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500 Women in Property initiative opening soon
Nominations for the Property Council of Australia’s 500 Women in Property initiative are opening on January 31. The program, coordinated by the Property Council’s Diversity and Inclusion Committees throughout Australia, asks Property Council members to personally sponsor and champion women in their organisation or business sphere. The goal is to accelerate women into leadership positions […]
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Demand for RAC skills to rise, says STC
Since the start of the COVID pandemic, the entire HVAC&R industry has had to adapt to keep working. For those in the training sector, that has proved especially difficult. Robert Parsonson is General Manager of Superior Training Centre (STC), based in Sydney. He says conditions in 2021 were nothing if not challenging. “Trade courses normally […]
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AMCA to hold virtual Building Ventilation Summit
AMCA Australia is hosting the Building Ventilation Summit as a virtual event on February 24 and 25. “With airborne transmission now widely acknowledged as the primary source of COVID-19 transmission, the building industry has a vital role to play in supporting Australians to return to workplaces and other indoor settings confidently, safely, and sustainably,” says […]
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An engineering adventure
ASHRAE has published its first children’s picture book, developed by the ASHRAE Student Activities Committee to promote careers in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) and in engineering. Titled Lucy’s Engineering Adventure, the book introduces children to the concepts behind HVAC&R and the built environment. It follows Lucy on her journey through an unfinished […]
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Call to provide input for Industry Skills Survey
Australian Industry Standards (AIS) is holding a survey to identify the skills needs for various industries. AIS collects data annually from the Industry Outlook Survey to determine industry workforce planning and skill development demands. The data is especially relevant in 2022, with the dual factors of the pandemic and digital transformation impacting the labour market. The […]
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Rectorseal launches Metacaulk CID tub box kits
Rectorseal has added Metacaulk cast-in-place device (CID) tub box kits to its product line, providing firestop penetration for plastic and metal drainpipes. Available with 2- and 3-inch Metacaulk CID, the tub box kits are designed to prevent the spread of fire from bathtubs or jet-spa drains to the upper level. No concrete drilling is required. […]
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Panasonic releases floor-standing air purifier
Panasonic has released a floor-standing air purifier, featuring the company’s trade-marked nanoeX technology. “Creating a safe space for Australians in their homes, the purifier filters unwanted pollutants coming into the home,” says Panasonic, adding that the device reduces unwanted contaminants lingering inside to provide “optimal indoor air quality”. “With the average person breathing in 18kg […]
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Free webinar on flammable refrigerants
The Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) is running a free Cool Talk webinar on January 27 about working safely with flammable refrigerants. The session is aimed at service engineers and technicians, and will include practical advice from experts in the application of systems containing refrigerants of various flammability categories. “With most of the lower-GWP refrigerant options […]
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ARC welcomes guidelines for managing emissions
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has applauded the release of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria’s draft guidelines for managing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for public consultation. “EPA Victoria’s release of these draft guidelines demonstrates a growing emphasis on the role we all play in the protection of our environment and broader community health from […]
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HydroBalance range earns Australian Made certification
Water treatment specialist HydroChem has secured Australian Made certification for its HydroBalance HVAC&R maintenance range. The range has been manufactured under an exclusive licensing agreement by HydroChem in Australia for many years. “The HydroBalance brand is globally recognised for its quality and reliability,” says HydroChem, “having grown well beyond its humble beginnings in US inventor […]
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Does R134a alternative hold promise for Australia?
US refrigerant manufacturer Koura has launched R456A, an alternative to R134a for automotive aftermarket applications. R456A has a global warming potential of 626 – about half that of R134a. According to Koura, trials have shown R456A to be compatible with existing R134a automotive air conditioning systems while maintaining “high-quality, efficient performance”. The development comes as […]
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Art meets engineering in ice-inspired performance
One of the highlights of this year’s Sydney Festival puts climate change centrestage with the help of a block of ice weighing almost three tonnes – and close collaboration between artists, engineers and crane operators. The performance, titled Thaw, is performed over 10 hours in one day, and sees a lone woman on a huge […]
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New training on the way for smoke control features
A new project is under way to develop training materials for assessing and reporting on smoke control features of mechanical services systems. Release 3.0 of the UEE electrotechnology training package includes a unit to cover the installation and maintenance of smoke control equipment, including fire dampers, smoke dampers, smoke and heat vents, and mechanical services […]
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RectorSeal opens new Australian warehouse
RectorSeal Australia has announced the opening of a new warehouse tailored for Australian customers. Located in Brendale, Queensland, the warehouse will function as the company’s Australian head office. According to the company, the location offers additional warehouse space to help expand RectorSeal’s current product offering to customers, and the warehouse will be fully staffed “to […]
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IOR releases refrigerant selection guide
The Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) has released a new Guidance Note, a guide to refrigeration selection. The guide aims to provide an overview of the critical points that should be considered in selecting refrigerants. The IOR says the guide, which it refers to as Guidance Note 37, will be of particular interest to equipment owners, […]
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Draft guidance on reducing GHG emissions
The Victorian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has released a new draft guideline for managing greenhouse gas emissions. Under Victoria’s Environment Protection Act 2017, which came into effect on July 1, 2021, people conducting activities that pose risks of harm to human health or the environment from pollution and waste must understand those risks and take […]
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Global survey on women in HVAC&R
The international Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) and UNEP OzonAction have launched the first global survey on women in HVAC&R. “In recent years, the refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pumps sector has been paying increasing attention to the importance of gender mainstreaming and providing equal opportunities for both women and men,” says IIR Director General Didier […]
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Jelly ice cubes take the cake
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, USA, have developed a new type of cooling ice cube that doesn’t melt. The researchers believe the “jelly ice cubes” could revolutionise how food is kept cold and shipped without relying on ice or traditional cooling packs. The cubes are compostable and anti-microbial, and prevent cross-contamination. Professor in […]
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Steps to improve fire safety in NSW
The NSW government has released a report that provides recommendations on how to improve fire safety in new and existing buildings. The project was commissioned by the Office of the Building Commissioner to draw upon specialist industry expertise to identify practical measures the NSW government could take to help improve fire safety in class 2 […]
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Fixing Australia’s billion-dollar defect problem
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has released a series of best-practice model guidance publications in response to the Building Confidence Report. At the request of building ministers, the ABCB prepared model guidance in response to the recommendations of the Building Confidence Report (BCR), which examined the effectiveness of compliance and enforcement systems for the […]