Page 122
All posts
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
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, […]
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
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. […]
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
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. […]
-
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 […]
-
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 […]
-
iZone brings smarts to climate control
Australian company iZone is offering advanced air conditioning solutions featuring smart device controls and unique control algorithms that are designed to maximise efficiency and minimise costs. “Thanks to the emergence of smart technology, climate control systems have come a long way, but not all systems are created equal,” says iZone. “Regulating a home’s heating and […]
-
Building for a future climate
Global warming is pushing temperatures upwards, but are Australia’s buildings being designed to handle these future conditions? Probably not, according to a report produced by DeltaQ for the COAG Energy Council. The report aims to quantify the impacts of climate change on the built environment, and recommend how building regulations should adapt. “The key thing […]
-
Celebrate healing of the ozone layer
World Ozone Day is held on September 16 to commemorate the anniversary as well as achievements of the Montreal Protocol. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed on September 16, 1987, to protect the ozone layer by limiting the production and use of ozone-depleting substances. Hailed as the most successful […]
-
Swyft Energy makes strides with vWork
Swyft Energy, a leader in domestic heating installations in Ireland, has used vWork software help to double its sales without doubling its operational team. As in many countries, the heating installation market in Ireland has many small installers due to low barriers to entry. An inhibitor to growth in this competitive market, however, is the […]
-
Workers ‘fly the flag’ to address suicide crisis
Thousands of construction workers across Australia are flying flags on major projects today to highlight the suicide crisis facing the industry, and to promote efforts to save lives by looking out for workmates. According to MATES in Construction, each year 190 Australian construction workers take their lives – six times the number killed by workplace […]
-
Awards recognise top HVAC apprentices in SA
James Corral has been named the South Australian Apprentice of the Year at the 2020 AIRAH SA Apprenticeship Awards. Sponsored by ActronAir, the awards were held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The AIRAH SA Apprenticeship Awards were created to spot and encourage outstanding individuals working as an HVAC Apprentice in the region. […]