Page 28
Tag: Slider
-
Vote imminent on flammable standard
The votes are set to be counted on an updated international safety standard that would allow increased charge sizes of flammable refrigerants in household air conditioners, heat pumps and dehumidifiers. The proposal has sparked discussion in the world of HVAC&R. Although it would apply to A2, A2L and A3 refrigerants, the proposal has been framed […]
-
New GBCA tool aims to eliminate natural gas in buildings
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) is pushing to eliminate natural gas in buildings with the biggest overhaul of its Green Star rating system in 18 years. Launched today, as the first of the new suite of Green Star Future Focus tools, Green Star Buildings sets a clear new requirement that buildings must be […]
-
South Australia to pilot dual-trade apprenticeship
Apprentices in South Australia will soon be able to complete both electrical and RAC qualifications concurrently, thanks to a new program. The Electrical, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technician apprenticeship will run for five years. At the end of the program, graduates will have a Certificate III qualification in both electrical and RAC. “The dual-trade qualification […]
-
Winners announced in ARBS 2020 Industry Awards
ARBS has announced the winners of the ARBS 2020 Industry Awards in a gala online ceremony held on Wednesday, October 21. The awards celebrate and reward the exceptional work of the innovators in Australia’s HVAC&R industry, seeking out those individuals and organisations that have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and ingenuity in an ever-challenging climate. […]
-
Germany pledges €500m for COVID-safe HVAC systems
The German government has announced a funding program worth up to €500 million (Au$836 million) to support the “Corona-compatible conversion” and upgrading of HVAC systems in public buildings. Lately, much attention has focused on how HVAC systems can mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spreading in indoor spaces. This includes measures such as increasing fresh air […]
-
2021 AHR Expo cancelled
The AHR Expo Show Management has announced the cancellation of the 2021 AHR Expo due to the pandemic. The next AHR Expo will take place from January 31 to February 2, 2022, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Originally planned to be held at the McCormick Place in Chicago, the […]
-
NCC 2022 to be delayed
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has confirmed that the adoption of the next version of the National Construction Code – NCC 2022 – has been pushed back by four months. “Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has presented a variety of significant challenges for the building industry, regulators and consumers, Building Ministers […]
-
Global Cooling Prize prototypes now online
The Global Cooling Prize finalists’ prototypes have been installed for performance testing at the field test site in Bahadurgarh, India. The Global Cooling Prize is an innovation competition designed to spur development of a radically more energy-efficient cooling technology. Eight finalists were selected late last year, based upon their potential to have at least five times less climate […]
-
Australians getting ‘ripped off’ due to poor NCC enforcement
The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) is calling on state and territory governments to protect consumers by making urgent changes to the way building compliance is enforced. According to ASBEC, it is an open secret that Australians are being ripped off by poor enforcement of the National Construction Code (NCC). The code, which governs […]
-
HVAC&R poised to play key role in Australia’s recovery
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has applauded this year’s strong Federal Budget focused on economic recovery, and says the HVAC&R industry will play a vital role in making the government’s programs pay off. “As our Treasurer Josh Frydenberg noted, jobs are key,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, “especially in […]
-
Essential safety measures under scrutiny
The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has announced new initiatives to boost the compliance and performance of essential safety measures (ESMs). ESMs include many parts of a building, some directly related to HVAC systems. For example, air-handling systems for smoke control and mechanical ventilation systems that incorporate a cooling tower or hot or warm water system […]
-
World waits on airborne COVID-19 research
A team of scientists in the UK are using a new method to determine how long Sars-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can remain viable in the air. The research will help policy-makers better understand the risk of airborne transmission, and inform strategies to prevent the virus from spreading. According to The Guardian, […]
-
Finalists named for AIRAH Awards 2020
The finalists of the 2020 AIRAH Awards have been announced. The annual awards show organised by the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) will be held as a virtual event on November 10. The finalists were selected following an independent judging process. Nominations submitted by the Australian HVAC&R community were judged and […]
-
Australia must catch up, say buildings physics experts
Australia is lagging behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to sealing, thermal performance and control of moisture in our buildings. That was the consensus at AIRAH’s Building Physics Virtual Forum, held on September 17. But the event also highlighted the opportunity to improve by using our local expertise and learning from […]
-
Outlook 2020 goes online
AIRAH has announced that the flagship event of its Centenary year, Outlook 2020, will now be held as a virtual event. The International HVAC&R Conference and Awards Gala will be live-streamed from 9am–5.30pm (AEDT) on November 10. This year’s keynotes include Professor Lidia Morawska and Deb Noller. “In my time with AIRAH I can’t recall […]
-
Microsoft’s underwater data centre resurfaces
In 2018, Microsoft’s Project Natick team stored the first data centre approximately 35m underwater near the Orkney Islands in Scotland. After monitoring the server for two years, the team recently retrieved the data centre. The concept of storing data centres under water was first conceived by Microsoft during ThinkWeek in 2014. According to this article, […]
-
WELL v2 ‘ready to change the world’
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has formally launched the latest version of the WELL Building Standard – WELL v2. The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellbeing. It is centered on 10 concepts that impact human health and […]
-
Using body heat to warm buildings
Whether inside a crowded train or packed exhibition hall, most of us have experienced stuffiness due to body heat radiated from the people around us. The excess body heat released into the atmosphere can actually be used to warm buildings and homes. According to a BBC article, numerous companies are already harnessing this organic warmth. […]
-
Celebrate healing of the ozone layer
World Ozone Day is held on September 16 to commemorate the anniversary as well as achievements of the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed on September 16, 1987, to protect the ozone layer by limiting the production and use of ozone-depleting substances. Hailed as the most successful […]
-
Workers ‘fly the flag’ to address suicide crisis
Thousands of construction workers across Australia are flying flags on major projects today to highlight the suicide crisis facing the industry, and to promote efforts to save lives by looking out for workmates. According to MATES in Construction, each year 190 Australian construction workers take their lives – six times the number killed by workplace […]