The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) today announced the winners of the 2025 AHR Expo Innovation Awards.
Winners are chosen annually in ten industry categories, representing the most innovative products and technologies in the market.
Innovation Awards
“To be recognized as an award winner is a true honor within our industry,” said Show Manager, Mark Stevens.
“We are thrilled to highlight the dedication of manufacturers and team members as they work to create real solutions. The Innovation Awards aim to highlight these companies, professionals, and their innovation trajectory and to celebrate those that are pushing the bar.”
evaluation criteria
Evaluations are based on overall innovative design, creativity of the product or service offered
The Innovation Awards draw hundreds of manufacturers to enter breakthrough designs for new and never-before-seen solutions or improvements upon existing products and technologies.
All entries are reviewed and selected by a panel of third-party judges made up of distinguished ASHRAE members. Evaluations are based on overall innovative design, creativity of the product or service offered, product or technology real-world application, as well as overall potential market impact.
affordability, energy consumption, compliance
“The continued growth of the awards program is an encouraging indication that manufacturers are responding to problems with creative solutions,” continued Stevens.
“Moreover, the winning innovations must satisfy a range of factors, such as affordability, energy consumption, compliance, and production efficiency, while also addressing performance gaps in products and technology. Congratulations to all our 2025 winners!”
AHR Expo Workforce Development program
In addition to celebrating innovation in HVACR, the Innovation Awards provide a means to strengthen the industry by allowing for the AHR Expo Workforce Development program, which aims to grow the industry through programming geared to inspire future members of the HVACR community.
Funds collected from the entry fees are donated to programming at the student level, including show field trips, curated introductions to professionals and manufacturers, laboratory equipment, and monetary donations to student programs in the hosting city.
Winners for the 2025 AHR Expo Innovations Awards
BUILDING AUTOMATION
- Winner: Distech Controls
- Innovation: Eclypse Facilities
- AHR Booth: 781
Eclypse Facilities is a game-changer for system integrators, equipment manufacturers, and leading digital partners who can leverage unparalleled openness and interoperability with Eclypse controllers to deliver advanced digital services.
Buildings implementing Eclypse ensure the highest occupant satisfaction, equipment performance, and minimal operational costs to maintain the highest asset value.
COOLING
- Winner: Climate Control Group
- Innovation: EnviroKIT™
- AHR Booth: 3927
The EnviroKIT™ is a quick, simple, and budget-friendly solution for restoring vertical stack fan coil unit performance.
Sustainably replace aging components in just a few hours per room without drywall demolition. Ideal for the hospitality industry, this kitted solution improves the cooling performance of fan coils with minimal room downtime.
HEATING
- Winner: AERCO, A Watts Water Company
- Innovation: AERCO CFR
- AHR Booth: 743
CFR is the world’s first stainless steel condensing boiler that can be installed in a Category I vent, making it an ideal solution for the commercial retrofit market.
It delivers energy savings, reliable performance, and cost-saving installation flexibility in a compact footprint to cost-effectively comply with local energy mandates.
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
- Winner: Senva Inc.
- Innovation: TotalSense Indoor Air Quality Sensor
- AHR Booth: 581
The TotalSense Air Quality sensor is the most configurable air quality sensor available with any combination of ten sensors including Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), relative humidity (RH), temperature, occupancy detection (PIR), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), Ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM), barometric pressure and ambient light.
PLUMBING
- Winner: Grundfos
- Innovation: Grundfos ALPHA HWR
- AHR Booth: 1808
The Grundfos HWR is the first high-efficiency, digitally connected circulator for domestic hot water recirculation systems. It is the most efficient circulator available, with a best-in-class energy rating of 215 from the Hydraulic Institute.
The fully digital solution achieves advanced comfort with maximum water and energy savings.
REFRIGERATION
- Winner: Danfoss
- Innovation: Danfoss BOCK HGX56 CO2 T
- AHR Booth: 1301
Danfoss BOCK HGX56 CO2 T is a transcritical 6-cylinder CO2 compressor with an expanded range to enable larger refrigeration and heat pump applications with a smaller footprint and strong energy-efficient performance.
SOFTWARE
- Winner: Radiant Professionals Alliance
- Innovation: Building Efficiency System Tool™ 6.2 (BEST 6.2)
- AHR Booth: 2175
The Radiant Professionals Alliance’s (RPA) free interactive Building Efficiency System Tool™ 6.2 (BEST 6.2), revolutionizes HVAC system efficiency comparison. BEST Software is held by Taco (which has control over the content and function thereof).
The Software is copyrighted and protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions.
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
- Winner: LG Electronics U.S.A. Inc.
- Innovation: LG Residential Cold Climate Heat Pump
- AHR Booth: 6643
Conventional heat pumps suffer significant degradation in performance when confronted with temperatures below 0°F (-17.8°C), making them less reliable and efficient in cold climate regions. New heat pump products such as this innovation from LG have been developed to combat cold climate challenges, operating down to -31°F (-35°C).
TOOLS & INSTRUMENTS
Winner: PassiveLogic Innovation: PassiveLogic Sense Nano AHR Booth: 1191, 1391 The Sense Nano is the first truly wireless sensor — communicating via Bluetooth mesh, while extracting its operating energy from the surrounding environment.
Goodbye, battery replacements. Installing in 15 seconds, it fits in the palm of your hand. And it packs a punch with seven sensors inside a 45mm diameter ring.
VENTILATION
- Winner: Rosenburg USA, Inc.
- Innovation: Rosenberg I-Series Backward Curved Fans
- AHR Booth: 5751
Rosenberg has developed 23 models of I-Series fans, ranging from 355MM to 630MM. The high-efficiency, high-volume I-impeller features five backward-curved, hollow-profiled, airfoil section aluminum blades, with efficiency-optimized circumferential diffusers.
The new impeller can increase efficiencies by up to 11% while reducing noise levels by more than half compared to older impellers.
2025 Product of the Year winner
The 2025 Product of the Year winner is awarded based on exceptional leadership in HVACR
In addition to category winners, one overall 2025 Product of the Year winner will be announced and awarded in Orlando. This prestigious honor is awarded based on exceptional leadership in HVACR innovation.
“Innovation in our industry will continue to increase in urgency as we battle workforce shortages, increased demands, changing regulations, and the call for fast, reliable training,” said Kim Pires, AHR Expo.
Innovation Awards program
“Participating in the Innovation Awards, along with the honor of being named a winner, is an indication to the industry that you are at the forefront of where HVACR is heading in the future.”
“What’s more, fees from the Innovation Awards program support workforce development through donations to HVACR high school programming in the cities where the show is hosted. It is a means to inspire, connect, and secure innovation for the future of the industry,” continued Pires.
