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Category: News
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Getting warmer on solid-state heat pumps
Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF) have made a breakthrough in refrigerant-free heating and cooling technology: a circuit topology for voltage converters with an electrical efficiency of 99.74 per cent. According to the AIF, the technology could considerably raise the coefficient of performance for electrocaloric heat pumps and the scientists […]
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EIA launches “What the F” campaign
The Environmental Investigation Authority (EIA) has launched a new campaign to educate consumers about the impact of fluorinated gases on the environment. “EIA’s Climate campaign has long advocated tackling the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of climate-warming emissions, specifically the phasing out or down of fluorinated gases, or F-gases,” says the EIA. “These are a range of greenhouse […]
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ACT seeks input on electrification plan
The ACT government is seeking input on its Integrated Energy Plan to guide the energy transition away from gas to renewable energy. “The ACT continues to lead the world in taking action on climate change,” says the ACT government. “We are set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to be powered exclusively by renewable energy, […]
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Government survey on pair coil issues
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is conducting a survey to investigate issues with pair coil. There have been reports of ant nesting and corrosion problems with pair coils, resulting in the leaking of refrigerant. DCCEEW notes that under consumer guarantee law this issue could be costing businesses time and […]
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Daikin opens cutting-edge facility in Brisbane
Daikin Australia has officially opened Daikin Park Brisbane, a cutting-edge centre located in Murarrie, Queensland. The park encompasses a range of features and initiatives aimed at optimising logistics, promoting sustainability, and enhancing customer experience. “The centrepiece is the implementation of the Manhattan Warehouse Management System, providing a comprehensive logistics solution for efficient fulfillment and dispatch […]
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Unlocking educational potential in Northern Australia
Charles Darwin University’s new trades training facility is ready for development, with tender applications for construction now being assessed. The new teaching and training facilities to be built at Charles Darwin University (CDU) will aim to unlock education potential across Northern Australia, preparing for a future where the dual-sector university will reinvigorate industry growth in […]
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Momentum building on IAQ
The push for improving indoor air quality in Australia appears to be gaining traction. At recent industry conferences, within large Australian research projects, and this week at a roundtable event at Parliament House, leaders from a wide range of sectors are joining forces to advocate for action. At AIRAH’s recent IAQ Conference held over two […]
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Vale Klaas Visser
Refrigeration pioneer Klaas Visser, L.AIRAH, has passed away at the age of 83. A passionate advocate for natural refrigerant systems, particularly CO2 and ammonia, Visser worked extensively in the food industry, and was internationally renowned for his contribution to developing large-scale automatic plate freezers. Transforming the meat industry Born and educated in the Netherlands, Visser […]
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July 2023 hottest month in recorded history
July is set to be the hottest July and hottest month ever recorded on Earth. According to data from the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the first three weeks of July were the warmest three-week period on record since record-keeping began in 1880. And analysis from the Leipzig University determined that July 2023 will be 0.2°C […]
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Researchers develop low-cost heat flow sensor
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have found a way to monitor the flow of heat in electronic or mechanical devices and improve their efficiency using embedded sensors. University of Tokyo, Department of Physics Project Associate Professor Tomoya Higo and Professor Satoru Nakatsuji, worked with their team of researchers and a corporate partnership to track […]
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Grid-interactive buildings on the road to net zero
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has launched its first report on grid-interactive buildings, highlighting how these can help achieve a zero-carbon future. Grid-interactive buildings are designed to use electricity in a smart and efficient way, shifting energy usage to times when it’s both cheaper and cleaner, helping to generate clean energy and reduce […]
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Victoria bans gas in new homes from 2024
The Victorian government has added major momentum to the electrification movement with the announcement that it is banning gas connections to new homes from next year. New homes and residential subdivisions that require a planning permit cannot connect to the gas network from January 2024. This will apply to new planning permit applications submitted from […]
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Electricity-generating windows in line for prize
Monash University researchers have been selected as finalists in Australia’s premier national science awards, the Eureka Prizes, for their research and innovation project which heralds substantial practical advances in renewable energy for a low-carbon future. The project, a collaboration between Monash University and CSIRO to develop windows that can efficiently generate solar electricity, is a […]
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Melbourne brewery completes heat pump upgrade
Melbourne brewer 3 Ravens has completed an award-winning energy upgrade to its Thornbury brewing facility that will enable it to ramp up production by up to four times current levels without increasing its energy consumption. In addition to upgrading the building fabric and installing 74kW of solar panels and a “cool roof”, the brewery has installed a […]
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New resources for building net zero homes
The South Australian government has established a learning hub to provide easy “one stop” access to builders, allied professions and trades seeking knowledge and skills for building energy-efficient and net zero energy homes. The site has six training webinars and case studies that make up the Net Zero Homes training course for builders, developed by […]
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Queensland NCC stance highlights ‘patchwork’ problem
Queensland has confirmed that it will maintain the original timetable for adopting improved energy efficiency, condensation management and livable housing provisions in NCC 2022. Although industry stakeholders have applauded the decision, they have also raised concerns about delays in other jurisdictions, and the inconsistent implementation of what is intended to be a national code to […]
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ASHRAE awarded major grant for energy code training
US engineering body ASHRAE has earned a US$2.85 million (AUD$4.17 million) grant from the US Department of Energy Building Technologies Office for Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation (RECI). The program invests $225 million over five years, to “enable sustained cost-effective implementation of updated building energy codes.” The award will fund the “Energy Code Official – […]
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BPEQ charges unregistered engineer
The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ) has prosecuted a case involving an interstate engineer providing professional engineering services for a building in Queensland. According to the BPEQ, the engineer worked outside of Queensland and did not register as a registered professional engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). Unregistered engineers can face serious consequences for providing […]
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Net zero plan for Australia’s built environment
The federal government has confirmed that it will develop decarbonisation plans for different sectors – including a specific plan for the built environment. In its issues paper on setting, tracking and achieving Australia’s emissions reduction targets, the Climate Change Authority proposed focusing on sectors as set out in Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: electricity, stationary […]
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Climate control, termite style
Lund University researchers in Sweden have found that future buildings inspired by termites could achieve the same effect as traditional climate control but with greater energy efficiency and fewer emissions. According to the researchers, termite mounds have a sophisticated ventilation system that allows air to circulate throughout the structure. This helps maintain and regulate temperature […]