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The push for improving indoor air quality in Australia appears to be gaining traction. At recent industry conferences, within large Australian research projects, and this week at a roundtable event at Parliament House, leaders from a wide range of sectors are joining forces to advocate for action. At AIRAH’s recent IAQ Conference held over two […]
Refrigeration pioneer Klaas Visser, L.AIRAH, has passed away at the age of 83. A passionate advocate for natural refrigerant systems, particularly CO2 and ammonia, Visser worked extensively in the food industry, and was internationally renowned for his contribution to developing large-scale automatic plate freezers. Transforming the meat industry Born and educated in the Netherlands, Visser […]
The 26th IIR International Congress of Refrigeration (ICR 2023) is slated to take place in Paris from August 21–25. “A flagship event in the IIR conference portfolio, the IIR International Congress of Refrigeration reunites refrigeration stakeholders from every corner of the world,” say conference organisers. “The ideal environment for dialogue and discussions on all […]
July is set to be the hottest July and hottest month ever recorded on Earth. According to data from the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the first three weeks of July were the warmest three-week period on record since record-keeping began in 1880. And analysis from the Leipzig University determined that July 2023 will be 0.2°C […]
Researchers from the University of Tokyo have found a way to monitor the flow of heat in electronic or mechanical devices and improve their efficiency using embedded sensors. University of Tokyo, Department of Physics Project Associate Professor Tomoya Higo and Professor Satoru Nakatsuji, worked with their team of researchers and a corporate partnership to track […]
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has launched its first report on grid-interactive buildings, highlighting how these can help achieve a zero-carbon future. Grid-interactive buildings are designed to use electricity in a smart and efficient way, shifting energy usage to times when it’s both cheaper and cleaner, helping to generate clean energy and reduce […]
Nominations are now open for the ARBS 2024 Industry Awards, a celebration of distinguished contributions in Australia’s HVAC&R and building services sector. The awards are an integral component of ARBS 2024, Australia’s largest exhibition for air conditioning, refrigeration, and building services, and span a variety of categories, including: ARBS Young Achiever ARBS Product Excellence ARBS […]
The Victorian government has added major momentum to the electrification movement with the announcement that it is banning gas connections to new homes from next year. New homes and residential subdivisions that require a planning permit cannot connect to the gas network from January 2024. This will apply to new planning permit applications submitted from […]
Monash University researchers have been selected as finalists in Australia’s premier national science awards, the Eureka Prizes, for their research and innovation project which heralds substantial practical advances in renewable energy for a low-carbon future. The project, a collaboration between Monash University and CSIRO to develop windows that can efficiently generate solar electricity, is a […]
Melbourne brewer 3 Ravens has completed an award-winning energy upgrade to its Thornbury brewing facility that will enable it to ramp up production by up to four times current levels without increasing its energy consumption. In addition to upgrading the building fabric and installing 74kW of solar panels and a “cool roof”, the brewery has installed a […]
The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) is running site tours of commercial heat pump installations in Melbourne on Tuesday, August 1. The one-day tour will include visits to a commercial office building and a brewery to see the different commercial heat pumps installed and operating. The tour will also visit Automatic Heating’s training facility […]
The South Australian government has established a learning hub to provide easy “one stop” access to builders, allied professions and trades seeking knowledge and skills for building energy-efficient and net zero energy homes. The site has six training webinars and case studies that make up the Net Zero Homes training course for builders, developed by […]
Automatic Heating has launched its Duraflex Smart Refill, designed and manufactured in Australia. According to the company, this innovative product boasts advanced features that offer enhanced efficiency and reliability and reduce environmental impact, making it the perfect choice for high hazard applications. Automatic Heating says the Duraflex Smart Refill is a failsafe and fully approved […]
Queensland has confirmed that it will maintain the original timetable for adopting improved energy efficiency, condensation management and livable housing provisions in NCC 2022. Although industry stakeholders have applauded the decision, they have also raised concerns about delays in other jurisdictions, and the inconsistent implementation of what is intended to be a national code to […]
US engineering body ASHRAE has earned a US$2.85 million (AUD$4.17 million) grant from the US Department of Energy Building Technologies Office for Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation (RECI). The program invests $225 million over five years, to “enable sustained cost-effective implementation of updated building energy codes.” The award will fund the “Energy Code Official – […]
The Board of Professional Engineers of Queensland (BPEQ) has prosecuted a case involving an interstate engineer providing professional engineering services for a building in Queensland. According to the BPEQ, the engineer worked outside of Queensland and did not register as a registered professional engineer of Queensland (RPEQ). Unregistered engineers can face serious consequences for providing […]
The federal government has confirmed that it will develop decarbonisation plans for different sectors – including a specific plan for the built environment. In its issues paper on setting, tracking and achieving Australia’s emissions reduction targets, the Climate Change Authority proposed focusing on sectors as set out in Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory: electricity, stationary […]
The Material and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) is promoting the uptake of low-carbon building materials through a new innovation competition. “The built environment accounts for roughly 40 per cent of global emission,” says MECLA. “Using lower carbon and innovative materials in construction is a crucial part of the decarbonisation journey for the industry. Companies […]
Wilo has developed a new smart pump which it says sets new standards in connectivity to building management and bus systems. According to Wilo, the Stratos MAXO is ideal for easy integration into automated large buildings. “Thanks to analogue and digital interfaces, planners and operators can easily and flexibly integrate the pump into different applications […]
Meriton’s latest development on Queensland’s Gold Coast includes 740 apartments (377 residential and 363 serviced), a recreation area with swimming pool, spa, fitness courtyard, and a barbecue area as well as a vibrant retail precinct. It also includes a cafe and a purpose-built restaurant with stunning beachfront vistas. At 76 storeys, the Ocean complex is […]