Enerconcept’s wall-mounted solar hot air collector is the first solar product to win AHR Innovation Award

Canada-based solar air heating equipment manufacturer Enerconcept has announced winning the Innovation Award for its LubiT wall-mounted solar hot air collector at the AHR Expo 2012 in Chicago on January 24. LubiT won the Product of the Year award in the Best Heating Category and was the first solar product to ever win an AHR Innovation Award in the 10-year event, competing against nearly 200 international entries, the announcement added.

According to Enerconcept, LubiT, which is patented, is the world’s most efficient solar hot air device as per third-party certification test ratings by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA-International).

Christian Vachon, (middle), President, Enerconcept Technologies, receives the AHR Innovation Award for the LubiT solar hot air collector from Ajita Rajendra, (left) Chairman, AHRI, and Ron Jarnagin, President, ASHRAE, at the AHR Expo 2012 in Chicago

The CSA lists it as up to 81% efficient with a 1.20 performance factor, which is 20 to 58% greater than any competing products, the company claimed, and added that the product’s efficiency is derived from its patented perforated glazing design that minimises heat loss and delivers paybacks ranging from zero for new construction to five years for retrofits.

“The Lubi has no moving parts, requires no maintenance, doesn’t freeze or overheat and is easily integrated architecturally and aesthetically into a building’s existing HVAC system by an HVAC contractor,” said Christian Vachon, President, Enerconcept Technologies, and the inventor of the Lubi.

The competition was co-sponsored by ASHRAE, AHRI and the International Exposition Company (IEC), and was judged by a panel of HVACR experts.