The leading news platform for Australia’s HVAC&R industry
Remembering Sean McGowan, the contributing writer whose voice shaped our industry
It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we share the sad news that long-time AIRAH contributing writer Sean McGowan passed away last weekend.
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News
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Call for consistency in licensing and registration
The National Competition Council is reviewing Australia’s mutual recognition schemes, including both registration of engineers and licensing of trades.
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Report finds high risk of heat stress among lower-income Australians
Sweltering Cities has today released the findings of its 2026 Summer Survey, which it says exposes a national health crisis driven by the rising cost of keeping cool.
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Remembering Sean McGowan, the contributing writer whose voice shaped our industry
It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we share the sad news that long-time AIRAH contributing writer Sean McGowan passed away last weekend.
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A2EP launches free online decarbonisation tool
The Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP) has developed the Renewable Heat Selection Tool to help accelerate the transition from fossil gas to renewable heat.
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Camfil releases IAQ film with WHO and the BBC
Camfil has released a new short film about indoor air quality in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.
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Vicious cycle: how will air conditioning affect climate change?
A new study has forecast the global temperature increase attributable to air conditioner use between now and 2050.
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February–March issue of HVAC&R News out now
2026 is in full swing, with the first issue of the year now printed and available at wholesalers, TAFEs and RTOs around Australia.
Events
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The path ahead for the VEU – industry webinars
Solar Victoria is running a series of industry webinars to provide an update on the VEU strategic review, including reporting key findings and laying out next steps.
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Additional keynote announced for HVAC26
AIRAH has announced another keynote for the 2026 HVAC Innovation Conference, which will take place in Sydney from March 16–17.
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PSO to host focus groups at AIRAH Hobart Industry Night
Powering Skills Organisation (PSO) will be attending the upcoming AIRAH Hobart Industry Night to facilitate dedicated focus group sessions with employers and apprentices from the HVAC&R sector.
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Huge attendance for 2026 ASHRAE Winter Conference
ASHRAE’s 2026 Winter Conference has concluded, with indoor environmental quality (IEQ), healthy buildings and the evolving role of HVAC&R professionals in focus.
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Final call for 2026 ARBS Awards nominations
Nominations for the 2026 event close on Friday, January 30.
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Dates announced for 2026 AIRAH Golf Days
AIRAH will hold 10 Golf Days across Australia in 2026 – four more than took place in 2025.
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Abstracts open for IAQ26
AIRAH is accepting abstract submissions for its 2026 Indoor Air Quality Conference (IAQ26), which will take place in Cairns from August 31 to September 4.
Regulations
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Call for consistency in licensing and registration
The National Competition Council is reviewing Australia’s mutual recognition schemes, including both registration of engineers and licensing of trades.
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HIA calls for ‘knock-down rebuild’ of NCC
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has lodged a major submission calling for a comprehensive overhaul of the National Construction Code (NCC).
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VEU signals changes for commercial and industrial heat pump incentives
Victoria’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) has announced potential revisions to the commercial and industrial heat pump activity available under the Victorian Energy Upgrades (VEU) program.
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New fire safety maintenance regs in NSW
Changes to fire safety maintenance requirements are now in effect for New South Wales, with important implications for HVAC&R practitioners.
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NCC 2025 comes into focus
The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) has published the NCC 2025 preview, providing early access to the next edition ahead of its May 1 publication date.
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The quest for a better NCC
The Commonwealth government is seeking views on how Australia’s National Construction Code can be improved.
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Two weeks left for NSW IAQ inquiry
Public comment to the NSW Legislative Council Health Committee’s inquiry into indoor air quality (IAQ) closes on Thursday, January 29.
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Features
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Prioritising people in HVAC design
ASHRAE Fellow and Distinguished Lecturer Robert Bean recently visited Australia. HVAC&R News spoke with him about his occupant-first philosophies that have sparked an entirely different way of thinking about HVAC design.
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Total control: where instrumentation and control meets HVAC&R
We examine the important role instrumentation and control technicians – or “instros” for short – play in optimising HVAC&R systems.
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New studies explore causes and consequences of TFA accumulation
Research continues into increased levels of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) in the environment, with refrigerants found to be a dominant source.
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Report forecasts skyrocketing energy use in Australian data centres
A report authored by Baringa and commissioned by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has found that data centres could use as much as 11% of Australia’s energy by 2035.
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Connection point: how Industry Nights helped this company grow
As AIRAH’s Industry Nights expand to 13 locations in 2026, we speak to a regular exhibitor about what they’ve gained from these events.
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Digitising HVAC&R workflows: What SMEs should be prioritising in 2026
Lara Blake from Tenderfy looks at the key technological trends that will shape the Australian HVAC&R industry this year.
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Fighting the hidden killer
With Standards Australia recently adopting a mould remediation standard, we look at how this hidden killer can harm both building occupants and HVAC&R technicians.
Business
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Midea opens new Australian showroom
Air conditioner and home appliance manufacturer Midea has opened its first dedicated HVAC showroom and experience centre in Australia.
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Reliable Controls marks 40-year milestone
Canada-based global building automation company Reliable Controls is celebrating 40 years in business.
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Conex Banninger and Reese launch enhanced fitting range
Conex Banninger, in partnership with Reece, has launched >B<Press 360° Detect – an evolution of the standard >B<Press fitting range, engineered with an improved leak-path design.
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Daikin launches turnkey refrigeration solution
Daikin has released its new DeVap series of evaporators, which it says completes its turnkey refrigeration solution.
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Mike Lenton retires from HydroChem
After six years at the helm, Mike Lenton, M.AIRAH, has retired from his role as CEO of Australian independent water specialist HydroChem.
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Cundall appoints new building services director
Global engineering consultancy Cundall has announced the appointment of Stewart Mann as Director of Building Services.
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HVAC&R tops earnings among Australian trade businesses
A new report from Tradify has found that HVAC&R businesses bring in the most revenue among all major Australian trades.