Page 8
Category: Regulations
-
Industry faces new deadline for fire testing
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has issued a corrigendum for NCC 2019 that delays the changeover to new testing requirements for passive fire protection systems. Previously, as of May 1, 2022, these systems were to be tested to the latest version of AS 1530.4; this has now been pushed back to September 1, 2022, […]
-
Government survey on Victoria’s HVAC sector
The Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts, and Regions (DJPR) is running a survey to analyse the capabilities of the HVAC sector in Victoria. The survey has been created in response to the combined challenges of supply-chain disruptions and greater demand for improved HVAC systems to prevent the airborne spread of COVID-19. The survey takes less […]
-
NT weighs up Section J energy efficiency provisions
The Northern Territory government is seeking industry feedback on potential changes to its energy efficiency provisions for buildings. Following a local industry investigation in 2020 into the potential adoption of NCC Section J in the Northern Territory and in response to industry feedback, a cost benefit analysis has been conducted by energy-efficiency specialists DeltaQ. The […]
-
Feedback sought on smoke control training materials
As part of the electrotechnology training package, new materials have been developed for assessing and reporting on smoke control features, and the Technical Advisory Committee is seeking feedback. The unit, Inspect, test and repair fire and smoke control features of mechanical services systems, has been updated to address the skills and knowledge requirements for assessment […]
-
Compliance crunch coming for fire dampers?
A small note to the schedule of referenced documents in the National Construction Code that is set to activate on May 1 could cause big non-compliance risks with fire dampers, according to some industry sources. The issue relates to the testing standard AS 1530.4 for fire dampers called up in the National Construction Code (NCC). […]
-
Victoria approves assessment scheme for HVAC&R engineers
The Victorian Business Licensing Authority has approved the AIRAH Professional Engineer Register (APER) program under the Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019. This follows the approval for the APER in Queensland in 2021, and represents the next step of AIRAH’s plan to provide a professional registration scheme for HVAC&R building services engineers across the country. AIRAH […]
-
Breaking the bias in HVAC&R
To mark International Women’s Day (IWD) and its theme for 2022, AIRAH has launched a survey to collect and share experiences of gender in Australia’s HVAC&R building services sector, and identify ways to “break the bias”. Sharing experiences The survey was initiated by the Women of AIRAH special technical group (STG). Ura Sarfejoo, M.AIRAH, is […]
-
Stewardship for electrical and electronic products
Submissions for the Stewardship for Consumer and Other Electrical and Electronic Products discussion paper are closing on Friday, February 25. According to the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, the e-waste generated each year by Australians has more than doubled in the past 10 years. The department held discussions from August to November last […]
-
Timetable confirmed for NCC 2022
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has confirmed the preview and adoption dates for NCC 2022, and has scheduled a series of seminars around the country to present the key changes. As previously reported, the adoption of NCC 2022 has been delayed until later this year due to the disruptions to industry caused by the […]
-
Call to provide input for Industry Skills Survey
Australian Industry Standards (AIS) is holding a survey to identify the skills needs for various industries. AIS collects data annually from the Industry Outlook Survey to determine industry workforce planning and skill development demands. The data is especially relevant in 2022, with the dual factors of the pandemic and digital transformation impacting the labour market. The […]
-
Draft guidance on reducing GHG emissions
The Victorian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released a new draft guideline for managing greenhouse gas emissions. Under Victoria’s Environment Protection Act 2017, which came into effect on July 1, 2021, people conducting activities that pose risks of harm to human health or the environment from pollution and waste must understand those risks and take […]
-
NSW proposes increase to BASIX standards
The NSW government is proposing increases to BASIX thermal performance and energy standards, beginning in late 2022. The government says the work is being done “to build more comfortable homes, cut energy costs and contribute to the state’s target of net zero homes by 2050”. This aligns with the Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings, the […]
-
Overcoming regulatory barriers for prefab homes
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has released a consultation paper that explores the regulatory barriers limiting the uptake of modular and prefabricated home construction. “Builders, trades and homeowners are looking at innovative ways to build – for speed, accuracy and finish,” says HIA Chief Executive Industry Policy Kristin Brookfield. “However, our current building codes, standards, […]
-
Technology Investment Roadmap under review
The federal government is calling for submissions to inform development of the Low Emissions Technology Statement 2022. The Low Emissions Technology Statement (LETS) is an annual update to the Technology Investment Roadmap – the Australian government’s technology-led approach to reducing emissions. It is the cornerstone of Australia’s Long-Term Emissions Reduction Plan, which the government says […]
-
IEA seeks case studies in resilient cooling
The International Energy Agency (IEA) is collating case studies as part of its Energy in Buildings and Communities (EBC) program. The specific project, Annex 80, focuses on the resilient cooling of buildings. “The world is facing a rapid increase of air conditioning of buildings,” says the IEA “This is driven by multiple factors, such as […]
-
Standards Australia gives support to solar
Standards Australia has revised the standard AS/NZS 5033:2021 Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays to support the growing solar panel industry. According to Standards Australia, almost four million solar photo-voltaic (PV) panel systems have been installed across Australia in the past 20 years, which has seen a dramatic reduction in overall costs. Solar […]
-
Institute of Refrigeration proposes path to net zero
The Institute of Refrigeration (IoR) is calling for consultation on two policy papers that address key aspects to support users of HVAC&R technologies in the pathway to net zero emissions. The papers are published by Beyond Refrigeration, an initiative of the IoR that addresses climate change issues and provides a framework for technical leadership. The two […]
-
Seeking clarity on professional registration
As professional registration schemes commence across Australia, practitioners in the refrigeration sector are looking for a clear statement from government on which parts of their work will fall under the new regulations – and calling for alternative qualification pathways. On July 1, 2021, the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 came into effect in New […]
-
Clock ticking on Queensland licence deadline
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is urging workers to submit their applications for occupational and site supervisor licences ahead of the January 1, 2022 deadline – and to take advantage of the alternative pathway arrangements that finish this week, on September 30. According to the QBCC, assessment officers have seen an increase in […]
-
Residential Energy Efficiency CRIS open for comment
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is seeking comment on a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (CRIS) providing an analysis of proposed amendments to the residential energy efficiency provisions included in stage 2 of the NCC 2022 public comment draft. The CRIS provides an analysis of the cost and benefits of the proposed increases in the […]