AWARDS
DESIGN
Recognizing excellence in HVACR Product Design
2022
DEALER
Brought to you by
Sponsored by
About the Awards
The 2022 Dealer Design Awards
For the past 19 years, The ACHR NEWS has honored HVAC design excellence. The contest was established to honor exemplary manufacturing, design, and implementation. It has consistently delivered on that promise, displaying some of the most innovative and conveniently installed, maintained, and serviced products ever created.
Our panel of independent contractor judges, many of whom are ACCA members, had a tough task narrowing down the abundance of product applications that were received. Scroll down to see the gold, silver, and bronze winners across 13 product categories.
Trane Link by Trane Residential
Trane Technologies
Learn More
GOLD
The Unico System
Unico Inc.
SILVER
V-Coil
Carrier
BRONZE
Ducane™ LYNX® 18
Allied Air Enterprises
GOLD
Ultra-Low NOx Gas/Electric Packaged Unit
Nortek Global HVAC
SILVER
ProLine® XE Condensing Tankless with X3® Scale Prevention Technology
A.O. Smith
BRONZE
the winners
HVAC Residential Equipment
HVAC High Efficiency Residential Equipment
HVAC Commercial Equipment
Trane Technologies’ Trane Link system took home the Gold award for the HVAC Residential Equipment category.
According to Mark Woodruff, senior product manager, the inspiration was hearing contractors agree their No. 1 problem was finding qualified technicians. “We started to realize that we could solve those problems with technology, and ultimately, that new technology became our Trane Link system,” explained Woodruff.
Woodruff said the product was designed to simplify “the installation, commissioning, diagnostics, and remote monitoring of Trane variable-speed HVAC systems” and provide techs with a plug-and-play experience. Through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, contractors can remotely troubleshoot “virtually any system issue,” while homeowners can control their system remotely through the Trane Home app.
The Trane Link system also includes a SmartCharge function, which automatically completes the refrigerant charging process by providing verified measurements and instant feedback through the Trane Diagnostics mobile app. “They connect the refrigerant bottle to the equipment, they run the Smart Charge algorithm, and it automatically will charge the system for them while they do other work,” said Woodruff.
The top reason for a callback is incorrect settings, so the system comes with a guided setup wizard that walks the installer through any custom configurations the system can't determine on its own, like line set length or accessory installation. “Some of the hardest things for my installers to do is to set the equipment up correctly. [The Trane Link] basically programs itself, and it definitely speeds up the install,” said Brandon Krantz, service and install manager at Krantz Kooling & Heating. “It gives me a lot of peace of mind because when that installer leaves the job, I know that the equipment is set up correctly.”
One DDA judge commented, “This is the future of our industry-automated systems that take the guesswork out of proper installs and repairs.”
Trane Link by Trane Residential
CATEGORY GOLD WINNER
A full line of Trane Link equipment will be available to our independent dealer nationwide in Fall 2022. www.Trane.com/residential
NYK
Aermec distributed by Mits Airconditioning
GOLD
XL Press Fittings
Rapid Locking System (RLS)
SILVER
CREST® boilers with Hellcat™ combustion technology
Lochinvar
BRONZE
HVAC Light Commercial Equipment
RQ/RN Series Low Ambient Variable Speed Air-Source Heat Pump
AAON
GOLD
Architectural Contour Air Curtain
Berner International
SILVER
Split Terminal Heat Pump (STHP)
Fujitsu General America Inc.
SILVER
Commercial Controls
GEN V
Zonex Systems
GOLD
Lennox® CORE Control System
Lennox Commercial
SILVER
KE2-Edge Manager Plus
KE2 Therm Solutions Inc.
BRONZE
Components & Accessories
C-RHEX® SAWTOOTH Cleanable, Reversible Magnetic Hex (Driver (1/4” & 5/16”)
Malco Products
GOLD
ULTRACP Series Condensate Pumps
DiversiTech
SILVER
Combat P-Trap
Combat P-Trap
BRONZE
Contractor Services & Software
Copeland™ Mobile Smartphone App
Emerson
GOLD
Symphony Contractor Connect
WaterFurnace International
SILVER
fyxify
fyxify LLC
BRONZE
Electronic Tools
RP 351 Press Tool
Ridge Tool Co. (RIGID)
GOLD
M18™ FORCE LOGIC™ Press Tool Kit w/ One-Key™ with 1/4"-7/8" Streamline™ ACR Jaws
Milwaukee Tool
SILVER
Infrared Sensor Leak Detector
Fieldpiece Instruments Inc.
BRONZE
Hand Tools
BreakFree® Power Tube Expander
NAVAC Inc.
GOLD
10 CFM Vacuum Pump
Fieldpiece Instruments Inc.
SILVER
BreakFree® Power Flaring Tool
NAVAC Inc.
BRONZE
Indoor Air Quality
75F HyperStat
75F
GOLD
Ultimate Indoor Air Quality System
Lennox Commercial
SILVER
TDFi-RT
Ruskin
BRONZE
Refrigeration & Ice Machines
Atlas DS-5000 Propane/Flammable Refrigerant Charging Scale
JB Industries Inc.
GOLD
ESP+ Intuitive Evaporator Control
Trenton Refrigeration
SILVER
TQ2 - Quiet Refrigeration Duty Condensing Unit
Trenton Refrigeration
BRONZE
Residential Controls
Smart Thermostat HD
Building36
GOLD
Bliss Invis-A-Stat
ZONEFIRST
SILVER
Wireless Relay Plus
iO HVAC Controls
BRONZE
Testing & Monitoring Products
NOVO Combustion Analyzer
Seitron Americas Inc.
GOLD
Wireless True RMS Clamp Meter w/ Motor Testing
UEi Test Instruments
SILVER
Fluke 378 FC Non-Contact Voltage True-rms AC/DC Clamp Meter with iFlex
Fluke Corporation
BRONZE
Thank you to all the Dealer Design Award Participants and Judges
Join us again in 2023!
Brought to you by
Sponsored by