Page 117
The government has extended the instant asset write-off scheme until December 31, 2020, a move that has been applauded by The Australian Refrigeration Association (ARC). The ARC says that giving businesses six more months to immediately claim on purchases up to $150,000 represents a win for refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) contractors. The instant asset […]
An advocacy agenda has been released calling on governments to make every building count in Australia’s economic recovery. The Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), Energy Efficiency Council, Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and the Property Council of Australia teamed up to release the agenda. It leverages recommendations from the report Every Building Counts, and highlights […]
Shecco, the organiser of ATMOsphere, and the Danish Technological Institute (DTI) are teaming up to host an online event entitled “The Future of Air Conditioning”. Taking place from June 23–24, the ATMO/DTI Technical Conference will feature a range of special topics and technical sessions delivered by leading experts. On the first day, Senior Fellow of Rocky […]
The National Energy Efficient Building Project (NEEBP), on behalf of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council National Energy Productivity Plan, has developed the Energy Efficiency Skills Program. Offered as part of the Cross-Industry Skills Training Project, the Program is designed to help industry professionals comply with set requirements under the National Construction Code […]
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment has fined a Victorian-based importer and manufacturer of air conditioning equipment $12,600 for importing bulk hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) without a controlled substances licence. Importing HCFC without a licence is an offence under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989, which is in place to protect […]
As part of the ASHRAE Annual Meeting, the ASHRAE Associate Society Alliance (AASA) will convene its own meeting on June 17, just days ahead of the 2020 ASHRAE Virtual Conference scheduled to take place from June 22-25. The Alliance is an assembly of representatives of Associate Societies of ASHRAE, representing 15 regions and more than […]
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has launched the WELL Health-Safety Rating for all building and facility types. The tool is an evidence-based, third-party verified rating system focusing on operational policies, maintenance protocols and design strategies to address a post-COVID-19 environment. The WELL Health-Safety Rating is one of the earliest outcomes of IWBI’s Task Force […]
The NSW government has passed the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019, marking a major step towards compulsory registration for engineers. “The bill delivers on the New South Wales government’s promise to introduce a suite of new obligations on design and building practitioners to ensure that each step of construction is well documented and compliant,” said […]
AIRAH as part of its relationship with the ASHRAE Associate Society Alliance will offer three free webinars focused on mitigating potential health risks during re-opening of buildings closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. As buildings begin to reopen after the COVID-19 closures, it is important to make sure that building readiness plans are in place for […]
Wholesaler Beijer Ref Australia and the refrigeration and air conditioning technology specialist Bitzer Australia have inked a partnership agreement that will see Beijer Ref offer the complete range of Bitzer products and services in Australia. The companies have signed a rolling one-year agreement that allows Beijer Ref Australia to offer the whole range of Bitzer […]
Earlier this year, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) ran an online survey to collect input on its position statement for HVAC&R licensing in Australia. The position statement, developed by AIRAH’s Refrigeration Special Technical Group, will define the Institute’s stance on HVAC&R licensing in Australia, and will serve as an advocacy tool for […]
The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is developing an education program to encourage refrigeration and air conditioning equipment owners and facilities managers to improve their level of preventive maintenance. The program aims to reduce refrigerant and energy-related greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time reduce consumer costs by having their equipment operate […]
The Western Australia government is reminding building managers to maintain cooling towers and flush other water systems that may not have had regular use recently – including showers, emergency eye baths, spas, fountains and ice machines – to prevent Legionnaires’ disease. The warnings follow five cases of Legionnaires’ disease notified to the Department of Health […]
The Federal Government has announced a tax-free grant program to assist the residential construction industry during the coronavirus pandemic. Eligible owner-occupiers (including first home buyers) can apply for the $25,000 HomeBuilder grant to build a new home or renovate an existing one. State and territory governments will need to sign the National Partnership Agreement with […]
The Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF) has issued a document proposing a number of key recommendations on guiding the construction industry out of the coronavirus disruption period. In the document entitled Construction’s Bridge to Recovery, the ACIF is calling on the government to assist with the economic recovery of the construction business through a list […]
Sustainability Victoria has revamped its business energy usage website to assist organisations with reducing energy costs and improving productivity. Energy rates have been on the rise, but the Victorian government’s $6.1 million Boosting Business Productivity program has helped businesses save $2.33 million on their annual energy bills. This was achieved by conducting energy reviews with […]
Chillventa 2020, a prominent Germany-based biennial event on the European HVAC&R calendar, has been cancelled. While a digital congress has now been scheduled to take place on the original dates (October 13-15), the next Chillventa will be held on October 11-13, 2022. For its tenth outing in 2018, the European event had surpassed 1,000 exhibitors […]
The Western Australian Department of Health (DOH) has prepared a second discussion paper to explore new regulations around air-handling and water systems. In May 2019 the DOH released a discussion paper for public consultation to investigate the most effective option for managing the potential public health risks associated with air-handling and water distribution systems to […]
The results are in from a survey exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on US HVAC&R professionals. The survey was conducted by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). About 3,000 of its members replied to “ASHRAE’s Survey of the Impact of COVID-19 on Members Professionally and Their Businesses”, which explored […]
Seeley International has unveiled the Climate Wizard CW-6S, a new model in its series of indirect evaporative air conditioning products for commercial and industrial use. Using the company’s latest micro-core design, Seeley says the CW-6S offers better energy efficiency with a more compact footprint. The smaller build and design makes it an alternative for buildings […]