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Category: News
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Buildings to the rescue for ERF
The federal government is searching for ways to give the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) a much-needed boost, and appears to see energy efficiency and the built environment as two areas with great potential. The Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF) – recently expanded and rebranded as the Climate Solutions Fund – is the centrepiece of the government’s […]
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Every building counts
The Property Council of Australia and Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) have launched a policy toolkit called Every Building Counts: A practical plan for emissions reduction. The plan sets out practical pathways for transforming Australian homes, workplaces and buildings into low carbon, high-performance structures while reducing emissions. It also includes 75 recommendations to federal, state […]
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Advice on flammables
Asercom, the European refrigeration and air conditioning components manufacturers group, has published a guide for the safe handling of components used in compression refrigeration circuits with flammable refrigerants. “The component manufacturers organised in Asercom have noticed a high degree of uncertainty among refrigeration and air conditioning specialists when dealing with flammable refrigerants,” says Asercom president […]
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Industry snapshot: the latest figures
The Department of the Environment and Energy has released an updated version of Cold Hard Facts, the definitive inventory of Australia’s HVAC&R industry. The 2019 edition updates the version released last year (which contained data up to 2016) with data collected during 2017 and 2018. Key points from this year’s report include: The bank of […]
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ARBS funding up for grabs
The ARBS Education & Research Foundation is encouraging companies working in the air-conditioning and refrigeration industries to apply for education and training grants. Research grants are available to look into solving practical problems. They can be used to support attendance at education and training courses, or the development of new ones. Research grants are also […]
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ActronAir scores BMC award
Australian air conditioning manufacturer ActronAir has been recognised in Deloitte Australia’s Best Managed Companies (BMC) awards. The 2019 winners were announced at a ceremony in Sydney last week. This is the first year that Deloitte has held the first BMC awards in Australia. The program was established in Canada in 1993, and uses global insights […]
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Heat is on for Cooler Classrooms
Last year, the NSW government announced that it would invest half a billion dollars in the Cooler Classrooms program. The five-year initiative aims to improve learning environments in public schools across the state by providing air conditioning. But with summer fast approaching, progress has been modest. “We are committed to delivering a quality, sustainable and […]
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Ground-breaking project for Lakeside
Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) are ready to commence the Westgate Tunnel Project in Melbourne. Their names are Bella and Vida. The TBMs were named for good luck in the project ahead. According to the Westgate Tunnel Project website, this tradition dates right back to the 1500s, when miners and military engineers who excavated with […]
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Cool for School competition
The Institute of Refrigeration (IoR) is running a competition for school students, to promote the contributions that refrigeration science and principles make to society. The Cool for School initiative encourages students to explore the science, technology, engineering and mathematical principles behind refrigeration processes. IoR Chief Executive Miriam Rodway says refrigeration science and principles make a […]
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EcoDuct takes out HIA award
EcoDuct has won the coveted HIA GreenSmart product of the year award for its 300 series low-profile ducting system. The award recognises a product integral to the construction or operation of a home which has been placed on the Australian market within the past 24 months. The EcoDuct 300 series replaces sheet metal ductwork for […]
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A halfway solution for NSW?
The NSW government has taken the next step on the road to professional registration of engineers and other building practitioners – but the draft bill has already raised concerns. The draft of the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019 aims to deliver on the reforms committed to by the government response to the Building Confidence […]
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Maintenance gets a lift with new DA19
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has released a new edition of its leading design application manual, DA19: HVAC&R Maintenance. “Maintenance for heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration has never been more important,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH. “Our economy depends on reliable, effective and efficient HVAC&R like never before, […]
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HVAC&R defies small business slowdown
A new report has found that Australian small businesses are in economic decline across all sectors – except for HVAC&R and plumbing. The findings are based on a comprehensive data review of the invoiced dollar amounts from over 29,600 Australia-based Invoice2go users over consecutive financial years (FY 2018 and FY 2019). This shows that businesses […]
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Cool Coalition pushes for efficient cooling
Partners of the Cool Coalition have announced a major push for efficient, climate-friendly cooling. The Cool Coalition is a global initiative that aims to inspire ambition and accelerate the move to clean and efficient cooling. It is made up of more than 80 partners, including partners from the private sector, government, cities, international organisations, finance, […]
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World leaders commit to stopping climate change
Government and private sector leaders have announced significant and concrete new steps to combat the climate crisis at the Climate Action Summit. The event brought together countries, governments, businesses and civil society to address climate change issues. Some of the commitments included: A number of countries agreeing to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero […]
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RAC roundtable highlights industry issues
A refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) contractors roundtable held in Adelaide recently highlighted a number of key issues currently facing the industry. The meeting followed on from a similar event in Sydney. The Chair of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) Michael Bennett says the sessions are a great opportunity to connect with the broader industry […]
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NABERS marches on
NABERS’ 2018–2019 annual report shows that it continues to gain momentum as a force for sustainable transformation of Australia’s built environment. The report provides updates on the many initiatives under the NABERS banner, with positive news all round. One of the highlights has been the uptake of the scheme in shopping centres around the country. […]
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NSW takes first step towards registration
The NSW government has released draft regulations to introduce registration for building and development certifiers. The move comes one month after Victoria passed legislation for compulsory registration of engineers, and follows the recommendations of the Building Confidence implementation plan. Engineers Australia has criticised what it perceives as the excessively narrow focus of the regulation. “The […]
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Finalists named for 2019 AIRAH Awards
After considerable deliberation from the judging panel, the finalists of the AIRAH Awards 2019 have been selected. The high standard of nominations presented the judges with the difficult task of selecting the best of the best – the finalists – for the AIRAH Awards 2019. “The projects and individuals selected as finalists for the AIRAH […]
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Daikin launches R32 chillers
Daikin has introduced a new generation of air-cooled scroll chillers with R32 refrigerant to the Australian market. The new EWAT-B units offer a path away from R410A in the chiller market. In Australia, where the HFC phase-down is well under way, R32 has already become the de facto replacement for R410A in the split-system market […]