Page 138
The Building Ministers’ Forum (BMF) met in Hobart on February 8 to discuss issues ranging from safety to energy efficiency. The BMF oversees policy and regulatory issues affecting Australia’s building and construction industries. It is made up of federal and state and territory government ministers who have responsibility for building and construction. It was thought […]
The NCC (National Construction Code) 2019 Preview has been released. Versions of all three volumes and the guide to volume one are now available to download as PDFs. The NCC sets the minimum acceptable standards for all new construction work in Australia. Since 2005, it has included provisions in Section J for energy efficiency, including […]
ASHRAE is presenting a webcast called The Future of Refrigerants: Unitary and VRF Systems this April. The two-hour session will be held on two days and times to suit international time differences. The webcast will examine the world’s most prolific air conditioning system configurations. It will look at how those systems can adapt to worldwide regulatory […]
Standards Australia has announced it will look to improve access to standards in the wake of a ruling that SAI Global will no longer have exclusive distribution rights. In late December 2018, an independent arbitration determined that any extended distribution agreement with SAI Global will be non-exclusive. This means that Standards Australia can now take […]
As reported last month, the Australian government is changing energy efficiency regulations for air conditioners up to 65kW in capacity. A draft version of the new “determination” (the instrument that regulates energy efficiency) is now available, and more details of the changes have been confirmed. The first major change is the introduction of a more […]
WorldSkills Australia (WSA) partner Heatcraft has announced its major sponsorship of the Refrigeration category for both the 2019 round of regional competitions and the 2020 WSA National Refrigeration Competition. It marks a 23-year association between Heatcraft and WSA. “This is a long-established affiliation that aligns firmly with our core business and values, being a heritage of […]
Lennox has released a new range of wall split-system air conditioners. The reverse-cycle inverter units are said to deliver more precise temperature control and greater comfort. “Advanced 3D airflow” circulates cold air from the bottom of the room and hot air from the top of the room, preventing temperature pockets from developing. The system also […]
Seeley International has announced a national roadshow to focus on a zero emissions future and the broader implications for the HVAC industry. Group managing director Jon Seeley, Affil.AIRAH, says the series – Sustainable Buildings: Preparing for a Zero Emissions Future & Implications for HVAC – provides an opportunity for those working in the industry to […]
AIRAH has released the third episode of its podcast AIRAH on Air. In it, host Mark Spencer takes listeners to The University of Queensland’s TC Beirne School of Law for a visit to the Forgan Smith Building. The latest podcast episode is an adaptation of the December 2018 Ecolibrium cover story, detailing the Brisbane tertiary […]
The GBCA (Green Building Council of Australia) will hold its TRANSFORM conference in Sydney from March 19–20. It will take place at the recently refurbished Roundhouse at UNSW Sydney. The conference aims to encourage dynamic conversations around the sustainable built environment, inspired by keynote addresses, case studies and interactive workshops. There will be over 80 […]
Two building industry veterans and sustainability champions have earned Order of Australia recognition in the Australia Day 2019 Honours List. Outgoing Green Building Council of Australia CEO Romilly Madew and former Property Council of Australia CEO Peter Verwer were cited for their services to the Australian built environment. Madew, who has also served as deputy […]
The Asia-Pacific Sustainable Development Symposium has extended its calls for abstracts through to January 31. Supported by the United Nations’ One Planet Network and the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme, the Symposium committee is seeking ideas, real-world experiences and case studies. These topics can relate to education for sustainability; built environment sustainability; circularity in the […]
A survey published by consumer comparison site Finder has highlighted the extent to which Australians waste energy by running their air conditioning when they are not at home. The survey reports that 2.3 million Australians – or 24 per cent of the population – have their air conditioning running when they are out. Put another […]
Energy metering maestro Kamstrup is taking its training on the road in March. The half-day course offers participants the opportunity to learn more about thermal energy metering and become factory certified. It will run in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth. “Thermal energy metering is a valuable tool for building and facility managers to obtain […]
Olivia Newton-John and Kylie Minogue may have grabbed the headlines in this year’s Australia Day Honours, but there was also recognition for a big name in the HVAC&R industry: Steve Anderson. Executive Director of Refrigerants Australia from 1987–2014, the initiator of the ACRtick program, and one of the key figures in establishing Refrigerant Reclaim Australia […]
The eighth Ammonia and CO2 Refrigeration Technologies Conference is being held from April 11–19 in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia. The conference is organised by the International Institute of Refrigeration and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering – Skopje. Over 50 papers have been submitted internationally, presenting recent achievements in research and the advanced applications of CO2 and […]
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has released an online, updated version of its Flammable Refrigerants Safety Guide. The resource – which was developed by independent organisations and stakeholders with support from the Department of the Environment and Energy – provides vital information about the use and management of flammable refrigerants […]
AIRAH has announced a compelling list of speakers for the Refrigeration 2019 conference, which will take place over March 25–26 in Melbourne. Headlining the event are international keynote speakers Professor Dr Michael Kauffield and Andrew Pansulla from the US. They are at the top of a list of 25 expert speakers delivering presentations across the two […]
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has released a video designed to educate consumers. The video explains the different licence types, and encourages consumers to find and use fully licensed air conditioning technicians. Running as part of the ARC’s summer campaign, the video seeks to raise awareness that fully licensed (or Certificate III) technicians are qualified […]
Two of the world’s leading HVAC&R member organisations have put pen to paper on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) and the UK-based Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) formalised the agreement on January 14 at the ASHRAE Winter Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The MoU is aimed at […]