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Author: Matt Dillon
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Using cryogenic energy storage in cold stores
A demonstrator project in Belgium has been set up to show how cryogenic energy storage could work at refrigerated warehouses. Three years in the making, the project was recently installed at Frigologix in the city of Lomell, and a free international webinar will be held on March 17 to share findings and results. The work […]
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Cooling school playgrounds to counter climate change impacts
As part of a project to cool school playgrounds, environmental organisation Greening Australia and Western Sydney University have released a study revealing some of the most heat-vulnerable schools in the Sydney Basin. As part of its Cooling the Schools program, Greening Australia commissioned Western Sydney University to capture location-specific measurements at 100 schools from Western […]
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Australian Industry Standards names new CEO
Australian Industry Standards (AIS) has named Paul Walsh as its new CEO. AIS is a skills service organisation that is responsible for working with industry experts to develop and update training packages and qualifications. This includes the UEE Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. Walsh has spent eight years with AIS, including the past […]
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Major cities pledge to halve emissions from construction
The mayors of Oslo, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Budapest have pledged to halve emissions from all construction activities in their cities by 2030. The pledge is part of the C40 initiative – a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change. There are now almost 100 cities in this network, including Melbourne […]
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AIRAH and IIAR sign memorandum of understanding
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) and the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding. Headquartered in Virginia in the US, the IIAR represents companies and individuals working in the ammonia refrigeration space. Its members work in all facets of the industrial refrigeration industry, and include […]
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Videos explore i-Hub Smart Building Data Clearing House
The i-Hub project has released two videos to promote and explain its Smart Building Data Clearing House initiative. The Innovation Hub for Affordable Heating and Cooling (i-Hub) is an initiative composed of AIRAH (the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating), the CSIRO, the Queensland University of Technology, the University of Melbourne and the […]
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ASHRAE moves to net-zero-energy global headquarters
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has moved into its net-zero-energy global headquarters based in Atlanta. Originally built in 1978, the 6,197m2 building sits on 4.5 hectares of land and is a part of a high-tech commercial estate. Renovations began in January earlier this year. “ASHRAE’s goal for this project was […]
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A double celebration for A.G. Coombs
Mechanical and building services contractor A.G. Coombs has two reasons to celebrate. In a year in which the firm is celebrating 75 years in operation, this week the organisation is acknowledging what would have been founder Allan George Coombs’ 100th birthday. “Allan Coombs was instrumental in the establishment of the HVAC industry in Australia […]
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Russian Federation ratifies Kigali Amendment
As part of the global effort to reduce the use of HFCs, the Russian Federation has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, becoming the 105th country to do so. “According to the scientific community, if member states deliver on their obligations regarding substances that deplete the ozone layer, by mid-century the ozone layer […]
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Property Council of Australia names its six developments of the year
The Property Council of Australia has unveiled its leading six developments from across the country as part of its 2020 Property Council of Australia/Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards program. “While 2020 has been a challenging year, celebrating Australia’s finest projects and the people who create them serves as a powerful reminder,” says the […]
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IIR gives thumbs-up to EU F-gas regulation
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) says that the EU’s F-gas Regulation – Europe’s equivalent of Australia’s HFC phase-down – has been a major success, and the next step must be to consider the energy efficiency of buildings and equipment. As part of its consultation process and feedback to the EU, the IIR consulted its […]
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Project management expertise the key to revival?
A leading engineering consultancy and training provider suggest that one of the possibly overlooked keys to Australia’s economy recovery post-COVID-19 could be project management expertise. As federal and state governments allocate billions of dollars’ worth of shovel-ready infrastructure projects in an effort to boost local economies, the “Specialist project management – the engine of successful […]
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Los Angeles records its hottest ever temperature
Los Angeles County has registered its hottest temperature on record – a scorching 49.4°C according to the US National Weather Service (NWS). The record spike occurred on September 6 in the Woodland Hills area, breaking the previous record of 48.3°C recorded in 2006. Accurate records have been kept by the NWS since 1949. The NWS […]
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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 […]
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Funding for gas industry could harm economy
A new report by energy thinktank the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) suggests proposals for providing long-term subsidies to the flailing gas industry could cause significant long-term economic damage to Australia. Led by Western Australian gas industry executive Nev Power, the National COVID-19 Commission (Advisory Board) (NCC) is proposing taxpayer funds steered […]
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ARBS partners with NABERS on scholarships
The ARBS Education and Research Foundation has partnered with NABERS to provide scholarships to HVAC&R sole traders studying to become accredited energy and water assessors. “The ARBS Education and Research Foundation is committed to supporting further education of people employed in the HVAC industry, along with practical research into contemporary industry issues,” says ARBS Foundation […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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COVID-19 treatment facility completed inside 12 weeks
A Melbourne building that formerly served as part of the Peter MacCallum Hospital has been converted into a specialist 84-bed COVID-19 treatment facility inside three months. Completed as part of the Victorian government’s $1.9 billion health funding boost, St Vincent’s on the Park has substantially increased Victoria’s ability to deal with pandemic patients. Head contractor […]
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Renewables all the way in WA with clean energy plan
The Western Australian government has announced a $66.3 million renewable energy technologies package, which aims to kick-start the state’s economy, create jobs, and reduce energy costs. In Western Australia’s North-West, $44.5 million worth of infrastructure will be installed as part of a Regional Infrastructure Stimulus package. This includes an additional 50 standalone power systems, the […]