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BlueScope signs landmark solar energy deal
On Friday, July 20, Australian steel manufacturer BlueScope signed a seven-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with ESCO Pacific’s Finley Solar Farm. The deal was coordinated by Schneider Electric. The direct agreement will enable ESCO Pacific to start building the farm later this year. It will comprise 500,000 solar panels across a 300ha site located 100km […]
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Resilient Sydney: Extreme heat our biggest risk
Resilient Sydney – a strategy document created by 33 Sydney metropolitan councils and the 100 Resilient Cities initiative – has stressed the importance of planning for climate change. The strategy document was released this week with the aim of strengthening the city’s ability to survive, adapt and thrive in the face of increasing global uncertainty […]
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Tackling air tightness seminar
GBCA (Green Building Council Australia) is holding seminars about air tightness practices for existing and new buildings in Melbourne and Sydney in September. Air tightness is a big challenge that building performance faces. Ensuring that a whole building is well-sealed creates measurably better performance for both energy efficiency and control of the indoor environment. The […]
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Cool podcasts from Danfoss
Danfoss is producing a series of educational podcasts on refrigeration. Hosted by Jens Andersen, a professional with over 40 years’ experience in the cooling industry, the series is aptly titled Chilling with Jens. It reflects the growing popularity of podcasts for educational content. Many people are finding that their vehicle or even their train carriage […]
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Interim IEC vote approves increased HC charge limit
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has voted to increase the charge limits of flammable A3 hydrocarbon refrigerants, such as propane, in commercial refrigeration equipment. This is an interim vote, meaning that the change must still go through other steps before it is enacted as a global standard. If there are no obstacles that could happen […]
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Walk-in cool room research project
AIRAH (the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating) has released a discussion paper on the initial findings of industry consultation into barriers of energy efficiency in the walk-in cool room sector in Victoria. AIRAH is working with The Expert Group and the Department of Environment, Water, Land and Planning to provide visibility to the […]
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Aussie innovators set to shine on world stage
A team of students from the University of Wollongong (UOW) are set to compete in the Solar Decathlon 2018 in Dubai. The Solar Decathlon is an international competition with the backing of the US Department of Energy. It challenges collegiate teams to design, construct and operate solar-powered houses that are sustainable, stylish and cost effective. […]
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Bitzer and Güntner sign distribution deal
Compressor specialist Bitzer and heat exchanger producer Güntner have signed a long-term distribution contract. Bitzer will exclusively market all commercial and industrial Güntner heat exchanger products in Australia and New Zealand. The agreement specifies that Güntner will manufacture the goods and Bitzer will distribute them. The company stresses, however, that nothing will change for customers. […]
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Inquest rules ammonia accident preventable
An inquest was held into how a man died during an ammonia explosion at the Carlsberg Brewery in Northampton, England. The coroner believed that David Chandler, 45, died almost instantly when an ammonia leak caused a dormant compressor to explode in his face. The unit had previously been disconnected, but during an attempt to move […]
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RMIT ThingWorx Hackathon gears up
RMIT University and LEAP Australia are hosting a Hackathon for teams of students to solve some of the toughest problems from the world of IoT (Internet of Things) and AR (augmented reality) – including one related to HVAC&R. Using PTC’s ThingWorx, an award-winning platform for developing IoT applications, students will digitally solve real-world problems presented by companies from the […]
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Webinar on commercial refrigeration
The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage is holding a free webinar about commercial refrigeration at 10.30am on August 1. The webinar is titled “Commercial refrigeration – keeping your costs cool!” and will run for 30 minutes. It is being facilitated by independent energy-efficiency expert Nick Palousis, and is recommended for business professionals wanting to better […]
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Consensus for World Refrigeration Day?
Support for an annual World Refrigeration Day is growing, with June 26 mooted as the day to mark the industry’s contribution to the world economy and society. Stephen Gill, refrigerant consultant and President of the Institute of Refrigeration, hopes World Refrigeration Day will serve as a means of raising awareness of refrigeration and the role […]
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Extreme weather triggers AC overload
Temperatures of over 43°C in Southern California and the associated increase in air conditioning demand has led to a series of blackouts across Los Angeles. And it may be a sign of things to come. Almost 100,000 customers in LA were left without power during a heatwave that set new records. According to the Los […]
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CFC-11 still being used illegally
Earlier this year, reports emerged of a “mysterious” rise in CFC-11 (trichlorofluoromethane) quantities in the atmosphere. This was surprising, because CFCs had been phased out by the Montreal Protocol due to their harmful effect on the ozone layer, and were thought to be virtually extinct. Now, a new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) […]
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Tougher NCC critical for climate
There is an urgent need for stronger energy standards for residential housing and buildings under Australia’s National Construction Code (NCC). So says Australia’s insulation industry, claiming that tougher standards are critical to ensuring they are ready for and committed to a zero-carbon future. “We need certainty for the industry now, with a building code that […]
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Heatcraft offers CO2 training
Heatcraft’s first round of industry CO2 training will begin this month. It is open to refrigeration contactors and consultants who are interested in specifying, selling, installing, commissioning and servicing CO2 systems. According to Heatcraft, the content will provide “first-hand experience for all participants to gain an understanding of CO2 refrigeration technologies, providing hassle-free installation, start-up […]
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South Australia’s got talent
AIRAH is celebrating the achievements of South Australian apprentices at its annual Apprentice Awards dinner. The South Australian Apprentice Awards Night will be held on Friday, August 17 at the Hackney Hotel from 7-10pm. The Apprentice of the Year will be announced, as will the Runner-up Award, the Encouragement Award and the Airefrig Scholarship Award. […]
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Q&A – Why resilience matters with Nicki Parker
Nicki Parker is Sustainability Manager for Norman Disney & Young and is leading AIRAH’s inaugural Resilience Forum on July 26 in Sydney. We spoke to her about what resilience is and why it matters. Nicki, can you give us a “nutshell” definition of resilience? It’s the ability to bounce back from an extreme event or […]
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DELWP releases new plumbing regulations
The Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has released draft Plumbing Regulations and a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) for public consultation. The new regulations are the result of the early public consultation phase that occurred in March 2017 and the subsequent targeted consultation process. Key changes proposed include: Additional experience requirements for […]
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NT information session: HFC phase-down
The Department of the Environment and Energy is holding an information session in Darwin on July 19 about the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phase-down. The session will cover what it means for HFC users, including equipment owners and technicians. The session will also cover other changes to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Program to reduce […]