Page 57
Category: News
-
Industry and consumers push for better buildings
Ahead of the meeting of state and territory building ministers this week, industry and consumer groups have urged government to focus on delivering better productivity and quality in Australian buildings. The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), supported by 20 member organisations, has appealed to Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews to maintain […]
-
Call for unified roll-out of new training package
A group of educators around the country are proposing a collaborative approach to implementing the new refrigeration and air conditioning training package. If successful, it would constitute a first within Australia’s vocational education sector. The new version of the Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration trade course, UEE32220, was recently endorsed for national use. […]
-
TAFE NSW offers female-focused trade class
TAFE NSW Ultimo refrigeration section is seeking female participation in a Certificate II Electrotechnology Career Start course in 2021. The course is two days a week for six months. It provides students with key foundation skills and knowledge, and a sample of what the industry has to offer before they commit to a full apprenticeship. […]
-
Are hotels suitable COVID-19 quarantine facilities?
As pressure mounts to allow more international arrivals into the country, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has flagged serious concerns about the suitability of hotels as quarantine facilities. So far, the outbreaks connected to hotel quarantine facilities in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales have largely been blamed on […]
-
Video on flammability of A2L and A3 refrigerants
Chemical company Chemours has released a video titled Hydrocarbons: The Burning Truth, which looks at differences in flammability between A2L and A3 refrigerants. The video features Dr Scott Davis, CEO of Gexcon US, who explains the parameters impacting refrigerant flammability. These include how much of a gas is required for an ignition event to occur […]
-
AIRAH and IIAR sign memorandum of understanding
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) and the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) have inked a Memorandum of Understanding. Headquartered in Virginia in the US, the IIAR represents companies and individuals working in the ammonia refrigeration space. Its members work in all facets of the industrial refrigeration industry, and include […]
-
Refrigerant course assessments go virtual
REAL Alternatives 4 Life has established a process for training centres to hold theory assessments online. The free online course now extends to 17 European countries and languages, and the assessments are now available in virtual format, allowing people in lockdown the opportunity to complete them online. The course provides education on the safe use of […]
-
Gramlick appointed Chair of Standards Australia
Tracey Gramlick has been appointed Chair of Standards Australia, becoming the first woman to serve in the position in the organisation’s almost 100-year history. Gramlick brings to the role more than 35 years of experience in engineering, manufacturing, research and development, advocacy, management and marketing roles in several ASX-listed, private, not-for-profit and government enterprises, and […]
-
Neil Cox joins HydroChem
Water treatment specialist HydroChem has appointed Neil Cox as its marketing lead. Cox’s previous roles include Chief Operating Officer of AIRAH and marketing manager at Kingspan Insulation Australia. In his new position he will assume responsibility the diverse marketing programs of Hydrochem’s expanding business. “HydroChem is a company I have interacted with and admired for many […]
-
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine faces cold-chain challenges
The new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that is claimed to be 95 per cent effective will face a major hurdle in global distribution and storage. The drug, currently pending emergency federal approval in the US, will need to be refrigerated at -70 to -80°C. These cold storage requirements pose an enormous logistical challenge given that most […]
-
States leading the way to a sustainable future
Industry groups have applauded the Victorian and NSW governments’ significant investments in harnessing the power of energy efficiency and social housing to create jobs and drive the economic recovery from COVID-19. The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), Energy Efficiency Council (EEC), Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), Property Council of Australia, and, as a […]
-
Davina Rooney joins IWBI Governance Council
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Green Building Council of Australia, Davina Rooney, and Senior Director of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) at S&P Dow Jones Indices, Mona Naqvi, to the IWBI Governance Council. The Governance Council helps uphold the integrity of IWBI’s certification frameworks and accelerates the broader movement […]
-
Videos explore i-Hub Smart Building Data Clearing House
The i-Hub project has released two videos to promote and explain its Smart Building Data Clearing House initiative. The Innovation Hub for Affordable Heating and Cooling (i-Hub) is an initiative composed of AIRAH (the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating), the CSIRO, the Queensland University of Technology, the University of Melbourne and the […]
-
Call for RAC subject matter experts
Although a new national training package for refrigeration and air conditioning has just been released, work is already starting on the next iteration. Two new units will be developed on variable refrigerant flow systems, and fire and smoke control systems. Australian Industry Standards (AIS) is looking for subject matter experts to help review and develop […]
-
Expect greater emphasis on IAQ after COVID, says BSRIA
Air conditioning and ventilation providers will be required to do much more to address indoor air quality issues following the COVID-19 pandemic, says the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) in the UK. New findings from the UK-based organisation have warned that COVID-19 and research concerning airborne contamination in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces has […]
-
COVID-19 outbreaks prompt hospital HVAC audit
The Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority has commissioned engineering assessments of the HVAC systems within wards dedicated to suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients at 20 hospital sites over the next eight weeks. The assessment will work with health services to verify airflow rates, effectiveness of ventilation strategies adopted by hospitals, and any adjustments […]
-
Scientists create energy-saving ‘liquid window’
Scientists at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a liquid window panel that can block the sun to regulate solar transmission while reducing energy consumption in buildings. The NTU researchers found that by placing hydrogel-based liquid within glass panels, the window is able to trap thermal heat that can be released through […]
-
South Australia aims high for energy efficiency
Industry groups have applauded the South Australian government announcement that it will invest $60 million to improve the energy efficiency of government buildings. According to Dan van Holst Pellekaan, Minister for Energy and Mining, the commitment is the largest per capita stimulus investment of any Australian government in improving the energy efficiency of public buildings. […]
-
ASHRAE moves to net-zero-energy global headquarters
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has moved into its net-zero-energy global headquarters based in Atlanta. Originally built in 1978, the 6,197m2 building sits on 4.5 hectares of land and is a part of a high-tech commercial estate. Renovations began in January earlier this year. “ASHRAE’s goal for this project was […]
-
Tesla HVAC on the horizon?
Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk once again expressed interest in developing a highly efficient, next generation HVAC system that features an advanced HEPA filter. The American business magnate addressed the subject during Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting, in which he further hinted that the project may begin as soon as next year. The subject was raised by […]