AHR Expo announces winners for 2026 Innovation Awards
October 24, 2025
By HPAC Magazine
Annual awards, co-sponsored by the AHR Expo, ASHRAE, and AHRI, recognize the most inventive products, systems, and technologies showcased at each year’s show.
The AHR Expo has announced the winners of its 2026 Innovation Awards; an annual competition co-sponsored by the AHR Expo, ASHRAE, and AHRI honouring the most inventive products, systems, and technologies showcased at each year’s show.
Winners are selected by a panel of third-party ASHRAE member judges, who evaluate each entry based on design innovation, creativity, application, value and market impact across 10 different categories.
These categories include building automation; cooling; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; sustainable solutions; tools & instruments; and ventilation. In addition to these categories, an award is also presented to the Product of the Year, which will be announced during the 2026 AHR Expo in Las Vegas this February.
Check out this year’s winners below:
(Photo: Honeywell)
Building automation: Honeywell Connected Solutions
Honeywell’s Connected Solutions suite empowers building owners and service providers with cloud-based tools for remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, energy optimization, and asset lifecycle management.
These applications streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability, all through a unified, intuitive platform that transforms traditional building management into a connected, data-driven experience.
(Photo: Daikin)
Cooling: Daikin Applied Americas’ Magnitude WME-C Quad
The Magnitude WME-C Quad is the first dual circuit series counterflow chiller that delivers up to 3,000 tons of capacity using Daikin’s magnetic bearing compressor technology. With four compressors, Daikin’s WME oil-free magnetic bearing technology and mission-critical features like RideThrough and RapidRestore, it offers part-load efficiency, reliability and uptime.
(Photo: Copeland)
Heating: Copeland’s heating-optimized modulating vapor injection portfolio
The Copeland heating-optimized modulating vapor injection portfolio combines innovative two-stage, tandem and variable-speed compression platforms with enhanced vapor injection (EVI) technologies for flexibility, scalability and performance in achieving capacity and efficiency requirements for next-generation commercial heat pumps in hot air and water applications.
(Photo: Airest)
Indoor air quality: Sharp Corporation’s Airest
Airest is the world’s first mini-split heat pump with built-in MERV 14 certified filters. It captures over 99.9% of dust before it enters the unit and has an airflow reach of 43 ft to cool, heat, and purifiy air simultaneously.
(Photo: IDC Fluid Control)
Plumbing: IDC Fluid Control’s LeakStop III
LeakStop III is a fully automated water leak detection system for homes and small commercial buildings. The system is built to alarm in the event of a leak detection automatically shutting down when the water flow is continuous and exceeds a preset and programmable maximum value.
(Photo: Copeland)
Refrigeration: Copeland’s transcritical CO2 scroll compressor with dynamic vapor injection technology
The Copeland transcritical CO2 scroll compressor is a small-footprint, distributed CO2 refrigeration system that features dynamic vapor injection (DVI) technology for enhanced efficiency.
(Photo: Rebar)
Software: Rebar’s AI-powered takeoff platform
Rebar is the first AI-powered takeoff platform built for the HVAC industry. Built by those in the industry, the software offers a streamlined sales process for reps by reading construction plans, identifying mechanical pages, marking equipment, and generating accurate takeoffs.
Sustainable solutions: Blue Frontier’s BF-DOAS
Blue Frontier’s cooling and dehumidifying technology contains a dispatchable thermal storage battery and can independently control db and dp for comfort precision.
(Photo: CSG Compressors)
Tools & instruments: CSG Compressors’ SAMMi
SAMMi is an AI-powered HVAC monitoring and dispatch system that detects issues before they cause breakdowns and autonomously alerts and dispatches technicians, designed for easy installation and scalability.
Ventilation: ABB Motors and Drives’ ACH580 Variable Frequency Drives
The ACH580 drive enables seamless control of up to six EC Titanium motors, optimizing energy efficiency, reducing installation complexity, and lowering total cost of ownership. This intelligent fan array solution delivers high performance and simplified permanent magnet motor management for advanced HVAC applications.
For a full list of winners and nominees, visit the AHR’s Innovation Awards website.
