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Darryl K. Boyce, P. Eng., has been named ASHRAE’s President for the 2019–20 term. Previously a treasurer, vice-president and director-at-large on the ASHRAE board of directors, Boyce is the recipient of sundry ASHRAE honours. Boyce announced his theme for the year of his presidency is “Building for People and Performance. Achieving Operational Excellence”. “We must […]
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating has released the next episode of its podcast, AIRAH on Air. In it, listeners take a trip to a new build – Investa’s Barrack Place, now home to Arup’s Sydney headquarters. The 18-storey, 22,000m2 CBD office building is the cover story in the March 2019 issue […]
Launched at the First Global Conference on Synergies between the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement recently held in Copenhagen, the Cool Coalition is a global effort led by major government and private organisations to promote clean and efficient cooling methods. Included in the Cool Coalition are the UN Environment initiative, the Climate and Clean Air […]
The Kigali Cooling Efficiency program (K-CEP) has announced the Million Cool Roofs Challenge. A US$2 million global competition, the initiative is designed to rapidly scale up the deployment of highly solar-reflective “cool” roofs in developing countries. The Challenge will award US$100,000 grants to up to 10 teams this year to deploy solar reflective coating and/or […]
A new Australian study is taking on the long-held debate: is your office’s 22°C thermostat really set at the correct temperature? Around the world, 22°C has become standard practice. For workers, it’s believed to be the optimal temperature for productivity – a claim backed by ASHRAE and REHVA. Not so, says a team from South […]
In the latest episode of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating’s official podcast, AIRAH on Air, listeners can take a trip down to Cape Paterson. Located about two hours southeast of Melbourne, The Cape is a modern housing development leading the future of sustainable living. The new project looks to provide its residents with […]
Global engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon has announced its foray into podcasting with the release of Engineering Reimagined. In it, Aurecon employees interview experts on topics that are “changing our world”. The series will focus on people’s envisioning of the future, as well as their roles within it. “We want our audience, and ourselves, […]
AIRAH has released the third episode of its podcast AIRAH on Air. In it, host Mark Spencer takes listeners to The University of Queensland’s TC Beirne School of Law for a visit to the Forgan Smith Building. The latest podcast episode is an adaptation of the December 2018 Ecolibrium cover story, detailing the Brisbane tertiary […]
France has adopted an HFC tax that will enter into force in 2021. A component of the country’s 2019 finance bill, the measure uses a 40 per cent income tax discount to encourage companies to make the transition away from HFCs. The measure will also support the adoption of HFC alternatives from now until December […]
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 […]
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 […]
Kingspan Insulation Australia has been recognised with a 2018 Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce (IACC) award. The company, which is headquartered in Ireland, took out the “Established Business” category for its commitment to innovation, sustainable practice and the advancement of Irish manufacturing on a global scale. “At Kingspan we aim for a better built environment […]
The Victorian government has released the final version of the Fishermans Bend Framework for what has been described as Australia’s largest urban renewal project. The Framework has been applauded by the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). Covering about 150 hectares, Fishermans Bend is an area of land located in Port Melbourne, about 1km north […]
The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) is holding its annual conference and awards event from 16–18 October in Sydney. International speakers from some of the world’s largest infrastructure projects will share their knowledge and experiences. The line-up includes United Nations of Australia President Michael G Smith, Crossrail Sustainability Manager Rob Paris, TransPod Hyperloop CEO […]
An initiative to apply the Project Drawdown approach to the HVAC&R industry has been highlighted on the Climactic podcast. Project Drawdown is a worldwide project that lays out a plan to reverse global warming. It has drawn on more than 65 researchers and scientists from 22 countries to identify, research, and model the 100 most […]
In October 2016, New Zealand, Australia and almost 200 other countries adopted the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs. Australia started reducing HFC import quotas at the beginning of 2018, and now New Zealand is looking at 2020 to begin the same process. The New Zealand cabinet recently agreed to ratify […]
A team of students from the University of Wollongong (UOW) are set to compete in the Solar Decathlon 2018 in Dubai. The Solar Decathlon is an international competition with the backing of the US Department of Energy. It challenges collegiate teams to design, construct and operate solar-powered houses that are sustainable, stylish and cost effective. […]
There is an urgent need for stronger energy standards for residential housing and buildings under Australia’s National Construction Code (NCC). So says Australia’s insulation industry, claiming that tougher standards are critical to ensuring they are ready for and committed to a zero-carbon future. “We need certainty for the industry now, with a building code that […]
Nicki Parker is Sustainability Manager for Norman Disney & Young and is leading AIRAH’s inaugural Resilience Forum on July 26 in Sydney. We spoke to her about what resilience is and why it matters. Nicki, can you give us a “nutshell” definition of resilience? It’s the ability to bounce back from an extreme event or […]
Mitsubishi Electric Australia is running free, tailored air conditioning service and installation training courses around the country. Now in its 15th year, the annual series of courses takes a hands-on approach to learning with product simulators, as well as information on new systems and essential regulation updates. The training is available to all industry members. […]