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Tag: Slider
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Network of Australian experts releases ventilation advice
OzSAGE, a multi-disciplinary network of Australian experts from a broad range of sectors, has issued advice on safe indoor air and ventilation to reduce the spread of COVID-19. With the airborne spread of SARS-CoV-2 now widely accepted, OzSAGE has highlighted that the most fundamental measure to eliminate the virus from indoor air is ventilation. Every […]
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Keynotes named for AIRAH’s The Future of HVAC 2021
Three keynote speakers have been announced for AIRAH’s Future of HVAC 2021 conference, which will be live-streamed over two days, November 23 and 30. The conference was originally scheduled to be held in Sydney, but has altered due to continuing precautions and restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic. The three keynotes are Ninotschka Titchkosky from BVN […]
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Industry awareness key to preventing suicide
Researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) are investigating the reasons behind the high rates of suicide in the construction sector. Construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than from a workplace accident. Supported by the industry body MATES in Construction and the Alison Milner Memorial Scholarship, the research will […]
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Home building industry urged to adopt green certification system
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is calling on the volume home building industry to adopt the Green Star Homes Standard certification system now, ahead of a planned consumer release in 2022. “The Green Star Homes Standard is a game-changer that will bring more liveable, marketable, climate-positive new homes within reach of everyday Australians,” […]
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ARBS moves to August 2022 amid COVID-19 concerns
ARBS 2022, originally scheduled for April, 27–29 2022, will be moved to August 16–18, 2022 with consideration to the ongoing implications of COVID-19. “Given the current COVID-19 situation in Australia combined with the difficulty in predicting the outlook for early 2022, it was felt a short delay would bring about more certainty allowing ARBS to […]
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New course focuses on sustainable HVAC
AIRAH has released a new accredited course that delves into sustainable heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and operations. Created with the support of the ARBS Foundation, the Professional Diploma in Sustainable HVAC Design and Operation is a modular online program that offers an advanced level of professional development for HVAC&R and building services […]
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Infrastructure plan focuses on resilience and sustainability
Infrastructure Australia has published the 2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan, calling for a new wave of infrastructure reform that contemplates sustainability and resilience to fully leverage the Australian government’s $110 billion infrastructure spend and drive the national COVID-19 recovery. The 2021 Plan provides Australia’s infrastructure sector with a 15-year roadmap that Infrastructure Australia says will drive […]
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ASBEC applauds energy-efficiency ‘step change’ in NCC 2022
The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has welcomed the release of the NCC 2022 public consultation draft as an important step change towards more healthy and comfortable homes for Australian families. ASBEC notes that minimum energy efficiency standards for housing haven’t shifted substantially for more than a decade. The proposed update is to ensure […]
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Ventilation as important as vaccination say experts
As Australia ponders the challenge of reopening with COVID-19 still present in our communities, the discourse from government has focused on vaccination targets. But increasingly, the public is demanding a more thorough response to the pandemic, incorporating other critical measures. Over the past weeks, one measure in particular has become front-page news: ventilation. “Vaccination is […]
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Reflective roads paving the way to cooler cities
Researchers in MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub have been modelling lighter-coloured and more reflective roads in a bid to lower air temperatures. Dark asphalt is known to raise the surrounding air temperature. Approximately 40 per cent of urban areas are paved, and by absorbing and reflecting heat it can increase the urban heat island effect. The researchers believe […]
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Exposing hidden emissions in embodied carbon
A new report warns that embodied carbon could become a primary source of built environment emissions unless Australia acts now. Embodied Carbon & Embodied Energy in Australia’s Buildings was developed by the GBCA and thinkstep-anz with support from the Australian Government’s Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. It says that without action, embodied carbon […]
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National Skills Week celebrates vital workers
Celebrating the value of apprentices and trainees across Australia, National Skills Week is taking place from August 23–29. National Skills Week is an initiative of SkillsOne, and highlights the talents and skills of apprentices and trainees across multiple industries. Industry and training organisations are encouraged to get involved. The theme this year encourages Australians to […]
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Climate report a call to action for engineers
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has released its latest in a series of assessment reports on the state of the planet’s climate. The report concluded that the world cannot avoid some of the devastating impacts of climate change. These are inevitable. Yet it also said there is still a narrow window to keep […]
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Shape-memory alloy could replace HFCs
A small company in Ireland has developed a new type of air conditioning system that could negate the need for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Researchers at Exergyn, based in Dublin, worked in secret collaboration with another company – believed to be Carrier – for two years on the project. The system uses a shape-memory alloy (SMA) called […]
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Improving refrigerant recovery from split systems
A new report from Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) has highlighted the concerning volume of refrigerant lost when split systems reach end of life in Australia. It estimates that each year, hundreds of tonnes of refrigerant are not being reclaimed. Factoring in the global warming potential of the gases, this could equate to more than a […]
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Victoria rolling out heating upgrades to 250,000 homes
The Victorian government has initiated the next major stage of its program to help low-income households replace old heaters with energy-efficient reverse-cycle systems. The Home Heating and Cooling Upgrades Program will help 250,000 low-income and vulnerable households improve their thermal comfort by offering rebates to upgrade gas, electric and wood heaters with energy-efficient reverse-cycle split […]
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When refrigeration meets quantum physics
An international team of researchers has created a new cooling concept by combining thermodynamics with quantum theory. The team – consisting of researchers from TU Wien, in collaboration with FU Berlin, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and the University of Lisbon – have discovered quantum effects can be used to cool a cloud of ultra-cold […]
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Australia’s first zero emissions leisure and aquatic centre announced
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has allocated up to $1.53 million in funding for Brimbank City Council’s mooted zero emissions indoor leisure and aquatic centre. To be located in Melbourne’s west and making use of an $8.1 million integrated energy system, the facility will be an Australian first. The aquatic centre is part of […]
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Update on COVID-19 restrictions for NSW workers
The New South Wales government has responded to requests to clarify the rules for HVAC&R workers in the state. Although some information has already been shared, restrictions continue to change. The update below was received by AIRAH on Monday, August 2 from the NSW Treasury Taskforce. These directions are subject to amendment at any time. […]
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Winding road ahead for mobile air conditioning
While the HVAC&R sector tends to focus on the built environment, mobile air conditioning represents a significant portion of Australia’s refrigerant bank – and poses serious challenges as we look to phase down HFCs. The most recent Cold Hard Facts report indicates that mobile air conditioning comprises more than 20 per cent of Australia’s total […]