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Category: News
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COVID-19 ventilation guide
European industry association Eurovent has released a guide on the operation of ventilation systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The document presents general and basic recommendations on the operation and maintenance of ventilation systems in accordance with instructions and applicable hygiene standards. According to the Eurovent website, there is currently no evidence that the coronavirus […]
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Q&A webinar on COVID-19
The Air Conditioning & Mechanical Contractors’ Association (AMCA) will be hosting a Q&A webinar on COVID-19, featuring Nobel Laureate Professor Peter Doherty AO. To be held on Thursday April 16, the Q&A session will shed light on the following questions: What makes COVID-19 different from other viruses’? How long we will need to maintain social […]
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Grant benefits for registered NT tradies
NT-based tradies and contractors can now register with the Jobs Rescue and Recovery Plan to provide work through the Home Improvement Scheme, Business Improvement Grants and Immediate Work Grants. The $65m plan is aimed at protecting Territorians from the deep economic impacts of the coronavirus through creating new work opportunities, saving jobs, and helping businesses […]
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Buildings running on empty
AIRAH has highlighted the importance of maintaining HVAC and other building services – even if premises are temporarily unoccupied. Across Australia, offices and other commercial buildings have emptied out as organisations shut down or staff work from home due to the COVID-19 prevention measures. But even when premises are empty, HVAC systems and other building […]
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Global Cooling Prize timeline extension
The Global Cooling Prize Supervisory Board and Operating Council of the Prize have announced that the Prize timeline will be extended. The Global Cooling Prize is a global competition designed to spur development of a radically more energy efficient cooling technology. The decision comes as a result of the global escalation of measures to contain […]
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Free COVID-19 webinars
The International Well Building Institute (IWBI) is hosting a series of free webcasts on responding to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These sessions are based on webcasts hosted by the IWBI’s China team said to have reached as many as 110,000 attendees at a time. Touching on subjects ranging from remote work ergonomics to air quality […]
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Carrier becomes independent company
Global manufacturing company Carrier has completed its separation from United Technologies (UTC) and is now an independent, publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. The company was established in 1915 by Willis Carrier and is an international provider of air conditioning, refrigeration, heating and ventilation technologies. It was purchased by UTC in 1979, […]
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AIRAH launches ARPEng program
To support Australia’s new professional registration schemes for engineers, AIRAH has launched the AIRAH Registered Professional Engineer (ARPEng) accreditation program for Mechanical Engineer – HVAC&R professionals. Last year, in response to the Shergold-Weir Building Confidence report, the Building Ministers Forum (BMF) signalled the need for a nationally harmonised registration scheme for building practitioners, including engineers. The Queensland […]
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NSW, Melbourne extend construction hours
The New South Wales government and the City of Melbourne have extended working hours on construction sites in a bid to protect jobs and limit the economic impact of COVID-19. Under the new rules, construction hours in NSW will be extended to weekends and public holidays. The City of Melbourne is proposing an extra hour […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]