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Tag: Slider
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Refrigerant management key to curbing emissions
Fluorocarbon emissions equivalent to 90 billion tonnes of CO2 could be avoided through minimising refrigerant leaks and maximising recovery and reclamation, according to a new report from US agencies. The report, The 90 Billion Ton Opportunity: Lifecycle Refrigerant Management, estimates that better life-cycle management can prevent fluorocarbon emissions equal to nearly three full years of global […]
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Policy levers to drive reductions in embodied carbon
The Material and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) is holding a spotlight event on October 27 to discuss government policies and programs that could cut construction-based embodied carbon emissions. “This is a relatively new field,” says MECLA, “yet highly influential in supporting Australia to achieve its 2030 and 2050 emission reduction targets. Government is both […]
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Study stirs ambition for efficient and healthy homes
The authors of a new study hope their work will act as a catalyst for industry change as Australia moves to net-zero-carbon housing. As well as providing in-depth technical information on moisture management and airtightness, it recommends how construction practices need to change to achieve highly energy-efficient, durable and healthy buildings. An Australian Based Study […]
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World Ventilation Day set for November 8
November 8 has been confirmed as World Ventilation Day, with the theme for the inaugural running to be “celebrating ventilation”. The initiative was established by a group of ventilation professionals in the UK from CIBSE, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), and academic researchers within the Future Urban Ventilation […]
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“Look for the tick” campaign hits TV screens
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has launched its annual “look for the tick” advertising campaign on internet-based television services. Each year, the summer advertising campaign encourages people to contact local licensed technicians for air conditioning services. In a bid to reach a wider audience, ARC has added television commercials to its media mix. Starting in […]
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AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson to step down
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has announced its CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, will be stepping down in early 2023. Appointed to the position of CEO in 2016, Gleeson has overseen a number of major achievements including the expansion and digitisation of AIRAH’s knowledge assets such as the Design Application (DA) […]
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Combination passive cooling for crop storage
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have designed an innovative passive cooling system that requires no power, and only a small amount of water. Combining radiative and evaporative cooling with thermal insulation in a slim package similar to a solar panel, designers say the system can provide up to 9.3°C of cooling from ambient temperature. […]
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Plan to make Australia an energy-efficiency winner
The Australian federal government has kicked off work to develop a National Energy Performance Strategy. The announcement was made by Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister at the 2022 Energy Efficiency Summit in Sydney. “For too long, Australia’s efforts at reducing emissions and cutting energy costs have lacked a national plan that […]
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Finalists named for AIRAH Awards 2022
AIRAH has named the finalists for the AIRAH Awards 2022. The AIRAH Awards celebrate the leading projects, people and products driving Australia towards a sustainable future. “Over the past few years we’ve seen how the COVID pandemic has shifted attention to the importance of the HVAC&R industry to Australia’s health, comfort and productivity,” says AIRAH […]
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Australia’s first all-electric aquatic centre opens its doors
The opening of the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs has been celebrated as Australia’s first all-electric, renewable energy aquatic centre. Located in Keilor Downs, the $60 million facility aims to provide an energy-efficient blueprint to councils across Australia. According to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), leisure centres are among the most […]
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NCC 2022 now available online
The 2022 version of the National Construction Code (NCC) is now available online. The major changes are the lifting of the minimum energy efficiency requirements for new homes from 6 to 7 NatHERS stars, and a new annual energy-use budget applicable to major appliances such as space conditioning, hot water, lighting, pool and spa pumps, […]
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National campaign to promote careers in HVAC&R
A new campaign promoting careers in HVAC&R is being rolled out by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC), targeting students at almost 3,000 secondary schools across Australia. Each school’s careers adviser will receive a package explaining the careers the HVAC&R industry can offer, and how students can make a difference. ARC chairman Michael Bennett says the […]
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New guide to electrifying existing buildings
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has released A Practical Guide to Electrification for Existing Buildings. Developed in partnership with Cundall and with funding from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and NSW government, the guide provides a step-by-step outline of how to retrofit an existing building to be all-electric. It covers the types […]
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US commits to HFC phase-down
The US Senate has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, joining the 137 other countries that have already ratified the treaty. The Kigali Amendment calls for a gradual reduction in the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. Many of these are used as refrigerants in HVAC&R systems. “The […]
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The world’s largest cooling project?
New research suggests that refreezing the Earth’s poles by reducing incoming sunlight would be a feasible and cheap approach to addressing melting ice and rising sea levels. In what might be the world’s largest cooling effort, scientists proposed spraying microscopic aerosol particles into the atmosphere above the poles via high-flying jets. According to new research […]
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NSW heeds calls to defer licence deadline
After an intense series of meetings with stakeholders from the HVAC&R industry, the NSW government is set to push the implementation of the new mechanical services licence back from October 1, 2022, to March 1, 2023. The exception to this will be the medical gas licence, which will go ahead as planned at the end […]
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Celebrating milestones on World Ozone Day
World Ozone Day is being celebrated on September 16 with the theme “global cooperation protecting life on Earth”, in recognition of the 35th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. On September 16, 1987, governments adopted the Montreal Protocol to control and reduce ozone-depleting substances, mainly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. […]
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New type of AC replaces refrigerant with water
A multidisciplinary team at Harvard University is working on a design for a new type of air conditioner that it says uses a fraction of the energy typically needed by current models. The device uses water in place of refrigerants. Dubbed ColdSNAP (SNAP stands for “superhydrophobic nano-architecture process”), the design incorporates a coating that, inspired […]
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Deadline looms for new mechanical services licence
The New South Wales government is pressing ahead with plans to begin a new licensing class for mechanical services and medical gases on October 1. Given the tight timelines, and the concerns raised by HVAC&R stakeholders, NSW Fair Trading is working intensely with industry groups to better define the scope of the new licence – […]
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New thermal energy battery solution
Australian innovator MGA Thermal is proposing a thermal energy storage solution that aims to address the shortcomings of existing batteries. MGA Thermal says its new battery design will play an important role in providing medium-duration storage – a gap for traditional technology such as lithium-ion electrical batteries and hydrogen electrolysers. Lithium-ion electrical batteries are […]