According to the International Exposition Company (IEC), the organizer of the AHR Expo, the awards program is designed to encourage product innovation. The competition is jointly sponsored by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), and IEC.

The Innovation Awards will be given to the winning product in the following seven categories: heating, cooling, refrigeration, ventilation, air quality, energy management, and tools, instruments, and software.

A panel of judges from the industry will review all submissions and select the seven winners. Judges will evaluate entries for innovation, application, value to user, and market impact. Only one product per company may be submitted.

The awards will then be presented to winners at the AHR Expo media reception on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2003. Winners will receive placards to place in their booths as well as an award to display at the company headquarters.

According to show management, proceeds from the entry fee will go to an HVACR scholarship fund at a Chicago-area vocational school.

Deadline for entries is Oct. 7, 2002. For more information on the contest, call 203-221-9232 or visit www.ahrexpo.com (website).

Publication date: 09/16/2002