Mark Vender

February 14, 2020

ARC flags ‘sub-standard’ Queensland licence

NewsRegulations

The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has called out Queensland for putting consumers at risk with a “sub-standard RAC licence”. The licence is part of the new mechanical services regulations that came into effect on January 1 this year. “The major issue is that one of the qualifications required for the Queensland licence does not specify […]

February 13, 2020

Actrol and Metalflex opens in Ballarat

Business

A new Actrol and relocated Metalflex branch has opened in Delacombe, Ballarat. “The dual-branded site provides the best quality products and service for all refrigeration and air conditioning installers,” says Actrol. “The branch prides itself on a well-stocked product range and an expert technical team to support customers.” The new branch is located at 24 […]

February 12, 2020

ARBS Awards finalists announced

Events and conferences

The finalists for the ARBS 2020 Industry Awards have been announced. This year marks a decade for the ARBS Awards, aimed at honouring and rewarding the talent in Australia’s HVAC&R industry. ARBS Exhibition Manager Sue Falcke says the list of finalists reflects the industry’s ability to evolve and meet the needs of a changing landscape. […]

February 12, 2020

New rules for Queensland fridgies

Regulations

A new licensing framework has been introduced in Queensland. Workers now require a Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) licence for mechanical services work. According to the QBCC, “improperly installed and maintained heating and cooling systems can lead to dangerous bacteria growing and spreading through systems in facilities such as aged care, hospitals and shopping […]

February 7, 2020

Coronavirus and HVAC

News

Since the first case was detected in China in December 2019, the novel (new) coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has spread rapidly. On January 31, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus a public health emergency. Although the vast majority of coronavirus patients have been in China, cases have been confirmed in Australia. Not surprisingly, local […]

February 5, 2020

RAC course shut down

News

Trades College Australia in Punchbowl, Sydney, has lost its RTO status for issues related to the delivery of recognition of prior learning (RPL) for refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) courses. The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) worked with the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), the training industry regulator, on the case. ASQA took action against Trades […]

February 4, 2020

Fire safety reforms for NSW

Regulations

Rules are changing for fire safety practitioners in NSW. From April 2020, only accredited persons under the Fire Protection Accreditation Scheme (FPAS) will be authorised to endorse plans and specifications of some fire safety systems. While this will initially apply to the design of wet and dry fire safety systems, HVAC design is expected to […]

January 29, 2020

Beijer Ref acquires ACD Trade

News

Global refrigeration wholesaler Beijer Ref AB has signed an agreement to acquire all shares in the Australian HVAC company ACD Trade. ACD Trade is a leading HVAC distribution company in Australia with around 60 employees. The company supplies the market with well-known brands and has a wide range of products, which includes both HVAC units […]

January 28, 2020

Apple, Amazon, Google team up on smart home standard

News

Amazon, Apple, Google, and the Zigbee Alliance have joined together to work on Project Connected Home over IP, or CHIP. The new, royalty-free connectivity standard aims to increase compatibility among smart home products, with a focus on security. According to the CHIP website, the goal of the project is to simplify development for manufacturers and […]

January 22, 2020

Rogue HFC23 emissions on the rise

News

A new report in Nature Communications has highlighted a large and unexpected increase in emissions of HFC23 – a hydrofluorocarbon with extremely high global warming potential that is mainly produced as an unwanted by-product during the manufacture of R22. R22 is a hydrochorofluorocarbon (HCFC) that destroys the ozone layer, and it is being phased out […]