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Inside Sydney’s new Passivhaus apartments
A new breed of sustainable housing has landed in Sydney’s inner-city with the opening of The Fern. The 11-unit development from Steele Associates is Australia’s first certified Passive House high-rise project. It endeavours to “set a new standard in sustainable urban living where luxury, lifestyle and comfort co-exist.” “This is a significant milestone for construction […]
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Proposed changes to regulation of chillers
The Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy and New Zealand’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) have consulted with industry on the regulation of liquid chilling packages (chillers) on behalf of the Equipment Energy Efficiency Committee (E3) under the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) Energy Council. As discussed in Chillers: Updated Policy Positions and […]
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Regulation update for RAC industry
Changes have been made to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act that will affect the refrigeration and air conditioning industry. The act – Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Amendment (Methyl Bromide, Fire Protection and Other Measures) Regulations 2018 – commenced on December 12. The new regulations update references to Australian Standards relevant to the […]
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Wilson Industries launches Hydralux
After two years of development with an overseas partner, Wilson Hot Water has released a new imported thermal storage vessel called Hydralux Thermal Storage into the Australian market. “Standout quality at an understated price,” says the company, “Hydralux offers high-quality, high-performance thermal storage with Australian electrical and watermark approvals. “Our vessels are manufactured from Duplex […]
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A Peek “Under the Hood” of the new High Precision CRAC
To a visitor who walks into a data centre only once every five years, the computer room air conditioner (CRAC) units that line the perimeter may look remarkably the same as they did five or even 10 years ago. It’s like an imaginary alien who comes to visit earth in 1957 and sees a Mercedes-Benz […]
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Industry demands energy efficient homes
More than 30 consumer, social sector, industry, environment and local government organisations have signed a joint statement urging COAG Energy Council to commit to action to raise the energy performance of all Australian homes at its December meeting. At the meeting, COAG EC will consider the recommendations of the Department of Environment & Energy’s Trajectory […]
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Fujitsu General acquires Precise Air Group
Fujitsu General Australia has announced the acquisition by parent company Fujitsu General Limited of Precise Air Group (Holding) Pty Limited (PAG), a leading Australian provider of HVAC, fire and bundled maintenance services. The move signals Fujitsu’s intention to expand its business from home air conditioning – where it is currently a market leader in Australia […]
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Louise Adams appointed MD at Aurecon ANZ
Global engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon has appointed Louise Adams as Managing Director Australia and New Zealand from February 2019. Adams was previously the Regional Director responsible for Aurecon’s South Australian and Victorian practice and the first female member to join the company’s global board. According to Aurecon, Adams has a passion for organisational […]
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Michael Bennett becomes new ARC chair
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has appointed Michael Bennett as its new chairman. He replaces outgoing chairman Kevin O’Shea, who stepped down from the role after reaching the term limit under the ARC’s constitution. Bennett is moving from his long-held role as General Manager at Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA). Since RRA’s commencement in 1993, he […]
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What to expect from NCC 2019
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has outlined some key changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) 2019. The NCC sets the minimal requirements in the design, construction, performance and livability of new buildings (and new building work in existing buildings) throughout Australia. AIRAH’s Executive Manager – Government Relations and Technical Services, Phil Wilikinson, F.AIRAH, recommends the […]
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Boost for bush apprentices
The federal government will invest $60m to trial a wage subsidy as an incentive for employers in regional and rural communities to engage more apprentices. The Apprentice Wage Subsidy will see up to 1,630 new Australian apprentices in areas of skills needs – including refrigeration and air conditioning. The scheme is open to employers who […]
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Focus on flammable refrigerants
The HFC phase-down has seen increasing use of refrigerants with lower GWP but higher flammability such as R290 (propane) and R32. In turn, this has raised major concerns about the safe use of these gases. According to the Heads of Workplace Safety Authorities (HWSA), recent workplace fire incidents involving flammable refrigerant gases have “directly contributed […]
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Alinta Energy goes geothermal
Alinta Energy has revealed a major commitment to geothermal heating and cooling with the creation of Alinta Energy Geothermal. The new company division was officially launched at the Fairwater housing estate in Sydney, where more than 800 homes will be served by geothermal heating and cooling in NSW’s first 6 star Green Star community. The development […]
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International green construction code for communities released
The 2018 International Green Construction Code (IgCC) has been released by a consortium of sustainability-minded organisations. The consortium comprises the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the International Code Council, the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and ASHRAE. The International Green Construction Code is designed to have wide applicability for incorporating resilient, high-performance green building strategies into […]
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BBP calls to expand the band
The Better Building Partnership (BBP) has launched the Expand the Band campaign to revise outdated set-points and deadband temperatures in Australian office buildings. The campaign offers building owners a simple and extremely low-cost way of reducing energy costs and emissions. Currently, most commercial leases specify a set-point temperature of 22°C. This is based on 1950s […]
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Aussies score silver in Solar Decathlon
Team Desert Rose from the University of Wollongong has finished second in the Solar Decathlon Middle East. The competition saw 15 teams and 600 students from around the world battling for top honours at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, said to be the largest single-site solar project in the world. The challenge […]
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SACA’s high-tech HVAC
A new three-storey sports hub to support grassroots and women’s cricket has been built as part of a multi-million-dollar redevelopment of the South Australian Cricket Association’s (SACA) Park 25 in Adelaide. Designed by Cox Architects and constructed by Kennett Builders, the officially named Karen Rolton Oval has dramatically reduced the footprint of previous buildings while […]
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Pacific HVAC Engineering welcomes new shareholder
Pacific HVAC Engineering has welcomed a new shareholder to the business: Systemair AB of Sweden. The company’s two major Australian shareholders remain unchanged and continue to operate within the business. Pacific HVAC Engineering says it saw synergies between the international expertise, experience and knowledge of Systemair and itself. The synergies fit with the firms’ future […]
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Daikin acquires major refrigeration business
Daikin has confirmed plans to purchase AHT Cooling Systems – a European manufacturer of plug-in refrigerator and freezer systems – for €881m (Au$1.38bn). AHT has its headquarters in Austria, as well as major facilities in China, the US and Brazil. It sells its products to 115 countries worldwide, and boasts a client list that includes […]
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Sydney Fish Market casts $250m green line
The Sydney Fish Market has announced plans for a $250m development with ambitions to achieve a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). Located in close proximity to the CBD at the head of Blackwattle Bay, the renowned market and tourist attraction hopes to revitalise the area while prioritising […]