2025 AIRAH National Awards: Woolworths Group wins both Excellence in Refrigeration and Excellence in Innovation

Woolworths Doolandella is located in the Brisbane surrounds and is classified as climate zone 2 by the Australian Building Codes Board. The warm and humid conditions, particularly during summer, present one of the more challenging environments for refrigeration and comfort cooling systems.

In response, Woolworths developed a template for its “Bright Green” store concept, designed to deliver consistent outcomes regardless of climate zone. The integrated HVAC&R solution, centred around a transcritical CO₂ (T-CO₂) system, prioritises safety, repeatability, optimised capital investment, energy efficiency, ease of maintenance and climate resilience.

Performance observations across both summer and winter in 2025 suggest Woolworths Doolandella achieved the aspirational HVAC and refrigeration outcomes the Group was aiming for. The project demonstrates how integrated system design can open a pathway towards net-zero HVAC and refrigeration solutions across all climate zones.

Awards received:

• Excellence in Refrigeration – Woolworths Doolandella HVAC&R integrated T-CO₂ system
• Excellence in Innovation – Best New Project – Woolworths Doolandella HVAC&R integrated T-CO₂ system

Excellence in Refrigeration finalist: Regis Aged Care – Proactive refrigerant phase-down and lifecycle transition for portfolio-wide emissions reduction

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