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New era for Fantech
Fantech has announced the launch of Fantech Capital HVAC as a new business under its overall structure. The move will see the air movement and ventilation specialist offering a new portfolio of products such as chillers, cooling towers, AHUs and FCUs. Brands will include Clint, Mesan USA, Euroclima, Komfovent, SmartAir, Smartech, Airatherm, Liberty, Barcol-Air and […]
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Health and Wellbeing regs up for review
The Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009 are scheduled to expire in December 2019 after 10 years of operation. New regulations have now been drafted, along with a regulatory impact statement (RIS). According to A.G. Coombs’ strategic development director Bryon Price, F.AIRAH, the primary area of interest for buildings and facilities relates to the […]
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Last call for ARBS speakers
ARBS has put out a final call for industry professionals interested in submitting abstracts for seminars, panels, and workshops to be delivered at ARBS 2020. The event will be held in Melbourne from May 19–21, 2020. Thomas Heine, Sales and Market Manager EC Upgrades, CMVP of ebm-papst A&NZ says the ARBS seminar program is an […]
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A pressure independent future
The South Australian Chapter of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) is running a presentation titled “A Pressure Independent Future”. The event is being run in collaboration with IFE, IHEA, IPEA, and AMCA. Andrew Brooks from Belimo will explore the difference between pressure-independent (PI) and traditional pressure-dependent valves, their comparisons, common pitfalls or oversights […]
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Brennan ready for WorldSkills’ biggest event
Australian refrigeration and air conditioning WorldSkills champion Patrick Brennan is in the final stages of preparation for the 45th WorldSkills International Competition in Kazan, Russia. The competition will be held from August 22–27. It will bring together more than 1,600 young professionals representing more than 60 countries and regions. They will compete in 56 skills. […]
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The big cost of the big chill
Data analytics can reduce costs for building operators by providing more accurate measures of chiller and HVAC system performance. That was the message of Dr Troy Wilson, Affil.AIRAH, Chief Data Scientist at CIM Enviro and a Research Fellow at Macquarie University, when he presented at AIRAH’s Big Data and Analytics Forum earlier this month. Outdated standards? Currently, […]
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New minimum standards for large AC
New greenhouse and energy minimum standards (GEMS) have been drafted for air conditioners above 65kW. They are open for public comment. There are currently no minimum energy efficiency requirements under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act for air conditioners over 65kW capacity to be sold in Australia. There are, however, requirements in the National […]
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New energy labels explained
As reported previously, a new energy rating label is on the way for some air conditioners. The zoned energy rating label (ZERL) includes more detailed information to help customers choose the best air conditioner for their climate zone – and save money. The labels will be mandatory on new models from April 1, 2020. To […]
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IoT – The Neurology of Building Operations
The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE ANZ) is holding a seminar series called “IoT – The Neurology of Building Operations” in Australia and New Zealand in September. The seminars will focus on how to use the Internet of Things (IoT) for better building operation. According to CIBSE, denser populations are bringing about the […]
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UN project celebrates women workers
Last year the United Nations called for women working in the HVAC&R industry around the world to share their stories. These have now been compiled in a special publication – Women in the Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Industry: Personal Experiences and Achievements. “If you ask the average person on the street who they think designs, manufactures, […]
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AC in your pocket
A Sony-affiliated startup has announced the Reon Pocket, a small Bluetooth device that can fit into a pocket and will cool and heat the wearer. Other companies and research teams are working on bringing heating and cooling to a wearable level, but the Reon Pocket looks like the first such product that could break into […]
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Securing your BMCS
Building services specialist A.G. Coombs has published an advisory note about building management control systems. “In modern buildings, building management and control systems (BMCS) are responsible for the operation of critical systems including air conditioning, ventilation, lighting, backup power supplies and, often, building security and access. “These critical systems can be let down by compromised […]
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Battle of the thermostat heats up
Is there a battle of the sexes when it comes to office air conditioning? And do men and women really work more efficiently at different temperatures? Certainly decades of anecdotal evidence and arguments about dress codes and set-points suggests men and women have different ideal temperature preferences at work. Now a new German study does […]
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Energy efficiency calculators ready for testing
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has released four energy efficiency calculators for beta testing. The calculators have been developed to help users with understanding and applying the National Construction Code (NCC) Volume One Deemed-to-Satisfy Provisions for the energy efficiency of façades, lighting, fans and pumps. The calculators include: Façade, Volume One Lighting, Volume One Fan Systems, Volume One […]
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Disruption waiting to happen for BMS industry
According to IBM researcher Arun Vishwanath, disruption is coming to the building controls industry in the form of artificial intelligence and machine learning that could eventually enable self-driving buildings. Vishwanath was the keynote speaker at AIRAH’s inaugural Big Data and Analytics Forum in Sydney last week. The event saw 120 attendees – including analytics consultants, […]
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Umow Lai joins Integral Group
Australian building services and sustainability practice Umow Lai is joining Integral Group, a global network of mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers, energy analysts, commissioning authorities and sustainability consultants. Founded in Melbourne in 1991 by George Umow and Dominic Lai, M.AIRAH, Umow Lai has grown to become a leading multi-disciplinary building services engineering, fire engineering, ICT […]
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ARBS 2020 calls for speakers
Air conditioning, refrigeration and building services industry professionals are invited to submit abstracts for seminars, panels, and workshops to be delivered at ARBS 2020. The seminars will run during the ARBS exhibition to be held in Melbourne from May 19–21, 2020. Two seminar programs will run in 2020. The Speaker Series is designed to deliver […]
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Five low-hanging fruit of HVAC&R
The time has come to herald the sustainability solutions offered by HVAC&R, rather than focus on its challenges. That’s the message from Andrea Voigt, Director General of the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE). As Europe swelters through one of its hottest summers on record, cooling in the form of air conditioning is […]
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Southern stars: SA Apprentice Awards
Last week AIRAH held its annual SA Apprentice Awards to recognise up-and-coming professionals in South Australia’s HVAC&R sector. Ben Winter of Airmaster took out the top award. A fourth-year apprentice, Winter joined Airmaster in 2016 and assists in the maintenance operations at the Myer Centre in Adelaide’s Rundle Mall precinct. ActronAir was the major sponsor of […]
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ABCB to revise energy efficiency provisions
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has opened consultation for an energy efficiency scoping study. The ABCB has been directed by the Building Ministers’ Forum (BMF) to investigate possible changes to the energy efficiency provisions, with an emphasis on residential buildings in the 2022 edition of the National Construction Code (NCC). The work is to […]