Clive Broadbent, AM, L.AIRAH, is a world-renowned expert on microbial control and was involved in responding to the SARS outbreak in 2003. At that time he formed part of a WHO team that travelled to China to analyse the spread of the virus and produce guidelines on laboratory standards, hospital practices and appropriate ventilation for […]
Features
Opinion: Improve commissioning by improving our technicians
Air-Con-Tech working director William Lane, F. AIRAH, believes the importance of commissioning technicians should be reflected in their education, legal responsibilities, and salary. Our industry has major concerns about energy sustainability and ensuring that HVAC&R systems are designed to achieve the best performances with the minimum amount of energy input. For this to happen, we […]
Opinion: Time for a training levy
Dr Michael Riese, M.AIRAH, is Business Development Manager – Defence & Research at Cold Logic. He shares his views on the need for an HVAC&R training levy. Last week, AIRAH’s South Australian division crowned the new apprentice of the year in HVAC&R. The standard of the eight candidates put forward by TAFE SA was excellent, […]
Gender pay gap grows in construction
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 […]
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine faces cold-chain challenges
The new Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine that is claimed to be 95 per cent effective will face a major hurdle in global distribution and storage. The drug, currently pending emergency federal approval in the US, will need to be refrigerated at -70 to -80°C. These cold storage requirements pose an enormous logistical challenge given that most […]
Australia’s top HVAC retrofits and upgrades
The finalists of the 2020 AIRAH Awards have been announced. HVAC&R News continues its weekly finalist coverage with this spotlight on the contenders in the Best HVAC retrofit or upgrade category. The award recognises excellence in the retrofit or upgrade of a HVAC system, and can address the complete delivery of a project. This can […]
Finalists named for AIRAH Awards 2020
The finalists of the 2020 AIRAH Awards have been announced. The annual awards show organised by the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) will be held as a virtual event on November 10. The finalists were selected following an independent judging process. Nominations submitted by the Australian HVAC&R community were judged and […]
2021 AHR Expo moves to March
The 2021 AHR Expo, a major Chicago-based HVAC&R event, has been postponed to March 15–17, 2021, due to the coronavirus. The show was originally planned to be held at the McCormick Place from January 25–27, 2021. The AHR Expo Show Management says the postponement reflects a survey it conducted showing that nearly 80 per cent […]
UK study mulls heat pumps for net-zero buildings
A feasibility study conducted by the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) is re-evaluating building materials and exploring heat pumps as realistic design pathways to meet the UK’s decarbonisation targets. The findings are intended to improve collective understanding of the real-world implications for achieving new net zero buildings. The “Building the case for net zero” report […]
Using body heat to warm buildings
Whether inside a crowded train or packed exhibition hall, most of us have experienced stuffiness due to body heat radiated from the people around us. The excess body heat released into the atmosphere can actually be used to warm buildings and homes. According to a BBC article, numerous companies are already harnessing this organic warmth. […]