The company ebm-papst Mulfingen was nominated by the jury for its 'AxiTop' diffuser. This passive component for energy-saving fans is used in industry and building technology - for example in heat exchangers - and is only 250 mm high. The diffuser is made of lightweight, resistant plastic material and can be easily mounted on the fans. There it works like an inverted nozzle. Its pressure-increasing effect reduces losses at the impeller outlet. According to ebm-papst, it is a milestone in terms of efficiency and acoustics: the company claims savings of up to 27 % in energy consumption compared to previous applications and a reduction in operating noise of 7.2 dB(A).