Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH has acquired a stake in Australian distribution partner Vibration Solutions Pty Ltd. Getzner manufactures polyurethane materials for applications in the railway, construction, HVAC and industry sectors. The materials are used for the insulation and isolation of vibrations and structure-borne noise. With this investment in the Melbourne-based firm, Getzner is strengthening its position […]
A holistic sustainable design approach helps future-proof industrial buildings. Without it, such structures, often costing billions to construct, risk being left behind as “stranded assets”. So say the Australian and New Zealand Green Building Councils in a new report, Green Star in focus: The case for sustainable industrial buildings. The report warns of the risk […]
A new research study at Simon Fraser University in Canada may lead the way to exploiting the mysterious Mpemba Effect – the process by which hot water freezes faster than cold water. The Mpemba Effect is named after Tanzanian school student Erasto Bartholomeo Mpemba who, legend has it, was making ice-cream in a food tech […]
The heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry owes much to James Harrison (1816–1893). He emigrated to Australia from Scotland in 1837 and later developed the first successful large-scale ice making machinery sold to industry. He also founded The Geelong Advertiser, was an editor at the The Age and was a member for the town of […]
For the past week the HVAC&R and wider building industry has been scrambling to assess the impacts that stricter COVID-19 restrictions will have on businesses and employees. On August 2, the Victorian government declared a state of disaster and imposed new Stage 4 lockdown measures. Rules around workplaces, which extend to construction sites, were further […]
The European Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has released an updated guide on how to operate HVAC and other building service systems to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in workplaces. The revised document puts a greater emphasis on the potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19. Accordingly, it proposes an infection […]
A Melbourne building that formerly served as part of the Peter MacCallum Hospital has been converted into a specialist 84-bed COVID-19 treatment facility inside three months. Completed as part of the Victorian government’s $1.9 billion health funding boost, St Vincent’s on the Park has substantially increased Victoria’s ability to deal with pandemic patients. Head contractor […]
New research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has uncovered a new way to create an improved metal-organic framework (MOF) for adsorption cooling. Adsorption cooling systems depend on a solid adsorbent and a refrigerant, which transform heat into energy for cooling when they interact. This process can be driven by waste heat from an industrial […]
The Western Australian government has announced a $66.3 million renewable energy technologies package, which aims to kick-start the state’s economy, create jobs, and reduce energy costs. In Western Australia’s North-West, $44.5 million worth of infrastructure will be installed as part of a Regional Infrastructure Stimulus package. This includes an additional 50 standalone power systems, the […]
Dairy farmers are now eligible to receive up to $20,000 in business grants to improve energy efficiency, reduce energy costs and lower on-farm emissions. The Dairy Farming Business Grants are part of a $40m Energy Efficient Communities Program that is designed to help eligible businesses effectively reduce energy bills and slash related emissions. The grants […]