The AHR Expo (International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition) has announced the winners of the 2026 AHR Expo Innovation Awards. Winners in ten industry categories are chosen annually to represent the most innovative products and technologies in the market today.

“The achievement of an Innovation Award winner is a meaningful distinction in HVACR” said Show Manager, Mark Stevens. “We’re proud to showcase the commitment and recognize the hard work of these manufacturers and their collective teams who are putting in the work to bring new and inventive solutions to market. The Innovation Awards not only highlight these accomplishments, but also act as a benchmark for excellence, honoring the creativity and dedication shaping our industry’s future.”

Each year, the Innovation Awards receives hundreds of submissions from manufacturers putting forward their breakthrough designs for new and never before seen solutions or improvements upon existing products and technologies. Entries are then closely reviewed 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 in real-world application, as well as overall potential market impact.

“It is a positive indicator that each year we see more and more manufacturers meeting industry challenges with creativity and innovation,” Stevens continued. “The winning products, along with all the finalists, demonstrate HVACR’s preparedness to respond to critical demands and challenges with innovative solutions to support energy efficiency, compliance, cost-efficiency and an overall improvement to equipment performance.”

An exciting added benefit of flourishing innovation driving entries to the Innovation Awards is the ability to strengthen the industry through funding attributed to the AHR Expo Workforce Development program. The program, celebrating its fourth year in Vegas, aims to trigger industry growth through experiences geared to inspire future members of the HVACR community. Funds collected from the entry fees are donated to programming at the student level, including field trips to the show, curated introductions to professionals and manufacturers, equipment for hands-on learning in school laboratories, and monetary donations to student programs in the hosting city.

Visit ahrexpo.com for a full list of winners for the 2026 AHR Expo Innovation Awards.