Mark Vender
Articles by Mark Vender | Page 18
Time to close the natural ventilation loophole
How to improve indoor air quality in Australia’s public spaces? Experts from diverse disciplines have put forward various answers to this question. One solution, flagged by mechanical engineers long before the pandemic, remains frustratingly obvious for those in the HVAC&R industry: revisiting the provisions for natural ventilation in the National Construction Code (NCC). According to […]
Pathway for procurement in green construction
The Australian Procurement and Construction Council (APCC) has published a best practice guide for procurement to support more sustainable construction. The Pathway to Green Construction Procurement sets out the documentation and decision-making processes required by government officials to realise green construction of government infrastructure assets. It includes the full range of environmental sustainability impact factors […]
Winners are grinners at WorldSkills Nationals
The WorldSkills Australia National Championships were held in Melbourne over the weekend, with 470 competitors from around Australia vying for medals in different areas of vocational education and training (VET). The aim of the event is to get young Australians excited about skills and trades and growing Australia’s skills culture. It’s also about building the […]
States move ahead on road to registration
It may have taken some time since the recommendations originally appeared at the top of the priority list in the 2018 Building Confidence report, but professional registration schemes are now spreading quickly across the country, and establishing new rules to lift standards in Australia’s building and construction industry. Practice Standard in New South Wales This […]
Highlighting the ‘health’ in OH&S
Although the concept of occupational health and safety (OH&S) is enshrined in our laws and even our culture, how much of the focus is on immediate safety issues, rather than health and wellbeing? This question is at the heart of a new book by Helen Lingard and Michelle Turner, both professors at The Centre for […]
EIA launches “What the F” campaign
The Environmental Investigation Authority (EIA) has launched a new campaign to educate consumers about the impact of fluorinated gases on the environment. “EIA’s Climate campaign has long advocated tackling the ‘low-hanging fruit’ of climate-warming emissions, specifically the phasing out or down of fluorinated gases, or F-gases,” says the EIA. “These are a range of greenhouse […]
ACT seeks input on electrification plan
The ACT government is seeking input on its Integrated Energy Plan to guide the energy transition away from gas to renewable energy. “The ACT continues to lead the world in taking action on climate change,” says the ACT government. “We are set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to be powered exclusively by renewable energy, […]
Polaris offers AC units with natural refrigerants
Sydney-based Polaris Technologies has released a range of natural refrigerant air conditioning units. The Polaris GreenSmart hydrocarbon systems use Engas M60 refrigerant, with a GWP of less than 1. “Manufactured with fully welded refrigeration lines and incorporating patented advanced leak prevention and detection technology, these air conditioners are built to the highest reliability and safety […]
Government survey on pair coil issues
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is conducting a survey to investigate issues with pair coil. There have been reports of ant nesting and corrosion problems with pair coils, resulting in the leaking of refrigerant. DCCEEW notes that under consumer guarantee law this issue could be costing businesses time and […]
Momentum building on IAQ
The push for improving indoor air quality in Australia appears to be gaining traction. At recent industry conferences, within large Australian research projects, and this week at a roundtable event at Parliament House, leaders from a wide range of sectors are joining forces to advocate for action. At AIRAH’s recent IAQ Conference held over two […]
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