The NEWS reports on new products found by our editors at the recent AHR Expo in Chicago. Products are listed in alphabetical order within each category.

The Schlage LiNK™ system has been relaunched and expands Nexia™ Home Intelligence, a smart home automation system, to make everything in a home speak one simple language. Nexia enables consumers to remotely manage features and functions of their home, including door locks, heating and cooling, and more.

Having expanded its line of patented Safe-T-Switch® condensate overflow control switches, the company introduced models SS103E and 500EP. The line is designed for use in new or retrofit applications to protect home and commercial building owners from costly damage due to condensate overflow.

Model T1900 Slimline Platinum residential thermostat has a built-in humidity module, which allows the thermostat to not only automatically control temperature but humidity as well. It is compatible with dual-fuel systems and equipped with reheat for dehumidification demands.

Best Buy entered the home energy management market in three of its stores this month. The trial provides customers with access to smart thermostats and solar elements as well as a plethora of controls and efficient lighting solutions.

Record power demands during the last two winters caused electrical distribution zones to trip off-line. How did that affect HVAC systems? 

Battery powered or hardwired, the Comfort System™ T-21-P touchscreen thermostat can be installed in residential or light commercial applications.

As the popularity of smart phones and tablets continues to grow, consumers are becoming accustomed to multiple features and instant connectivity. And so they are starting to demand more from the other devices in their homes, including the thermostat.

Today, the simple thermostat is evolving into a much more complex digital device, still mounted on the wall, but providing homeowners with far greater control over their environment while offering detailed information about the performance of their home comfort system.

Next year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to release a new Energy Star specification for climate controls. This spec will replace the discontinued Energy Star spec for programmable thermostats.