Page 5
Tag: covid-19
-
Are hotels suitable COVID-19 quarantine facilities?
As pressure mounts to allow more international arrivals into the country, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) has flagged serious concerns about the suitability of hotels as quarantine facilities. So far, the outbreaks connected to hotel quarantine facilities in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales have largely been blamed on […]
-
Global HVAC&R perspectives on COVID-19
The Portuguese Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (EFRIARC) has announced that its 21st Seminar would be held in November and December 2020. The first part of the seminar will be a free webinar held on November 26, at 3pm (GMT), 2am (NSW, Vic, ACT, Tas), 1.30am (SA), 1am (Qld), 12.30am (NT) and 11pm […]
-
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine faces cold-chain challenges
The new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that is claimed to be 95 per cent effective will face a major hurdle in global distribution and storage. The drug, currently pending emergency federal approval in the US, will need to be refrigerated at -70 to -80°C. These cold storage requirements pose an enormous logistical challenge given that most […]
-
Expect greater emphasis on IAQ after COVID, says BSRIA
Air conditioning and ventilation providers will be required to do much more to address indoor air quality issues following the COVID-19 pandemic, says the Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA) in the UK. New findings from the UK-based organisation have warned that COVID-19 and research concerning airborne contamination in enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces has […]
-
COVID-19 outbreaks prompt hospital HVAC audit
The Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority has commissioned engineering assessments of the HVAC systems within wards dedicated to suspected and confirmed COVID-19 patients at 20 hospital sites over the next eight weeks. The assessment will work with health services to verify airflow rates, effectiveness of ventilation strategies adopted by hospitals, and any adjustments […]
-
EU riding a renovation wave to recovery
The European Commission has announced a Renovation Wave strategy to improve the energy performance of buildings and in the process cut emissions, boost recovery, and reduce energy poverty. Money for this work will be made available under the EU’s €750 billion COVID-19 recovery fund. The Commission aims to at least double renovation rates in the […]
-
Germany pledges €500m for COVID-safe HVAC systems
The German government has announced a funding program worth up to €500 million (Au$836 million) to support the “Corona-compatible conversion” and upgrading of HVAC systems in public buildings. Lately, much attention has focused on how HVAC systems can mitigate the risk of COVID-19 spreading in indoor spaces. This includes measures such as increasing fresh air […]
-
2021 AHR Expo cancelled
The AHR Expo Show Management has announced the cancellation of the 2021 AHR Expo due to the pandemic. The next AHR Expo will take place from January 31 to February 2, 2022, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Originally planned to be held at the McCormick Place in Chicago, the […]
-
Free work health and safety resources online
To mark National Safe Work Month in October, Safe Work Australia (SWA) has published new work health and safety (WHS) resources on its website. The National Safe Work Month theme is “Work Health and Safety through COVID-19”. It highlights the WHS challenges, as well as the positive outcomes brought on by the pandemic and the […]
-
World waits on airborne COVID-19 research
A team of scientists in the UK are using a new method to determine how long Sars-CoV-2 – the virus that causes COVID-19 – can remain viable in the air. The research will help policy-makers better understand the risk of airborne transmission, and inform strategies to prevent the virus from spreading. According to The Guardian, […]
-
Project management expertise the key to revival?
A leading engineering consultancy and training provider suggest that one of the possibly overlooked keys to Australia’s economy recovery post-COVID-19 could be project management expertise. As federal and state governments allocate billions of dollars’ worth of shovel-ready infrastructure projects in an effort to boost local economies, the “Specialist project management – the engine of successful […]
-
Aussie HVAC&R company makes COVID-19 advance
Australian IAQ, deep clean and corrosion protection expert Aeris Environmental has secured extended residual claims from the Therapeutic Goods Administration for its Aeris Active disinfectant cleaner. The on-label claims now include “Residual COVID-19 kill for up to seven days” and “Residual antibacterial for up to 30 days (or 200 touches) against gram-negative E. coli and […]
-
Webinar on airborne transmission of coronavirus
The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is presenting a webinar on Thursday, September 3, on airborne transmission of coronavirus. Since the pandemic began, more attention has been focused on the possibility of aerosol transmission of the virus. This session, presented as part of AIRAH’s Streamline series of webinars, will look at […]
-
ASHRAE updates Building Readiness Guide
The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force has updated its guidance on building readiness to help mitigate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The Building Readiness Guide focuses on the operation of HVAC systems to help reduce the potential health risks when buildings reopen after the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Building Readiness Guide includes additional information and clarifications so that […]
-
COVID-19 forcing a rethink on ventilation
Over the past few weeks, as the world registers more outbreaks of COVID-19, the attention on aerosol transmission of the virus has intensified. Researchers at the University of Florida have now made an important breakthrough. The team isolated viable virus from aerosols collected in a hospital room dedicated to two patients with COVID-19. The air […]
-
ARBS moves to 2022
ARBS has been postponed, shifting to 2022. Originally planned for May 19–21, 2020, the exhibition was previously rescheduled to February, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ARBS 2022 will now be held from April 27–29, 2022, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. With Melbourne currently in stage-four lockdown, the COVID-19 situation remains largely unclear. […]
-
HVAC&R cleared to work through new restrictions
For the past week the HVAC&R and wider building industry has been scrambling to assess the impacts that stricter COVID-19 restrictions will have on businesses and employees. On August 2, the Victorian government declared a state of disaster and imposed new Stage 4 lockdown measures. Rules around workplaces, which extend to construction sites, were further […]
-
New REHVA guidelines focus on airborne COVID-19
The European Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has released an updated guide on how to operate HVAC and other building service systems to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in workplaces. The revised document puts a greater emphasis on the potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19. Accordingly, it proposes an infection […]
-
ASHRAE releases reopening guide for schools
The ASHRAE Epidemic Task Force has developed guidance on the operation of HVAC systems to help mitigate the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19 disease) as US schools prepare to reopen for a new academic year. ASHRAE’s position is that “transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through the air is sufficiently likely that airborne exposure […]
-
A big data lens on COVID-19
As building owners and facilities managers grapple with the task of keeping occupants safe in a post-COVID-19 world, one discipline that may provide answers is big data and analytics. Amber Keogh is Manager of Transformational Projects at Hendry, a leading built-form advisory firm, and also the keynote speaker at AIRAH’s Big Data and Analytics Forum, […]