cold water for hydronic HVAC systems and geothermal applications using natural gas as the primary heating source. Its nominal heating efficiency is 139 percent (on HHV) and nominal cooling efficiency is 66 percent (on HHV).

    The most innovative product submissions from among the thousands on display at the AHR Expo have been selected as Innovation Award winners in nine specific categories: Building Automation, Cooling, Heating, Indoor Air Quality, Refrigeration, Software, Tools, Ventilation, and the newest category, Greenovation (green building). The Greenovation category was added this year to recognize the increasing number of products and technology that make buildings green, helping to conserve natural resources, and reduce energy consumption and pollution.

    The Innovation Awards are jointly sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), and International Exposition Company (IEC), producers and organizers of the AHR Expo. For more information on the awards, contact show management at 203-221-9232.

    Publication date: 12/26/2005