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Tag: air conditioning
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Finalist countdown for Global Cooling Prize
The Global Cooling Prize – a competition designed to spur development of a radically more energy efficient cooling technology – will be announcing its finalists at a ceremony in New Delhi, India on November 15. This event is being co-hosted by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India; Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI); and Mission Innovation. It will […]
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RAC roundtable highlights industry issues
A refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) contractors roundtable held in Adelaide recently highlighted a number of key issues currently facing the industry. The meeting followed on from a similar event in Sydney. The Chair of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) Michael Bennett says the sessions are a great opportunity to connect with the broader industry […]
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Prize finalists to be announced
The Global Cooling Prize has announced that its finalist award ceremony will take place on November 15, 2019, in New Delhi, India. The prize seeks to catalyse innovation by calling upon global innovators to develop cooling solutions that have at least five times less climate impact than standard entry-level room air conditioning technology in operation […]
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AC in your pocket
A Sony-affiliated startup has announced the Reon Pocket, a small Bluetooth device that can fit into a pocket and will cool and heat the wearer. Other companies and research teams are working on bringing heating and cooling to a wearable level, but the Reon Pocket looks like the first such product that could break into […]
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Battle of the thermostat heats up
Is there a battle of the sexes when it comes to office air conditioning? And do men and women really work more efficiently at different temperatures? Certainly decades of anecdotal evidence and arguments about dress codes and set-points suggests men and women have different ideal temperature preferences at work. Now a new German study does […]
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Have your say: New licensing in Queensland
As reported last year, Queensland is updating its licensing framework for mechanical services work, including air conditioning and refrigeration. It is now looking for feedback on the proposed licence classes and transitional arrangements. Perhaps the biggest change for air conditioning and refrigeration is the introduction of the occupational licence class, with a minimum Certificate III […]
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Could AC units be our oil wells of the future?
Air conditioning units could help mitigate climate change by capturing CO2 and converting it into renewable hydrocarbon fuels. That’s the premise of a new article titled “Crowd oil not crude oil” published by a team of researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. “Imagine the renewable-electricity-powered air conditioning system in your house, apartment or office […]
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HVAC contractors needed for $500m schools initiative
The NSW government has advertised an Expression of Interest (EOI) to establish panels of HVAC contractors to undertake works at schools across the state. The work is part of the $500 million Cooler Classrooms initiative announced last year. The program will provide air conditioning in permanent learning spaces and libraries at schools that experience a mean […]
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Exploding the 22°C comfort myth
A new Australian study is taking on the long-held debate: is your office’s 22°C thermostat really set at the correct temperature? Around the world, 22°C has become standard practice. For workers, it’s believed to be the optimal temperature for productivity – a claim backed by ASHRAE and REHVA. Not so, says a team from South […]
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Opinion: Reducing emissions through innovation
By Iain Campbell, Senior Fellow at Rocky Mountain Institute and Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, CEO of AIRAH. With the hottest summer on record just behind us, climate change is top of mind for many of us here in Australia. Since 1910, our country has warmed over 1°C on average, leading to more extreme heat events, including […]
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‘Transformation’ coming for chillers and large AC
A “transformation” is on the way for chillers and large air conditioning systems. That’s the message from the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing Association (AREMA) and the Air Conditioning Mechanical Contractors Association (AMCA), who together have organised a seminar series to help the Australian HVAC&R industry come to grips with these changes. Named Future:Air, […]
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Daikin launches Airbase
Daikin has released its new ducted wi-fi controller app, Daikin Airbase. The app is available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play, and gives users easy access to the most frequently used functions of Daikin’s ducted system. “In conjunction with Daikin’s BRP15B61 wireless LAN adaptor, which now comes with a 20m cable […]
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Global Cooling Prize workshop
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) are presenting a Global Cooling Prize (GCP) workshop in Melbourne on March 27. The GCP aims to provide cooling solutions that will enhance lives without contributing to runaway climate change. It is calling on leaders and innovators around the […]
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Incoming: New AC energy-efficiency standards
As reported last month, the Australian government is changing energy efficiency regulations for air conditioners up to 65kW in capacity. A draft version of the new “determination” (the instrument that regulates energy efficiency) is now available, and more details of the changes have been confirmed. The first major change is the introduction of a more […]
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Aussies are aircon ‘wasters’
A survey published by consumer comparison site Finder has highlighted the extent to which Australians waste energy by running their air conditioning when they are not at home. The survey reports that 2.3 million Australians – or 24 per cent of the population – have their air conditioning running when they are out. Put another […]
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ARC promotes fully licensed fridgies
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has released a video designed to educate consumers. The video explains the different licence types, and encourages consumers to find and use fully licensed air conditioning technicians. Running as part of the ARC’s summer campaign, the video seeks to raise awareness that fully licensed (or Certificate III) technicians are qualified […]
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Global Cooling Prize heats up online
The Global Cooling Prize has announced details on a pair of upcoming webinars. The first session – How to Apply to the Global Cooling Prize – is scheduled for January 22 and 23. Administrators will provide a brief presentation before opening the floor to webinar registrants for a Q&A session. A month later there will […]
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Branson blasts slow-moving AC industry
Renowned entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson has lashed out at the global air conditioning industry for its lack of innovation, and has reiterated his backing of the Global Cooling Prize as a much-needed incentive to disrupt the status quo. Branson has noted the expected growth of domestic air conditioning – from the already massive $100bn current […]
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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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New residential AC standard
The installation and design of energy-efficient residential air conditioning is being given a helping hand following the publication of a new standard. AS/NZS5141, Residential heating and cooling systems – Minimum applications and requirements for energy efficiency, performance and comfort criteria will be published on November 26. Publication is the result of the combined effort of […]