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Category: News
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Energy Efficiency Council names Dr Mary Stewart new President
Dr Mary Stewart has been named President of the Energy Efficiency Council (EEC). She replaces Professor Tony Arnel, who stepped down after six years. A recognised expert in sustainable development, Dr Stewart is a trained chemical engineer, and CEO of energy and climate risk advisory firm Energetics. “It is a great honour to take the […]
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Why is R404A still a go-to option in Australia?
Despite its tag as an “outgoing” refrigerant in the HFC phase-down, there are signs that R404A remains a go-to option for key sectors of Australia’s HVAC&R industry. According to experts, pressure from end-users for low first-cost and straightforward, low-risk solutions, and a lack of incentives to move to new technologies have made R404A an ongoing […]
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IIR develops model to calculate cold chain CO2 emissions
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has developed a model to calculate the CO2 emissions for each stage of the cold chain and for all countries in the world. Explained in the IIR’s latest Informatory Note, the model allows comparisons between the CO2 emissions associated with the current and “improved” versions of the global cold chain. According to […]
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Using waste heat to power a sustainable future
Future turbine optimisation could mean considerably more efficient use of waste heat from the manufacturing industry, and in so doing reduce its environmental footprint. That’s the finding by City University of London’s Dr Martin White, whose research appears in Applied Thermal Engineering. The research explores a novel organic Rankine cycle system, based on a two-phase […]
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Tensions rise over EU refrigerant transition
Debate is intensifying in Europe over the future of HFCs as the European Union eyes stricter limits on the global warming potential of refrigerants, and manufacturers push back on the proposed switch to hydrocarbons. The European Union (EU) is in the process of reviewing its F-Gas Regulation, which provides a roadmap for phasing down fluorinated […]
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Hotel quarantine ventilation back in the spotlight
The most recent outbreak of COVID-19 in Victoria has brought renewed attention to ventilation systems in hotel quarantine. The new wave of cases began when a Victorian man returned to Melbourne after spending 14 days in the Playford medi-hotel in Adelaide. Although he initially returned a negative result, he later tested positive, and it has […]
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New DA manuals focus on commissioning
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is releasing two Design Application (DA) manuals focusing on air distribution systems and hydronic water systems. DA04 Air System Balancing – in HVAC is a new release in AIRAH’s collection of technical resources. The manual discusses the testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) of air distribution systems […]
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Cooling demand set to rise along with temperatures
A recent study by Empa researchers has predicted that climate change could increase the cooling demand of buildings. The projection is based on climate data from Switzerland and research done at NEST, a building Empa and Eawag use for modular research. It is estimated that the average global temperatures will rise due to climate change, […]
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Building commissioning gets a boost
Standards Australia has published SA TS 5342:2021 – Technical specification for building commissioning. The document has been developed to provide industry with a common framework and consistent minimum requirements for commissioning buildings, and related activities. It has been many years in the making, with representatives from the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating […]
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NCC the key to making buildings COVID-safe?
Last week, an international group of scientists and indoor air quality (IAQ) experts called for a “paradigm shift” in combating airborne pathogens such as COVID-19 by improving indoor ventilation systems. They say that the potential benefit to public health is comparable to that achieved in the 1800s when cities started organising clean water supplies and […]
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Roadmap aims to improve insulation installation
A coalition of insulation, building and organisations focused on energy efficiency has released a joint Roadmap for quality control and safety in insulation installation. The roadmap sets out a series of actions to ensure that insulation is installed following best-practice processes for quality control and safety. “Insulation is an essential component of a healthy, comfortable […]
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Massive sewer heat-recovery project under way in US
The largest sewer heat-recovery project in the US is now under construction in Denver. The AU$1.3 billion project is designed to use the consistent temperature of wastewater beneath the National Western Complex by way of an epic heat pump that works like a reversible air conditioning unit. Home to a stock show and rodeo, the […]
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Online platform will trade recovered HFC refrigerants
A new, EU-funded online platform has been launched to enable trading of reclaimed HFC refrigerants in Europe. The website, called Retradeables, has been designed to provide a simple, viable market where used F-gases – or fluorinated refrigerants – can be bought, reclaimed and sold for further use. Users can access a live online exchange for […]
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Suzanne Toumbourou moves on from ASBEC
The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) has announced that Executive Director Suzanne Toumbourou has been appointed CEO of the Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) and will conclude her tenure at ASBEC at the end of June 2021. “It has been an immense pleasure and privilege to work with ASBEC’s members over the past decade,” […]
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AIRAH says Budget offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Noting the signs of recovery highlighted in the 2021–22 Federal Budget, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has commended the government for seeking to build on this momentum through a suite of stimulus measures. AIRAH says that Australia can reap greater benefits at no extra cost by focusing on sustainable solutions […]
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Time for ‘paradigm shift’ on indoor air quality
Queensland University of Technology (QUT) air-quality expert Distinguished Professor Lidia Morawska is leading an international call for a “paradigm shift” in combating airborne pathogens such as COVID-19 by improving indoor ventilation systems. Professor Morawska led a group of almost 40 researchers from 14 countries in a call published in Science for a shift in standards […]
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RAC company fined $150,000 after apprentice injured
A Sydney-based refrigeration and air conditioning company has been fined $150,000 after one of its apprentice workers suffered serious injury from an arc flash explosion at a Sydney KFC in 2017. Ultra Refrigeration Pty Limited was investigated by SafeWork NSW and found guilty of breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 in the NSW […]
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Buildings with combustible cladding liable for fines
Owners of Queensland buildings with combustible cladding could now be liable for a hefty fine should their buildings be deemed unsafe. Time has run out for building owners to complete the process established by the Queensland state government’s Safer Buildings Taskforce to eliminate risk of catastrophic building fires caused by combustible cladding. The Safer Buildings […]
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IIR releases blueprint for sustainable development
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) has published its first Activity Report, emphasising the essential role of refrigeration at the heart of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals. Originally announced in 2015, the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were designed to provide clear universal sustainability objectives for nations across the globe. The SDGs […]
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Case grows stronger for all-electric homes
A report developed by Renew has analysed the optimum fuel and technology choices for households in Western Australia – and found that the ecological argument for all-electric homes also stacks up economically. The objective of the project was to understand the most cost-effective choices for residential consumers to access stationary energy in the South West […]