COLUMBIA, Mo. - SEMCO Inc. has received a "Top 100 Innovative Products" award for 2005 fromR&D Magazinefor its Revolutionâ„¢ System, an active desiccant-vapor compression hybrid rooftop unit.

The Revolution is a rooftop air conditioner that can independently control humidity and temperature while delivering a specified percentage of outdoor air into commercial and institutional buildings. Better control of humidity levels helps control mold and mildew that can cause long-term health and indoor air quality issues. When compared to conventional air conditioning hardware packages, the Revolution is said to be more compact, cost effective, and energy efficient. In addition, it can accommodate up to 100 percent outdoor air and deliver drier air than is possible through the use of conventional cooling equipment.

"We're very proud to be among the companies whose technology was selected for this award," said William E. Thurman, president of SEMCO. "Beside being a very prestigious technical award, this honor recognizes excellence in products that are actually being developed, with real application that benefits mankind. The Revolution represents SEMCO's commitment to innovation and excellence and embodies our approach to delivering novel solutions to complex technical or practical problems. With the Revolution 'hybrid,' essentially all commercial, public, or institutional building types can benefit from this new technology. It's truly a quantum leap over all previous HVAC systems and represents the fruits of a six-year research and development effort."

SEMCO shares the magazine's award with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the U.S. Department of Energy's laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research, development, and deployment. SEMCO and ORNL have collaborated on active desiccant technologies for the past six years and applied jointly for the award.

Established in 1963, the R&D 100 Awards recognize the 100 most technologically significant new products and processes of the year. According to the magazine, winners are products and processes that can change people's lives for the better, through improvements attributable to significant breakthroughs in technology. Each entry is judged by a team of experts for its degree of innovation and technological importance.

For more information on the Revolution active desiccant-vapor compression hybrid rooftop unit, visit www.semcorevolution.com.

Publication date: 08/01/2005