The International Exposition Company announced the winners of the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Awards. The annual awards competition aims to honor the most inventive and original products, systems, and technologies showcased at each year’s AHR Expo in the categories of building automation, cooling, green building, heating, indoor air quality, plumbing, refrigeration, software, tools and instruments, and ventilation.

Winners were selected by a panel of third-party ASHRAE member judges who evaluated all award entries based on innovative design, creativity, application, value, and market impact.

Award winners will be recognized in a formal ceremony during the 2017 AHR Expo, which takes place January 30 to February 1 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. Additionally, one 2017 AHR Expo Product of the Year Award winner, selected from among the 10 category winners, will be announced at that time.

“This year’s AHR Expo Innovation Award winners have shown, once again, that the parameters for HVACR advancement are truly ever expanding,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company. “We congratulate those who have been recognized as 2017’s pioneers from across all areas of the industry, by proving there is always more to be achieved, and farther to be propelled, when it comes to HVACR innovation. This is the spirit that makes each year’s competition so fresh and exciting, and is what we are proud to see, year after year, as a cornerstone of inspiration for the HVACR industry’s ongoing creativity and advancement.”

Listed by category, here are the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Award winners:

Building Automation: Danfoss

Product: Danfoss Enterprise Services

Cooling: Daikin Applied

Product: Pathfinder® Air-cooled Screw Chillers with Variable Volume Ratio (VVR) Technology

Green Building: Carrier

Product: Dual Stage Relief Economizer (DSRE)

Heating: Noritz America

Product: Noritz Combination Boiler

Indoor Air Quality: Nortec Humidity

Product: Nortec GS Series - CS Model (Nortec GS CS) Humidifier

Plumbing: Taco, Inc.

Product: SmartPlug Smart Hot Water Recirculation Control

Refrigeration: Danfoss

Product: Danfoss CTM (Electrical Controlled Transcritical Multi Ejector)

Software: Nidec Motor Corporation / U.S. MOTORS®

Product: Rescue Select Programming App

Tools & Instruments: PEXOLOGY, Inc.

Product: PEXGUN

Ventilation: Titus

Product: Helios Digital Diffuser

Additionally, the following 24 companies have been recognized as finalists in each of the 10 award entry categories:

Building Automation

• Belimo Americas (Belimo Energy Valve™)

• Daikin Applied (Intelligent Equipment® for System Performance Measurement)

• Delta Controls Inc. (eZNTW - Delta Wireless BACnet Thermostat)

Cooling

• BITZER US, Inc. (CSVH Series Screw Compressor w/ Integrated VFD)

• Johnson Controls, Inc. (YORK® YVFA Free-cooling Chiller)

• Mits Airconditioning Inc. / AERMEC S.P.A. (NYB Chiller and Integrated Free Cooling Chiller)

Green Building

• Danfoss (Danfoss Turbocor® TG Compressor)

• Yaskawa America, Inc. (Z1000U HVAC Matrix Drive)

Heating

• Eichenauer Inc. (Eichenauer Duct Heater)

• Honeywell International Inc. (Equipment Remote Module (ERM))

• Samsung HVAC (Samsung DVM S Max Heat VRF System)

Indoor Air Quality

• ATAS International, Inc. (InSpire Solar Air Heating Wall Panel System)

• Friedrich Air Conditioning Co. (VRP Single Package Vertical Heat Pump System with Built-in Conditioned Make-up Air)

Plumbing

• Orival Water Filters (Model ORZ Automatic Self-cleaning Screen Filter)

• RIDGID (STRAPLOCK Pipe Handle)

Refrigeration

• CAREL INDUSTRIES S.p.A. (EVD Ice Electronic Valve Driver)

• Chemours (Opteon™ XP40 (R-449A) Refrigerant)

Software

• Coolfront Technologies (Coolfront Mobile - the zero cost flat rate pricing app)

• Dwyer Instruments (PredictAir™ Application Software for the SMART Air Hood™ Balancing Instrument)

Tools & Instruments

• Mestek Machinery (Pro-Fabriduct® Manufacturing System)

• Milwaukee Tool (M18™ FORCE LOGIC™ Press Tool)

• Triatek (Stable Vortex II® Fume Hood Conversion Kit)

Ventilation

• DuctSox Corporation (DuctSox Silencer)

• ebm-papst Inc. (RadiPac Blower)

For more information on the 2017 AHR Expo, visit ahrexpo.com.