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On butterfly wings: new nanofilms reflect light
Researchers from Shenzhen University in China have created a new nanofilm inspired by the structures in butterfly wings that could significantly reduce the energy needed for cooling buildings or vehicles. In a recent paper published in Science Daily, researchers explained how the new films avoid the heating effect usually experienced by coloured objects absorbing light on […]
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Winners are grinners at WorldSkills Nationals
The WorldSkills Australia National Championships were held in Melbourne over the weekend, with 470 competitors from around Australia vying for medals in different areas of vocational education and training (VET). The aim of the event is to get young Australians excited about skills and trades and growing Australia’s skills culture. It’s also about building the […]
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CO2 scholarship program open for applications
The Kirby Apprentice Fund has opened applications for the CO2 Training Scholarship program to fourth-year HVAC&R industry apprentices. The scholarship includes a two-day CO2 systems training experience, including: CO2 safety and CO2 repair and service systems training (held at the Sydney-based Beijer Ref Training Academy) Australian Refrigeration Council Green Scheme Accreditation, upon successful completion of […]
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Engineers Australia embarks on European tour
Engineers Australia’s CEO Romilly Madew and Board Chair Nick Fleming are travelling to Europe in August and September with the goal of strengthening international relations. The pair will begin the tour in Denmark, then travel on to London and Dublin. The purpose of the trip is to strengthen their post-COVID relationships and connect with overseas […]
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MECLA Spotlight on Scope 3 emissions
The Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) is holding a Spotlight on Mapping Scope 3 Emissions in the Built Environment on Thursday, August 24. “The Greenhouse Gas Protocol provides standards, guidance, tools and training for businesses and government to measure and manage emissions across all parts of an organisation’s greenhouse footprint,” says MECLA. “However, […]
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International Passive House Conference calls for papers
Slated for April 2024 in Innsbruck in Austria, the 27th International Passive House Conference is calling for papers. Recognising the role of existing buildings in the world’s attempts to limit the impacts of climate change, the conference’s theme is, “Retrofit. Have an impact”. The conference is slated for April 5–6 at the Campus Technik of […]
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Students design a sustainable future
ASHRAE has announced the winners of the 2023 Student Design Competition and the Setty Family Foundation Applied Engineering Challenge. Students were challenged to design the HVAC system for a laboratory facility located in Cairo, Egypt, for the 2023 Student Design Competition. This consisted of a large single-story building with a rooftop penthouse equalling about 2,515m2. The teams were […]
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NABERS talks emissions factors for embodied carbon
NABERS is holding a webinar about emission factors for its much-anticipated embodied carbon tool on Wednesday, August 30. Australia currently has no consistent method of measurement for embodied emissions. NABERS has worked in partnership with the Green Building Council of Australia and collaborated with industry and governments across Australia to understand the appetite for a […]
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High hopes for freeze ray technology
An unusual discovery by a University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science professor is being developed as an on-demand cooling solution for high-flying military electronics. Mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Patrick Hopkins wants to create on-demand surface cooling for electronics inside spacecraft and high-altitude jets because “a lot of electronics on board heat […]
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States move ahead on road to registration
It may have taken some time since the recommendations originally appeared at the top of the priority list in the 2018 Building Confidence report, but professional registration schemes are now spreading quickly across the country, and establishing new rules to lift standards in Australia’s building and construction industry. Practice Standard in New South Wales This […]
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Highlighting the ‘health’ in OH&S
Although the concept of occupational health and safety (OH&S) is enshrined in our laws and even our culture, how much of the focus is on immediate safety issues, rather than health and wellbeing? This question is at the heart of a new book by Helen Lingard and Michelle Turner, both professors at The Centre for […]
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IOR seeks exceptional innovators
The Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) is seeking nominations for the J&E Hall International Gold Medal. The award recognises the most innovative and practical contribution to the fields refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump technology. The awards looks for outstanding accomplishments, including: Practical applications of innovative designs Projects that have made an original contribution to the […]
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Supermarkets hold the key to a cool future
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is working with Enel X to launch “Unlocking Flexible Demand in the Commercial Refrigeration Sector”, a program that will assist with integrating renewable energy sources into electricity networks. ARENA has granted Enel X $3.7 million in funding to demonstrate how the flexible demand systems can work in the commercial […]
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Fusion Group acquires Smartair Diffusion
Fusion Group Holdings, owner of Fusion Modulair, has announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Sydney-based Smartair Diffusion, a leading developer and supplier of air diffusion products. The two companies, both industry veterans, say the strategic merger will unlock opportunities for growth, innovation, and enhanced market offerings. A leading provider of climate control solutions […]
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Carel doubles turnover in just three years
Carel Industries has reported revenue growth of more than 26 per cent in the first half of 2023. Carel CEO Francesco Nalini says he is proud to emphasise not only that the quarter represents the 10th consecutive quarter in which the group has recorded double-digit percentage organic revenue growth, but that the revenues achieved as […]
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Fujitsu launches new Comfort cooling range
Fujitsu General has launched a new wall-mounted Comfort cooling-only range in what it says is its latest solution for energy-efficient in-home cooling, featuring four models from 2.5kW–7.1kW. “It is important that Australians have complete control of their indoor climate when outdoor conditions are hot and humid,” says Fujitsu General Head of Product ANZ Kyle Rafter. “Everyone should feel like […]
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Getting warmer on solid-state heat pumps
Scientists at Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics (IAF) have made a breakthrough in refrigerant-free heating and cooling technology: a circuit topology for voltage converters with an electrical efficiency of 99.74 per cent. According to the AIF, the technology could considerably raise the coefficient of performance for electrocaloric heat pumps and the scientists […]
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EIA launches “What the F” campaign
The Environmental Investigation Authority (EIA) has launched a new campaign to educate consumers about the impact of fluorinated gases on the environment. “EIA’s Climate campaign has long advocated tackling the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of climate-warming emissions, specifically the phasing out or down of fluorinated gases, or F-gases,” says the EIA. “These are a range of greenhouse […]
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ACT seeks input on electrification plan
The ACT government is seeking input on its Integrated Energy Plan to guide the energy transition away from gas to renewable energy. “The ACT continues to lead the world in taking action on climate change,” says the ACT government. “We are set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to be powered exclusively by renewable energy, […]
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Polaris offers AC units with natural refrigerants
Sydney-based Polaris Technologies has released a range of natural refrigerant air conditioning units. The Polaris GreenSmart hydrocarbon systems use Engas M60 refrigerant, with a GWP of less than 1. “Manufactured with fully welded refrigeration lines and incorporating patented advanced leak prevention and detection technology, these air conditioners are built to the highest reliability and safety […]