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Author: Mark Vender
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Speculation rife on airborne COVID-19
New studies have fuelled speculation about COVID-19 spreading through the air, and emphasised the vital role that HVAC systems will play in controlling the virus. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the World Health Organization has advised that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is mainly transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets. When someone with […]
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FPAS deadline extended
The Secretary of the NSW Department of Customer Service has advised that the start date for the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS) in NSW has been delayed. The new date will be July 1, 2020. The scheme was expected to be gazetted in early April. This would have made it compulsory for competent fire safety […]
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ARMA signals flaw in licence rules
The Australian Refrigeration Mechanics Association (ARMA) has highlighted an issue in the new QBCC licensing framework that allows the MEM30219 qualification to be accepted for air conditioning and refrigeration licences. The qualification is listed in the Technical qualifications for licensing document, published by the Department of Housing and Public Works, for unlimited design, limited design […]
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ASHRAE issues statements on COVID-19
In response to “widening false statements” in the US advising people not to run residential or commercial HVAC systems because of COVID-19, ASHRAE has issued its own statements on the matter. “In light of the current global pandemic, it’s critically important that ASHRAE responds with guidance on mitigating the transmission of the virus, as well […]
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New appointments at Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric Australia has announced two new appointments within the company across the technology and product departments. Ari Grimekis has been promoted to technical manager. With over 15 years’ experience in the HVAC industry, he is highly skilled in HVAC engineering, business development, project engineering, and electrical engineering. Grimekis will be based at the company’s […]
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Better building sealing
A new series of videos has been released to help builders and homeowners get a handle on making more airtight buildings for better health, comfort, durability, and energy efficiency. “Two topics that often get overlooked in Australian construction are air tightness and insulation completeness,” says John Konstantakopoulos, Affil.AIRAH, from Effiency Matrix. Konstantakopoulos says Australian standards […]
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AIRAH celebrates James Harrison Day
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has celebrated the birthday of James Harrison on April 17 by sharing stories and videos about the Australian refrigeration pioneer, including a digital version of his biography. Harrison emigrated to Australia from Scotland in 1837 and later developed the first successful large-scale ice making machinery […]
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Refrigerants an “eye-opener” in new Drawdown
Project Drawdown has released The Drawdown Review – Climate Solutions for a New Decade, a list of ways to address global warming. The first Drawdown list, published in 2017, brought mainstream attention to the HVAC&R industry when refrigerant management was ranked as the number one most critical step towards reducing global CO2e emissions. The Review […]
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Webinar: Reinvent your business in troubled times
As part of an NSW Department of Industry initiative, Netstripes is offering a free live webinar for Australian business owners dealing with COVID-19. “Are you looking at ways to improve your cash flow and meet customer needs during these challenging times?” says Netstrips. “Then this free live webinar Reinvent your business in troubled times is just the […]
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AIRAH launches ARPEng program
To support Australia’s new professional registration schemes for engineers, AIRAH has launched the AIRAH Registered Professional Engineer (ARPEng) accreditation program for Mechanical Engineer – HVAC&R professionals. Last year, in response to the Shergold-Weir Building Confidence report, the Building Ministers Forum (BMF) signalled the need for a nationally harmonised registration scheme for building practitioners, including engineers. The Queensland […]
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What COVID-19 is teaching us about resilience
Over the past month, Australia’s measures to control the spread of the coronavirus have profoundly changed the way we interact with the built environment. In simple terms, it has meant people spending the majority of their day at home rather than another workplace. But, according to members of AIRAH’s Resilience Special Technical Group (STG), it […]
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Positioning key for local HVAC&R industry
While some sectors of our economy have immediately borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, for others the impact is not so straightforward. According to Refrigerants Australia executive director Greg Picker, there are mixed signals coming from the HVAC&R industry. “I have spoken to manufacturers and there is no real sense yet of any dramatic […]
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Ganado brings gender equity to AIRAH board
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has achieved gender equity following the election of Mikaila Ganado, M.AIRAH, to the national board of directors. Ganado joins Paul Jackson, F.AIRAH, and Ura Sarfejoo, M.AIRAH, who were re-elected to the board at AIRAH’s National Convention, which this year was held remotely due to the […]
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Legionella outbreak in Melbourne
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has identified four confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease involving individuals who have spent time in the Brunswick area in Melbourne, including Sydney Road. All cases have required treatment in hospital. All had symptoms commencing in February and March 2020. Particularly because of the current focus on […]
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Webinars on new QBCC licensing
At the beginning of this year, a new licensing framework was introduced in Queensland. Workers will now require a Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) licence for mechanical services work. This includes not just air conditioning and refrigeration but also plumbing and medical gases. To help industry understand and transition to the new framework, the […]
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Licensing – now and towards 2050
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), led by its Refrigeration Special Technical Group, has released a position statement on HVAC&R licensing in Australia, and is seeking input from industry stakeholders. Although there are well-established and successful licensing regimes in place – most notably the national ARCtick licence scheme – AIRAH CEO […]
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No lockdown for HVAC&R, says AIRAH
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has written to federal, state and territory ministers and called on the government to clearly identify HVAC&R, building maintenance and support as essential services. As governments across Australia order non-essential services to shut down to stop the spread of COVID-19, AIRAH has signalled the need […]
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ARC adjusts services for COVID-19
In response to the coronavirus situation, the ARC has put in place measures to keep the RAC industry permit scheme operating on a “business as usual” basis, with only minimal changes. Face-to-face permit condition checks (audits) will be replaced by electronic checks via email. For lodging and assessing online renewals, however, it will be business […]
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Advisory note on COVID-19 and HVAC
A.G. Coombs has published an advisory note that explores how COVID-19 may interact with HVAC systems and the steps that should be taken to reduce the spread of the virus. Although the note confirms that – according to the most recent information – COVID-19 is mainly spread through respiratory droplets, it also indicates that there […]
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Refrigeration 2020 suspended
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has suspended the Refrigeration 2020 Conference, scheduled for March 23–24 in Melbourne, due to concerns around the spread of COVID-19. “In this time of great upheaval for everyone, we ask for your patience as we work with attendees, speakers, sponsors and other stakeholders to reorganise,” […]