Melink Corp.’s Intelli-Hood controls for commercial kitchen hoods, which reduce exhaust- and makeup-fan speeds during idle, non-cooking conditions, providing fan energy savings of up to 90 percent and conditioned-air savings of up to 50 percent, were named Product of the Year during the 2012 International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo), held Jan. 23-25 in Chicago.

Melink, the Milford, Ohio-based provider of building commissioning services, kitchen ventilation controls, and solar-photovoltaic systems, was selected from among the 10 2012 AHR Expo Innovation Award recipients.

Sponsored by ASHRAE, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, and International Exposition Co., the awards program recognizes the most innovative and useful products among the thousands on display at the AHR Expo. Entries are judged on the basis of innovative design, application, market impact, and value to the HVACR industry.

“Twenty years ago, when we first pioneered demand ventilation controls, there was very little interest in saving energy,” Steve Melink, president of Melink Corp., said. “Fortunately, over time, the market caught up with technology, and the building industry learned to embrace energy efficiency.”