Page 29
Tag: Slider
-
Could thermal ‘LEGO’ blocks be the future?
The University of Newcastle has patented a new type of stackable thermal storage material, which can be housed in blocks, stored cheaply and safely, and then used to run steam turbines at power stations rather than burning coal. Dubbed Miscibility Gaps Alloy (MGA), the blocks are capable of receiving energy generated by renewables. A team […]
-
IAQ legend to speak at AIRAH forum
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has announced world-renowned indoor air quality (IAQ) expert Max Sherman as the keynote for its Building Physics Virtual Forum slated for September 17. Sherman’s presentation, titled “Build tight and ventilate right. It’ll be OK”, will look at some of the challenges faced by airtight high-performance […]
-
Construction sector calls for help
The Australian economy was officially declared in recession this week, with the announcement of a record 7 per cent drop in GDP for the June quarter – the largest fall in quarterly GDP since records began in 1959. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the plunge in GDP was due to the combined […]
-
Out with the mould
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has published an article on CSIROscope about the dangers of mould and how to prevent it. Mould causes health issues and can damage buildings. A fungal growth that loves moisture, it can generally be found in poorly ventilated areas of the house where damp has a chance […]
-
Cold Tube: Chilled panels beat the heat
A team of researchers has created a new way to cool down without using air conditioning. Researchers from the University of British Columbia, Princeton University, the University of California, Berkeley and the Singapore-ETH Centre claim that the creation known as Cold Tube is a better alternative to using air conditioning. The Cold Tube is a […]
-
Flammable charge limits on the move again
Charge sizes for flammable refrigerants in HVAC&R equipment are changing with a proposal to raise international limits for room air conditioners, and the adoption of a new standard in Australia for refrigeration appliances. An International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) working group has released a proposal to update safety standard IEC 60335-2-40. This would allow larger amounts […]
-
ASHRAE updates Building Readiness Guide
The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force has updated its guidance on building readiness to help mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The Building Readiness Guide focuses on the operation of HVAC systems to help reduce the potential health risks when buildings reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Building Readiness Guide includes additional information and clarifications so that […]
-
Building Physics Forum goes digital
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has confirmed that the 2020 iteration of the Building Physics Forum will be streamed virtually on Thursday, September 17. The live stream will run from 10.30am–4pm (AEST), 10am–3.30pm (ACST) and 8.30am–2pm (AWST). The event was originally slated to take place in Brisbane from September 16–17, […]
-
COVID-19 forcing a rethink on ventilation
Over the past few weeks, as the world registers more outbreaks of COVID-19, the attention on aerosol transmission of the virus has intensified. Researchers at the University of Florida have now made an important breakthrough. The team isolated viable virus from aerosols collected in a hospital room dedicated to two patients with COVID-19. The air […]
-
EIA calls for ban of HFCs in split systems
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has renewed its call for hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to be banned in domestic air conditioners, with the claim that a switch to hydrocarbons could prevent harmful emissions equal to 1,400 coal-fired power stations running for a year. New research commissioned by the EIA found that making the change could avoid 5.6 […]
-
Trades to get automatic recognition across borders
HVAC&R technicians could find it easier to do business across state and territory borders as part of a new government plan for automatic recognition. The proposal, announced by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, will cover trades such as HVAC&R technicians, electricians and plumbers, as well as a raft of other licensed occupations such as teachers and property […]
-
One Nation takes up hydrocarbon cause
HVAC&R may become a vote-decider in the upcoming Queensland election, as the One Nation party supports changes to regulations around hydrocarbons in refrigeration and air conditioning systems. Last week the member for Mirani, Stephen Andrew, posted a question for notice to the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Dr Anthony Lynham. “With reference to […]
-
Industrial buildings risk becoming ‘stranded assets’
A holistic sustainable design approach helps future-proof industrial buildings. Without it, such structures, often costing billions to construct, risk being left behind as “stranded assets”. So say the Australian and New Zealand Green Building Councils in a new report, Green Star in focus: The case for sustainable industrial buildings. The report warns of the risk […]
-
Unlocking the Mpemba Effect
A new research study at Simon Fraser University in Canada may lead the way to exploiting the mysterious Mpemba Effect – the process by which hot water freezes faster than cold water. The Mpemba Effect is named after Tanzanian school student Erasto Bartholomeo Mpemba who, legend has it, was making ice-cream in a food tech […]
-
HVAC&R cleared to work through new restrictions
For the past week the HVAC&R and wider building industry has been scrambling to assess the impacts that stricter COVID-19 restrictions will have on businesses and employees. On August 2, the Victorian government declared a state of disaster and imposed new Stage 4 lockdown measures. Rules around workplaces, which extend to construction sites, were further […]
-
Improved MOF offers leap forward for cooling
New research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has uncovered a new way to create an improved metal-organic framework (MOF) for adsorption cooling. Adsorption cooling systems depend on a solid adsorbent and a refrigerant, which transform heat into energy for cooling when they interact. This process can be driven by waste heat from an industrial […]
-
Next stop for professional registration: WA
The Western Australian government has released a consultation paper proposing changes to the Building Services (Registration) Act 2011 to allow for the registration of building engineers. Released by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, the consultation regulation impact statement (CRIS) comes at a time when registration schemes are appearing around the country – […]
-
Green Star – coming to a home near you
Green Star ratings are coming to Australian homes, with the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) announcing a draft Green Star Homes Standard for consultation. Part of the Green Building Council of Australia’s Future Homes Strategy, the initiative is intended to drive transformation in the residential sector to create a market for healthier, more resilient, […]
-
Passivhaus presentation on podcast
AIRAH has released a new episode of the podcast AIRAH on Air, which features a presentation from Clare Parry, M.AIRAH, at the Institute’s Building Physics Forum in 2019. Parry, from Grün Consulting, presented a detailed case study of Australia’s first scale Passivhaus building: Gillies Hall at Monash University’s Peninsula Campus in Frankston, Melbourne. Gillies Hall […]
-
New guide on moisture control
AIRAH is releasing the latest design application (DA) manual into its stable of technical publications in August: DA07 Criteria for Moisture Control Design Analysis in Buildings. The purpose of the manual is to specify performance-based design criteria for predicting, mitigating, or reducing moisture damage to the building envelope, materials, components, systems, and furnishings, depending on […]