Page 55
Category: News
-
Driver injured in explosion from AC system
The driver of a mining truck in Queensland has suffered serious burns in an explosion believed to be caused by an air conditioning system incorrectly charged with hydrocarbon refrigerant. According to the Queensland Mines Inspectorate, the explosion occurred in the truck cabin while the vehicle was being driven in an underground mine. It caused serious […]
-
US passes HFC phase-down bill
The US government has passed a bill authorising a 15-year phase-down of HFCs in alignment with the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. The American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020 (AIM) requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement a phase-down of the production and consumption of HFCs through an allowance program. The phase-down […]
-
Smart cooling for Singapore’s sustainable town
Singapore has set a target of capping its emissions by around 2030 and then halving them by 2050. Part of the Southeast Asian nation’s effort to reach that goal comes in the form of Tengah, Singapore’s first smart and sustainable town. It is the country’s most ambitious project to date in building the city of […]
-
Renewed interest in thermoelectric cooling
Researchers writing in Nature Materials have called for increased efforts to find new thermoelectric materials. In 1834, French physicist Jean Peltier discovered that at the junction of two different metals, a heating or cooling effect could be produced through electrical currents. Bismuth tellurium compounds have now been used for thermoelectric cooling for more than 60 […]
-
Ireland establishes first direct heating scheme
Tallaght in Dublin is set to become the site of Ireland’s first large-scale district heating scheme. Common in many large European cities, district heating is a system for redistributing waste heat from local industry, power stations or incinerators to meet heating requirements for other premises. In this instance, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has designed a data […]
-
Report finds ‘disjointed’ laws on flammable refrigerants
A new report commissioned by Refrigerants Australia has mapped out the laws that govern the use of flammable refrigerants in this country. It also highlights key themes and gaps within the regulatory landscape. The report, written by Bronwyn Weir and Krista Weymouth, reveals a complicated patchwork of regulations. There is no one set of laws […]
-
CDC updates advice on COVID-19 and ventilation
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) has released updated advice to reduce exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. The advice includes suggestions to improve ventilation that may help reduce the concentration of virus particles in the air. According to the CDC website, SARS-CoV-2 viral particles spread between people more readily indoors than […]
-
Industry organisations confirm ‘powerful’ merger
The Building Designers Association of Australia (BDAA) has announced a collaborative merger with the Australian Building Sustainability Association (ABSA) that it says will bring a “fresh new energy” to the sustainable building industry. “For everyone involved, this merger is sure to be a fruitful and progressive one for Australia’s building industry and the nation as […]
-
New look for NCC 2022
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has announced the 2022 version of the National Construction Code (NCC) will be released as a digital product. Historically a print-only publication, the digital release is being planned to improve the usability of the code. The ABCB is making the changes after consulting with industry groups, and the first […]
-
Time to look beyond Kigali targets, say experts
The cooling sector has to take a more holistic view of sustainable cooling that extends beyond the Kigali targets, according to experts speaking at a special event held alongside the latest Meeting of the Parties of the Montreal Protocol. The Economic Affairs Officer with the UN’s Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, […]
-
Australian Industry Standards names new CEO
Australian Industry Standards (AIS) has named Paul Walsh as its new CEO. AIS is a skills service organisation that is responsible for working with industry experts to develop and update training packages and qualifications. This includes the UEE Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. Walsh has spent eight years with AIS, including the past […]
-
Australian property leading the way for sustainability
Australian property companies have recorded a continuous 10-year run at the top of the global GRESB real estate assessment ranking. The ranking assesses and benchmarks the environmental, social and governance (ESG) and other related performance of real assets, providing standardised and validated data to the capital markets. Participation in the 2020 assessment grew by 22 […]
-
RRA offers $10 a kilo for recovered refrigerant
Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) is increasing the rebate for recovered refrigerant rebate to $10 per/kg as part of the Gas Seeker Initiative. The new rate, which will apply from January 1 to June 30, 2021, is more than triple the current rebate of $3 per kilogram. RRA says that the initiative is intended to give […]
-
Updated guide to industrial ventilation design
The Industrial Ventilation Design Guidebook – Volume 1: Fundamentals (2nd Edition) is now available for order as an eBook or in hard copy. Fully revised and restructured, the guidebook presents the latest research and technology in ventilation for contaminant control and energy efficiency in buildings. The two-volume publication develops a systematic approach to the engineering design […]
-
Ziehl-Abegg provides support to coronavirus ward
Motor and fan manufacturer Ziehl-Abegg is providing support for the Hohenlohe District Department of Health in the fight against COVID-19, by lending personnel and committing to supply CO2 detectors. Three employees from the industrial company based in Künzelsau, Germany, have been deployed to serve in the coronavirus ward in the former Künzelsau hospital where cases […]
-
Mike Creamer confirmed as IOR President
Mike Creamer has been confirmed as President of the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) at its AGM. Creamer is the Managing Director and Consultant at Business Edge, a company he founded in 1990 to provide technical consultancy, air conditioning/refrigeration training and certification. He has undertaken various roles within the HVAC&R sector including toolmaker, design draughtsman and […]
-
Major cities pledge to halve emissions from construction
The mayors of Oslo, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Budapest have pledged to halve emissions from all construction activities in their cities by 2030. The pledge is part of the C40 initiative – a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change. There are now almost 100 cities in this network, including Melbourne […]
-
CSIRO shares ‘top tips’ for household energy efficiency
The CSIRO is running a free public webinar and sharing expert tips on how to improve energy efficiency in homes through renovations and retrofits. “We all want our homes to be comfortable, healthy, sustainable, and inexpensive to run,” says the CSIRO. “So how do we get there? What’s the best way to retrofit and renovate […]
-
Skill up this summer says AIRAH
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is offering free and/or discounted access to a range of technical resources and programs over summer. Participants will earn continuing professional development (CPD) points and at the same time stay updated on best practices in the HVAC&R space. The Summer Skill Up includes special offers […]
-
Bennett re-elected as ARC Chairman
The Board of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) re-elected Michael Bennett as chairman at the ARC Annual General Meeting on November 25. Bennett has successfully led the ARC through a challenging year with consistent results, says the ARC. The Council also welcomed Greg Picker and Scott Williams to the Board after directors Mark Padwick and Sumit Oberoi […]