Rheem Mfg. Co. was named the recipient of the prestigious AHR Expo Product of the Year award on Jan. 29. Accepting the award from ASHRAE president Tom Watson (left) and AHRI chairman Harry Holmes (right) was Joseph Frisktik (center), vice president of national accounts and marketing, Rheem.

During a special Jan. 29 ceremony at the AHR Expo, it was announced that Rheem’s product entry was selected from among the 10 AHR Expo Innovation award winners as the Product of the Year. The H2AC Rooftop Unit features refrigerant-to-water heat recovery that can reduce a water heater’s energy consumption by an estimated 50 percent. Rheem was an Innovation award winner in the Cooling category.

Widely recognized as one of the most prestigious honors in the HVACR industry, the 2013 AHR Expo Innovation awards competition celebrated its 11th anniversary at the record-breaking Dallas show.

Created by ASHRAE, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), and the AHR Expo, the awards program was designed to recognize the most innovative and useful products among the thousands exhibited at the show. Entries submitted by exhibitors each year are judged on the basis of innovative design, application, market impact, and value to the HVACR industry. The awards are also meant to promote and encourage new product development in 10 major categories: building automation, cooling, green building, heating, IAQ, refrigeration, software, tools and instruments, ventilation, and plumbing.

“We congratulate Rheem and all the winners of the AHR Expo Innovation awards,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Co., which produces and manages the AHR Expo. “These companies deserve recognition for the innovative products they are creating; products that improve the environment where we work and live by making it healthier and more comfortable while using less energy.”

Publication date: 2/18/2013