AHR Expo Reveals 2027’s Top HVACR Innovations

“We’re honored to recognize the commitment, ingenuity and hard work of these manufacturers and the teams behind them as they bring new and inventive solutions to market. The Innovation Awards not only celebrate these accomplishments, but also serve as a benchmark for excellence, highlighting the inventiveness and dedication to solving the industry’s most challenging issues. It is a meaningful distinction of the work being done to move our industry forward,” Stevens said. 

Each year, the Innovation Awards draw hundreds of submissions from manufacturers showcasing new designs, novel solutions and advancements in existing products and technologies. Entries are evaluated by a panel of third-party judges who are ASHRAE members. Submissions are assessed based on innovative design, creativity, real-world application, and potential market impact. 

“The awards are an encouraging moment to see more manufacturers meeting industry challenges with creativity,” Stevens said. “The winning products, along with all of this year’s finalists, demonstrate the HVACR industry’s ability to respond to critical demands and evolving challenges with innovative solutions to support the shared goals of energy efficiency, compliance, cost-effectiveness, and improved equipment performance.” 

As entries to the Innovation Awards have increased, entry fees have also helped support the AHR Expo Workforce Development program, which funds educational initiatives for future HVACR professionals. 

Celebrating its fifth year in Chicago, the program aims to support industry growth by introducing students to careers in HVACR. Funding supports student-focused activities, including field trips to the expo, introductions to industry professionals and manufacturers, equipment for hands-on learning in school laboratories, and financial contributions to student programs in the host city. 

Winners for the 2027 AHR Expo Innovations Awards include: 

Building Automation 

Winner: LumenRadio 

Innovation: W-BACnet Compact 

AHR Booth: S6049 

W-BACnet Compact is the industry’s smallest wireless BACnet MS/TP cable replacement, enabling fast, reliable building automation retrofits without running RS485 wiring. Featuring snap-on installation, Bluetooth commissioning, auto-baud detection, and LumenRadio’s interference-resistant wireless mesh, it dramatically reduces installation time, cost, and disruption while preserving full BACnet interoperability. 

Finalists include: Delta Intelligent Building Technologies, Building Canvas (Booth S6129); Schneider Electric, EcoStruxure™ Foresight Operation (S6110). 

Cooling 

Winner: Thermal Energy HQ 

Innovation: SkyRadiance 

AHR Booth: N1056 

SkyRadiance is a radical innovation in cooling, sending heat to the cold sky via the infrared spectrum. The combination of a passive radiative cooling film with TEHQ’s patented fluid management system creates a unique and capable active cooling solution. 

Finalists include: Johnson Controls, Inc., YORK® YK-HT Two-stage Centrifugal Chiller (S7510); Nu-Calgon, Cool Worx (Booth S6744). 

Heating 

Winner: Eco-logical LLC 

Innovation: Split System Heat Pump Water Heater, Omni Series 

AHR Booth: N4616 

The Omni Series Split system heat pump water heater is the first in the country that uses refrigerant between the heat pump and the tank. Available in a 120 Volt 50-gallon tank, and a 240-volt 50-gallon tank and Energy Star tested, the unit is to be the second-most-efficient heat pump water heater in the country with a UEF of 4.23. It is the only solution to install heat pump technology into the small closet of a mobile home and works without cooling down the room because the heat pump remains outside. 

Finalists include: Copeland, Variable-Capacity Heat Pump Compression Portfolio (Booth 7110); Lochinvar, LLC, Regent™ commercial tankless water heater (S7564). 

Indoor Air Quality 

Winner: Kingspan Insulation LLC 

Innovation: Kingspan KoolDuct® System 

AHR Booth: S9359 

The Kingspan KoolDuct® System is the first rigid phenolic pre-insulated ductwork system to be UL181 listed as a Class 1 Air Duct. It integrates thermal insulation, air-leakage control, and acoustic performance into a single lightweight assembly that helps improve HVAC efficiency, indoor air quality, and installation productivity. 

Finalists include: AtmosAir Solutions, Awair Omni (Booth S7594); MANN+HUMMEL Air Filtration Americas, VB2 RPX Elite & Ultra (Booth S7520). 

Plumbing 

Winner: Milwaukee Tool 

Innovation: M18™ Brushless Pipe Threading Oiler 

AHR Booth: N2555 

The M18™ Brushless Pipe Threading Oiler delivers the easiest, cleanest portable threading experience on the jobsite. The durable steel frame attaches quickly and securely to a pipe vise delivering unrivaled mess containment. This completes Milwaukee’s portable threading system, now delivering disruptive productivity throughout each step in the portable threading process. 

Finalists include: Eco2 Systems LLC, SANCO2 Module (N1546); Viega, Viega Cleaned & Bagged Systems (N2124). 

Refrigeration 

Winner: Chemours 

Innovation: HFO-1336mzz(E) 

AHR Booth: S6734 

AI and high-performance computing are pushing heat loads beyond the practical limits of traditional air, water, and even single-phased liquid cooling. Chemours Two-Phase Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling Fluid, HFO-1336mzz(E), is engineered for this new thermal reality: a closed-loop, two-phase cooling fluid that removes heat directly at the chip. 

Finalists Include: Danfoss, Danfoss ACE (Advanced Control Edge) Convenience – Edge Refrigeration Control System (Booth N2510); HexaDense, HexaDense High-Density Immersion Pod (Booth N3721). 

Software 

Winner: Rebar 

Innovation: AI MEP Operating System 

AHR Booth: N4129 

Rebar is an operating system for the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) trades that combines mechanical takeoffs, pricing, bid management, and project management in one platform. AI agents analyze blueprints and specifications, generate bills of materials, update takeoffs from plain-language instructions, and organize bid documents. The platform automates workflows while allowing estimators to review each step. Built from experience in mechanical supplier offices, Rebar currently supports the estimating-to-bid process and is expanding into specification reviews, submittals, and project management.  

Finalists include: Cool Calc Manual J (DCNE), Cool Calc (Manual D) Duct Design (Booth N3546); 

EffectiV, SelectiV (Booth N1231). 

Sustainable Solutions 

Winner: SPX Cooling Tech 

Innovation: Marley® WaterGard Filtration System 

AHR Booth: S6949 

Marley® WaterGard™ is a water-saving membrane filtration system designed for evaporative cooling towers and adiabatic cooling equipment. The system pre-treats incoming makeup water by physically blocking and rejecting dissolved minerals commonly found in municipal water supplies, including chlorides, calcium carbonate and silica. This allows cooling systems to operate at significantly higher cycles of concentration (COC), reducing both makeup water demand and blowdown requirements. WaterGard is suitable for both new installations and retrofit applications and can be integrated with existing water treatment programs. 

Finalists include: Conifer, Conifer Cypress IE8-Level Rare-Earth-Free Axial Flux EC Motor (Booth 

N3615); Infinitum, Aircore EC+ (Booth N3160). 

Tools & Instruments 

Winner: Belimo U.S. Inc. 

Innovation: FSKN Remote Inspection Module 

AHR Booth: S6149 

Belimo’s FSKN Remote Inspection Module is a simple, cost-effective solution for periodic life safety damper testing. The FSKN initiates damper cycling, verifies damper position, and delivers digitally documented pass/fail results to a computer, tablet or smartphone. Integrating seamlessly with Fire Control Panels (FCP) or the Building Management System (BMS) using BACnet or Modbus, the FSKN is designed to meet periodic testing requirements of NFPA 80 and NFPA 105. 

Finalists include: DIRAK Inc., HVAC Heavy Duty Latch System with Emergency Release (Booth 

N4437); Thalo Labs, Gordon (N4024). 

Ventilation 

Winner: EffectiV 

Innovation: BREEZ Architectural Duct Diffusers 

AHR Booth: N1231 

BREEZ combines exposed round ductwork and air diffusion in one architectural system. Project-specific, laser-cut perforations distribute conditioned air, with a 3D design platform modeling airflow, acoustics, and static pressure based on room geometry, mounting height, and operating conditions. Each five-foot section is laser-cut, formed, welded, and powder-coated in the architect’s selected color. The system includes dimensional drawings and performance reports.  

Finalists Include: BVN AIR USA LLC, BDF 4” FireLock DEDPV 705 Dryer Booster Fan (Booth S9259); 

Duravent Group, Duravent™ FasNSeal® 80/90 (Booth S7744). 

One overall 2027 Product of the Year winner will be announced in a special reception in Chicago. This prestigious honor, selected from the 10 category winners, is awarded based on exceptional leadership in HVACR innovation. “As new market opportunities emerge and demands on the HVACR industry continue to increase, innovative solutions to existing and new issues create a pathway to industry fulfillment and excellence in the built environment,” said Kim Pires, AHR Expo.