Page 63
Category: News
-
Rebound offers “once in a generation” opportunity
A new white paper is encouraging leaders from government and industry to use the COVID-19 recovery to transform our traditional construction processes. “The global construction industry cannot continue operating the way it does,” write co-authors Sumit Oberoi and Alain Waha in the paper, titled Industrialised Construction: The Rebound from COVID-19. “Even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck, […]
-
NABERS Sustainable Portfolios Index 2020
The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) Sustainable Portfolios Index (SPI) 2020 is now available online. The SPI explores the top 40 property portfolios in Australia achieving measurable sustainability actions. A portfolio consists of two or more buildings with NABERS ratings owned by the same company. The SPI also provides comparative business intelligence on […]
-
Restarting hibernating HVAC systems
The Property Council of Australia, Facility Management Association (FMA) and the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) have called on building owners and facilities managers to commence careful planning for the safe reopening of commercial buildings and workplaces across Australia. The advice comes as the national cabinet and state governments announce easing […]
-
EEC’s Luke Menzel joins i-Hub Steering Committee
Energy Efficiency Council (EEC) CEO Luke Menzel has been appointed to the Steering Committee of the Innovation Hub for Affordable Heating and Cooling, or i-Hub. Established by AIRAH in association with the CSIRO and PRIME, the i-Hub has been designed to facilitate the HVAC&R industry’s transition to a low-emissions future, stimulate jobs growth, and showcase […]
-
CaaS Incubator announces pilot projects
Five companies were selected into the CaaS Incubator program, an initiative that seeks to promote the concept of cooling as a service (CaaS). The CaaS initiative aims to decrease energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from cooling use through a pay-per-service model for more efficient cooling systems. The winning projects offer highly efficient air […]
-
Seeley wraps up at Mitsubishi Electric
Rob Seeley is leaving Mitsubishi Electric Australia after nearly a decade, and wrapping up his career in the HVAC&R industry after more than 30 years. Seeley was the HVAC state manager for Victoria and Tasmania at Mitsubishi Electric. His role developed over the course of his career, from direct engagement with consulting engineers to leading […]
-
Experts call for indoor humidity guidelines
Leading members of the international scientific and medical community have called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to establish global guidance on the minimum lower limit of air humidity in public buildings. Those behind the move have created a petition, which they say is aimed at increasing global public awareness about the crucial role indoor […]
-
COVID-19 devastates housing industry
An economic modelling released by Master Builders Australia has shown that up to 43,000 new homes will not be built this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic. CEO of Master Builders Australia, Denita Wawn, says the new modelling conducted by Master Builders Australia shows the devastating impact the lockdown of the economy is having on the […]
-
Refining the Clean Cooling concept
The Centre For Sustainable Cooling (CFSC) and Shecco announced the launch of their Clean Cooling project. According to Accelerate News, which is published by Shecco, the project refines the concept of Clean Cooling, representing a holistic approach to refrigeration and air conditioning systems that incorporates the most efficient and environmentally friendly technologies while addressing the […]
-
WA government’s NCC delay criticised
In a move criticised by industry bodies, the Western Australia government has changed its building regulations and extended the provisional use of the National Construction Code (NCC) 2016 until May 2021. AIRAH (the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating) is one of the bodies that has questioned the strategy behind the decision. It […]
-
Queensland to review licence regulations
The Queensland government has confirmed it will work to address a loophole in its new licensing framework for air conditioning and refrigeration technicians. At the beginning of 2020, a new HVAC&R licensing framework was introduced in Queensland. Workers now require a Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) licence for mechanical services work. This includes air […]
-
Speculation rife on airborne COVID-19
New studies have fuelled speculation about COVID-19 spreading through the air, and emphasised the vital role that HVAC systems will play in controlling the virus. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the World Health Organization has advised that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is mainly transmitted through contact with respiratory droplets. When someone with […]
-
Have your say on HVAC&R support solutions
AIRAH is taking part in a Global Survey administered by Intellisurvey to collect input in to the future development of software products to help support HVAC&R companies to manage the scheduling, dispatching and activity tracking of field service technicians and how this could be better integrated in various financial packages. The survey will take less than 10 minutes to […]
-
ARMA signals flaw in licence rules
The Australian Refrigeration Mechanics Association (ARMA) has highlighted an issue in the new QBCC licensing framework that allows the MEM30219 qualification to be accepted for air conditioning and refrigeration licences. The qualification is listed in the Technical qualifications for licensing document, published by the Department of Housing and Public Works, for unlimited design, limited design […]
-
China and Thailand stop illegal R22 shipment
China and Thailand have collaborated using the OzonAction iPIC system to prevent a huge illegal consignment of ozone-depleting and climate-damaging R22 from going ahead. Created and hosted by the United Nations, the informal Prior Informed Consent (iPIC) system enables countries to share details of eligible importers and exporters with other member countries through a […]
-
ASHRAE issues statements on COVID-19
In response to “widening false statements” in the US advising people not to run residential or commercial HVAC systems because of COVID-19, ASHRAE has issued its own statements on the matter. “In light of the current global pandemic, it’s critically important that ASHRAE responds with guidance on mitigating the transmission of the virus, as well […]
-
IAQAA guide to decontaminating buildings of COVID-19
The Indoor Air Quality Association Australia (IAQAA) has developed a set of draft guidelines on the validation of post-cleaning work in buildings where a person infected with COVID-19 was present. Titled Post Cleaning Validation of Buildings Contaminated with SARS-CoV-2, the IAQAA says the publication is designed to provide information and assurance to workers, those with […]
-
ISHRAE releases COVID-19 Guidance Document
It may have emerged originally in Wuhan, China, but the COVID-19 coronavirus has touched upon everyone almost everywhere, including in India. With the potential for casualties in the densely populated nation immense, and confusing abounding, the Indian Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers has released the ISHRAE COVID-19 Guidance Document. “India, with the […]
-
Better building sealing
A new series of videos has been released to help builders and homeowners get a handle on making more airtight buildings for better health, comfort, durability, and energy efficiency. “Two topics that often get overlooked in Australian construction are air tightness and insulation completeness,” says John Konstantakopoulos, Affil.AIRAH, from Effiency Matrix. Konstantakopoulos says Australian standards […]
-
Refrigerants an “eye-opener” in new Drawdown
Project Drawdown has released The Drawdown Review – Climate Solutions for a New Decade, a list of ways to address global warming. The first Drawdown list, published in 2017, brought mainstream attention to the HVAC&R industry when refrigerant management was ranked as the number one most critical step towards reducing global CO2e emissions. The Review […]