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News
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Beijer Ref appoints new CEO
Jonas Steen has been appointed to the role of CEO, succeeding acting CEO and President, Joel Davidsson.
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Building ministers pledge NCC modernisation
Reform was on the table when the State, Territory and Commonwealth ministers responsible for Housing, Homelessness, Planning and Building met in Canberra (Ngunnawal Country) on October 16, 2026.
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Recognising and celebrating progress and change
AIRAH’s National Awards for Excellence showcase the technical achievements, intellectual daring and leadership capabilities of the Australian HVAC&R sector. Finalists from around the country have now been announced, and the Awards ceremony will take place on November 26, 2026, at Metropolis Events, Southbank, Melbourne.
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A2EP reveals a “hidden energy transition”
Heat pumps for industrial sites are part of an accelerating electrification trend, according to a new report from the Australian Alliance for Energy Productivity (A2EP).
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NZ announces refrigerant stewardship scheme
Synthetic F-gas refrigerants will be subject to a regulated product stewardship scheme in Aotearoa (New Zealand) from April 1, 2027.
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Seeing all-electric stars in the NABERS Annual Report
The NABERS Annual Report for 2025/26 shows collective progress is being made across energy efficiency, electrification, indoor environment, energy management innovation and embodied carbon.
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Delivering energy wins through cooling innovation
A research project by the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has available Alternative Cooling Technologies (ACTs) can deliver energy efficiency gains.
Events
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Recognising and celebrating progress and change
AIRAH’s National Awards for Excellence showcase the technical achievements, intellectual daring and leadership capabilities of the Australian HVAC&R sector. Finalists from around the country have now been announced, and the Awards ceremony will take place on November 26, 2026, at Metropolis Events, Southbank, Melbourne.
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Adam Morgan shines in Shanghai
Australia’s HVAC&R Skillaroo for 2026, Adam Morgan, has been recognised with a Medal for Excellence at WorldSkills in Shanghai.
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IOR opens nominations for J&E Hall Gold Medal
The Institute of Refrigeration (IOR) has opened nominations for the international award that recognises exceptional innovation.
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Nominations open for IIR scientific prizes
The International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR) is calling for nominations for scientific prizes to be awarded at the International Congress of Refrigeration (ICR 2027) in Korea.
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A TV reno show we can relate to
Forget the typical opulent bathrooms and gleaming expanses of stone kitchen benchtops – this new renovation show is all about the science of energy, thermal comfort and passive performance.
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IAQ26: That’s a wrap
AIRAH’s Indoor Air Quality Conference (IAQ26) in Cairns brought together the experts, the advocates and the problem-solvers to advance the cause of healthy indoor environments.
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REFCON27: Shape the future of refrigeration
AIRAH’s Refrigeration Conference 2027 (REFCON27) is inviting refrigeration professionals and subject matter experts to submit abstracts addressing HVAC&R’s priority issues and opportunities to the conference technical committee.
Regulations
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Building ministers pledge NCC modernisation
Reform was on the table when the State, Territory and Commonwealth ministers responsible for Housing, Homelessness, Planning and Building met in Canberra (Ngunnawal Country) on October 16, 2026.
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NZ announces refrigerant stewardship scheme
Synthetic F-gas refrigerants will be subject to a regulated product stewardship scheme in Aotearoa (New Zealand) from April 1, 2027.
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Shaping the future of Building Energy Performance standards
Countries across the world are battling with extreme weather events, implementing sustainable energy strategies and driving better building performance. Amidst the chaos, European association of HVAC professionals, REHVA, is working to create common international definitions for building performance standards.
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Automotive AC and thermal management under review
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) is reviewing standards that impact automotive air conditioning and thermal management.
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The Kigali climb – Managing risk in Australia’s ongoing refrigerant transition
The 10-year milestone of the Kigali Amendment is a fitting moment to reflect on the HFC phase-down journey so far – and what lies ahead. For Australia, this means re-examining key policy settings and industry practices relating to refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP) to ensure early progress is matched by future successes.
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World Ozone Day: marking a decade of the Kigali amendment
September 16 marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol. In 2026, with the theme “Global action for a cooler planet”, the international community reflects on a decade of progress.
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Make you sure have a license to thrive
It’s tough enough running a trade business without copping avoidable expenses like fines for non-compliance. With the Commonwealth Penalty Units recently increasing, the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has issued a timely reminder to all ARC permit holders.
Features
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Seeing all-electric stars in the NABERS Annual Report
The NABERS Annual Report for 2025/26 shows collective progress is being made across energy efficiency, electrification, indoor environment, energy management innovation and embodied carbon.
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Delivering energy wins through cooling innovation
A research project by the Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has available Alternative Cooling Technologies (ACTs) can deliver energy efficiency gains.
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Crooks cook French frozen food aisles
A cyberattack on supermarkets in France has caused tonnes of fresh food products to be discarded. The hackers exploited a smart control system on chilled and frozen food units, something security experts have previously suggested was a matter not of “if” but “when”.
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Global reach, local innovation
In a global economy where air conditioners look the same in the eyes of the customer, whether they’re in Uttar Pradesh, Ulan Bator or Ulladulla, leading air conditioning manufacturer Daikin makes a strong case for localisation.
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A hidden health risk
A new report by Australian medical experts reveals why transitioning away from gas needs to be a public health priority.
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Saharan ants inspire cooling breakthrough
In 2016, the founders of Hong Kong-based climate technology company i2Cool began researching passive radiative cooling technology, gathering inspiration from Saharan silver ants. A decade later, their products are helping human communities beat extreme heat.
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A TV reno show we can relate to
Forget the typical opulent bathrooms and gleaming expanses of stone kitchen benchtops – this new renovation show is all about the science of energy, thermal comfort and passive performance.
Business
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Beijer Ref appoints new CEO
Jonas Steen has been appointed to the role of CEO, succeeding acting CEO and President, Joel Davidsson.
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City Facilities Management secures decade-long Coles deal
After 17 years of partnering with Coles Group to provide comprehensive facilities management solutions across the national supply chain and retail network, a new 10-year agreement has been signed.
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New CEO for Construction Skills QLD
Industry training fund Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) has announced Tara Diamond will be taking the helm as its new Chief Executive Officer.
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Fine-tuning thermal comfort
GENERAL Australia (formerly Fujitsu General) has launched a new Wi-Fi enabled zone control solution using anywAiR® technology, called Zoneconnex.
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Clivet opens heat pump plant in Italy
European HVAC equipment manufacturer and distributor Clivet has begun production at its new heat pump plant in in Feltre, Italy.
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Modine to become Modexus Solutions
Thermal management and solutions company Modine is set for a rebrand as Modexus Solutions after completing the spinoff of its Performance Technologies business, now merging with Gentherm.
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Frascold launches semi-hermetic ammonia compressor
Italian compressor manufacturer Frascold has launched a new semi-hermetic ammonia screw compressor range called “Aluminium”.