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The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has appointed Michael Bennett as its new chairman. He replaces outgoing chairman Kevin O’Shea, who stepped down from the role after reaching the term limit under the ARC’s constitution. Bennett is moving from his long-held role as General Manager at Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA). Since RRA’s commencement in 1993, he […]
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has outlined some key changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) 2019. The NCC sets the minimal requirements in the design, construction, performance and livability of new buildings (and new building work in existing buildings) throughout Australia. AIRAH’s Executive Manager – Government Relations and Technical Services, Phil Wilikinson, F.AIRAH, recommends the […]
The HFC phase-down has seen increasing use of refrigerants with lower GWP but higher flammability such as R290 (propane) and R32. In turn, this has raised major concerns about the safe use of these gases. According to the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA), recent workplace fire incidents involving flammable refrigerant gases have “directly contributed […]
The 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) has been released by a consortium of sustainability-minded organisations. The consortium comprises the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the International Code Council, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and ASHRAE. The International Green Construction Code is designed to have wide applicability for incorporating resilient, high-performance green building strategies into […]
Team Desert Rose from the University of Wollongong has finished second in the Solar Decathlon Middle East. The competition saw 15 teams and 600 students from around the world battling for top honours at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, said to be the largest single-site solar project in the world. The challenge […]
Daikin has confirmed plans to purchase AHT Cooling Systems – a European manufacturer of plug-in refrigerator and freezer systems – for €881m (Au$1.38bn). AHT has its headquarters in Austria, as well as major facilities in China, the US and Brazil. It sells its products to 115 countries worldwide, and boasts a client list that includes […]
The Sydney Fish Market has announced plans for a $250m development with ambitions to achieve a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). Located in close proximity to the CBD at the head of Blackwattle Bay, the renowned market and tourist attraction hopes to revitalise the area while prioritising […]
A new report produced by Energy Action and EnergyConsult for the City of Sydney has highlighted the benefits of expanding the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program to include tenancies. The CBD program is a national initiative that requires energy efficiency information to be provided when commercial office spaces of 1,000m2 or more are sold or […]
The installation and design of energy-efficient residential air conditioning is being given a helping hand following the publication of a new standard. AS/NZS5141, Residential heating and cooling systems – Minimum applications and requirements for energy efficiency, performance and comfort criteria will be published on November 26. Publication is the result of the combined effort of […]
After a frantic 15-day build stage, the Solar Decathlon Middle East 2018 competition has moved into its final stage, with competing teams opening their houses for public tours. The Solar Decathlon is the world’s largest international engineering and architectural competition for collegiate institutions, held once every two years. It challenges teams to design, construct and […]
The stand-out projects, people and products of the Australian HVAC&R industry took centre stage at the black-tie AIRAH Awards presentation dinner held at Melbourne’s Central Pier on Thursday, November 15. Recognised as Australia’s premier annual HVAC&R awards ceremony, the AIRAH Awards celebrate the industry’s exemplar projects, high achievers and ground-breaking research. Winners were announced across […]
Famous entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson has called on fellow innovators around the world to enter a new competition to develop more sustainable cooling technology. The Global Cooling Prize is a worldwide initiative created by the Rocky Mountain Institute to spur the development of radically more energy-efficient cooling technology. And today in New Delhi, India, applications […]
The government, the Green Building Council of Australia, builders, asset owners and thought leaders have joined forces to address a widely recognised sore point in the Australian building industry: commissioning. The goal is to produce an Australian Standard for building commissioning. As a first step, a working group is producing a guideline – which only […]
Average air conditioning efficiencies could double by 2040, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). The catch is that for this to be achieved, worldwide adoption of all best available technologies would need to take place. The report, Energy Efficiency 2018, suggests there is considerable potential for the energy consumption attributed […]
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has released a report called Promoting the Use of Solar Cooling and Heating in Australian buildings (PUSCH). The report analyses the status of the solar heating and cooling (SHC) industry in Australia and its suitability for built environment applications. It identifies existing market barriers and opportunities for improving the market […]
The federal government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) is set to release its 2017–18 gender reporting data on November 13 at the National Press Club in Canberra. “Australia’s role in encouraging gender diversity is based on our distinctive gender equality reporting system,” says a WGEA spokesperson. “We now have a comprehensive, world-leading dataset which enables […]
It’s the most comprehensive inventory available of the Australian HVAC&R sector, and a new version has just been published. Cold Hard Facts 3, produced by The Expert Group for the Department of the Environment and Energy, presents nationwide figures for equipment, refrigerant, energy consumption and emissions. The study aims to provide policy makers, industry, and […]
The federal government has released findings from its inquiry into mould-related illnesses and moisture in buildings. The parliamentary inquiry met in August and September to hear evidence from experts in health, biology and building physics. The committee received information about Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) and the wide range of associated symptoms that are often […]
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has been re-awarded the contract for administration of the national refrigeration and air conditioning licence scheme, for up to nine years. The ARC has administered the scheme since its inception in 2005. It is the body responsible for granting refrigerant handling licences (RHL) and refrigerant trading authorisations (RTA). These are […]
Following a successful five-year period running Norman Disney & Young’s Perth office, Alan Edler has been appointed to lead NDY’s national civic and defence portfolios. Replacing him as director in charge of the NDY Perth office is Darrel Williams, who will officially start on January 1, 2019. Since joining the company, Williams has worked in […]