Page 63
Category: News
-
What COVID-19 is teaching us about resilience
Over the past month, Australia’s measures to control the spread of the coronavirus have profoundly changed the way we interact with the built environment. In simple terms, it has meant people spending the majority of their day at home rather than another workplace. But, according to members of AIRAH’s Resilience Special Technical Group (STG), it […]
-
Positioning key for local HVAC&R industry
While some sectors of our economy have immediately borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, for others the impact is not so straightforward. According to Refrigerants Australia executive director Greg Picker, there are mixed signals coming from the HVAC&R industry. “I have spoken to manufacturers and there is no real sense yet of any dramatic […]
-
Cash for refrigerant data
Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA) is seeking help from HVAC&R technicians to better understand what happens to refrigerant from split system air conditioners when they are replaced. And it is paying for the data. RRA is a not-for-profit organisation that works with industry to recover, reclaim and destroy surplus and unwanted refrigerants. The organisation is offering […]
-
REHVA publishes COVID-19 guidance
The Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has published a guidance document for building services in areas with a coronavirus disease outbreak. The document is targeted at HVAC professionals and facility managers working in commercial and public buildings. It provides practical recommendations for preventing the spread of coronavirus through HVAC and […]
-
Ganado brings gender equity to AIRAH board
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has achieved gender equity following the election of Mikaila Ganado, M.AIRAH, to the national board of directors. Ganado joins Paul Jackson, F.AIRAH, and Ura Sarfejoo, M.AIRAH, who were re-elected to the board at AIRAH’s National Convention, which this year was held remotely due to the […]
-
ARBS 2020: New dates announced
ARBS has been rescheduled to be held from February 15–17, 2021. The event was originally planned for May 19-21, 2020, but had been postponed due to the coronavirus. The exhibition will remain in the same venue at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. According to ARBS Exhibition Organiser Sue Falcke, it will occupy the same […]
-
Legionella outbreak in Melbourne
The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has identified four confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease involving individuals who have spent time in the Brunswick area in Melbourne, including Sydney Road. All cases have required treatment in hospital. All had symptoms commencing in February and March 2020. Particularly because of the current focus on […]
-
Licensing – now and towards 2050
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH), led by its Refrigeration Special Technical Group, has released a position statement on HVAC&R licensing in Australia, and is seeking input from industry stakeholders. Although there are well-established and successful licensing regimes in place – most notably the national ARCtick licence scheme – AIRAH CEO […]
-
No lockdown for HVAC&R, says AIRAH
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has written to federal, state and territory ministers and called on the government to clearly identify HVAC&R, building maintenance and support as essential services. As governments across Australia order non-essential services to shut down to stop the spread of COVID-19, AIRAH has signalled the need […]
-
ARC adjusts services for COVID-19
In response to the coronavirus situation, the ARC has put in place measures to keep the RAC industry permit scheme operating on a “business as usual” basis, with only minimal changes. Face-to-face permit condition checks (audits) will be replaced by electronic checks via email. For lodging and assessing online renewals, however, it will be business […]
-
Advisory note on COVID-19 and HVAC
A.G. Coombs has published an advisory note that explores how COVID-19 may interact with HVAC systems and the steps that should be taken to reduce the spread of the virus. Although the note confirms that – according to the most recent information – COVID-19 is mainly spread through respiratory droplets, it also indicates that there […]
-
AIRAH statement on COVID-19
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has suspended all scheduled events up until May 31, 2020, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, says the Institute is closely monitoring developments regarding the coronavirus. “Unfortunately, as a result of COVID-19, AIRAH has had to make the decision to […]
-
NSW Net Zero Plan
The NSW government has released its Net Zero Plan Stage 1: 2020–2030. It is the foundation for NSW’s action on climate change and goal to reach net zero emissions by 2050. Under the plan, the NSW economy will see over $11.6bn of private investment and 2,400 new jobs. Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean says […]
-
$1.3bn coronavirus aid package for apprentices
The government has committed $1.3bn in wage subsidies to help small businesses retain apprentices displaced by the coronavirus downturn. As part of Australia’s COVID-19 response, the subsidies will support small businesses with funding of up to $21,000 ($7,000 per quarter) for every apprentice. The intention is to help small businesses get back on track after […]
-
Study on spread of COVID-19 in air conditioned bus
The coronavirus could be transmitted over a longer distance than previously thought, especially within an enclosed air conditioned environment, according to a study by a team of Chinese government epidemiologists. The research by the Hunan-based team throws into question the official guidelines from China’s health authorities on COVID-19 prevention to keep “a safe distance” of […]
-
LGBTQI+ inclusion in engineering
Aurecon, Pride in Diversity and Engineers Australia have jointly launched a new community in Sydney to promote LGBTQI+ inclusion in engineering. Interengineer will be an independent industry group designed to promote LGBTQI+ inclusion through networking and advocacy activities, says the media release. The group’s formation would allow for additional support and resources towards the engineering […]
-
ECS Group organises BAS version 5.0 FIN trial
ECS Group is offering customers and industry associates a complimentary trial of the building automation systems (BAS) version of the FIN Framework 5.0 software. The free one-day event is called “Take FIN for a spin” and will be held at The Grand Hyatt Melbourne on March 20. ECS Group specialises in building automation and controls, […]
-
Grosvenor appoints new COO
Grosvenor Engineering Group has announced the appointment of Graham Hindley to the role of Chief Operating Officer. Hindley is a qualified engineer, industrial relations and commerce professional. He spent 20 years in senior management roles in Sydney, Malaysia, China and Germany working for engineering and manufacturing companies. Managing Director at Grosvenor Engineering Group, Nicholas Lianos, […]
-
ARBS 2020 postponed
ARBS Exhibitions Ltd has held an extraordinary board meeting where it was decided that the ARBS 2020 exhibition scheduled to be held from May 19–21 will be postponed due to the COVID-19 virus. “Circumstances relating to the virus have triggered the postponement,” says ARBS Events Organiser Sue Falcke. She cites a number of factors as […]
-
NCPR assesses building product reliability
In the age of fake news, the building industry has encountered its fair share of falsehoods. There has been an increasing volume of misappropriate behaviour – be it in the filing of false evidence to support regulatory conformance or the use of inferior-quality materials. This consequently puts the profile of Australian buildings at risk. And […]