Laura Timberlake

December 29, 2020

Renewed interest in thermoelectric cooling

News

Researchers writing in Nature Materials have called for increased efforts to find new thermoelectric materials. In 1834, French physicist Jean Peltier discovered that at the junction of two different metals, a heating or cooling effect could be produced through electrical currents. Bismuth tellurium compounds have now been used for thermoelectric cooling for more than 60 […]

December 16, 2020

CDC updates advice on COVID-19 and ventilation

News

The Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) has released updated advice to reduce exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. The advice includes suggestions to improve ventilation that may help reduce the concentration of virus particles in the air. According to the CDC website, SARS-CoV-2 viral particles spread between people more readily indoors than […]

December 10, 2020

New look for NCC 2022

News

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has announced the 2022 version of the National Construction Code (NCC) will be released as a digital product. Historically a print-only publication, the digital release is being planned to improve the usability of the code. The ABCB is making the changes after consulting with industry groups, and the first […]

December 10, 2020

Gender pay gap grows in construction

Features

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) has released its findings from 4,943 reports submitted for 2019–20. The gender pay gap in the construction industry has risen by 0.1 per cent in the last year, and now has the second-highest rated full-time pay gap at 26.1 per cent. In a Build Australia article, National Chair of […]

December 3, 2020

Skill up this summer says AIRAH

News

The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) is offering free and/or discounted access to a range of technical resources and programs over summer. Participants will earn continuing professional development (CPD) points and at the same time stay updated on best practices in the HVAC&R space. The Summer Skill Up includes special offers […]

December 2, 2020

Bennett re-elected as ARC Chairman

News

The Board of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) re-elected Michael Bennett as chairman at the ARC Annual General Meeting on November 25. Bennett has successfully led the ARC through a challenging year with consistent results, says the ARC. The Council also welcomed Greg Picker and Scott Williams to the Board after directors Mark Padwick and Sumit Oberoi […]

November 25, 2020

Are hotels suitable COVID-19 quarantine facilities?

News

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 […]

November 24, 2020

Refrigerant course assessments go virtual

News

REAL Alternatives 4 Life has established a process for training centres to hold theory assessments online. The free online course now extends to 17 European countries and languages, and the assessments are now available in virtual format, allowing people in lockdown the opportunity to complete them online. The course provides education on the safe use of […]

November 23, 2020

NSW releases draft regs for professional registration

Regulations

New South Wales has taken a major step towards starting its scheme for professional registration of engineers. The draft Design and Building Practitioners Regulation 2020 has been released for public consultation, and is open for comment until Monday, January 11. The Regulation has been developed to support the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020, which was […]

November 17, 2020

Davina Rooney joins IWBI Governance Council

News

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) has appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Green Building Council of Australia, Davina Rooney, and Senior Director of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) at S&P Dow Jones Indices, Mona Naqvi, to the IWBI Governance Council. The Governance Council helps uphold the integrity of IWBI’s certification frameworks and accelerates the broader movement […]