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An updated version of Cold Hard Facts 3 is on the way and should be ready in mid-2019. It will include 2017 and 2018 data, and will identify key developments and emerging trends in the Australian HVAC&R industry. Once again the Department of the Environment and Energy has employed The Expert Group to produce the report. […]
Up to $7,000 of scholarship funding is currently available for women working in the technician services sector, supporting participation in a range of leadership development courses. Funding is provisioned across three key management levels, with expressions of interest closing on March 22. Women & Leadership Australia (WLA) says interest is already strong for this important developmental […]
The inaugural World Refrigeration Day set for this coming June 26 has received a boost from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), which is strongly encouraging its members to support the initiative. World Refrigeration Day aims to raise awareness of how refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat-pump technology and science contribute to modern living and society. Meeting […]
The federal government has set out its climate change approach in the lead-up to the federal election, likely to be held in May. The Climate Solutions Package (CSP) is a $3.5 billion policy that promises to help meet Australia’s 2030 Paris Treaty commitments of reducing 2005 emissions by 26–28 per cent. Perhaps signalling a growing […]
Applications are open for Victoria’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Community Climate Change Adaptation (3CA) Grants program. The 3CA Grants program is designed to help local Victorian communities adapt to climate change impacts in their region. It is part of the Victorian Government’s Supporting our Regions to Adapt initiative, a three-year program […]
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) Senior Fellow Iain Campbell has joined the prestigious list of keynote speakers for AIRAH’s Refrigeration 2019 Conference. The two-day conference will take place over March 25–26 in Melbourne. Based in Colorado, Campbell will discuss the Global Cooling Prize, an initiative aimed at unearthing a more efficient air conditioning solution. Launched last […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
New labelling for air conditioners and highers standards of energy efficiency are on the way after the COAG Energy Council ministers met on December 19 and agreed to the Decision Regulation Impact Statement (RIS). The RIS proposed tightening regulations on the energy efficiency of air conditioners. Approximately 40 per cent of energy usage in Australian […]
Renowned entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson has lashed out at the global air conditioning industry for its lack of innovation, and has reiterated his backing of the Global Cooling Prize as a much-needed incentive to disrupt the status quo. Branson has noted the expected growth of domestic air conditioning – from the already massive $100bn current […]
Households and small businesses in New South Wales could receive discounts of up to $1,000 when they install an energy efficient air conditioning unit. The program is part of the Climate Change Fund initiative, and is designed to encourage people to buy high-efficiency units. It was announced by Premier Gladys Berejiklian in September 2017 as part […]
The Australian Antarctic Program is currently recruiting refrigeration mechanics. The program is led by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), a division of the Department of Environment and Energy, which operates from its headquarters in Kingston, Tasmania. The position is part of the team which maintains and develops the Australian stations on the Antarctic continent and at […]
A new breed of sustainable housing has landed in Sydney’s inner-city with the opening of The Fern. The 11-unit development from Steele Associates is Australia’s first certified Passive House high-rise project. It endeavours to “set a new standard in sustainable urban living where luxury, lifestyle and comfort co-exist.” “This is a significant milestone for construction […]
Changes have been made to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act that will affect the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. The act – Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Amendment (Methyl Bromide, Fire Protection and Other Measures) Regulations 2018 – commenced on December 12. The new regulations update references to Australian Standards relevant to the […]
More than 30 consumer, social sector, industry, environment and local government organisations have signed a joint statement urging COAG Energy Council to commit to action to raise the energy performance of all Australian homes at its December meeting. At the meeting, COAG EC will consider the recommendations of the Department of Environment & Energy’s Trajectory […]
Fujitsu General Australia has announced the acquisition by parent company Fujitsu General Limited of Precise Air Group (Holding) Pty Limited (PAG), a leading Australian provider of HVAC, fire and bundled maintenance services. The move signals Fujitsu’s intention to expand its business from home air conditioning – where it is currently a market leader in Australia […]