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Category: Regulations
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International green construction code for communities released
The 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) has been released by a consortium of sustainability-minded organisations. The consortium comprises the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the International Code Council, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and ASHRAE. The International Green Construction Code is designed to have wide applicability for incorporating resilient, high-performance green building strategies into […]
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New residential AC standard
The installation and design of energy-efficient residential air conditioning is being given a helping hand following the publication of a new standard. AS/NZS5141, Residential heating and cooling systems – Minimum applications and requirements for energy efficiency, performance and comfort criteria will be published on November 26. Publication is the result of the combined effort of […]
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NT developing climate change strategy
The Northern Territory government has released a discussion paper titled Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Opportunities in the Northern Territory. As part of an eight-week public consultation process, targeted stakeholder consultations are taking place across the Northern Territory in the form of sectoral and bilateral meetings. The objectives of the stakeholder meetings are to reignite […]
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Raising the standard for commissioning
The government, the Green Building Council of Australia, builders, asset owners and thought leaders have joined forces to address a widely recognised sore point in the Australian building industry: commissioning. The goal is to produce an Australian Standard for building commissioning. As a first step, a working group is producing a guideline – which only […]
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Air Balancing and Water Balancing – open for review
AIRAH has released two draft revisions of Design Application manuals for public review. They are DA24 Water Balancing – A Systems Approach, and a new manual called DA04 Air Balancing – A Systems Approach. About The Application Manuals have been designed to provide a complete overview of air and water balancing and testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB), […]
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Government seeks input for industrial MEPS program
The Department of the Environment and Energy is seeking key stakeholders to help establish minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for industrial equipment. This will cover industrial and commercial-scale pumps, boilers and air compressors in Australia and New Zealand. Energy efficiency requirements are already in place for a wide range of products and tools under the Greenhouse […]
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Updating safety guidelines for confined spaces
Standards Australia is seeking input on AS 2865 – Confined spaces. Despite addressing a key safety issue for HVAC&R workers, it is in danger of being withdrawn if industry does not signal its need for the standard. AIRAH released its Safety in the HVAC&R Industry report in 2017. This report highlighted the need for occupational […]
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AS 5389 open for comment
The draft standard AS 5389 Space heating and cooling and ventilation systems – Calculation of energy and comfort performance is open for comment until November 22. According to Standards Australia, the Standard intends to outline a method for calculating energy consumption and determining the comfort performance of space heating and cooling systems as well as ventilator […]
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NCC update: “Brace yourselves”
That was the message from Mike Dodd, senior policy officer at the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), at the recent Future of HVAC Conference. He presented an update on the changes to Section J of Volume 1 of the National Construction Code (NCC), which will be published in February 2019 and come into effect in […]
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Walk-in coolroom study highlights sector failings
AIRAH has released the findings and recommendations from the industry consultation into the walk-in coolroom and freezer (WICF) sector. The primary objective of the project – conducted in partnership with The Expert Group – was to investigate the practices and system design, installation, operation and maintenance issues and barriers that lead to energy waste in the […]
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New licensing rules for Queensland
The Queensland state government has passed new laws for plumbing and gas fitting that will affect licensing for air conditioning and refrigeration work. The new Plumbing and Drainage Act 2018 legislation provides a significant update to several aspects of plumbing and draining and includes the creation of a new licence requirement for mechanical services. The […]
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New Zealand plans HFC phase-down
In October 2016, New Zealand, Australia and almost 200 other countries adopted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs. Australia started reducing HFC import quotas at the beginning of 2018, and now New Zealand is looking at 2020 to begin the same process. The New Zealand cabinet recently agreed to ratify […]
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Chillers: Final policy positions
E3 (Equipment Energy Efficiency) has released a revised version of the paper Chillers: Final policy positions for public comment. The paper outlines the results of feedback on the consultation paper Chillers: Updated policy positions that was published in June 2018. The E3 committee published a consultation Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) and a supplementary consultation paper in 2016 with […]
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Standards Australia puts faith in young leaders
Standards Australia has announced the 2018-19 participants in its NEXTgen (Young Leaders) program. The program takes emerging industry and technical experts and involves them in the national and international standardisation processes. “The goal of the program is to support the future of standards development through investing in the next generation of standards leaders and experts,” […]
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Energy efficiency and building services jobs survey
Common Capital is working with the Victorian Government on a short but important survey of the national energy efficiency and building services industry. The survey is being distributed through over 20 industry associations across the building and energy services market. It is aimed at organisations involved in the supply management of building materials, appliances, equipment […]
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Cladding ban comes into force
Strata corporations and building owners in NSW must act immediately to avoid fines and even imprisonment as a result of a new ban on combustible cladding with a core of more than 30 per cent polyethylene. The ban came into place on August 15. The ban will affect any form of the combustible building material […]
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Calling maintenance maestros
AIRAH (the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating) has released a draft revision of the highly regarded Application Manual AIRAH DA19 HVAC&R maintenance that is now available for industry/public review and comment. If you have an interest in the maintenance and performance of heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems and equipment […]
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New Legionella Control Regulations in NSW
NSW Health has released the Legionella control regulation to protect the public from Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks caused by cooling towers. The new regulations have introduced significant changes to cooling tower systems management in NSW. Following two outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease in the Sydney central business district in March and May 2016, the Legionella Taskforce, headed […]
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Last call for comments on residential AC standard
The draft standard AS/NZS5141 for residential air conditioning is now open for a final round of public comment. Its official name is AS/NZS 5141 Residential heating and cooling systems – Minimum applications and requirements for energy efficiency, performance and comfort criteria. Slated for publication in December, it is a new standard that aims to raise […]
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NABERS launches new website and steering committee
The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) has launched an Australian-first search engine for green buildings. “This new tool will allow people to find the best examples of sustainable buildings and green businesses in the country,” Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said. NABERS is a national program, administered by the NSW government, that measures the […]