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Webinar on possible updates to flammable charge limits
“Cool & Safe: Climate-friendly cooling is just one step away” is a free one-hour webinar on September 30 about the proposed update to the international standard for the use of flammable refrigerants in room air conditioners. It is organised by Environmental Action Germany and independent consulting firm HEAT, in cooperation with German development agency GIZ […]
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Project management expertise the key to revival?
A leading engineering consultancy and training provider suggest that one of the possibly overlooked keys to Australia’s economy recovery post-COVID-19 could be project management expertise. As federal and state governments allocate billions of dollars’ worth of shovel-ready infrastructure projects in an effort to boost local economies, the “Specialist project management – the engine of successful […]
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Australia must catch up, say buildings physics experts
Australia is lagging behind the rest of the developed world when it comes to sealing, thermal performance and control of moisture in our buildings. That was the consensus at AIRAH’s Building Physics Virtual Forum, held on September 17. But the event also highlighted the opportunity to improve by using our local expertise and learning from […]
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Foundational course on Green Star rating
The Green Building Council Australia (GCBA) will be running an online course for those new to sustainability or who want to gain an understanding of the business benefits derived from using the Green Star rating tools. The Green Star Foundations course is part of GBCA’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program. It represents the first step […]
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Outlook 2020 goes online
AIRAH has announced that the flagship event of its Centenary year, Outlook 2020, will now be held as a virtual event. The International HVAC&R Conference and Awards Gala will be live-streamed from 9am–5.30pm (AEDT) on November 10. This year’s keynotes include Professor Lidia Morawska and Deb Noller. “In my time with AIRAH I can’t recall […]
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Biomimetic fans improve ventilation
German ventilation and control company, Ziehl-Abegg has worked with the Motorwerk Berlin to reduce aerosol risk by improving ventilation design with biomimetic fans. The Motorwerk Berlin is an event location in Berlin’s Pankow district, which hosts events such as Germany’s Next Top Model and new car presentations by Porsche and Daimler. CEO at Motorwerk, Dr […]
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UK study mulls heat pumps for net-zero buildings
A feasibility study conducted by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) is re-evaluating building materials and exploring heat pumps as realistic design pathways to meet the UK’s decarbonisation targets. The findings are intended to improve collective understanding of the real-world implications for achieving new net zero buildings. The “Building the case for net zero” report […]
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MHIAA scores double win
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioners Australia (MHIAA) has won accolades both at the 2020 Good Design Australia Awards and Canstar Blue’s 2020 Air Conditioner Reviews & Ratings. The company’s FDTC Compact Ceiling Cassette won the prestigious Good Design award in the Product Design Hardware and Building category at the 2020 Good Design Australia Awards. The award […]
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Daikin launches new VRV-S series
Daikin has announced the release of its latest VRV-S series of AC systems. The VRV-S HSE (high seasonal efficiency) series has been developed for both residential and light commercial applications. The series is available in three models: 11.2kW, 14.0kW and 16.0kW. Measuring 870 (H) x 1100 (W) x 460mm (D), the new outdoor units are […]
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New heat exchangers focus on sustainable cooling
Alfa Laval has launched a new generation of brazed plate heat exchangers that offer increased sustainability for cooling duties. The AC74 includes unique technologies developed to improve energy efficiency and enable the use of refrigerants with low global warming potential (GWP), says the company. “An increasing number of our customers are facing challenges as a […]
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Microsoft’s underwater data centre resurfaces
In 2018, Microsoft’s Project Natick team stored the first data centre approximately 35m underwater near the Orkney Islands in Scotland. After monitoring the server for two years, the team recently retrieved the data centre. The concept of storing data centres under water was first conceived by Microsoft during ThinkWeek in 2014. According to this article, […]
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Buildings at heart of EU’s ambitious emissions target
In her State of the Union address last week, President of the European Commission Ursual von der Leyen set an ambitious new emissions reduction target of 55 per cent of current emissions by 2030. “Our impact assessment clearly shows that meeting this target would put the EU firmly on track for climate neutrality by 2050 […]
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Water and space heating from solar PV
Energy Smart Water has organised a Toolbox Techtalk about maximising solar PV self-consumption by diverting power to resistive loads for water heating, hydronic and electric in-floor heating. “Join the Smart Energy Lab Live Techtalk this Sunday, September 20 at 4pm AEST (3.30pm ACST/2pm AWST) with the developers of this smart energy device, the AC•THOR Photovoltaic […]
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WELL v2 ‘ready to change the world’
The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has formally launched the latest version of the WELL Building Standard – WELL v2. The WELL Building Standard is a performance-based system for measuring, certifying, and monitoring features of the built environment that impact human health and wellbeing. It is centered on 10 concepts that impact human health and […]
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Webinar on geothermal systems
AIRAH is holding a Streamline webinar about geothermal systems on Thursday, October 1. Geothermal heating and cooling has become commonplace in Europe and the USA, but is still relatively new in Australia. This session will provide attendees with an understanding of geothermal systems, their suitability for different situations, and how to integrate them into projects. […]
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Webinar on integrating daylight and electric light
The Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) Programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA) will be hosting a webinar on Integrated Solutions for Daylight and Electric Lighting on September 24. As part of the IEA SHC Solar Academy webinar series hosted by the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), the online sessions will provide a brief introduction […]
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Short course trainer loses RTO status
Training group Construction Industry Training Australia (CITA) has had its RTO status cancelled for short course advertising and poor recognition of prior learning (RPL) assessments by training industry regulator Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) originally reported CITA to ASQA for advertising unduly brief short courses, and also for concerns regarding […]
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Using body heat to warm buildings
Whether inside a crowded train or packed exhibition hall, most of us have experienced stuffiness due to body heat radiated from the people around us. The excess body heat released into the atmosphere can actually be used to warm buildings and homes. According to a BBC article, numerous companies are already harnessing this organic warmth. […]
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Los Angeles records its hottest ever temperature
Los Angeles County has registered its hottest temperature on record – a scorching 49.4°C according to the US National Weather Service (NWS). The record spike occurred on September 6 in the Woodland Hills area, breaking the previous record of 48.3°C recorded in 2006. Accurate records have been kept by the NWS since 1949. The NWS […]
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AIRAH supports established HVAC&R term definitions
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has formally recognised five key refrigeration term definitions that were established by an international group of experts. AIRAH has joined a list of international partners – including the French Refrigeration Association (AFF), the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) and the Global Cold Chain Alliance – to officially […]