ASHRAE Journal - March 2012 - 16

Show Coverage

2012 AHR Expo

Intelli-Hood by Melink Is Product of the Year
The Intelli-Hood kitchen ventilation control by Melink was named the “Product of the Year” at the Innovation Awards ceremony at the 2012 AHR Expo. The product was one of 10 products selected to receive Innovation Awards in various industry-related categories. The Melink product was the winner in the Ventilation category. The product reduces the exhaust and makeup fan speeds during idle, non-cooking conditions, yielding fan energy savings of up to 90% and conditioned air savings of up to 50%. “I am surprised to receive the award, and very honored,” said Melink engineering manager Bryan Miller, who accepted the award. “Energy efficiency and sustainability permeates through [Melink] and that spirit is shown in this product.” The Innovation Awards have been a highlight of the last 10 AHR Expos. “This Show [AHR Expo] is the place that people in the industry can go to see the latest, the best, the most innovative products,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company, which manages AHR Expo. “It’s appropriate that we honor the best of the best, but these awards reflect the entire Show.” Proceeds from entry fees from the 2012 AHR Expo Innovation Awards competition have been donated to Metropolitan Family Services, a more than 150-year-old organization that provides services and counseling for families in need in the Chicago area. The Innovation Awards are cosponsored by ASHRAE, the Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and IEC. to 20 tons. The solar HVAC systems use solar thermal collectors which are designed to take energy from the sun and produce a cooling effect in the summer and a heating effect in the winter. “Our goal is to introduce this kind of product that in Europe and Italy are almost a consolidated market—solar cooling,” KU Solar COO Massimo Galli told ASHRAE Journal. “And now we are trying to understand if the U.S. is the same kind of market.” SKY CPC 58 solar collectors for forced circulation hot water heating systems are made of a series of doubled-walled borosilicate glass pipes, welded at the end. A vacuum is induced between the two glass walls, and the internal wall is coated with a recycled multilayer metallic selective material which maximizes the absorption of the sun’s energy. http://tinyurl. com/88ay7o2 Galli said winter temperatures in northern Italy, near the Alps mountain range, are commonly from 5°F to 15°F (2.7°C to 8.3°C). “Very much like Chicago.” So, the AHR Expo’s location served as an ideal locale for the company to introduce its products.
ashrae.org March 2012

Global nature of the HVAC&R industry is reflected in the growing participation of international exhibitors and attendees. The international exhibitors represented 35 countries.

International Exhibitors Growing Part of Show

CHICAGO—A record 422 international exhibitors participated in this year’s AHR Expo, continuing a trend of growing international participation, both in companies exhibiting and international attendees. The previous exhibitor record was 400 set in 2006 in Chicago. International attendance also has been increasing. This year’s Show had 6,508 international visitors, slightly less than the record 8,072 international visitors at the Las Vegas Show in 2011. “I think the Show in general is becoming better known as a world event,” said Clay Stevens, president of International Exposition Company. International exhibitors came from greater distances for many of the same reasons that domestic firms attend AHR Expo: to display their products, to actually make sales and to connect synergistically with other companies in their industries. For some international companies, however, there was an additional reason: to announce “We’re here.” An example was KU Solar, which was created via a merger of Kloben, Italy’s largest manufacturer of solar thermal equipment, and Universal, one of Italy’s largest solar integration companies. The new company exhibited at AHR Expo to announce its intention to distribute solar HVAC systems in the U.S. The technology is widespread in Europe, but America remains largely untapped. The new company introduced a scalable product line of packaged systems and components, with units ranging in size from 3

International attendees
2012 (Chicago).................................................................6,508 2011 (Las Vegas) .............................................................8,072 2010 (Orlando) ................................................................5,880 2009 (Chicago).................................................................4,783 2008 (New York) ..............................................................6,469
16 ASHRAE Journal

ASHRAE Journal - March 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - March 2012