WESTPORT, Conn. — The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) announced its call for entries for the 2017 AHR Expo Innovation Awards competition. The winners in each of 10 HVACR product categories will receive special recognition. Also, the winner of the Product of the Year Award will be announced at a ceremony on Jan. 31 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will begin the preceding day, Jan. 30, at the convention center and run through Feb. 1.

The annual competition aims to honor the most inventive, useful, and original HVACR products, systems, and technologies showcased on the exhibit floor in the categories of: building automation; cooling; green building; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; tools and instruments; and ventilation.

“These awards are a chance to publicly acknowledge the hard work companies contribute toward the future of the industry, said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Co. “Selecting 10 winners from a pool of hundreds of applications is never an easy feat. We look for entries that display exceptional utility, ingenuity, and efficiency, and we are always amazed by the number of incredible options we receive.”

All 2017 AHR Expo exhibitors are eligible to submit a product for the Innovation Awards. Exhibitors may submit one product in each category, as long as that product has not previously won an award. To be considered, products must be exhibited at the show and available for sale by the end of January 2017. Completed entry forms and a $100 entry fee must be submitted online at www.ahrexpo.com by Aug. 3, 2016.

Judging is based on the following criteria: innovative design, creativity, application, value, and market impact. All submissions will be evaluated by a panel of third-party ASHRAE member judges from all facets of the industry, including but not limited to education/instruction, research, engineering management, design engineering, product development, and manufacturing. These judges, all of whom are seasoned HVACR or plumbing professionals with more than 20 years of professional experience, have long-term service records on ASHRAE technical committees and research projects and many have multiple degrees, certifications, and credentials.

For more information on the 2017 AHR Expo or the Innovation Awards competition, visit www.ahrexpo.com.

Publication date: 6/9/2016