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Category: News
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Victoria tables ambitious 2035 emissions reduction target
The Victorian Government has tabled in parliament its formal determination of Victoria’s 2035 emissions reduction target under its Climate Change Act 2017. The Act sets a framework to keep developing new policies to meet the targets, or sector pledges. The 2035 target aims to reduce Victoria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 75–80 per cent below 2005 levels. […]
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Measuring costs saved by modular construction
Researchers from the University of South Australia and Aston University in the UK have calculated the potential cost savings for builders using modular production techniques, where much of the construction happens offsite in controlled conditions. The cost model calculated by the researchers estimated the impact of weather on each building activity, including portions of the […]
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Getting to grips with the energy-efficiency workforce
Australia is in a better position to evaluate its energy-efficiency workforce thanks to a new report that provides definitions of energy efficiency work. Energy efficiency definitions for the Australian Energy Employment Report was developed by the RACE for 2030, alongside the University of Technology Sydney’s Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) and the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC). […]
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Australian views on US pathogen mitigation standard
On May 15, the eyes of the global HVAC&R community were trained on the US, as ASHRAE released the first draft of Standard 241P Control of Infectious Aerosols. The standard provides minimum requirements for HVAC-related measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, influenza, and other airborne viruses in homes, offices, schools, and hospitals […]
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Sydney Opera House achieves rare sustainability feat
Sydney Opera House has become one of the first UNESCO World Heritage-listed buildings to achieve a 6 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), signifying global leadership in environmental and social sustainability operations. Representatives from the Opera House say, “the 6 Star premiere is the culmination of 10 years of […]
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Sojitz Corporation acquires Ellis Air
Sojitz Corporation has announced it will acquire Australian air conditioning and mechanical services company Ellis Air Group. Sojitz is a Japanese company working across a wide range of sectors including infrastructure, automotive, transportation, and consumer industries. It describes the acquisition of Ellis Air as a step into the energy conservation market in Australia. It is […]
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Woolworths scales up effort for World Refrigeration Day
Woolworths is scaling up its World Refrigeration Day (WRD) efforts in 2023, hosting plant room familiarisation tours in mainland capital cities across Australia on June 26. Recognising the pivotal role refrigeration plays in our lives, Woolworths has been an important agent for promoting World Refrigeration Day since the event’s inception in 2019. WRD is an […]
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Poor rental standards putting residents at risk
New research indicates that the poor condition of Australian rental properties, particularly with respect to heating, cooling and moisture management, are putting residents’ health and wellbeing at risk. The paper, authored by researchers from the University of South Australia, University of Adelaide, and University of Melbourne, reviewed rental housing standards, housing and health policy in […]
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New micromodules for NCC education
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has announced that NCC continuing professional development (CPD) micromodules are now available for CPD providers to deliver as part of their own activities. “Our aim is to complement existing programs and increase National Construction Code (NCC) content in education,” says the ABCB. “This will ultimately improve practitioner understanding and […]
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Johnson Controls acquires Gordon Brothers Industries
Johnson Controls has announced it will acquire Gordon Brothers Industries (GBI), an Australian solutions provider of industrial refrigeration system design, construction, services and parts. The addition is intended to strengthen Johnson Controls’ growth in the region and beyond. “The acquisition of GBI is one that ensures that Australian businesses are served by the best technology,” […]
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AC testing standards ‘inadequate’, says RMI
With the world predicted to soon face the hottest year on record, clean energy not-for-profit the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) has highlighted the need for better air conditioning testing standards and performance ratings. According to RMI, today’s testing standards and performance ratings are more aligned with the climate profiles of the global north, which experience […]
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Michael Riese joins AIRAH board
Following a vote at the Institute’s annual Convention, Dr Michael Riese, M.AIRAH, has officially joined AIRAH’s national board. Originally from Germany and now based in Adelaide, Riese works for industrial and commercial refrigeration specialist Cold Logic, where he leads the Defence Division and is also responsible for Cold Logic’s R&D effort. AIRAH President Paul Jackson, […]
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World-first thermal energy storage gigafactory
Israel-based thermal energy storage firm Brenmiller Energy claims it has created a world-first gigafactory, targeting 4GWh of annual production capacity by the end of 2023. In early May, Brenmiller Energy announced the opening of its thermal energy storage gigafactory in Dimona, Israel, saying the gigafactory will be its primary manufacturing hub. The company expects production […]
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ASHRAE releases draft pathogen mitigation standard
ASHRAE has announced the completion of the first draft of its standard for maintaining healthy indoor air quality (IAQ), with final approval expected in June and publishing anticipated in July. ASHRAE Standard 241P, Control of Infectious Aerosols provides minimum requirements for HVAC-related measures to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, influenza, and other airborne […]
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National Skills Agreement to lift VET completion rates
Boosting VET completion rates will be one of the key elements in a new National Skills Agreement, according to the Minister for Skills and Training Brendan O’Connor. O’Connor says that, together with other state and territory ministers, he will be looking at “myriad ways we can improve the completion rates”. “It’s going to be subject […]
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Budget offers launchpad, now we must aim high, says AIRAH
AIRAH has applauded the Australian 2023–24 Federal Budget and its strong investment in a net zero future. It also notes that success will require ambition, as well as continued cooperation between government and industry. AIRAH CEO Trish Hyde says the federal government has wisely combined short-term relief with investments that will bring energy bills down […]
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Cloudy with a chance of data errors
Industry stakeholders have highlighted issues with widely used weather and climate datasets that they say can cause significant errors for building energy modellers. Since August 2021, the CSIRO has distributed free weather and climate datasets for use by building energy modellers for estimating HVAC energy demand and consumption, as well as moisture management under typical […]
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New approaches to addressing hidden energy poverty
As energy prices rise and temperatures drop, RMIT researchers note that one in four Australian households are struggling to pay their power bills. Despite this, many are missing out on welfare benefits because their circumstances do not fit within assistance programs, a phenomenon known as “hidden energy poverty”. A new study, published in Energy Research […]
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Humidity may increase heat risk in urban climates
Researchers at Yale University have found that heat stress in urban areas is dependent on local climate, and that a humidifying effect can erase the cooling benefits that would come from trees and vegetation. According to the researchers, as temperatures across the globe reach record-level highs, it follows that urban areas are also facing increased […]
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All systems go for NCC 2022
As of May 1, 2023, NCC 2022 has officially been adopted by the states and territories. The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) says this marks one of the biggest changes to an edition of the National Construction Code (NCC) since the Building Codes of Australia and the Plumbing Code of Australia were combined in 2011. […]