Refrigeration Efficiency Masterclass announced

Sustainability Victoria has announced a series of free workshops for business owners and operators to learn how to make their refrigeration systems more efficient, with a special focus on walk-in coolrooms.

The walk-in coolroom segment has attracted plenty of attention lately. Cold Hard Facts 3 – still in draft form – estimated that the number of units in Australia more than doubled between 2012 and 2016. In Victoria alone, it is estimated there are over 65,000 walk-in coolrooms, potentially using 1.22GWh per annum and wasting up to 25 per cent energy.

Even more concerning, a recent study of Victorian businesses conducted by Minus 40 Refrigeration Engineers and the Australian Refrigeration Association (ARA) found some defect in 70 per cent of refrigeration systems.

Many of these are owned and operated by small and medium businesses, meaning that in order to improve the situation, information has to be imparted to a large and fragmented audience – no easy task. But Sustainability Victoria has taken on the challenge with the launch of its free half-day Refrigeration Efficiency Masterclass, to be run around the state in August, September and October.

“The course focuses on walk-in cool rooms, so is ideal for business owners/operators in the food and hospitality sectors,” says Sustainability Victoria.

“It will be engaging and appropriately pitched to an audience that may have varying levels of knowledge or operate coolrooms at different scales ranging from small scale operators (e.g., café owners, butchers), medium users (e.g., supermarkets), and larger users (e.g., large food manufacturers and large-scale cold storage facilities).”

Sustainability Victoria says that although the target audience is business owners and operators, the Masterclass will also be of interest to HVAC&R technicians. Indeed, it appears to be an excellent opportunity for end-users and technicians to get on the same page and together establish more effective maintenance regimes.

“The training will cover key principles relating to the efficient and reliable operation of refrigeration equipment, choice of refrigerants, and working with refrigeration contractors,” says Sustainability Victoria. “Participants will also be introduced to Sustainability Victoria’s free Sustainable Finance Service, that helps businesses to invest in energy efficient or renewable energy solutions.”

Dates are as follows:

• August 14: Broadmeadows, partnering with Business Efficiency Network at Hume City Council
• August 15: Wangaratta, partnering with Wangaratta Rural City Council
• September 12: Shepparton, partnering with Greater Shepparton City Council
• September 13: Echuca, partnering with Campaspe Shire Council
• September 14: Bendigo, partnering with City of Greater Bendigo
• October 3: Geelong
  October 4: Warrnambool
• October 17: Mildura, partnering with Mildura Rural City Council
• October 23: Melbourne, South Eastern Suburbs
• October 24: Warragul, partnering with Baw Baw Shire Council
• October 25: Bairnsdale, partnering with East Gippsland Shire Council

Read more>>