Building Services Journal Volume 1 2012

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VOLUME 1 – 2012

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contents

Adbourne

managing the data

PUBLISHING

11 Reshaping our buildings 15 Something for everyone at

www.adbourne.com 18/69 Acacia Road Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156 PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160 Melbourne Office Neil Muir Ph: (03) 9758 1433 Fax: (03) 9758 1432 Email: neil@adbourne.com Adelaide Office Robert Spowart Ph: 0488 390 039 Email: robert@adbourne.com

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Production Emily Wallis Tel: (03) 9758 1436 Email: production@adbourne.com Administration Robyn Fantin Tel: (03) 9758 1431 Email: admin@adbourne.com Marketing Tania Lamanna Tel: (03) 9500 0285 Email: tlamanna@bigpond.net.au

3 National and State Reports 7 Carbon Management:

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17 Top ten trends for green building 20 Lighting control 22 Environmental Upgrade Agreements 24 Regulation Update 29 Commercial Energy Management 101

32 Unwelcome compliance surprises 36 Improve reliability & reduce maintenance

42 Architects and Building Design 47 Is a 5 Star NABERS energy rating affordable without GreenPower?

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52 Product News

 www.ipea.org.au DISCLAIMER Adbourne Publishing cannot ensure that the advertisements appearing in The Building Services Journal comply absolutely with the Trade Practices Act and other consumer legislation. The responsibility is therefore on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisement(s) for publication.

Adbourne Publishing and The Institute of Plant Engineers of Australasia reserves the right to refuse any advertisement without stating the reason. No responsibility is accepted for incorrect information contained in advertisements or editorial. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or otherwise alter articles for publication.

All original material produced in this magazine remains the property of the publisher and cannot be reproduced without authority. The views of the contributors are not necessarily those of The Institute of Plant Engineers of Australasia or the publisher.

Adbourne Publishing seeks to provide a forum for expression of ideas and opinions from companies and individuals. By presenting these articles the publisher in no way endorses any particular ideology but gives the reader the opportunity to access a variety of different views.

A large proportion of businesses have reported 21% plus increases in energy prices over the past 5 years. Some are reporting increases of more than 50%. The same levels of increase or higher are expected in the next 2 years!

Source: Australian Industry Group

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“Providing Support, Fellowship & Recognition”

National Reports President’s Report

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hank you you to the committee for their endeavours this year, it appears we are recruiting well thanks in the main to Craig and Roz White in SA with new corporate and individual members New corporate members Butterfield Service in SA APM Property Maintenance in SA AGL Boilerland in Queensland IMC – Independent Monitoring Company in NSW HydroChem Pty Ltd in Victoria JMG Air conditioning and Electrical in WA Fitch Real estate Pty Ltd Golden Grove Shopping Village in SA Daikin in SA

State News South Australia

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ongratulations and welcome to the new corporate and individual members.

Congratulations to the SA committee and thank you to the out-going committee for your assistance.

The New Committee is: Ian Paterson – President David Brown – Vic President, Peter Freckelton – Secretary Roz White – Treasurer Peter Otten – Meeting Coordinator Craig white – Membership Officer Committee Trevor Measday Alby Cerella Chris Porcelli Guest speaker at the State AGM was Tom Jones from ECO Plus Solar Energy who gave a very interesting talk on the

In WA

New Individual members In SA Peter Doyle – ODG Alby Cerella – APM Property Maintenance Bob Irvine – Complete Steam Engineering Gary Wade – Steam & Process Controls Alex Shepherd – Incospec & Associates Australia Wayne Vilanova – Silcar Chris Percelli – Silcar Bill Pataioanno – Golden Grove Village Shopping Centre Mark Kerr – Adelaide Festival Centre Tony Edmonds – System Solutions Rick Holiday – Holair Airconditioning Scott DeJoyce – Silcar Matt Gilson – Air Comfort Services Paul Lemmey – JLL In QLD David Buttsworth – IMC – Independent Monitoring Company In NSW

Stephen Cairns – Environmental Services Michael Gribble – JMG Air conditioning and Electrical Trevor Nye Younis Tehfe – Triple M Mechanical Services WA To all welcome aboard and we look forward to a long involvement and input.

Nationally IPEA is continuing to grow, this seems to be against the trend of other organisations.

All members need to keep the association heading in the right direction, we are only as strong as our members and our committees.

Well done to the States and National Executive for their efforts, keep up the good work.

Ian Paterson National President IPEA

Paul Black – IMC – Independent Monitoring Company

domestic solar power environment.

Les Gurney was thanked for his years of service on the committee and a well deserved break.

South Australia has worked hard in increasing the membership with 15 new members this year, this brings SA up to approx. 46 financial members.

Another very successful evening was held in February at the Sea Rescue Squadron.

Several new members were presented with their certificates, and several prospective members courted.

A great tour of Soft Touch car wash was organised by Roz White which was well attended and very informative, (see report from Dave Brown).

We are gearing up for our state AGM and another busy year ahead.

The committee will advise members of a general meeting to elect the state committee for 2012/2013. Please forward your interest to the Secretary. Also, please note that committee nominees must be financial.

All building, mechanical and plant engineering institutions ensure that the information provided is available and up to date for those interested and that the technical information the recipient may pass on is correct. IPEA assists and supports with promoting training programs and seminars that will benefit our members and readers.

Overall, the growth of IPEA nationally is very positive and Victoria will also continue to be part of the growth.

Please view our web site www.ipea.org.au for IPEA national and state information.

Ian Paterson State President SA

Victoria

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treasured friend Jeff Fraser OAM. Please view the vale for Jeff in this issue.

he Victorian Committee and members are saddened by the passing of our Treasurer and

If you require any state information, please do not hesitate to contact me on my mobile 0419 306 963.

Best regards, Barry Wilding Secretary – IPEA Victorian Division

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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“Providing Support, Fellowship & Recognition”

Seaton Softtouch Speedwash technical walkthrough IPEA Meeting 31st Jan 2012

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e met at 205 Tapleys Hill Rd Seaton for a tour through a new not-so-ordinary automatic car-wash.

Greg Boston, one of the Directors along with Trevor, another Director and Beck showed us through the state-of-the-art carwash and what’s behind the scenes in the plant room.

Greg’s been in the [car-wash] industry for 10 years but has a mechanical upbringing and is a self-professed Jack-of-all-trades (like most of us).

This project is the culmination of 4 years research in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia and cost $3.3M with a pay-back period of 10 years (hopefully). So it’s no ordinary hose-off! The idea was to have a fast automated car-wash that washes everything, shines everything, doesn’t damage your car and makes you want to return. It had to be water efficient, electricity efficient and detergent efficient!

On to the tech stuff...

Vale for Jeffrey Douglas Fraser OAM 19 October 1923 – 27 January 2012 IPEA Member and Victorian Division Treasurer.

The “Start Gate” is self-serve via a touchscreen using money, credit, codes, etc and money is vacuumed away to the underground vault. You can even join the “club” which gives you unlimited washes per year by radio-frequency-identification reading of the chip adhered to your windscreen as you enter the start-gate.

The Canadian tunnel is 110’ (33.5 m) long and can process 80/cars per hr although currently doing 30/hr at 4 minutes a wash and is auto-programmable to the differing vehicles.

It uses 80-90% recycled water from a 300,000L tank. The used (not wasted) water is transferred to a 200,000L settling tank which is aerated. A 5 micron cyclonic separator is used to remove solids followed by a bio-reactor using membranes.

A clarifier pump is used to repeat the processes. The minimal waste is pumped to sewer. This is all controlled by a US WEB-based controller.

Furthermore, the water is softened, filtered by carbon filters, purified by reverse osmoses and pH balanced before being used. Cleaning water is provided via VFD wobble-plate pumps. VFD pumps are also used for chemicals which are added via a venturi system. Surprisingly, one of the additives is “Rainex” which gives an amazing glass-like shine! Rejected water is not wasted! It’s used for pre-cooling of the hot metal cars on warmer days.

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The conveyer uses a “roller lift” to push via the back wheel and the steering is selfcorrected due to the camber of the track (take note next time you have your car auto-washed).

The brush arms look conventional enough but use 3 rams per arm in lieu of the conventional 2 so as to allow more flexibility around obstruction such as mirrors etc.

“Air over water” rams are used instead of conventional water type to eliminate common problems from pollutants in water. The brushes are made of soft nonpermeable plastics and therefore do not hold dirt etc.

Even the wheels get special treatment with specific spiral-type brushes for getting into this alloys and a tyre-shine treatment afterwards.

And after 4 minutes you pop out of the other end after passing past the six 15hp air-dryer fans in you bright shiny car!

After this a few of the group took up the discounted offer for a demo car-wash and then our hosts shouted us to a few coldies and pizzas.

We all commented how interesting (and surprisingly so) the tour was and thank Greg, Trevor and Beck for their time and informative discussion.

Oh! I forgot to mention that they also have the conventional wash-your-own car systems, but I’d have to say that that’s now boring in comparison!

eff joined the Victorian Division of IPEA in 1983 as a full member.

It was not long after that Jeff joined the committee and eventually accepted the position of Honorary Treasurer within the Victorian Division.

always the first to put up his hand to help.

Especially with the annual Christmas BBQ’s where Jeff arranged most of the outings and delighted young and old with selling raffle tickets and handing out ice creams. Also, not to forget his amusing sense of humour.

Jeff held the position of Treasurer for many years, even recently while in ill health. It was Jeff’s wish to support IPEA for as long as he could and he fulfilled that wish.

IPEA have lost a loyal member and also a very good friend to us all.

Jeff’s contributions to IPEA Vic Division and National are known by many as he was

We offer our sincere condolences to Jeff’s wife Helen, daughter Melinda and husband Richard (IPEA Member) and family.

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National Contracts Manager: National Co-Ordinator: National Tech Services Manager: Queensland Brisbane: Cairns: Victoria: South Australia:

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Ian Hartup Michael Friesendorff Paul Black Ping Chang Keith Friedrichsen Troy Cairncross Roz White

0411109353 0412066113 0412166114 0412116114 0408368921 0412117114 0431503195

ian@imc1.net techservices@imc1.net paul@imc1.net ping@imc1.net imcnthqld@imc1.net troyc@imc1.net rozwhite@imc1.net

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Head Office: 23-25 Daking Street North Parramatta NSW 2151 Phone 02 9890 5067 Email imc@imc1.net

Carbon Management: managing the data

WENDY HIRD, Manager, Greenbriar Consulting

Why calculate a Carbon footprint?

There are a lot of good reasons to look at your carbon footprint, from a marketing advantage to fulfilling customer requests for information.

From an engineering perspective it is another tool, another angle to look at your resource use. Like lifting a blind on a dark room, it may reveal dust in the corners you haven’t seen before.

The good news is that most of the data you need you are probably already tracking – even if you only track the monthly or quarterly bills – so getting an annual report should be easy. The main thing is to make this annual task easy, accurate and repeatable.

How does it work?

This is the (very) short version.

Carbon accounting tracks the emissions of the six main greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydroflourocarbons (HFC), perflourocarbons (PFC) sulphurhexaflouride (SF6).

Carbon dioxide (CO2) has the biggest impacts, accounting for 83% of global warming impact and has been nominated as the standard and given a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1.

When emissions are calculated, they are reported as ‘equivalent tonnes of Carbon Dioxide’ (t CO2-e).

Typical emission sources for a commercial building are electricity use, gas use, petrol/fuel and refrigerant emissions.

The conversion data, a combination of energy content and emissions factors, can be found in the National Greenhouse

and Energy Reporting Measurement, Technical Guidelines, 2011. See http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/ One of the main things is to track your data and record where it is used; it makes a difference to the conversions. There are some examples further down.

Green House Gas protocol The Green House Gas protocol is an accounting standard, and it has very specific rules about how you allocate the emissions data.

It’s divided into scope 1, 2 and 3.

Scope 1: emissions from sources owned or controlled by the company – typical for a commercial building would be: • Fuel used for boilers or food courts • Fuel for generators • Fugitive emissions from refrigerant and HVAC systems

– Rubbish to land fill. Rubbish to recycling centres has zero emissions.

– Transport to your site by staff and clients – Paper used in the building – Fuel and electricity used to create fit-materials and carpets – Fertiliser and fuel used to farm your food used in cafes etc The separation is to prevent double dipping.

• Emissions from purchased electricity are shown in your scope 2, but the power companies would count the emissions from gas/coal/oils used to make that electricity in their scope 1.

• Your landfill rubbish: the emissions are in your scope 3, but the local council would account for it under their scope 1.

What do you collect?

Scope 2: purchased electricity. Purchased green power has zero carbon emissions, and non-green electricity produced on site is actually tracked in scope 1 through the fuel/gases you use to produce it.

Do you include the two floors of car space you lease for tenants next door? Do you exclude the retail shops and café on your first floor? The answer might depend upon whether the electricity/gas use can be separated.

Scope 3: emissions produced by others on your behalf:

If you are doing NGERs reporting already then a lot of this data has already being

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• Is it worth gathering? Tracking down petty cash invoices for LPG bottles for rooftop barbeques - when it turns out to be 0.5% of your carbon footprint – might not be worth the effort long term.

You can always make a conservative assumption of LPG bottle use; just make sure you record your assumptions.

Don’t lump it all together!

Conversion factors vary depending on where it is used and how it used.

• Electricity: The emissions for the electricity you purchase are based on an average for the state you are in and it’s updated yearly. Tasmania’s carbon conversion factor is a third of NSW’s due to all the hydroelectricity. Table 1 below, is selected data from Table 7.2 Indirect (scope 2) emission factors for consumption of purchased electricity from a grid. Technical Guidelines: for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions by facilities in Australia June 2011.

• Fuel: There are different energy and conversion factors for diesel, unleaded, and for ethanol – used in ethanol mixes like E10 – so you should make sure your fuel cards track which type of fuel is used. It also depends whether it’s for stationary use, like a generator or crane, or for non-stationary use like a car, or a truck… and the age of the car and the type of truck matters. Table 2 below, is from Table 2.4.5A Fuel combustion – liquid fuels for transport energy purposes for post 2004 vehicles, Technical Guidelines: for the estimation of greenhouse gas emissions by facilities in Australia June 2011.

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How far do you go? kg CO2-e/kWh

Once you have your boundaries sorted you need to determine how ‘in depth’ you go. Most companies are only initially looking at scope 1 and 2 emissions.

It’s a matter of using billed data, fuel cards or tracking mileage, and having kg CO2-e/kWh assessments undertaken on your fridges 0.89 for fugitive emissions.

NW and ACT Vic Queensland Tasmania

1.21 0.88 0.3

Table 2

emissions factor kg CO2-e/GJ

• How difficult is the data is to gather?

Do you need to make changes to your accounting or computer systems? Do your financial services record electricity usage as dollars only, when they should also be tracking kWh.

Table 1

energy content GJ/kL

collected [see break out box]. If not, and you have multiple properties in different states, using different electrical and gas suppliers using different billing periods, it can get cumbersome. It might be easier to start by looking at one property or one region only. That will also let you know 2 things:

Assuming you are only calculating Scope 1 and 2, you’ll end up with total carbon (scope 1 & 2) in carbon dioxide equivalent tonnes per year. To make it relevant and allow you to compare building sites from year to year, between sites, and to pass the information on to your clients in a meaningful way, you’ll need to make it intensity based, say total CO2-e/m2 NLA.

Data capture

There’s data that is not needed for carbon footprinting energy GJ/kL content emissions kg CO2-e/GJ factor but you should record it anyway. The main thing to consider is, Unleaded 34.2 66.9 in five years’ time when you look back at Diesal 38.6 69.8 your carbon footprint trying to see a trend, will the peaks and troughs make sense?

LPG 26.2 60.2 You don’t want to be going back through Ethanol 23.4 0.4 old maintenance records trying to figure i.e. Emissions from Petrol use = out what happened?

Petrol Consumption (kL/year) • Water use is generally not accounted *Energy content (GJ/kL) *Emission factor for in carbon footprinting. Compared (kg CO2-e/GJ)/1000 = t CO2-e/year to the energy you use on site to pump and heat water, the embedded energy in National Greenhouse and the production and distribution of water Energy reporting (NGER). use by a utility company is generally low. However you should still record You need to report scope 1 and 2 to your water use somewhere. A bathroom NGERs if: retrofit program would account for a • you are a constitutional corporation, reduction in your electricity use, as and; would upgrading cooling towers.

• meet a reporting threshold for • Major issue with leaks in gas mains, greenhouse gases or energy use or boilers! Make a note in that year’s or production for a reporting carbon plan that the figure is gas usage (financial) year. is high and why. You’ll have moved on in • NOTE: The corporate threshold for the 2011/2112 reporting period is 50kt of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-e) or 200TJ of energy consumed or produced. The facility threshold is 25kt of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-e) or 100TJ of energy consumed or produced).

For more information see http://www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au/

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

three years’ time and your replacement will be stuck trying to figure out what went wrong.

• Don’t forget to record your occupancy, and room availability. Having 10% of the available NLA unavailable or unrented rooms impact electricity, gas and water use.

What do you do with it?

Now you have a carbon footprint (scope 1 & 2) for your building, you need to set a KPI, and presumably a reduction target.

The good news is you probably already HAVE a carbon reduction target, you just might not realise it.

• Do you plan to increase your purchase of green energy?

• Do you have planned retrofits or efficiency programs that would target gas/electricity/fuel use?

• Do you have a 10% electricity reduction target?

These will all reduce your carbon footprint.

You just need to work out what those targets would be in carbon terms and make that your carbon footprint target KPI.

Can I outsource it?

If you don’t wish to do it yourself there are lots of large and smaller companies who

will be happy to put together a carbon footprint and/or carbon reduction plan for you. But the less time they have to spend chasing bills and invoices, the cheaper it will be for you.

Conclusion Most of this data is probably being tracked (or at least paid) one way or another in your hotel. Undertaking a carbon footprint is a good way to shake up the accounting system and see what drops out, it also gives you another tool to measure and track your resource use. To quote a classic, “you can’t control what you can’t measure”.

Further Training There are courses you can undertake for carbon management. The author has completed a CERT IV in carbon management with Carbon Training International. See www.co2ti.com Author Wendy Hird, Manager Greenbriar Consulting, has a background working with in water efficiency and running water management education programs.

Wollongong based Wendy Hird is available to undertake a carbon footprint, carbon management reduction plan, or run a workshop or awareness campaign with your staff about carbon footprints or carbon management. n

Wendy Hird, Manager Greenbriar Consulting www.greenbriar.com.au 0434 336 468 wendy@greenbriar.com.au

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Reshaping our buildings Tony Arnel, Chairman, World Green Building Council

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n her life, Leah will face many challenges. But there is one challenge that I feel confident we are addressing in my lifetime, and in doing so are building a better world for Leah, her generation and generations to come. This is the challenge of creating greener buildings, greener communities and greener cities.

During my involvement with the WorldGBC, I’ve witnessed a fringe green movement become a mainstream industry.

Governments have begun to wake up to the costs of climate change and recognise that buildings are truly the low hanging fruit. Technologies and practices which were once considered extraordinary are now business-as-usual.

When I reflect on the most significant changes in my life during my time as Chairman of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), the most life-changing event has been the birth of Leah, my first grandchild.

Today, green buildings take many shapes and forms. They can be glittering skyscrapers, such as One Bryant Park, the first high-rise tower in New York to achieve a LEED Platinum rating for its soaring façade of high-performance glass, natural ventilation and recycled materials.

They can be low-technology, highperformance buildings such as the Tsoga Environmental Centre in the povertystricken outskirts of Cape Town in South Africa. This building addresses socioeconomic sustainability alongside the environmental by creating employment, offering training and empowering the local community.

It’s clear from the people who are on the ground that, brick by brick, building by building, the green building movement is transforming the world.

Architectural icons like the Empire State Building in New York City are being given green makeovers and large-scale residential developments, such as BedZed in the UK, are demonstrating how a combination of high and low-tech green features can result in a community that is carbon neutral or even carbon positive.

We’ve established the economic case for green buildings. Big business has recognised the benefits of going green.

Buildings from Macquarie Bank’s new Green Star-rated headquarters in Sydney to the Vanka Centre in Shenzen are living proof that green buildings can enhance office productivity and brand equity, attract and retain the top talent and deliver on CSR priorities.

We’re also demonstrating the social benefits of green buildings. Australia’s first Green Star-rated hospital, Flinders Medical Centre in Adelaide, provides a practical demonstration of why green healthcare facilities are cheaper to operate, improve patient outcomes and decrease staff turnover, all while minimising their environmental footprints.

From high-performance Green Star schools in Brisbane to small schools in the mountains of South Africa, simple green design principles are delivering improved educational outcomes.

One Shelley Street is Maquarie Bank’s new 6 Star Green Star – Office Design v2 rated headquarters in Sydney.

Together, we’ve established a solid environmental case for green buildings.

Buildings such as Australia’s first carbon neutral office, Pixel, are redefining the way we will build for many years to come. By using renewable energy over a 50 year lifecycle, Pixel will actually deliver a net carbon benefit to the environment.

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Peregian Springs State School was the first primary school in Australia to achieve a Green Star – Education Design v1 rating.

Pixel building.

The South Africa’s Vele Secondary school, for instance, features a rainwater harvesting system and 50 square metres of solar panels which provide electricity for 80 computers. The school’s passive and low-energy design supports naturally-lit and ventilated classrooms that are warm in winter and cool in summer. As one student says: “I used to fall asleep during most of our classes at the ‘old’ school. Now the classrooms are cool in summer and I’ll be studying or reading books in the classroom instead of wasting my time idling outside under a tree.”

Since the WorldGBC was first established in 2002, we’ve moved beyond buildings and are now talking about how we green entire communities, precincts and cities.

And we’ve moved beyond our focus on environmental sustainability and are looking at how green buildings can deliver on a range of socio-economic priorities from job creation to rebuilding economies still struggling in the wake of the global financial crisis.

In the last decade, the global economy, the business environment and the mindset in which we operate has changed dramatically. While the journey is long, the destination is clear.

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For developing nations, constructing adequate housing for 500 million people and providing electricity for some 1.5 billion people brings with it many challenges and opportunities. In these countries, thoughtful consideration of sustainability at the earliest stages of design and construction will deliver the best economic and environmental outcomes.

In developed nations, ensuring the right mix of market leadership and government regulation is essential to substantially reduce CO2 emissions from the building sector. It is not simply a case of opting for regulation or information or economic measures. All are needed to bring about the required changes.

The role of business in the green economy is also crucial – it is businesses that drive

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

growth through investment, innovation and job creation.

For Leah’s sake, it is my dream that one day the WorldGBC will be redundant.

It’s my hope that, when she reaches my age, all buildings will be carbon, energy and water positive and environmentallysustainable. It will be just the way buildings are constructed and the carbon-hungry dinosaurs of today will be archaic relics of our misguided history. But for now, the WorldGBC’s challenges remain as pressing as ever. n Tony Arnel has recently stepped down from the role of Chairman of the World Green Building Council, a position he held for three years. Tony is also chairman of the Green Building Council of Australia and Global Director of Sustainability for Norman Disney and Young.

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The ONE event that connects the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services industry

“ Could not be better.

We attend a number of shows and no one does it as well as ARBS ”

“ An excellent show. Very well organised. Good cross section of trades.

Great location ”

“ Well organised. It is a true global exhibition in terms of quality ”

ARBS 2012 is Australia’s ONLY International Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Building Services trade exhibition.

Showcasing the very latest innovations and industry technology ARBS connects over 250 local, national and international manufacturers and suppliers with thousands of decision makers, designers, specifiers, engineers, contractors and technicians.

Save the date for this HVAC & R and Building Services mega event held over 3 days and featuring the trade exhibition, an informative seminar program and the national awards gala event.

Register NOW at www.arbs.com.au 7 - 9 May, 2012 Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre 14

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Something for everyone at ARBS 2012 Jane Burren, ARBS

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n the biggest show in its 14 year history, ARBS 2012 will pack more than 250 exhibitors under one roof at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Open over three days to allow visitors plenty of time to browse and converse with exhibitors and their peers, exhibitors will showcase their latest products and services across all facets of the HVAC&R and building services industries.

Alongside the show runs the respected ARBS technical seminar series. This year’s line up includes international thought leader and green building evaluator Jerry Yudelson, and a range of Australian experts covering both practical and legislative topics. Steve Anderson of AREMA will discuss the new refrigerant levy and a panel including Pat McInerney of the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and industry and education players will explore what this new levy means to Australian industry. Bring along your questions.

To see a full seminar listing or to book, visit www.arbs.com.au

ARBS Industry Awards Finalists 2012 This year’s ARBS Industry Awards gathered many nominees over the full range of award categories. Judges had a tough time as they whittled down the list to the top three nominees in each category. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner held during ARBS 2012. Come along to network with your peers and support the cream of our industry.

Held at the Savoy Ballroom, The Grand Hyatt Hotel on Tuesday 8th May, the evening will be hosted by Shane Jacobson, award winning actor, presenter and star of Kenny, Charlie and Boots and Top Gear Australia. Bookings are available on the ARBS 2012 website, www. arbs.com.au. Book for yourself, or tables of 10 are available.

ARBS Product Excellence Award 2012 • ESP Ultima – Actron Air • Air Change Dehumidification Unit (ACDHUM) – Air Change Australia Pty Ltd • JetVent Digital EC – Fantech

HVAC Project Excellence Award 2012 • 1 Bligh Street, Sydney – Hastie Australia & Dexus/CBUS • Pixel Building, Melbourne – James L Williams Pty Ltd • ANZ Docklands – Norman Disney Young

Refrigeration Project Excellence Award 2012 • F. Mayer Imports – Bitzer Australia & Strathbrook Industrial Services • Tip Top Butchers – Trent Refrigeration & Heatcraft Australia

The finalists are:

Outstanding Industry Education/Training Award 2012

ARBS Young Achiever Award 2012

• Certificate in Drafting – AMCA

• Will Mason – Norman, Disney & Young

• Air Conditioning Training Academies – LG Electronics

• Daniel Tan Teng Yeow – Fantech

• Managing for Profit Program – AMCA

• Robert Stoddart – Norman, Disney & Young

Outstanding Service and Maintenance Provider 2012

ARBS Hall of Fame 2012 • EIGHT NOMINEES WILL BE INDUCTED INTO THE ARBS HALL OF FAME n

• James L Williams • Hi Flow Industries • A.G. Coombs Pty Ltd The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

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Top ten trends for green building Romilly Madew, Chief Executive, Green Building Council of Australia

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ince 2004, the Green Building Council of Australia has certified more than 4.2 million square metres of space, and with 900 member companies is one of the largest green building councils around the world.

Since 2004, the Green Building Council of Australia has certified more than 4.2 million square metres of space, and with 900 member companies is one of the largest green building councils around the world.

Australia’s green building sector has come a long way since the first Green-Star rated building was completed in Canberra in 2004. Romilly Madew, Chief Executive of the Green Building Council of Australia, believes green building is fast becoming the norm.

Here she presents her top 10 predictions for the built environment in the years to come.

There are strong indications that the construction industry and the corporate world see green building as an inevitable part of business as usual in immediate future. As is the case now with fire safety standards and disability access, sustainability will soon be taken for granted. It will be ‘just the way we build’.

• A recent Jones Lang La Salle global corporate occupier survey found that 64 per cent of respondents believe that sustainability is a critical business issue.

• A McGraw Hill Construction report has found that more than half of global construction firms expect to be fully committed to green building by 2013.

• The latest Davis Langdon 2011 Construction Sentiment survey found that sustainability was ranked the number one opportunity for the industry over the next five years and one of the major risks included failing to adapt to a carbon-constrained future.

Here are my top ten predictions for the built environment.

1. The focus on existing buildings will intensify In the US, the fastest growing rating tool in 2011 was the Leadership in

Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings program.

Closer to home, policies such as the Australian Government’s Commercial Building Disclosure scheme are already encouraging building owners to upgrade their existing stock. The Australian Financial Review recently said: “the retrofitting of older buildings is no longer an option for owners but a commercial imperative.” To help the industry green its existing stock, the GBCA is developing the Green Star – Performance rating tool, which will assess the operational performance of existing buildings against the nine current Green Star categories.

We expect this tool to revolutionise the industry.

2. Zero net energy designs will gain traction There will be little room for buildings that aren’t carbon neutral, as well as energy, ecology and water positive. Many GBCA members are active in this space. Woods Bagot with Buro Happold have developed an interactive design platform which tracks energy and carbon footprints for design solutions, enabling designers to experiment with different options and start the design process with the question: ‘what can this building do for the environment?’

3. Building products and materials will become greener The shift to green materials is being driven by life cycle assessments of materials – that is, the impact of a material from the beginning to the end of its life. An emerging trend will be more emphasis on ‘cradle-to-cradle’ thinking, where material purchases are made based on both their first and second lives. Organisations such

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as InterfaceFLOR, which is recognised as the world’s most sustainable carpet manufacturer, has implemented a takeback and recycling program to ensure its products have a useful ‘second life’.

Flinders Medical Centre – New South Wing – First healthcare facility in Australia to achieve a Green Star – Healthcare Design v1 rating.

4. Affordable green will be the norm Many people associate green with higher costs – but that’s changing. New business models, technologies and high performance materials are bringing green within reach. Colonial First State’s Rowan Griffin recently said that there was no longer a premium for green property. “We have already gone to the stage where it’s the norm to be green and energy-efficient, so people expect that out of premium buildings. So it’s more a discount of those that are not energy-efficient and not green,” he said.

5. Energy sources will transform We live in a country with more sunny days than anywhere else on the planet, yet we are lagging behind Asia, Europe and North America in installation of solar photovoltaic panels. Expect this to change, as we begin to see solar, wind and photovoltaics routinely integrated into buildings and used as a building material, rather than simply being installed on top. And many of these renewable energy sources won’t be large.

Micro-turbines are already becoming popular in Asia, and we’ll see more Australian innovation in this area as we recognise the benefits of integrated small systems over one giant, geographically remote power source.

6. Building information modelling will become de rigeur Expect a more sophisticated approach to building monitoring as building information modelling (BIM) systems become more comprehensive. BIM will enable crossdisciplinary teams to share knowledge and track data of complex building projects. The project team on 1 Bligh Street in Sydney, for example, employed 3D BIM technology during the design and construction phases. The BIM model brought together more than 30 individual discipline models and all sub-consultants were in part appointed on the basis of their BIM capability. The team found that 3D BIM saved costs, saved construction time,

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‘Pond Installation etc’ is from InterfaceFLOR.

and supported better building performance and control. Furthermore, DEXUS believes BIM also has the capability to generate efficiencies throughout the life of 1 Bligh Street as all the building data is available on hand for the property managers.

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7. Government focus on energy efficiency and overall sustainability will improve Governments are stepping up their mandates for green buildings for both

their own buildings and the private sector.

The desire to reduce carbon emissions by going green will lead more government agencies to require green buildings. New schools and hospitals will be built to the highest environmental standards as community demands and government priorities shift towards sustainability. We currently have more than 100 education projects registered to achieve Green Star ratings – and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

8. Investors will demand greater action on climate change When the GBCA first published The Dollars and Sense of Green Buildings in 2005, little attention was played to the role of investors. Two years later, our revised version tracked an overwhelming change in attitude. Today, the Investor Group on Climate Change warns that investors are monitoring the approach of companies on climate change and carbon pricing, including what they say in the public realm.

In fact, 75 per cent of fund managers

believe organisations need to integrate climate change issues into business strategies and set policy commitments on climate change, while 57 per cent of super funds believe companies need to improve their reporting and disclosure on climate change.

9. Blue is the new green It’s not all about energy. Building designers and managers are taking steps to reduce water consumption through the use of water saving fixtures, rainwater recovery systems and innovative new water technologies. Lot 12, TradeCoast Central, for instance, gained a Green Star innovation point for its shared, precinct non-potable water storage and distribution system. The system reduces potable water consumption by 80 per cent – the equivalent of more than 10,000 litres a day – and the only potable water used within the precinct is for kitchens, showers and hand basins.

10. The demand for green communities, cities and infrastructure will grow Beyond the building envelope, we’re already seeing the conversation shifting – and we are looking at how to green our communities and cities. The penny has finally dropped: buildings are part of larger systems. In the future we will no longer view our buildings in isolation, but as interconnected pieces of a larger community. The GBCA’s Green Star – Communities project is driving this shift.

When released in mid year, Green Star – Communities rating tool will be Australia’s first independent, transparent, national scheme able to assess and certify the sustainability of community-level projects.

The Green Star – Communities rating tool will usher in a new era of sustainable development, one which looks beyond environmental efficiencies in the built environment and looks at how we build entire communities that are liveable and sustainable. n

Cool 50 floors without cooking the planet.

Energy efficiency is increasingly seen by many building owners and operators as an inescapable part of managing their bottom line and many are appointing energy managers to keep their use of this expensive commodity within reasonable limits.

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Lighting control the most efficient route to energy reduction and cost savings Garry Lowe, Systems Intelligence

T

he drive towards increased energy efficiency should be an imperative not only due to increasing government focus and shifting market demand but also as an opportunity for significant running cost reduction. The release of new government energy reduction schemes such as Commercial Building Disclosure program and the Green Building Council of Australia moving beyond their as-built rating tools highlights the importance of the operational performance of existing buildings. For property owners and managers lighting control is one of the easiest, least disruptive and fastest energy efficiency solutions that will deliver substantial cost savings. Traditionally in Australia there has been limited choice for lighting control solutions which has also driven higher pricing. However with technological advancements such as the introduction of KNX an open architecture system there is not only greater choice but also greater tailoring, flexibility and seamless integration into an existing building.

Lighting is a significant proportion of overall energy use in commercial properties for example tenant lighting is responsible for 67% of tenancy energy use and 32% of an entire commercial building1.

As such it is one of the key focus areas for energy reduction. At first glance, it can appear as though the investment costs for lighting control are greater than the expenditure for a conventional lighting installation; however it is a different perspective when you look at entire lifecycle costs. The Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency has recently released findings that savings of between 20% - 70% can be achieved in a typical office with payback periods of around 5 years, depending on the current installation and usage patterns. The payback period for a lighting energy efficiency upgrade could be well within the term of a typical ‘3x3’ lease (three years with a three year option) in the Australian Market.

According to a ZVEI (Association of the German Electrical Industry) study, energy consumption for building lighting can be reduced by up to 80 % using intelligent building systems such as KNX. Not only are savings achieved through energy consumption alone.

The use of open standard technology such as KNX can deliver further cost savings through • Reduced installation costs • More efficient commissioning

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

• Reduced facility management and maintenance costs as there is transparent acquisition of important building data and processing of fault messages There is a range of lighting control functions. Dependent on the needs of your buildings the correct design may contain; • Occupancy Detection – The simplest way to control lighting to meet your requirements is based on the presence of users in the room. The room is only lit automatically when someone is there.

• Time and Date Scheduling – Synchronising the on/off times of each fixture with the occupancy patterns of each building occupant eliminates wasted energy by ensuring that lights are only turned on when needed and shut off when not in use • Daylight Harvesting – Light sensors detect the light level outside; the indoor lighting is then adjusted to the desired level via a dimmer or independent ballast control.

• Light Zoning – Provides the ability to re-configure lighting zones using virtual software groups which can be modified or deleted through software. Thus illuminating the need for expensive re-wiring.

• After hours control – Only the set of lights that illuminate the office, hallway, washroom and other pre-defined work spaces needed by occasional out of ours occupants to perform their work duties are activated if and when they go into the office.

• Façade & Blind control – During the heating season, blinds are lowered at night to conserve valuable warmth in the room.

In summer, they close to keep out the strong sun and reduce need for air conditioning.

The potential energy savings are dependent on the mix of functions used as shown in the below graph from the study “Energy saving and efficiency potential through the use of bus technology as well as room and building automation” by Biberach University of Applied Sciences, Institute for Building and Energy Systems in 2008. This showed that up to 25% of savings could be easily gained through simple daylight harvesting and occupancy detection in an open plan office.

• The pay back periods are relatively short and are generally within one to five years. n

References 1. The tenant energy management handbook- Sustainable Development Authority 2000

So what are the critical things to look out for when assessing lighting control systems?

• An all in one system, instead of separate control solutions, it is important that the system you choose is capable of all possible functions/applications.

• Flexibility, supporting all communication media as well as adaptable to both new and old buildings. Building can be quickly adapted to accommodate new demands.

• Durability, a system that has been used around the world for a considerable period. It is also important that components from the first generation are still compatible with present product lines.

• Communication, system implementation has the ability to use a buildings existing communication infrastructure. Additionally data can be transmitted externally for security or maintenance purposes.

Summary • Substantial energy and cost savings can be achieved with intelligent lighting control in comparison to conventional lighting technology.

• The maximum energy saving potential is achieved using a combination of different lighting control functions.

• The savings are fundamentally in the double-figure % range.

• The required investment in intelligent lighting control is generally low in comparison to structural modifications to buildings.

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Environmental Upgrade Agreements key to better building ‘footprints’ Dominique Hertzog, Office of Environment and Heritage

A

landmark initiative by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) to make it easier to access finance for environmental improvements is gaining momentum.

Robyn Parker, NSW Environment Minister, said Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUAs) are a cost-effective program for environmentally friendly improvements to be made to existing commercial and industrial building stock.

“EUAs provide a practical and straight-forward mechanism for property owners to secure low-risk finance for energy, water and other environmental upgrades, with the loan repaid through a local council charge on the land,” Ms. Parker said.

“EUAs have the potential to unlock billions of dollars worth of energy efficiency upgrades in NSW alone, with the building sector providing the most cost-effective opportunities for efficiency of any sector in the economy.”

Under the innovative program, building owners have the option to share loan repayments with their tenants, who benefit the most through lower energy bills. At the same time, owners and tenants can lower their greenhouse gas emissions, whilst reinvigorating their buildings, which keep vacancies and outgoings low.

Environmental Upgrade Agreements are unique in enabling owners to share repayments and benefits with tenants.

In October 2011, the template agreement was released for EUAs for commercial buildings. A similar template agreement is now being finalised for retail and residential strata buildings.

Timely boost for property community Environmental Upgrade Agreements are a timely boost for the property community dealing with high and volatile electricity and energy costs and a growing proportion of ageing commercial building stock.

To indicate its central position within a building’s cost structure, electricity contributes 20% of the costs for office buildings in Sydney1. The commercial property sector consumes around a fifth of Australia’s total electricity use and generates 13% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, experts predict a doubling in price of electricity between 2011 and 20172.

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These concerns, coupled with estimates of 81% of Australia’s 21 million square metres of commercial stock being older than ten years3, provide an almost ideal backdrop for EUAs to play a vital role in the years ahead to enable owners to ‘future proof’ their buildings.

EUAs also help owners keep buildings competitive to investors and tenants, with research4 supporting the value tenants place in green buildings as desirable places to work in, through improved energy efficiency, waste reduction and indoor air quality.

Retrofitting makes sense The high energy consumption of older commercial buildings, which were never designed for optimal energy efficiency, means retrofits make good sense. A typical building can realise significant energy savings by retrofitting with up-to-date technologies and systems and optimising their operations. Building retrofit projects also benefits local communities by creating jobs as well as extending the useful life of each building within its local fabric.

In its recent findings, the World Economic Forum announced projections of growing demand for retrofitting: ‘It is rare when a pressing environmental need makes demands on businesses that, rather than costing money, actually saves them money and enhances their profitability. Retrofitting large buildings for maximum energy efficiency is such a circumstance.

The opportunity to catalyse a building retrofit market holds tremendous value for business and government alike.”5

Retrofitting for a win-win-win EUAs are underpinned by a voluntary three-way agreement involving a building owner, a finance provider and council.

The owner agrees to carry out the environmental upgrade works.

The finance provider agrees to advance the funds for the works.

Meanwhile, the participating council levies the environmental upgrade charges to pass repayments on to the finance provider (minus their processing fees).

The agreements enable owners to carry out environmental improvement works that will deliver the best outcomes and value for their building on a case-by-case basis.

The elegant simplicity of the EUAs program is that each participant benefits markedly whilst contributing to better longterm environmental performance and reduced costs.

More information

Building owners are able to access funding for retrofits at a competitive rate, over a longer term and for larger projects, which they can service through tenant co-contributions.

Their sustainable buildings have less impact on the environment and generate better returns.

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainbus/eua.htm

Tenants are able to enjoy the benefits of an upgraded, more efficient building at no extra cost.

For finance providers, EUAs represent taking a leadership position with a pioneering offer that promotes greater investment in retrofitting ageing stock. Because the Agreements allow for the finance to be repaid through a council charge, like rates, they provide long-term security for loan repayments.

For Councils, environmentally upgraded buildings are more likely to attract progressive, world-class businesses, whilst reducing pressure on infrastructure and extending the sustainable life of a region’s existing buildings. In capturing a stable of owners to increase the performance of their buildings, there are pronounced savings in water, energy and waste management and lower emissions.

For more information about Environmental Upgrade Agreements and other NSW sustainability programs, visit the OEH website at

Call: Dominique Hertzog, Office of Environment and Heritage, on 9995 5494. n

References 1. Benchmarks 2010: Office Buildings, Property Council of Australia 2. Powering Australia Conference 3. Davis Langdon Research, 2009 4. GE Capital Research, 2010 and Building Better Returns, University of Western Sydney and University of Maastricht 5. World Economic Forum ‘A Profitable and Resource Efficient Future: Catalysing Retrofit Finance and Investing in Commercial Real Estate, October 2011

The upshot of these industry and Government catalysts working together is a program that will deliver long-term benefits to the community as well as generate new ‘green collar’ employment in each local area.

Environmental upgrades Upgrade activities eligible for an EUA include: improving energy or water efficiency, reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, recycling, pollution prevention or reduction, renewable energy projects and activities that promote reduced car use, such as showers or bike parking racks - to encourage people to walk or ride to work.

Works also include smaller scale initiatives such as: installing efficient lights and sensor controls, improving lift energy use, and improving central heating, cooling and hot water systems.

A range of other NSW Government programs are currently available to support building energy efficiency, including the Energy Savings Scheme and the business support programs, Sustainability Advantage and Energy Efficiency for Small Business.

Councils taking part EUAs are already available in the City of Sydney and Parramatta areas with interest mounting among progressive metropolitan and shire councils. The OEH has recently provided seed funding to the City of North Sydney and City of Newcastle Councils to assist with EUA set up costs.

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Building Services Engineers – Regulation Update Max Winters, Hendry Group

Revolving Doors: AS 1428: AS 1288: Building Code of Australia (BCA)

decorative treatment. In these instances the glass must be marked to make it visible, and readily apparent.

AUST – Building services engineers are reminded that Building Regulations recognise that the use of revolving doors have inherent hazards. For example, the Building Code of Australia 2011 (BCA) does not permit revolving doors to serve as an exit door for evacuation purposes, while under the Disability Discrimination Access legislation of AS 1428.1-2009 ‘Design for access and mobility – General requirements for access – New building work’, revolving doors are also not permitted to serve as an accessible path of travel for people with disabilities into and throughout a building.

Whilst AS 1428.1-2009 does not apply to revolving doors, there are now increased markings required for glass doors and side lights that may still apply to the curved panels of revolving doors if they are capable of being mistaken for a doorway or opening and they are located adjacent to swinging entry and exit doors in an accessway. The markings must comprise a contrasting 75 mm wide solid line across the full width of the glazed panel in accordance with AS 1428.12009, and logos can be used, provided the minimum markings of a 75 mm wide solid line is maintained.

If a revolving door exists in the building or is proposed to be installed, the architect, designer and building services engineer will need to ensure the design and operation, including the speed and size of openings of the revolving door is suitable for the purpose, location, and is safe for the occupants and guests to use.

Building owners should consider whether a glazing audit should be performed to establish and mitigate any existing risks.

The BCA provision applicable to the design of revolving doors and their associated curved panels, is the requirement for the installation of any glass to be in accordance with AS 1288-2006 ‘Glass in buildings – Selection and installation’. The requirements of AS 1288 are to reduce the risk of injuries that can result from glass breakage through the installation of safety glass, and the enhancement of a person’s awareness of the presence of glass through making the glass more visible (manifestation).

Clause 5.19 of AS 1288 stipulates minimum requirements for markings on glass if the presence of glass in a door, side panel or a panel capable of being mistaken for a doorway or opening is not made apparent by transoms, colonial bars or other

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AS 1851: Fire Door Inspections: Fire Doors: Essential Safety Measures AUST – The Building Code of Australia nominates fire doors as essential safety measures in Part I1 Equipment and Safety Installations. Various state regulations nominate fire door inspections to be performed under AS 1851-2005 ‘Maintenance of fire protection systems and equipment’.

Typical ‘critical’ defects to fire doors which occur frequently in buildings include dislodged or removed door closers, doors not self-latching, fire doors held open by devices, damage to the base of the doors, loose pins to fire door hinges, panic bolts fitted to fire doors, margins around the door exceeded, no identification tag fitted, no fire door signage, bolts through fire doors, and metal cladding fitted to fire doors.

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Permanent maintenance records for fire door inspections may need to be kept in accordance with AS1851.7 ‘Maintenance of fire protection equipment’. Fire-resistant door sets information is usually provided in a fire doors logbook format. Maintenance records under various state essential safety measures regulations will dictate whether this provision is a statutory function under the regulation. Some States may nominate AS 1905.1 as the ongoing Standard for fire doors compliance. We strongly suggest you keep fire door inspections records under AS 1851 to protect all parties’ interests relative to fire doors. Most States will nominate fire doors as an essential safety measure where all fire door inspections verification and maintenance will form part of the Annual Essential Safety Measures Report/Annual Fire Safety Statement.

Full Function Fire Systems Test AUST – Building services engineers are reminded that an annual Full Function Fire Systems Test is a mandatory requirement of Australian Standard AS1851-2005, where applicable.

To better facilitate operational reliability of fire protection systems, amendments were made to AS1851 – 2005 Maintenance of Fire Protection Equipment and Systems to include a requirement to complete a Full Function Fire Systems Test annually.

Put simply, this means where fire systems are interfaced with other building systems, these interfaces must be tested annually through a Full Function Fire Systems Test. Since a Full Function Fire Systems Test may be disruptive to building operations, it is recommended that building services engineers engage an independent and suitably experienced consultant to minimise the time taken to complete the test, and to communicate with building owners, managers and contractors

to coordinate and manage the testing of the interfaced fire protection systems.

Depending on the size and type of occupancy, the test may require the services of a mechanical and hydraulic engineer, technicians specialising in fire alarms, sprinklers, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning), electrical power and control and building management systems.

Accurate fire protection system interface documentation is critical to facilitating a successful test and must be provided, obtained or created prior to the test commencing.

The criteria and methods of initiating the Full Function Fire Systems Test are specified in AS1851-2005 under the respective sections for each type of fire safety installation. In order to comply with the requirements of AS 1851 – 2005, all of the system interfaces must be verified as operational.

A Full Function Fire Systems Test is also an opportune time, while all of the services contractors are onsite, to check your systems capacity, to do annual

flow, hydrostatic, sandwich and stairwell pressurisation testing, to ensure your services meet their designed criteria.

Essential Property Services have provided independent supervision and coordination of Full Function Fire Systems Test to AS 1851-2005 standard for a number of clients at major and complex facilities, and are well placed to service the needs of building owners and managers.

QFRS: Approval Documents: Fire Safety Installations: BFSR QLD – Essential Property Services alerts building owners and occupiers that the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service (QFRS) is requesting approval documents during their regular fire safety installations auditing processes of occupied buildings.

Most building services engineers are now aware of the requirement to display the Certificate of Classification for a building if their building was completed after 1997.

This provision under Section 284 of the Building Act became mandatory on the

1st July 2009.

The QFRS has been actively auditing buildings since the inception of this provision and requesting that buildings display relevant Certificates of Classification accordingly.

In addition to the requirements of the Building Act the QFRS is also actively enforcing the requirements of Section 25 of the Building Fire Safety Regulation 2008 (BFSR). This legislation requires occupiers to take reasonable steps to obtain building approval documents and keep them with the fire evacuation plan. Section 25 of the BFSR is not restricted to buildings completed post July 1997 and applies to all buildings regardless of age.

Building services engineers, owners and occupiers should take reasonable steps to obtain approval documents before an audit

by QFRS. Sourcing and/or finalising approval documents can often take considerable time and effort. Essential Property Services regularly provides a service to assist clients to meet their obligations in relation to building approval documentation for this purpose. n

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Same light, different light bulb.

At 720 lumens, the 10W DR700 LED downlight bulb matches the brightness, beam width and light colour of a 50W halogen.

* According to the Department of Climate and Energy Efficiency.

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

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Select ‘Retrofit’ for agents.

Brighter than a Halogen at 720 Lumens LUMEN RATING

At 10W, the DR700 has a total light output of 720 lumens, the same as an average 50W halogen (according to the Department of Climate and Energy Efficiency). In reaching this optimal brightness as a stand-alone bulb that does not require a specific driver to be used - the DR700 is a world first. It also overcomes a range of technical challenges and offers twice the brightness offered by its nearest retrofit LED competitor.

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Long Lasting with a Three Year Warranty Like all Brightgreen products, the DR700 is designed to last. With its large heat sink and innovative thermal materials it maintains 80% of its original light output after 40,000 hours with a target life of 70,000 hours.

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Easy to Install and Retrofit to any Driver The DR700 has a larger than usual heat sink to improve its brightness and product life. The DR700 is designed to fit into all downlight fittings without changing any drivers, which means installation is simple, fast and hassle free. The DR700 can also be easily disassembled for gimbled fittings with a limited hole cutout.

Compliant with Australian Standards With the gradual phasing out of inefficient lighting, business and commercial facility managers will need to find a suitable replacement for the tried and tested 50-Watt halogen. Replacements must fall in line with the Building Code of Australia’s new regulations of only 5-watts per square metre, as well as meeting the Australian Standards Lux Levels (AS 1680 series), which Australian commercial properties adhere to. Brightgreen’s DR700 is the best solution to meet these new regulations without sacrificing light output and quality.

To calculate your payback period or find your nearest Brightgreen stockist visit: www.brightgreen.com The Australian Building Services Journal

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Advertorial

New lighting codes demand careful balance of Lux & Watts

W

ith the gradual phasing out of 50-watt halogen and incandescent lights over the next few years, business and commercial facility managers have begun to face the dilemma of finding a suitable replacement for the tried and tested 50-Watt halogen that falls in line with the Building Code of Australia’s new regulations of only 5-watts per square metre.

Compounding this situation is the fact that while the wattage per square meter has changed, the regulations for lux levels have not, and commercial properties are still required to meet the minimum lux levels based on the Australian Standards Lux Levels (AS 1680 series) for commercial settings.

This means facility managers are going to need to find a solution to the problem of complying with the new energy efficiency codes as well as maintaining the required lux levels as part of their OH&S guidelines.

Lux standard levels, while legally required, are also a necessary regulation for your workplace, ensuring it is a safe environment to work in and also being a component of many facility’s insurance policies.

In general, good lighting should enable people to easily view their work and environment without the need to strain their eyes. However, different activities require different levels and qualities of light.

The visual demands of the activity or task performed determine the lighting needs of

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an area. Activities that do not require a high level of visual acuity – for example, walking through a corridor – do not require high levels or an optimum quality of light.

On the other hand, tasks such as drawing or checking a document for errors involve fine and detailed work requiring a moderate to high level of visual control, and so greater levels and a higher quality of light are required.

Poor light levels can be an Occupational Health and Safety concern causing problems for workers. Eyestrain, general vision problems and headaches can all be caused from poor or defective lighting.

This can result in employees having time of as well as increased workers compensation premiums.

One solution to this issue that has recently come to market is high quality Light Emitting Diode (LED) downlights.

LED technology has gone through something of a revolution over the last few years with many LED products now able to reproduce the same lighting quality as the common 50-watt halogen globe, effectively becoming a direct replacement.

With a flood of new LED products on the market, it is important however to make sure you choose the right LEDs that meet the specifications you require for your commercial property.

One important specification in maintaining lux levels will almost always be the luminosity of the LED.

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A lumen is a unit of measurement that is used to express how much illumination a light source provides. An easy way to illustrate this measurement is to imagine a birthday cake with candles. A lamp that puts out 1 lumen of light is as bright as 1 birthday candle. A lamp that puts out 100 lumens of light is as bright as 100 candles.

Thus, the higher the amount of lumens the brighter the light.

LED’s have major advantages over halogens as they can produce high luminosity from a low wattage, easily complying with the new building codes and lux level standards.

In fact some high quality LED’s can produce up to 720 lumens while only running off 10-watts of power, making them a direct replacement for 50-watt halogen.

So as a facility manager, what is the best course of action?

Well firstly and most importantly, you should thoroughly read the specifications of an LED light to work out whether it meets your requirements. You should make sure that any LED you choose can produce a minimum of 720 lumens without exceeding 20-watts.

It is also a good idea to investigate the colour temperature and Colour Rendering Index (CRI) of the light. Two factors that determine how well the light is capable of reproducing vibrant colours. This is important in workplaces where visual clarity is needed, an example being advertising or media publishing.

Commercial Energy Management 101 (Picking the Low Hanging Fruit) Brian Warwick, Managing Director, Power & Gas Assist

E

nergy is a key area of concern in Australia for all businesses as the forward prices for energy are on a steep upward trend.

The key area for controlling and reducing energy cost often falls on the shoulders of engineering. Whilst there are a myriad of opportunities to reduce costs through the installation energy efficient plant and equipment these opportunities are generally capital intensive and carry medium to long term ROI’s. This puts the engineer in the position of having to compete with other business units like marketing to win financial approval for cost reduction productions. It is often the case that engineering managers have substantial KPI’s surrounding cost reductions so energy cost minimisation becomes a double edged sword.

Within a well-constructed strategic energy plan commencing with strategic procurement and working through to the many energy efficient plant and equipment opportunities there are many avenues to make substantial cost gains with little monetary investment to pick the low hanging fruit.

electricity users are missing opportunities to minimise their energy costs because of the complexity that surrounds this unique market. I find that the majority of engineering managers and experts on technical energy efficiency solutions for plant and equipment but few have the time or even the inclination to learn the complexity of the markets, and it is here where the devil lays in the detail.

Developing an Energy Plan – Stage One 1. Strategic energy procurement a. Timing to market strategies

i. Short term contracts

ii. Long term contracts

iii. Hybrid contracts b. Result measurement either by mark to market or mark to budget c. Use of brokerage services

2. Network management and tariff optimisation 3. Systematic data management and reporting a. Billing verifications

Low Hanging Fruit Opportunities –

b. Management reporting c. Mandatory and voluntary environmental reporting

(High Returns for Little Outlay) The energy industry, especially electricity is a very complex beast that takes years of direct industry experience to fully comprehend. Over 30 years’ experience has taught me that most commercial

d. Efficiency and demand reporting

i. Regular

ii. By exception

e. NMI and MIRN management and tracking especially multi-facility operations

Strategic Energy Procurement – Timing to Market The general way in which businesses purchase their energy is to renew current contracts as they are due to expire with an excepted contract term being 3 years.

However this methodology is substantially floored from a cost minimisation point of view. On any given day the actual cost of physically generated electricity sold on the national electricity market pool can vary immensely with this variance being in the realms of less than 2 cents per kWh to a cap of $12.50 per kWh. These price swings are as a result of instantaneous supply and demand scenarios that occur throughout the day. Electricity is despatched in 5 minute increments with prices being averaged over every half hour throughout the year, this equates to 17,520 price points in any given 12 month period.

Most commercial consumers of electricity are shielded from this price mechanism as a result of entering into a retail contract with an electricity retailer which in turn makes them a party to a futures contract or hedging arrangement.

Not only is the physical electricity market or pool a very volatile the forward contract market is also an extremely volatile market and it is here that the price danger trap is set and waits for unsuspecting purchases.

If we leave our electricity re-contracting

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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Picking The Low Hanging Fruit

Commercial Energy Management 101 in 5 Steps Step 1. Carry out market research to ensure you have the lowest contract rates possible for the electricity and gas you consume at all your facilities Step 2. Conduct network tariff reviews to ascertain if your network tariffs have been optimised for your current demand and consumption circumstances Step 3. Have mechanisms or systems in place that continuously record your consumption and demand profiles. This will aid in the preparation of mandatory environmental reporting Step 4. Rigorously check your bills for accuracy, utilising billing meter data if possible to ensure you are paying for what you have actually received.

“In the 2010-2011 financial year the NSW Energy & Water Ombudsman resolved a whopping 17,559 complaints about energy and water bills in NSW.” Step 5. Prepare a strategic energy management plan that includes both the commercial and technical aspects for minimising your cost of energy

“For some obligation free advice on the above topic give us a call or consider sending us a copy of your current bills for an opinion on your current position” 1300 577 741

Also visit

www.powerandgasassist.com

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal 30understand To what we do & our service guarantee

Energy Brokers & Managers

to one particular day or time period at the conclusion to our current period to renew our contracts we will be stuck with the prevailing contract cost for that day.

This means we are subject to a lucky dip scenario and I would estimate that in excess of 90% electricity purchases do this very thing.

When clients ask me when they should start to look for their next contact my advice is always the same, the day after you sign your current agreement. The wholesale or forward contract price for electricity varies on a daily basis and often on an intraday basis. Throughout a year there can be variances of $12.00 per MWh, so timing to market becomes one of the easiest cost control mechanisms available to energy purchases.

By comparison, the difference between competing retailers for your business when procuring will generally be less than $2.00 per MWh. This leads the adoption of the a strategic energy procurement plan where the goal is to gain a large proportion of the $12.00 / MWh market price swing and as much as possible of the $2.00/MWh on offer by competing retailers.

The Use of Energy Brokerage Services Unless engineering or procurement have an abundance of time and energy (forgive the pun) to study the daily market

happens and trends as well as maintain a comprehension of the various retailers market hedge positions, short or long the engagement of a reputable energy broker will pay very large dividends.

A good broker will continually monitor a client’s energy profile and match it against the daily changes in the wholesale market.

This enables the broker to offer advice to clients when the timing is right to go and test the market to see what actually is on offer by competing retailers. This process is continues a good brokers have the systems and market knowledge to deliver cost beneficial results.

Network Management and Optimisation Around half the cost of your electricity is made up of other components than just the power that your facility consumes; by far the largest cost in this area is your network changes. These are a complicated set of tariffs that must be utilised by the consumer to keep these costs to a minimum and it is up to the consumer not the retailer or network provider to determine what the optimal tariff a facility should be on. I recommend to clients that they should undertake an annual review of their network tariffs to ensure they are not leaving money on the table unnecessarily.

This is another area where the right brokerage service can provide value to a client.

Systematic Meter Data Management and Reporting The commodity billing meter situated within the consumer’s facility is a wonderful source of information and data relating to the facilities energy consumption and demand patters. By making arranges with the meter provider this data can be captured and used to; 1. Prepare load profiles which are essential in getting a good retail contract price for the energy component of the facilities usage 2. Analysis demand scenarios in the selection of appropriate network tariffs 3. Prepare the ever growing number of mandatory environmental reports 4. Check retail bills for accuracy making sure you are only paying for what you get

In Conclusion I hope this article has been of interest to you and that it helps relieve the pressure on those who are responsible to reduce or a least minimise energy costs. These measures can be implemented in house or outsourced to reputable energy managers & brokers at very little cost and will generally return a more than adequate return on investment. n

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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Unwelcome compliance surprises for Building Owners Max Winters, Hendry Group

B

uilding owners need to be aware that a majority of buildings do not comply with the current Building Code of Australia (BCA). Each year various aspects of the BCA are enhanced or amended according to industry and community consultation and feedback, and also according to the agenda and direction identified and adopted by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

Recent examples of these are the enhancements to Bush Fire protection requirements, the adoption of the Disability Access provisions within the BCA, and the inclusion of energy efficiency provisions for commercial and residential buildings.

Following are some of the most common triggers and outcomes for building updates:

Building notices or building orders can cover the broad aspect of public health and safety such as dangerous buildings, fire report matters, and closure of unsafe public assembly buildings, and only a local authority (because of the restrictions in legislation) can serve building notices or building orders in relation to public safety measures provided in an existing building.

Where alterations to a building exceed more than 50 per cent by volume (within a three year time-frame in the case of Victoria), the event can trigger a requirement for the whole building to comply with all the current regulations (the whole BCA). Other states have no time limits applicable, and calculations may vary in the interpretation of the volume. For example, some building surveyors include simple partition changes in the volume calculations, while others only calculate the volume associated with a refurbishment which includes significant modifications to services.

Building notices provide the means by which the municipal building surveyor can require the building owner to show cause as to why an existing building should not be subject to building work in order to provide a level of public safety which meets with community expectations.

An existing building does not have to be upgraded to the same standard as is required for new buildings under building orders or building notices.

An upgrade to fire safety and/or structural capacity may also be determined because the modifications to services may compromise the essential safety measures contained in the building, and may be determined to be inadequate to protect persons using the building. Upgrades may be determined to facilitate egress from the building in the event of a fire, and/or to restrict the spread of fire from the building to other buildings nearby.

As these buildings become increasingly non compliant with the current BCA, factors such as whether the building still serves the original designed intent, and whether the building elements in question are still ‘fit for purpose’ and still provide for the health, amenity and safety of the building occupants sufficiently enough, come into question.

If the owners do not respond satisfactorily to building orders or building notices by undertaking the required works, then the municipal building surveyor/council can proceed to issue building orders or take court action which, if not complied with, will ultimately incur penalties, or even closure of the building.

Disability Access

These questions are generally considered when a particular trigger initiates the review process, culminating in the need for either, or all of, an update to the building itself, a change of building classification, or an update to the procedures practiced within the building.

Extensive Alterations

Since premises are designed and constructed to comply with the BCA applicable at the time (as an absolute minimum), it stands to reason that as each new edition of the BCA is published, there will be a growing list of building elements that will, in compliance terms, become outdated.

32

Council Notices, Building Notices or Building Orders

While most building control legislation is not retrospective for existing buildings, some State legislation do contain provisions that can trigger an upgrade of an existing building.

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Recent moves to improve the commonality of the disability access provisions for buildings in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards 2010 have substantially harmonised the BCA with the Disability Discrimination Act. As a result, the integration of the disability access code with the BCA carries significant implications for building owners, tenants and property managers.

The Premises Standards contain detailed disability access information specifying the circumstances and types of building where the Standards apply, and they

apply to a new building, a new part of an existing building, and the affected part of an existing building.

For disability access, the affected part of a building means: • the principal pedestrian entrance of an existing building that contains a new part and; • any part of an existing building that contains a new part, that is necessary to provide a continuous accessible path of travel from the entrance to the new part.

Generally speaking, the affected part of a building must comply with the new access requirements where alterations and/or additions are proposed to an existing building, and the proposed work is subject to a building permit/complying development certificate or a construction certificate/building permit.

The affected part of the building, relative to disability access, does not apply to: • existing parts of buildings outside the area of the new work and the affected part upgrade • an accessway from the allotment boundary, from any accessible car parking space on the allotment or between other buildings on the allotment Upgrading works for an affected part may include the following disability access works: • accessibility of upper floors to new work • providing lift access features such as Braille or tactile buttons • signage • removing a step at a building entrance • upgrading handrails on a ramp • minimum width requirements of doorways or passageways, including passing and turning spaces As a consequence of the new disability access provisions, the BCA more extensively covers features such as lifts, stairs, ramps, toilets and corridors in buildings such as office blocks, shops, hotels, motels, and common areas of new apartment buildings.

Energy Efficiency Compliance Energy efficiency requirements, as detailed in Section J of Volume One of the Building Code of Australia (and applicable to all building Classes 2-9, unless otherwise stated), apply to the construction of all new buildings, as well as the refurbishment, alteration or extension of any existing building.

The energy efficiency requirements allow commercial and public buildings to achieve minimum levels of energy efficiency compliance through the performancebased provisions of the BCA. In essence, these measures are designed to reduce the use of artificial heating and cooling, improve the energy efficiency of lighting, air conditioning and ventilation and reduce energy efficiency loss through air leakage.

Assessments generally cover building elements such as the building fabric, external glazing, building sealing, air movement, air conditioning and ventilation systems, artificial lighting and power, and access for maintenance.

When a building undergoes alterations, some or all of these requirements can be impacted by the changes in the building, and building owners need to give due consideration to ensuring their emergency planning remains effective, up to date and AS 3745-2010 compliant, in order to provide a safe work environment for staff, building occupants and visitors alike.

While the basic intent of the BCA is to ensure the provision of safe buildings for occupancy that provide a level of amenity commensurate with public expectations, the application of the BCA can be open to interpretation. Building Surveyors are quite often called upon to provide expert advice or witness, and to provide sound planning advice in maximising your building asset.

Where possible, ensure you receive sound and professional advice before calling in the builders. n

About the HENDRY Group

Energy efficiency compliance with the BCA can be achieved by complying with the deemed to satisfy requirements of the BCA or by developing an energy efficiency alternative solution that demonstrates that the proposal meets the relevant BCA performance requirements.

Where energy efficiency alternative solutions are sought or additional information is needed, software-based energy efficiency analysis can also be deployed to assess the energy contribution of various building components such as building fabric, air filtration and natural ventilation, internal heat sources, air conditioning systems and vertical transport systems.

Emergency Planning Emergency plan development, emergency response procedures, evacuation diagrams, emergency procedures training, and emergency response exercise program implementation are just some of the requirements of the emergency planning obligations under AS 3745-2010 Planning for emergencies in facilities.

Derek Hendry is the Managing Director of the HENDRY group of consulting companies that include HENDRY Building Surveying Consultants, HENDRY Disability Access Consultants, Essential Property Services and Emergency Plan. HENDRY pioneered the private certification system of building approvals in Australia, and the consultancy assists clients nationally in all facets of building control and disability access compliance, essential safety measures audits and emergency planning requirements. HENDRY publish a monthly e-newsletter entitled ‘Essential Matters” and provide a subscription service, BCA Illustrated, which provides over 3000 illustrations that interpret and explain the BCA as it applies to your building. http://www.hendrygroup.com.au

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Advertorial

Who to Choose to Look After your Lifts, Escalators & Moving Walks Joanne Fell, Service Contracts Manager, Liftronic Pty Limited

Vertical transport is often referred to as the “heart” of your building. This metaphor is often met with raised eyebrows and a smirk, but it’s not a far stretch when you consider what your lift does.

Just as your heart pumps blood through your veins your lift pumps people throughout your building, when it stops

J

ust like your heart requires a healthy eating plan and exercise to keep it working properly your lift requires proper maintenance to keep pulsing people though you’re building.

This being said many Building Managers are given the often difficult task of choosing a lift maintenance provider (Heart Specialist) with potentially limited knowledge to assist with decision making.

Should price be the only factor? Would you choose your Heart Specialist based on the cheapest price?

to a service doesn’t necessarily mean it’s free of charge.

Lifts are not all created equal:

Ask for Assistance:

Vertical Transport continues to see increasing technological advances, software and programming. Does the company you have asked to tender have trained technicians in the software make and model of your lift equipment?

If you are unsure of anything in relation to offers provided seek clarification from tendering Company’s, ask questions, do your research.

Each make and model of Lift, Escalator and Moving Walk have spare parts that are specific. Does the company you have asked to tender have a stock of spare parts readily available, which are suitable for the lift/escalator installed at your premises?

If you are still not sure you may like to seek some independent expert advice so, use the services of a Lift Consultant.

so does the access to

Apples for Apples or Will You get a Lemon?

your building.

Service Agreements can be complicated documents to comprehend. You should ensure that you are comparing like for like terms and conditions.

Among the many things to consider are :-Guaranteed numbers of service visits, Are after hours calls included? Are all replacement parts included? Look closely at the exclusion clauses, having “access”

Independent Advice:

True Value for Money: Don’t just look at the dollar figure on the offer.

Remember that lifts and escalators are an expensive and technologically advanced item of plant, to ensure that your lifts/escalators safely reach their full life expectancy they need to be service correctly by trained and qualified technicians.

Needless to say that lifts and escalators move precious cargo, mums, dads, children, you and me, and need to be serviced correctly for SAFETY. For more information on Liftronic products and services contact the Liftronic offices on 1800 663 922.

“Elevate your expectations for reliable lift service”

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

35

Improve reliability & reduce maintenance with Direct Drive for Cooling Tower Fans Dr Davide Ross

In July and August of last year, I had the pleasure of attending two very informative conferences in the USA on energy efficiency; these being the ACEEE 2011 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Industry (Niagara Falls, New York) and the GovEnergy 2011 workshop (Cincinnati, Ohio). I have often heard that Americans know how to do trade shows and they’re always big, in fact, really big events. GovEnergy certainly lived up to this expectation. A small thank you must also go to the GovEnergy organisers who had arranged for all attendees to visit the local ballpark and attend America’s national pastime of a major league baseball game.

T

he downside of such events is that you just can’t physically attend all the great sessions of topical interest. Fortunately, one of those that I did walk in to at the ACEEE conference was a presentation by Baldor motors on advances in motor efficiency given by John Malinowski, who is a Senior Product Manager with the company. John presented a very informative session with part of his talk covering motor ratings and this is essentially covered in Australia under MEPS, so no need to discuss this matter further. The main topic of interest that I want to share with the readership of Building Services Journal, were some field results from recent installations of newer motor design and drive systems and their use in real world cooling tower solutions.

So before going any further, Adbourne Publishing and I would like to acknowledge the authors Robbie McElveen and Bill Martin from Baldor Electric Company, USA, for granting permission to use exerts from their original authored article, as titled here and first published in the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) 2009 Cooling Tower Technology Seminar and Symposium.

In addition, Adbourne Publishing in part facilitated my attendance at the GovEnergy workshop and I gratefully acknowledge their assistance.

36

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Cooling Towers Cooling towers are a vital component in a hotel’s HVAC system.

With rising energy costs, stagnant or reduced O&EM budgets and ever more stringent environmental requirements, requiring new solutions that improve reliability and reduce maintenance will be welcome by any hotel engineering manager. In short, this article presents recent developments in motor technology that allow for the direct drive of cooling tower fans which can ultimately reduce maintenance or failure of the right angle gearbox and associated components (drive shaft, couplings, etc.) which has been problematic in tradition installations.

For more than thirty years, the most common solution for driving the fan has used an induction motor, driveshaft, disc coupling, and gearbox arrangement, as shown in Figure 1. Few changes have been made during this time.

Historically, the mechanical components of the fan drive system have been the largest maintenance issue for cooling tower installations1. Gearbox failures, oil leaks, oil contamination, failed drive shafts, misaligned drive shafts and excessive vibration are all significant problems related to this type of fan drive system2, 3.

Fig. 1: Typical Fan Drive Arrangement.

Based on recent developments in motor technology this article will introduce with the aid a real world design, the installation of a 50 horsepower, 208 rpm Permanent Magnet (PM) motor for a retrofit application. It is demonstrated how these innovations can be used to improve reliability and reduce maintenance costs associated with today’s cooling tower installations.

I will not delve into discussing the evolution of PM rotors, perhaps a topic for another article, but will say PM motors have long been recognised as providing higher efficiencies than comparable induction motors. However, limitations in terms of motor control, as well as magnet material performance and cost, have severely

restricted their use in the past. Due to dramatic improvements in magnetic and thermal properties of PM materials over the past 20 years, synchronous PM motors now represent viable alternatives.

Just to capitalise the efficiency gains for these motors, Figure 2 highlights the efficiency and power factor for various motor types4.

In combination with developments of laminated frame motor technology and improved cooling methods, power density is increased.

Air is used to cool the motor and is in direct contact with the stator laminations, thus fins have been added to the exterior of the stator laminations to further increase the surface area

Fig. 2: Typical partial load efficiencies and power factors of 50 hp (36.7 kW), TEFC, 1800 rpm motors.

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

37

Fig. 3: (a) Original Installation (b) PM Motor Installed in Place of Gearbox & Driveshaft.

available for heat dissipation. The result is improved heat transfer and a typical power increase of 20-25% for a given lamination diameter and core length is achieved.

Two small items of attention. A PM motor must be used with a variable speed drive (VSD) system. The energy savings realised by using a VSD are well recognised and documented, so no further discussion will be introduced here.

Secondly, a PM motor will act as a generator when the shaft is driven by a mechanical means, such as wind milling of the fan.

The voltage generated at the terminals on open circuit is typically in the range of 1-2 Vrms line-to-line per revolution per minute (1-2 Vrms/rpm). This is not a particularly high voltage at low rpm, but it is necessary from a OH&S basis that maintenance and other personnel are made aware of the potential of generated terminal voltage even on a disconnected motor.

Improved Reliability and Reduced Maintenance The question of how this type of direct drive PM motor can help reduce maintenance cost and decrease downtime can be answered with one word – “simplicity”. The installation of the low speed motor in place of the gearbox greatly simplifies the installation and reduces the number of moving parts. Not only is there a reduction of moving parts, but now the “high speed” parts are only operating at a fraction of the relatively high speed induction motor, bearings, driveshaft, couplings, and input gears on the planetary gearbox found on the geared design.

In traditional fan drive designs, the gear ratio is typically from 4:1 to 12:1, resulting in speeds of mechanical rotation from 4-12 times that of the fan rpm.

For motor/gearbox combination drives, the lubrication interval is determined by the high speed gear set. The recommended lubrication interval for this type of gear is typically 2,500 hours or six months, whichever comes first. In addition, gear manufacturers recommend a daily visual inspection for oil leaks, unusual noises, or vibrations. As these units are installed in areas that are not readily accessible or frequented, this is an unreasonable expectation and burden on maintenance personnel. When a gear is to be idle for more than a week, it should be run periodically to

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

keep the internal components lubricated because they are highly susceptible to attacks by rust and corrosion.

Because the high speed input has been eliminated with the slow speed PM motor design, the lubrication cycle can now be extended to one year. The PM motor need not be inspected daily for oil leaks, as the motor contains no oil. With the elimination of the high speed input to the gearbox, the system dynamics from a vibration standpoint have been simplified. There are no longer any resonance issues with the driveshaft. The maximum rotational excitation is now limited to the rotational speed of the fan.

The number of bearings in the drive system has been reduced from six to two for a single reduction gearbox and from eight to two for a double reduction gearbox. This reduces the number of forcing frequencies present in the system. For added protection, a vibration switch can be used as with typical gearbox installations.

To this end, a flat pad may be incorporated on the side of the motor, which can be drilled and tapped to accept commonly used vibration sensors.

The case study involves the retrofit of an existing cooling tower constructed in 1986 servicing a university. This tower is comprised of two identical cooling cells. For this study, one cell was retrofitted with a slow speed, direct drive PM motor and VSD while the other was left as originally configured. This allowed for a direct comparison of the two fan drive solutions.

High Speed

Low Speed

Location

Volts, mean

Amps, rms

Input kW

Input to Induction (Cell #1)

478

54.3

37.9

82.3 dBA

74.4 dBA

Input to VSD, PM (Cell #2)

477

49.8

33.0

77.7 dBA

69.0 dBA

-8.3%

-12.9%

Reduction %

Table 1: Power consumption and sound pressure data comparisons, 12o bade pitch.

The cooling tower information is as follows: • Fan Diameter: 18’-0” • Flow rate: 16,000 litres per minute (LPM) per cell – 32,000 LPM total • Original Motor: Frame – 326T induction HP – 50/12.5 Speed – 1765/885 rpm

possible the construction of low speed, compact motors for use in place of the existing gearbox. By eliminating the gearbox, which is a significant source of loss in the system, improved system efficiencies may be realised. There is no reason this technology cannot be applied to towers requiring 200 horsepower or more. The biggest concern may be the weight of the motor as compared to the gearbox, but with the use of appropriate cooling method this may be overcome. n

• Gearbox: Size – 155, Ratio – 8.5:1 A power meter was used to measure the input power to both solutions and results are displayed in Table 1. The fans were both running at 208 rpm. Data was taken at both the input and output of the drive to allow for a direct comparison of the induction motor/gearbox combination to the PM motor. Power measurements were made and a third party testing service was engaged to verify the results.

Many cooling towers are in locations where airborne noise can be an issue. One of the additional benefits of installation of a PM motor is the reduction in noise. Taking the installation example cited, average weighted sound pressure results are shown for both the high speed and low speed operation. Measurements are expressed as dBA, meaning a sound level filter in the A scale was used. Using this common filter scale, the sound level meter is thus less sensitive to very high and very low frequencies.

An “A weighting filter” is used because the human ear does not respond equally to all frequencies and is more sensitive to sounds in the frequency range about 1kHz to 4 kHz.

References [1] Jim Horne, How to Address Your Cooling System Woes, PTOnline, 2008.

[2] Dave Gallagher, Condition Monitoring of Cooling Tower Fans, Reliability Direct.

[3] Philadelphia Gear, The Cooling Tower Gear Drive Dilemma: Why Applying Commodity Products to an Engineered Solution Can Cause Premature Failure.

[4] Steve Evon, Robbie McElveen and Michael J. Melfi, Permanent Magnet Motors for Power Density and Energy Savings in Industrial Applications, PPIC 2008.

At high speed, the PM motor cell was 4.6 dBA lower than the induction motor cell. For low speed operation, the PM motor cell was 5.4 dBA lower. The removal of the higher speed induction motor from the outside of the fan stack appears to have the biggest influence on the overall noise level of the tower itself.

Conclusions Cooling tower fan drives have changed very little over the past few decades. Failures of the gearbox, driveshaft, or disc couplings have been the biggest reliability issue facing tower manufacturers and end users. Increasing energy costs have placed a premium on power consumption for all motors and applications.

Many of the problems associated with cooling tower maintenance and reliability are solved with a direct drive, low speed, PM motor.

The relatively high speed (typically 1,750 rpm) induction motor has been eliminated. The motor itself has not historically been a problem, but the associated resonances and potential vibration concerns have been an issue. The driveshaft and associated disc couplings have been removed, thus eliminating problems associated with misalignment, improper lubrication, natural frequencies, or delaminating of the driveshaft itself. The right angle spiral-beveled gearbox has been removed. Difficult maintenance issues associated with changing the oil, proper oil fill levels, contamination of the oil, oil leaks, and gearbox failures are no longer a concern.

New motor technology now provides an alternative solution, the direct drive of cooling tower fans. PM motor technology combined with a finned, laminated frame or water jacket design makes

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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Advertorial

Summit Matsu Chillers Project Success Story

Client:

Hewlett Packard Project Overview:

The containerised super computer supplied by Hewlett Packard and run/owned by iVEC, a joint venture between the CSIRO, Edith Cowan University, The University of Western Australia, Murdoch University and supported by the Western Australian Government.

It is being used to support the state’s $80 million Pawsey Centre, which was established in 2009 to host high performance computing facilities such as genetic research and Square Kilometre Array Telescope research. A reliable cooling system was required for the super computer.

Containerised unit during construction.

Then...

Ready for dispatch.

Design Brief:

A chiller system was required together with water pumps, a thermal buffer storage tank and delivery and connection at site. Each mechanical component of the system was required to be fully redundant so there was no single mechanical point of failure.

Environment:

Chiller during construction

Seaside weather, with hot, wet and humid conditions.

Solution: 3 x 125kW high efficiency air cooled chillers were skid mounted on top of a custom built containerised tank and pump system, which was purpose modi�ed for this site.

Main features: Chillers: 3x 125kW air coooled chillers.

Water pumps: 3x water pumps for the chiller side.

2x water pumps for the computer side.

Tank: 27,000L purpose built water tank.

Controls and All wiring and controls including Wiring: MODBUS High level Interface were internally wired within the container and brought to single connection points for power and ethernet.

Company Summary info:

Summit Matsu Chillers supplies world class industrial chillers for for all kinds of industrial and commercial applications.

Summit Matsu Chillers designs, engineers and builds these units in Alexandria, Sydney, using only the highest quality parts and most energy efficient components available. Assembled by highly skilled engineers and tradespeople these units are built to withstand the rigorous and demanding conditions that are a feature of the Australian environment.

Summit Matsu Chillers has 50 years of specialist chiller experience giving the company the depth of knowledge to solve any problem quickly and provide the cooling solution a client needs.

Visit our website for more Project Success Stories.

www.matsu.com.au 40

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

The �nished unit being delivered and installed on site.

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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Architects and Building Design Greg Blain, Architect PTY LTD

Overview

Selecting an Architect

This article reveals in general terms, the process of building design, aiming to help building Owners receive better quality design and design service, and better quality buildings, ranging from new buildings to small refurbishments.

Some Considerations

All building is costly, not only financially, but also regards building performance which affects user efficiency and operational costs. Buildings are expensive so should be done right the first time.

Selection of the Architect should be based on the perceived ability of that Architect to carry out the work required. The following text reveals some other things to consider.

For the purposes of this article, the term Architect will be used for the Designer.

The Designer may be any design professional, for example an Engineer designing plumbing changes or an Interior Designer designing cosmetic interior work.

The principles written in this article apply to all Designers.

The Owner The Owner is the most important participant in the design and construction process. Owners should however listen to and seriously consider Architect opinions, even if these may sound unpalatable.

For best design outcome, Owners need to have already deeply considered the design scope before talking to an Architect.

Owners need to receive good design service and be fully informed of design and building processes by the Architect.

The Architect A building Designer can be an Architect or a ‘Building Designer’. The law allows people with certain building experience but who can’t be Architects, to design buildings (ie Building Designers) but their design service may be limited by law.

Tread your own path.

42

Several local Architects should be approached, local because the design can involve intense Owner/Architect liaison and it is good to be able to meet sometimes face to face.

Architect promotion of work via magazine publicity or Industry Award wins may not indicate design skill. Magazine publicity may have been paid for by the Architect.

Architect celebrity or status, or promotion using a large gallery of completed projects, may not indicate design skill, or that the Architect is best for a particular project.

Successful Architects deserve respect, however success may relate to the Architects passion (which may not equate to design skill) or good sales or marketing skills. A young Architects service may be just a good or better than an established Architect.

Architect specialisation may represent knowledge of one building type, but may not indicate design skill (perhaps it means the opposite). Specialisation comfort may lead to over-confidence or apathy, hence poor service and design. A non-specialist Architect may design a new building type with fresh vigour and energy, and/or may be simply a better Architect. Architects should be able to design any building of any type.

Architect websites or advertising can have the Architect, not the potential Client (Owner) taking precedence. Architects need to be focused on service for the Owner.

| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Photographs of a Architect work can look better than reality, digital photography can be enhanced, and photographs alone can not communicate a design.

The Architects Fee Proposal Architect fee proposals for the same project will vary and it can be difficult to compare different proposals. No proposal format or service scope description is identical. Legal and Architectural advice should be sought on proposals.

Proposals become Contracts so they can be and should be complex. Some basic things to be included in an Architects proposal should include (but certainly not limited to): • The exact scope of the building work.

• Outline of the Architectural design and construction activities, stages and timings.

• Participants including Consultants and Engineers.

• How Authority approvals are dealt with.

• Typical responsibility and protection clauses for the Owner, Architect and other Parties.

The design process is usually divided into two basic stages. These stages are design and contract documentation.

• Contractual terms specific to the project.

The Design Process

The design stage involves reaching a documented resolution as to the general scope and layout of the work. Building work can not be done from design documentation

The design process is extremely complex.

It pays to have experienced personnel involved, and pay them accordingly.

Serious building mistakes, once built, can be an overwhelming burden for an Owner.

The contract documentation stage involves taking the design and converting it into accurate and thorough technical drawings and written specifications.

These documents are then used for

• Design documentation copyright.

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

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building pricing and construction. Good documentation results in very little or no Builder questions or price variations.

Design involves processing a complex idea, representing it in graphic and written form, and realizing it through construction.

In realising any idea, the unforeseen may exist making the process imperfect.

This imperfection is compounded by the different opinions of everyone on everything, and the fact that most design decisions require balanced compromise between advantages and disadvantages of every decision, no matter how small.

Perfection does not exist.

Architects are trained and qualified so Owners should listen to and seriously consider their opinions, even if these may sound unpalatable. An Architects opinion should not be forcefully imposed.

Owner reservations of a design idea or a Architect should be negotiated to achieve compromise or resolution.

Design is complex, taking time to develop, consider, and then develop more. Often several re-designs occur for Owner design concept satisfaction. Nevertheless it is necessary for both Owner and Architect to be firm and commit reasonably quickly to design decisions.

An Architect should know, at the time of idea conception, how an idea will be built.

If not, critical design evaluation may be delayed possibly resulting in late stage re-design.

Architects should avoid incomprehensible “design speak” jargon. Responsible Architecture involves practical science ordered artistically, not the opposite.

Owners pay for expensive construction so design detail should be clearly and logically explained by the Architect and have practical purpose.

Owner commitment to a Architect is critical (and of course vice versa). It is unproductive to change Architect, or go elsewhere to develop one Architects work, as the original concept will likely be lost and communication needs repeating.

Copyright also needs consideration.

The Building Process The building process also is extremely

complex. It is usually divided into the two basic stages of Tender and construction.

Project Tender Tender is pricing the construction from the technical documentation done by the Architect. Several Builders simultaneously bid for this identical work.

After 30 years industry experience, I firmly believe that Tender off completed technical documents is always the best way to select a Builder and obtain a firm contract price.

Builders are best first involved with the project at Tender. Tender is best done by 3-4 Tenderers, as less reduces competition and more is unfair (Tender involves a lot of work).

Rough estimates should be avoided.

An Owner “running out of money” should not happen when the project is comprehensively documented then put to Tender.

Items not documented will likely not be built. Items not documented accurately may cause dispute. Verbal instructions often result in miscommunication and dispute.

During Tender, there is opportunity to include minor design or documentation changes without contract variation.

Changes to Tender are called Addenda, and are issued to all Tenderers.

Tender conduct (including issue, submission, and negotiation) is to the specific rules of the ‘Conditions of Tender’ document given to Tenderers. Tender is to be confidential, done without collusion.

The Architect should administer the Tender as it is a serious matter.

Pricing can only be accurate through competitive Tender. However, Tender prices will vary, and it is acceptable for Tender prices to be within +or- 10% of preTender estimates. It may be unacceptable for a Architect to charge extra fees to alter excessive design and documentation to suit Tender prices, without pre-Tender warning to the Owner of the excess.

No Tender needs to be accepted, nor should submission of the lowest Tender price mean winning the Tender.

Construction The successful Tenderer signs the building contract with the Owner to become the Builder (Contractor) who then starts construction.

Building work follows the detail specified in the technical documentation prepared by the Architect. The building contract is completed 6 or 12 months after the Owner occupies the new building. This 6 or 12 month period is called the defects liability period and begins at Owner occupation (called Practical Completion).

As there is a natural imbalance of construction knowledge between the Owner and Builder, the absolute safest way for an Owner to undertake construction work is engage the Architect to perform contract administration. The extra fees for this will far exceed the costs of contractual mistakes if an Architect is not engaged to act on the Owners behalf.

Conclusion This article represents a general overview of some of the things Owners need to consider when embarking on any building work.

Finding the right Architect is paramount.

Once this is done, and the scope of both the Architectural service and the construction work is established, the Owner should be able to take a more relaxed approach knowing that their Architect has the competence and experience to deliver the project as agreed.

All the best with your building project. n

Greg Blain started his Architectural studies part-time in 1978 in Brisbane while working with a variety of Architects and Builders gaining Registration as an Architect in 1989 and his building license in 2000.

Greg has worked on many different size and type projects during his career, often in the role of Project ­Architect. Currently Greg operates a Technical Consultancy and Specification Writing Service to other Architectural Practices and is working to develop a Subscriber based design, technical and educational resource for the Building Industry, hopefully to be operational in a year of two. Greg has authored the design and construction e-book www.letsbuild.com.au guide for house Owners and will soon publish a similar e-book for commercial building Owners.

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Australian Cleantech

2011

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Is a 5 Star NABERS energy rating affordable without GreenPower?

I

n 2009 a major industry report1 estimated the cost to increase an existing building’s energy rating from a typical 3.5 star NABERS base building to 4.5 stars to be $760/ sqM. For most building owners this estimated cost is too high and consequently few major energy efficiency upgrades have proceeded.

Now in 2012, even with enticements arising from the “Carbon Legislation” the fundamental economics are unlikely to change the minds of most building owners.

Under the Green Building Fund (GBF) a number of energy efficiency building upgrades were completed with a base building NABERS star rating of 4.5 or above achieved. Significantly the cost of those upgrades was considerably less than the estimated $760/sqM. One of those buildings was 120 Sussex Street, Sydney which now has a NABERS energy rating of 5.5 stars without GreenPower.

Today it stands as Sydney CBD’s lowest energy intensity building.

Built in 1991, this was a relatively old building requiring a combination of upgrade works. These upgrade works included new efficient lighting, a new chilled water plant including magnetic bearing chillers and the installation of the Shaw Method of Air Conditioning (SMAC).

The gross cost of these works was $160/ sqM or just 21% of the estimated cost of the 2009 report. LGS’s investment in SMAC on 120 Sussex Street represented less than a quarter of the $160/sqM total cost. The owner of the building, Local Government Super (LGS) has described SMAC as “the silver bullet” that has allowed it to achieve the best-of-class energy efficiency outcomes. To date LGS has installed SMAC in 5 of its properties.

While 120 Sussex Street is the current energy benchmark for commercial office buildings in the Sydney CBD, SMAC Technologies’ Director Wayne Ryan recalls his first site inspection. He noted many ‘features’ that specifically restricted additional energy efficiency. Features like mixed internal and perimeter zones on the same variable air volume air handling units, no outside air economy cycle, all electric heating, uninsulated perimeter zone supply air ductwork installed in the return air ceiling void and an all glass façade.

Some of these ‘features’ remain, making the attainment of a 5.5 star rating all the more meritorious. Significantly all retrofit work was undertaken with the building fully tenanted.

Prior to and after the energy efficiency upgrades the LGS commissioned an independent consultant to conduct a tenant survey. The survey result was a calculated annual tenant productivity gain of $188/sqM. In other words net productivity savings each year exceed the initial installation costs; resulting in yearon-year direct benefits to both tenants and LGS. These shared benefits assisted in overcoming the split incentive dichotomy where the owner pays all costs for upgrades and the tenants derive the major benefits of energy efficiency upgrades.

A feature of SMAC is its decoupling of sensible (temperature) and latent (humidity) loads through the utilisation of dual cooling coils. It is this decoupling that not only provides superior comfort control but also unlocks many energy efficiency opportunities unavailable to conventional air conditioning methodologies.

The comfort and cost outcomes across the LGS portfolio of buildings, together with many SMAC-enabled buildings across

Australia, demonstrate beyond doubt that energy efficiency upgrades to existing buildings are economically achievable to 5.0 star ratings NABERS base building and even higher – and without resorting to GreenPower!

SMAC Technologies was the winner of the 2011 Australian CleanTech Award. Its SMAC technology is Australian owned and patented, and is already widely installed across Australia and Asia. SMAC is equally effective in new buildings or retrofitted to existing buildings. It is bolted onto existing in-situ air conditioning systems for a total all- inclusive investment2 of between $22 to $35/sqM of NLA. n

References 1. The Property Council of Australia (PCA) in their report titled PCA/Arup Existing Building’s Survival Strategy 11-2009 2. Inclusive of a one-time perpetual SMAC Licence per m2 net lettable area per building.

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| Volume 1 – 2012 | The Australian Building Services Journal

Advertorial

Otis Elite™ Service Beyond Maintenance At Otis we are leveraging technology to improve our service levels. In 2010 Otis introduced Elite™ Service whereby we can remotely access, diagnose and repair lifts.

REM® (Remote Elevator Monitoring system) monitors the operation of your lifts 24/7. Should a fault occur, REM® automatically notifies our highly trained Elite engineers and by using sophisticated technology they access lift controllers to carry out diagnosis remotely. In over one third of cases Elite Engineer’s have been able to repair the lift without dispatching a technician, greatly reducing repair times and inconvenience to passengers and owners. Where lifts are not able to be repaired remotely, diagnosis is communicated via our Next Generation™ Mobile Mechanic Handtool to the attending technician, minimising site repair time. This

combination of innovative technologies takes service reliability to the next level.

To enhance customer communication Otis offers Event Driven E-mails (EDE) and eService, Otis online reporting service; ensuring customers are well informed on operational and maintenance status.

“Otis Elite™ Service is a comprehensive and new approach to lift service.

Effectively, along with NextGeneration™ Service it represents the future of lift service. For an Otis Elite™ service customer, the future is now.” said Craig Sheppard, Director of Service at Otis Elevator.

The Australian Building Services Journal | Volume 1 – 2012 |

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Advertorial

PowerPax Chillers Feature Heavily In Green Star Projects John Wisdom, PowerPax

PowerPax is a Melbourne based chiller manufacturer of ultra high efficient oil free fluid chillers. In recent years PowerPax chillers have featured in more Green Star and Nabers rated projects than any other type

PowerPax – Smardt chillers exclusively use the Danfoss Turbocor range of oil free magnetic bearing compressors.

Invented and developed in Melbourne, the compressors are now produced in the USA, a joint venture of Danfoss and mainly Australian contributors. PowerPax were the first OEM chiller manufacturer to take up the technology, and with their experience now have the largest range of oil free chillers available, as well as more than 3500 chillers installed globally – over 1300 in Australia.

The chiller range is constantly expanding in capacity and also features innovative concepts designed specifically for the needs of the existing building/ retrofit market.

The range now includes:

of chiller available,

• Water Cooled chillers 200 – 4000 kWR.

pushing the product to

• Air Cooled chillers 200 – 1200 kWR (new release in 2012).

be the most preferred

• Evaporative chillers 200 – 1200 kWR.

in the Australian market

• Condenserless chillers (remote cooled) 200 – 1800 kWR.

and enabling the

• A range of “split vessel” chillers to 2000 kWR.

its operations offshore.

All chillers feature high efficiency, especially at part load, and multiple compressors.

A unique combination of both efficiency and redundancy.

nown overseas as Smardt, the company now boasts manufacturing facilities in Melbourne, Montreal Canada, Plattsburg in the US, Stuttgart in Germany, and a facility being completed in Guangzhou in China.

All of these manufacturing plants are needed to meet the growing need for the company’s chillers in these regions of the globe.

“Split vessel” chillers were developed specifically for the retrofit market. These water cooled chillers are unique in that their heat exchangers can be split down their length and reassembled in existing plant rooms. The design, in most instances, eliminates the need for expensive cranes

company to expand

K

and building modifications. The chillers can also be easily manoeuvred through narrow passages and openings to reach their final installation situation. A patent is pending on the design.

The PowerPax evaporative chillers feature a purpose built evaporative condenser NOT an air cooled chiller retrofitted with an evaporative pad kit. These provide predictive performance similar, and in many cases better, than traditional water cooled chiller plants – without the need for any condenser water reticulation system, associated maintenance and health risks.

The Australian market, particularly Energy rated buildings and retrofit, has driven PowerPax development of these unique products. Product which are now finding favour in the Smardt Chiller Group’s overseas markets. Australian built Evaporative and split vessel chillers have recently starred at the AHR Expos in Chicago and Las Vegas.

The previously “little” Aussie company as grown and come of age on the world stage.

Visit PowerPax at ARBS 2012 in Melbourne. Stand #146

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Total Facilities Live 19 to 20 JULY 2012 Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre To run your facilities smoother, cleaner and more cost efficiently, you need to stay on top of your game. You need to know what’s new, what works, and what’s next in FM. You need to be connected, and well versed with the latest advancements in technology and suitability. The easiest way to achieve this is to attend Total Facilities Live (TFL) – the largest exhibition and conference in Australia for people like you!

At TFL, you’ll discover tools to make your job more satisfying and productive. You’ll unearth products and services that will save you money. You’ll connect with like-minded professionals, find answers to your toughest challenges, and identify new opportunities to fuel your success.

Encompassing Total Facilities Expo, Safe Buildings Expo, Energy Solutions Expo, and Total Facilities Conference, TFL is the biggest gathering of building owners, operators, facility managers, maintenance engineers, heads of facility operations and management, and other facility professionals in Australia.

From safety and security to maintenance repairs and building services, office fit-outs and workplace environments to energy management solutions and predictive and preventative maintenance technologies – TFL features hundreds of ideas and solutions to help you run your facility smoother, cheaper and cleaner.

Attend the Expo and gain free entry to the International Keynote Series featuring presentations from N.A.S.A, Marriott International, US Federal Office of High Performance Green Buildings, and Johnson Controls/Empire State Building. For revolutionary ideas and career-boosting inspiration, attend the two-day Conference where you’ll be exposed to a cast of brilliant minds that’ll have you rethinking your approach to facilities management. www.TotalFacilities.com.au

Melbourne Design Company Invents World First LED Downlight Bulb to Replace Halogen

directly into savings on your electricity bills and ensures a fast payback.

After three years of local R&D, Brightgreen have developed the DR700; the 10W LED bulb that delivers 50W of light.

For more information on Brightgreen’s award-winning DR700 or to see how fast your payback time is visit; www.brightgreen.com

The MR16 replacement bulb matches a 50W halogen on brightness while using only a fifth of the power.

Like all Brightgreen products, the DR700 is designed in Australia and built for Australian conditions. Other features include 100% dimming compatibility, temperature monitoring system, and UV Free.

It’s 100% transformer compatibility makes installation simple, fast and hassle free as anyone can install the light.

Once installed the light will last for 70,000 hours (whereas halogens last for 2000), reducing maintenance costs and lowering consumption levels.

FM & Manufacturing Product Manager, Erica Low installed the lights into her home office at the beginning of the year.

“Before using these globes, we were testing 2 LED globes in the kitchen. I found them dull and not bright enough. We were about to go back to the old globes when I stumbled on the DR700. So far we are very impressed, so much so that I have given our friends the empty box so they know which LED lights to get”, said Erica.

At 70 lumens per watt, the DR700 is almost twice as efficient as any other bulb on the market; a benefit that translates

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