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Category: News
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Councils collaborate on sustainable development planning
Twenty-four Victorian councils have collaborated on an application to state planning authorities that aims to ensure that all new developments are designed to be climate resilient and sustainable. The two-dozen high-profile local government organisations submitted a Planning Scheme Amendment (PSA) to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). The PSA seeks to change […]
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AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson to step down
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has announced its CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, will be stepping down in early 2023. Appointed to the position of CEO in 2016, Gleeson has overseen a number of major achievements including the expansion and digitisation of AIRAH’s knowledge assets such as the Design Application (DA) […]
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Combination passive cooling for crop storage
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have designed an innovative passive cooling system that requires no power, and only a small amount of water. Combining radiative and evaporative cooling with thermal insulation in a slim package similar to a solar panel, designers say the system can provide up to 9.3°C of cooling from ambient temperature. […]
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Plan to make Australia an energy-efficiency winner
The Australian federal government has kicked off work to develop a National Energy Performance Strategy. The announcement was made by Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister at the 2022 Energy Efficiency Summit in Sydney. “For too long, Australia’s efforts at reducing emissions and cutting energy costs have lacked a national plan that […]
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Property Council chief to step down
The Property Council of Australia has announced that Chief Executive Ken Morrison will leave the organisation in December after eight years in the role to pursue other career opportunities. Morrison has served as Chief Executive of the Property Council of Australia since 2014. He has spent a collective 25 years in the organisation, having previously […]
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Safe Work Month in October
October is National Safe Work Month, when Safe Work Australia (SWA) invites business owners, employers, and workers nationwide to commit to building safe and healthy workplaces. SWA preliminary data shows that around 163 people died while doing their job in the past year. And approximately 120,300 people made a workers’ compensation claim for serious injury […]
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Finalists named for AIRAH Awards 2022
AIRAH has named the finalists for the AIRAH Awards 2022. The AIRAH Awards celebrate the leading projects, people and products driving Australia towards a sustainable future. “Over the past few years we’ve seen how the COVID pandemic has shifted attention to the importance of the HVAC&R industry to Australia’s health, comfort and productivity,” says AIRAH […]
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Decarbonisation promise of district heating and cooling
District heating and cooling (DHC) was the focus of a full-day event held recently in Melbourne, which explored the potential of this technology. DHC systems are local energy networks provide heating and cooling to buildings in a district. They do this by supplying hot water or steam for heating systems, and chilled water for air […]
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Australia’s first all-electric aquatic centre opens its doors
The opening of the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs has been celebrated as Australia’s first all-electric, renewable energy aquatic centre. Located in Keilor Downs, the $60 million facility aims to provide an energy-efficient blueprint to councils across Australia. According to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), leisure centres are among the most […]
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Hydrogen not the future for home heating
A review of independent studies on the use of hydrogen for heating has delivered a damning verdict for the idea that we may one day replace our existing gas network with a hydrogen network. The evidence review, undertaken by energy influencer Dr Jan Rosenow, looked at 32 independent studies. These were conducted at international, regional, […]
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Research reveals huge health benefits of humble retrofits
A comprehensive study conducted through the Victorian Healthy Homes Program has measured the impact of an energy efficiency and thermal comfort home upgrade on temperature, energy use, health and quality of life. It found that for every dollar saved in energy, more than $10 is saved in health. Over three years (2018–20), Sustainability Victoria oversaw […]
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NCC 2022 now available online
The 2022 version of the National Construction Code (NCC) is now available online. The major changes are the lifting of the minimum energy efficiency requirements for new homes from 6 to 7 NatHERS stars, and a new annual energy-use budget applicable to major appliances such as space conditioning, hot water, lighting, pool and spa pumps, […]
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National campaign to promote careers in HVAC&R
A new campaign promoting careers in HVAC&R is being rolled out by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC), targeting students at almost 3,000 secondary schools across Australia. Each school’s careers adviser will receive a package explaining the careers the HVAC&R industry can offer, and how students can make a difference. ARC chairman Michael Bennett says the […]
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New guide to electrifying existing buildings
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has released A Practical Guide to Electrification for Existing Buildings. Developed in partnership with Cundall and with funding from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and NSW government, the guide provides a step-by-step outline of how to retrofit an existing building to be all-electric. It covers the types […]
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GJ Walker announces new industrial fan division
GJ Walker Air Handling Systems has announced its new industrial fan division, Walker Industrial Systems (WIS), as part of the company’s new focus on the industrial ventilation market. The GJ Walker Group says WIS will add a range of industrial fans and blowers to its portfolio of products, bringing a new market with different ventilation […]
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US commits to HFC phase-down
The US Senate has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, joining the 137 other countries that have already ratified the treaty. The Kigali Amendment calls for a gradual reduction in the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. Many of these are used as refrigerants in HVAC&R systems. “The […]
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Launch event: NABERS for Warehouses and Cold Stores
NABERS is launching a new energy rating tool, NABERS Energy for Warehouses and Cold Stores. The ratings tool was developed with input from organisations involved in the industrial and supply chain economy. NABERS consulted with providers, peak bodies and experienced consultants, gathering data from more than 150 facilities. NABERS says its expansion into warehouses and cold stores […]
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Sweeping building reforms on the way in NSW
The NSW government is seeking industry and community input on proposed changes to building sector laws, as well as specific changes to compliance and fire-safety laws. The government says these changes are aimed at better protecting consumers and supporting businesses and workers, to improve confidence in the NSW building and construction industry. Compliance and fire […]
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The world’s largest cooling project?
New research suggests that refreezing the Earth’s poles by reducing incoming sunlight would be a feasible and cheap approach to addressing melting ice and rising sea levels. In what might be the world’s largest cooling effort, scientists proposed spraying microscopic aerosol particles into the atmosphere above the poles via high-flying jets. According to new research […]
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The gamechangers to boost Australia’s race to zero
The Climate Council has named 10 actions Australian governments can immediately begin to fast-track emissions reductions, tackle the energy and cost-of-living crises, and create new jobs. The Power Up: 10 Climate Gamechangers report is designed to provide a roadmap for the federal government to speed up its climate action in the 2020s, to ensure Australia […]