The leading news platform for Australia’s HVAC&R industry
Global cooling market on the rise
In 2025, global demand for space cooling consumed more energy than the entire European Union, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). This is expected to continue growing, as rising heat sends demand for cooling equipment soaring.
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News
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Smardt move
Oil-free centrifugal chiller technology company, Smardt, has appointed Sandeep Nair as its Chief Executive Officer.
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Brief reprieve for fire testing facility
CSIRO has extended the lease on the site of its Fire Technology Laboratory in North Ryde, but still plans to close the facility in June 2027 – with potentially major impacts on Australia’s building and construction industry.
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Global cooling market on the rise
In 2025, global demand for space cooling consumed more energy than the entire European Union, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). This is expected to continue growing, as rising heat sends demand for cooling equipment soaring.
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Changes planned for heating and cooling incentives
The Victorian Energy Upgrades Program has responded to public feedback about its space heating and cooling activity – and has announced measures to address system oversizing.
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New AI infrastructure achieves 45°C breakthrough
Multinational technology company NVIDIA has developed a liquid cooling solution for AI servers that can operate at up to 45°C.
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NABERS to explore energy flexibility
Australia’s national building performance rating system is launching a feasibility study on incorporating energy flexibility into its framework.
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Update coming for best practice AC guideline
AIRAH is updating the Air Conditioning Residential Best Practice Guideline for Victoria, and we are looking for reviewers.
Events
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Talking about embodied carbon
NABERS is launching a free Embodied Carbon Conversations webinar series throughout August and September.
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The Australasian Renewable Heat Conference
The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) is hosting the Australasian Renewable Heat Conference in Melbourne on September 2–3, 2026.
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NABERS to explore energy flexibility
Australia’s national building performance rating system is launching a feasibility study on incorporating energy flexibility into its framework.
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Sustainable House Day series: Retrofitting the 70s
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, homeowners around Australia opened their doors to the public for Sustainable House Day. Some of the AIRAH team took the chance to have a peek at renovations, retrofits and new builds on display; each story will be showcased as part of a series on HVAC&R News.
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Innovation in the Built Environment 2026
The University of Melbourne is hosting an Innovation in the Built Environment industry forum on Wednesday, July 22.
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NZ venue for international natural refrigerants conference
Early-bird registrations are open for the 2026 IIR-Gustav Lorentzen Conference on Natural Refrigerants (GL 2026), being held at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand from August 23–26.
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Call for abstracts: Adaptation 2027 Conference
Hosted by the International Institute of Refrigeration, the second IIR International Conference of the Role of Refrigeration in Adapting to Rising Ambient Temperatures (Adaptation 2027) will be held from March 8–10 in Birmingham, UK.
Regulations
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Changes planned for heating and cooling incentives
The Victorian Energy Upgrades Program has responded to public feedback about its space heating and cooling activity – and has announced measures to address system oversizing.
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Update coming for best practice AC guideline
AIRAH is updating the Air Conditioning Residential Best Practice Guideline for Victoria, and we are looking for reviewers.
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Microbial control standards open for comment
Draft revised editions of AS/NZS 3666 Part 1 and 2 are now out for public review.
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Feedback sought on proposed IAQ standard
Standards Australia is currently seeking industry support and feedback on a proposal for a new technical specification for indoor air quality.
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Deemed engineers given 18-month extension
Engineers working in Victoria under deemed registration now have until the end of 2027 to complete the new registration process.
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CEO appointed for new National EPA
Former Chief Executive of the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, John Bradley, has been appointed as the inaugural CEO of the new National Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
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New Zealand’s MEPs for AC now in effect
Air conditioning units and heat pumps imported into New Zealand or manufactured in NZ must now comply with new energy efficiency requirements developed by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
Features
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Global cooling market on the rise
In 2025, global demand for space cooling consumed more energy than the entire European Union, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). This is expected to continue growing, as rising heat sends demand for cooling equipment soaring.
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Sonia Holzheimer: role change, and reflecting on the HVAC&R profession
AIRAH Associate Director, Sonia Holzheimer, M.AIRAH, has moved into a new role as Partner at Queensland-based multidisciplinary engineering consultancy, STP Consultants.
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Ready, set, benchmark! NatHERS for existing homes now live.
Research has delivered abundant evidence that the energy and thermal comfort performance of much of Australia’s existing housing is woeful. Changing this starts now, with the full public release of NatHERS for existing homes. Here’s why it matters.
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Sustainable House Day series: Retrofitting the 70s
On Sunday, May 17, 2026, homeowners around Australia opened their doors to the public for Sustainable House Day. Some of the AIRAH team took the chance to have a peek at renovations, retrofits and new builds on display; each story will be showcased as part of a series on HVAC&R News.
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Whitepaper unpacks food retail energy efficiency
Refrigeration accounts for a major share of energy use in supermarkets, making HVAC&R a prime candidate for optimisation, as a new white paper from CAREL explains.
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Medal-winning trade skills
In a warm-up for the major WorldSkills International Competition in Shanghai in September, HVAC&R apprentices from six countries converged on Wollongong, with Australia’s Adam Morgan taking home a silver medal.
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Future-proofing the third space in Tokyo
Heat records are shattering around the world, including Japan, where Daikin is collaborating to trial new ways to keep outside areas safe and comfortable.
Business
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Smardt move
Oil-free centrifugal chiller technology company, Smardt, has appointed Sandeep Nair as its Chief Executive Officer.
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Clean-Air employs bots for HVAC hygiene work
A recent project that involved long, hard-to-access duct runs gave Clean-Air Australia the chance to put the Multibot through its paces.
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Innovation for HVAC decarbonisation
Temperzone has released the Econex HWP (hideaway water-cooled packaged) HVAC range, which the company claims offers a 71–80% reduction in overall Global Warming Potential (GWP) per kilowatt of cooling or heating when compared to previous systems.
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New appointment at Next Cycle
Australian heating, cooling, hot and chilled water solutions distributor, Next Cycle, has appointed Steffen Reich to the newly created role of General Manager Hydronic, Commercial and Marketing.
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New AI infrastructure achieves 45°C breakthrough
Multinational technology company NVIDIA has developed a liquid cooling solution for AI servers that can operate at up to 45°C.
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Panasonic launches low-energy unit for climate-controlled spaces
Panasonic Environmental Engineering has released an energy-saving constant temperature and humidity unit that is part of a broader range designed for vastly reduced energy consumption.
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SCSA NSW appoints Michael Kelly as General Manager
Specialised Control Solutions Australia (SCSA) has announced the appointment of Michael Kelly as General Manager of its New South Wales operations.