Hotel Engineer Volume 22 No. 3 by Adbourne Publishing

HE HOTEL ENGINEER

PP 319986/101

Volume 22, Number 3

Official Publication of the Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering

One of the newest hotels in the world, located in the premier location in Australia relied on DAC to provide Building Automation Services that are unsurpassed in this industry. Effectively, the BEST working with the BEST.

‘DAC leads the way so that others can follow.’

After undergoing a lengthy and meticulous screening process, Doust Automation & Control was selected as the sole provider of the multiple building services in Sydney’s newest five-star hotel – Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Sofitel required a quality solution that was smart, robust and overall easy to use, whilst providing them with an open choice for future service and support.

Information about our Technology Partners: With approximately 2,800 connected points throughout the 35-storey hotel, our engineering team chose VYKON Niagara and KMC Conquest open vendor solutions to meet the task. This choice, combined with over 25 years of knowledge and experience in the industry enabled DAC to deliver the project both on time and within budget.

DAC was selected for: • Our solid reputation with over 25 years in the industry and thousands of completed projects. • Our superior and innovative design using the world’s latest devices & technology to meet the client’s exact requirements. • An expected cost effective implementation strategy to complete the project within budget – and we did. • On-time delivery expectations and we delivered ahead of schedule • Ease of functionality ensures that the system is easy to interpret and simple to use.

VYKON’s Niagara platform is the leading open framework for innovation, used by businesses the world over. VYKON’s pioneering products and services are changing the way machines communicate with each other and with us. KMC have been designing and manufacturing state-ofthe-art building control solutions in the USA for nearly 50 years. Their tightly integrated product development and manufacturing processes result in the most innovative and intuitive solutions on the market. From our offices in Sydney and with the co-operation of our partners in Australia and around the world, we have the ability to deliver the solutions & support requirements to meet our clients’ needs. We were able to design a cutting edge system that is second to none.

So, if you’re planning a new development or a refurbishment, please make DAC your first choice for all your Building Automation needs.

DAC on 1300 436 878

www.doustautomation.com.au

CONTENTS 13

29 56 Regulars

Publishers letter

AIHE State news

13 Artificial intelligence 29 Food waste: Why it matters 32 Cutting energy from HVAC systems 36 The elephant in the room

Front cover shows:

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

45 Brain fitness and its impact on organisational health

47 Saving on electricity

HOTEL ENGINEER

PP 319986/101

Industry interview

50 Continuous indoor air quality monitors

Volume 22, Number 3

56 Tackling environmental aspects 58

Safety-in-design responsibility

61 Cleaning up your floor care programs 63 Are your life safety and firefighting systems â&#x20AC;&#x153;Fit for Purposeâ&#x20AC;? 66 Using analytics for improving building performance 69

Back of house October 2017

71 Tommorrow's world Official Publication of the Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering

Membership form

Product news

Sofitel Feature 17

Breaking new ground

Australia

The World’s No. 1 Resurfacing Company! Mend A Bath Have Provided the hotel industry with a cost effective alternative to bathroom renovations for more than 40 years! • Bathtubs • Spa Baths • Wall Tiles

• False wastes • Shower Trays • Hand Basins

Before

• Re-enamelling • Chip/crack repairs • Polishing service

After

Before

After

Please consider the following when organising a bathroom refurbishment: • We all know how costly a bathroom renovation can be and we also understand that in your industry, every day the room is out of action during a renovation costs your hotel money. So therefore, a quick turnaround is crucial.

• We use only the highly specialised Mend A Bath enamelling product, which does NOT contain the dangerous isocyanate chemical!

• The fact that a hotel room is out of commission for just over a day using our service is good economics for the hotel industry, as it can be used just 24 hours after completion of the job. • We can resurface all types of worn or damaged sanitary ware, whether they be cast iron, porcelain, pressed steel, fibreglass or PVC and all work is done Franchises available in situ.

After

Mend A Bath International Australia T: 1300 885 865 www.mendabath.com.au

THE HOTEL ENGINEER The Official Publication of the Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering

AIHE STATE PRESIDENTS Anura Yapa, NSW E: Anura.Yapa@shangri-la.com David Zammit, VIC E: david.zammit@hyatt.com Tony Fioraso, WA E: Tony.Fioraso@crownperth.com.au QLD President Position to be announced

PUBLISHERS letter

elcome to The Hotel Engineer.

We are excited to announce this edition of The Hotel Engineer is now online. The interactive version of the journal will be distributed in addition to our regular hard copy. This is a positive step forward for the journal, as we will reach a much broader audience in the hospitality and associated industries. Along with building services engineers, facilities managers and GM's we're expanding to reach consulting engineers and those involved in the planning, building and renovating of hotels. If you know anyone who would like to receive a free copy online, please ask them to pass on their email address to admin@adbourne.com. In this issue, we are taking an in-depth look at the first hotel to be built in Sydney from the ground up in nearly twenty years. The Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is at the cutting edge of engineering. Boasting an enormous backup electricity generator, and impressive energy saving features, the hotel has been attracting great interest from industry.

ADBOURNE PUBLISHING 18/69 Acacia Road Ferntree Gully, VIC 3156 PO Box 735, Belgrave, VIC 3160 www.adbourne.com ADVERTISING Melbourne: Neil Muir T: (03) 9758 1433 F: (03) 9758 1432 E: neil@adbourne.com Adelaide: Robert Spowart T: 0488 390 039 E: robert@adbourne.com PRODUCTION Emily Wallis T: (03) 9758 1436 E: production@adbourne.com ADMINISTRATION Tarnia Hiosan T: (03) 9758 1436 E: admin@adbourne.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Enquiries: (03) 9758 1436 Fax: (03) 9758 1432 Email: admin@adbourne.com

We chat with and thank Anton Van den Brink the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chief Engineer, whom discusses the technology being installed, and the experience of working on a new hotel build. Not to mention, the anticipation and trepidation of cutting the ribbon. If your hotel has recently had a major upgrade, we would be interested in hearing from you and telling your story. We would like to thank all of our contributors in this issue, particularly Jeremy Stamkos, Anwar Ahmed and Brendon Granger. Also a regular writer this year, Mark Thomson, whom this issue interviews engineer Jacques Vever about the recent EarthCheck design certification for the Emporium Hotel, Southbank, Queensland. We rely on those willing to share their expertise to bring this journal together. Your efforts are always appreciated. You will receive our next issue in the new year. So, we will take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and we are looking forward to bringing you more informative articles in 2018. Regards Neil Muir

Adbourne Publishing cannot ensure that the advertisers appearing in The Hotel Engineer comply absolutely with the Trades 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 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 and all submitted editorial are the authorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views and are not necessarily those of the publisher.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA Hello Everyone and Greetings from Western Australia In July we hosted a Christmas in July party at The Reveley which is a restaurant/bar located on the beautiful Elizabeth Quay precinct. We had over 50 people attend and everyone had a great time networking and catching up with partners or colleges they hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seen for some time.

In August we had a joint site visit with Surround Sounds and Schneider Electric: Surrounds and Schneider showcased new digital energy management, control and metering solutions for eco buildings, along with discussion on effective facilities management. The presentations also provided latest technology information on distributed sound and AV system within hotel facilities. With over 30 people attending the evening finished with a drink and light refreshments. In September I attended the Presidents meeting in Melbourne where we agreed on our e magazine being extended into as many organisations as we can to spread the news and the word to a wider audience. We believe this will enhance the institute and create more networking opportunities. On a very sad note, one of our long term members and friend Mitch French passed away on the 5th August 2017. Mitch was a Hotel Engineer at the Holiday Inn Perth City Centre for twelve years and will be dearly missed. Our condolences go out to his family. I hope you all survive the festive season and I urge all General Managers to continue to encourage their Chief Engineers, Maintenance Managers to join the institute. The institutes provide great networking opportunities for facilities to reduce costs and seek new innovations for efficiencies. On closing we wish everyone a safe and prosperous Christmas and New Year. Tony Fioraso President AIHE Western Australia

TOTAL SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY HOTEL DESIGN APPLICATION Grills & slot diffusers

Variable volume control

Ceiling & swirl diffusers

Constant volume control

Jet nozzles

Chilled beams & ceilings

Fire dampers

Hepa filters & casings

TROX Australia Pty Ltd Level 32, 101 Miller Street North Sydney 2060 Office: + 61 2 8923 2551 Email: tonyw@troxaustralia.com www.troxaustralia.com

NEW SOUTH WALES Warm Greetings from the NSW Chapter. Spring has officially started in 2017 and I hope everyone is enjoying the warm beautiful weather rolling in. It is amazing how quickly the year has gone by. Pretty soon, we will be busy preparing for the AGM and wrapping up the year. We had fantastic gatherings during last quarter. For the month of July, WTP Consultancy welcomed our chapter with their innovative ideas and trends forecasting in the hospitality industry. Our members were enlightened by Mr. David Quincey and his colleagues with topics on WELL-rated rooms, carbon neutral operations, independent commissioning and tuning, and behaviourism. The presentations were insightful and engaging. It really allowed for our Hotel Engineers to see how they can utilise WTP’s ideas in their future endeavours and on minimising

cost benefits when adding hotel behaviourisms into hotel operations. In August, we were invited to the Ibis Sydney in Darling Harbour. It was a delightful evening with many familiar faces. Pip Harley from the City of Sydney joined us to give an overview of the City of Sydney accommodation and entertainment sustainability plan. Through Pip, the chapter gained much insight on upcoming grants to fund hotel programs for a more sustainable future. September was our most exciting meeting yet. As a huge thank you to our corporate members, the September meeting was transformed into a “Mini Trade Show” to allow not just the

LOTUS FILTERS is Australia’s Leading Commercial Kitchen Exhaust Cleaning Company We help minimise fire risk and enhance air quality in commercial kitchens. By partnering with Lotus Filters you will be able to: • Make informed decisions about your risk management and compliance obligations • Access evidence to demonstrate that you are fully compliant to all relevant stakeholders

• Focus on your business knowing that you have a reliable cleaning service program in place • Continue to protect and enhance your brand and reputation.

Our philosophy is simple – Breathe Easy with Lotus Filters. For reliable, cost effective and quality kitchen exhaust system cleaning services, call Lotus Filters today on 1300 653 536

www.lotusfilters.com.au

Services Disc Electrical has been providing electrical services for over thirty years. We are a one stop shop for the Hospitality industry, whether you are a Hotel or Resort. It might be general light and power installation, energy reduction audits, testing & repairing of emergency lighting, access control and CCTV, phone/data or fibre back bones & MATV installations. We are only a phone call away from your next Electrical Service Solution. As our MOTO says:

“Integrating Tomorrows Technology Today” hotel engineers but for our loyal and supporting corporate members to really put their name out to the hotel industry. We were fortunate enough to be joined by the Radisson Blu Plaza hotel’s General Manager, Mr Peter Tudehope, who opened the evening with much encouragement and praise to the hotel engineers and engineering suppliers in NSW. Many company services and products can be more efficient or easier for guests to use than those existing in current hotels but, sadly, can be missed or lost in the abundance of so many other similar products. The Mini Trade Show we organised, really hopes those products shine. I can guarantee that our hotel engineers gained a lot of helpful information and ideas from the event as I know I definitely learned a lot.

DISC Electrical (NSW) Pty Ltd Commercial & Industrial Electricians P.O. Box. 503, Caringbah, Sydney, NSW, 1495 P: 02 9526 8843 • F: 02 9526 8859 E: info@discelectrical.com.au

www.discelectrical.com.au

This was the second year for our “Mini Trade Show.” It has grown more exciting and popularity has definitely made itself known. We increased from eleven corporate members participating stalls in last year’s event to eighteen in 2017. I am happy to see the success with the trade show and looking forward to seeing it grow as the years come. During the recent TAA Award Ceremony, two of our chapter members were joint winners of the Engineer of the Year – 2017 Award. Andy Goonesekera of Intercontinental Sydney being one of them and I was fortunate enough to be the other. I would like to convey my sincere thanks to everyone who has supported me during these past few years. TAA Awards for Excellence 2017 In closing I would like to thank David Zammit for his hospitality in hosting the AIHE State President’s meeting at Grand Hyatt Hotel – Melbourne on the 8th of September. Best Regards, Anura Yapa JP President – AIHE NSW chapter

Our water saving and pressure balancing technology has been installed into more than 70,000 hotel rooms throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific region. – These properties have maximised their water saving but have not compromised guest comfort and satisfaction. – JEM Australia has more than 25 years of experience in the design and rectification of hot and cold water systems in Hotels. If you have any problems with your showering systems we have the answers.

Phone: 02 9807 8592 or Fax: 02 9807 8594 Water Efficient Technology from:

JEM Australia Pty. Ltd. ACN 071 535 450

sales@jemaustralia.com www.jemaustralia.com

VICTORIA With spring now upon us, along with day light savings, the year end just gets better. Congrats to all the Tiger supporters with Richmond’s awesome AFL win and keeping yet another Victorian team as Premiers for another year. Two meetings were hosted since our last publication, both receiving good attendance with great support of our members Our August meeting was held at Park Hyatt Melbourne, hosted by Rolando Nuesca. It was to be Rolando’s last meeting hosted at his hotel, before he moves on to a new role out at the Mantra Bell City Hotel… Best of luck Rolando. The evening presenter was Laurie Bertelle from Lotus Filters. Lotus is a leader in the industry and experts in exhaust, filter, canopy & duct cleaning of commercial kitchens. Laurie took us through a presentation around the offerings of their company, sighting examples of sound preventative maintenance to ensure

Knowledge through application, delivering results, guaranteed! • HVAC Service and Cleaning • HVAC Filter Products & Profiling • Fan Repairs/Guards/Spring Mounts • Removal of Redundant Equipment • Light Engineering/Fabrication • Modification/Remedial Repairs & Maintenance

1300 009 631

www.plantroomservices.com.au

The holistic solution to all your plantroom requirements

the safe operation of our hoods and kitchen exhaust systems. Like any maintenance, it is paramount to take proper care of these important systems to ensure the upkeep of our assets and the ongoing safety of the s exhaust systems. Risk management and compliance was discussed, with Laurie siting examples of our obligations & responsibilities as hotel owners and operators, and what Lotus can offer their clients. Certainly an informative night, with all of us walking away that little wiser. In September we meet at the Novotel on Collins, where Chief Engineer Victor Herera hosted us for the night. Our presenter that evening with Jamie Cachart, owner and founder of Diamond stone Restorations. Most of our Hotels have amazing expensive stonework throughout. Maintaining the beautiful finish and look of stone is very important for our guest’s experience as well as looking after our owner’s assets. As a curious young boy at 3, Jamie became fascinated by marble and stonework, as his father was a master stonemason and this young boy wanted to learn and emulate his father. Many years later, Jamie developed a passion for stone, to the point that I haven't seen before. His knowledge, experience and understanding in how to maintain and uphold the luxurious look and finish of floor, wall and other forms of stone is a joy to see and hear. As we had never had a stonemason do a presentation before, let alone one who has passion and love for his craft, it made the presentation that little more special to engage and learn from Jamie. Well done Jamie.. ps.. Best presentation that I have ever seen from a tradie... Really compliments all that your business and customer service stands for. It was unfortunate that Stephen Docherty was not able to secure an iconic Melbourne landmark site tour for us this year, as previously mentioned. We hope to make up for that at our Annual AGM and cocktail event, which will take place on December 11th at Grand Hyatt Melbourne. Also keep in mind that you are inviting to join us on Facebook … AIHE Victoria.. Using this social media platform to spread the word and have us connecting and sharing as we all do. Thank you to those of you who have attended our meetings over the past few months, it is always great to see the amazing connections we all have, not just professionally, but also socially. We hope to see you at our next few meetings as we wind up the year. If you wish to become a member or require further information about our meetings, feel free to contact me via email, david. zammit@hyatt.com or use the membership form published in this magazine. Regards David Zammit President AIHE Victoria Chapter

Ph: +61 2 9472 2000 sales@vintech.com.au

www.vintech.com.au

QUALITY AIR FILTRATION FOR YOUR FACILITY NEEDS

PANEL FILTERS Wide Range In Stock Australia Wide

ODOUR CONTROL

Local Technical Advice for Odour Control & Airborne Contaminants

BAG FILTERS

KITCHEN EXHAUST Expert Solutions Filtration Systems Self Washing ESP’s

High Efficiency Quality Media Australia Wide

COMPACT FILTERS High Efficiency Reliable Quality Australia Wide

ph:1300 886 353 www.airepure.com.au

HEPA FILTERS

Essential Air Quality Filters & Housings NATA Testing Services

aire pure australia

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

coming to a hotel room near you

BRENDON GRANGER I DIRECTOR, TECHNOLOGY4HOTELS

In recent years, the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a major point of intrigue in the travel sector. Right now, travel brands are using AI to power a new generation of chatbots that can communicate with customers and handle requests through text-based “conversations”.

ut chatbots represent a stepping stone towards something much bigger.

In the future, hotels will begin to use AI in far more dynamic ways, including within the hotel room itself. Soon enough, guests may be able to control devices and make requests entirely through an in-room voice-controlled device. It’s a scenario that might not be so very far away. AI assistants such as Google Home and Amazon Echo are already being used by consumers to play music, receive news and weather updates, shop online, and more. AI no longer exists in some far-flung future. It’s here now, and it’s advancing quickly. With that in mind, here are a few ways AI might be used in the hotel rooms of the future.

CONTROLLING IN-ROOM TECH The technology needed to control every device in a room purely through voice is already being used. Just recently, Aloft Hotels debuted their voice-activated rooms to enable guests to change the temperature, adjust the lighting, and turn on the TV using an Aloft App and iPad linked to Apple's Homekit and Siri.

But while controlling devices in this way is undoubtedly a useful and interesting perk, the true potential of combining in-room tech with AI lies in the possibility that a room can learn about preferences and remove the need for interaction altogether. For instance, Starwood Hotels (the owners of Aloft) are experimenting with ways a room can “pay attention” to preferences so that things like favourite TV channels and temperature settings can be made instantly available. This kind of experimentation could pave the way for a new generation of “smart” rooms that observe preferences and tailor devices to meet the unique needs of every person.

ORDERING HOTEL SERVICES While chatbots provide a fast way to order services and make requests, an AI assistant would make this process even easier. Instead of being fixed to their smartphone, a guest could ask for more towels, request room service, or make a reservation at the hotel restaurant – all while getting on with other things. It would also be possible to make requests and receive tailored recommendations. After a long flight, a weary guest might want to book a spa treatment to help unwind and relax. Instead of

listing every possible treatment, an AI assistant would be able to suggest the most suitable options to help with jet lag. By monitoring booking history and enquiries during a day, hotel staff would also be able to access that data in the future. For instance, if a guest had asked for extra pillows or requested that specific drinks be topped up in their minibar, hotel staff would be able to prepare a room accordingly to meet those needs ahead of time.

ACTING AS A LOCAL GUIDE AI would also act as the ultimate destination guide, acting as an invaluable resource on local sights, landmarks, and attractions.

Asking a question like, “Where can I get a great cappuccino?” or “What beaches in the area are great for families?” could result in a tailored recommendation based on information sourced from review sites, travel blogs, tweets, and Facebook posts. A guest might also ask to be updated about upcoming events of personal interest such as music festivals, gourmet food markets, art exhibitions and theatre productions. Coordinating travel plans and bookings would also be possible during the same interaction. For instance, after finding out about a great restaurant across town, an in-room assistant could then reserve a table, send the restaurant directions to a person’s smartphone, and book an Uber to pick them up.

PROVIDING INFORMATION ON THE HOTEL All the practical details about a hotel’s amenities and services are typically available in a series of printed documents. But a hotel room of the future would remove the need to manually check for relevant information. A guest could simply ‘ask’ their room a question such as, “When does the pool open?” or “Does the gym have a cross-trainer?” When asking about the hotel restaurant menu, a guest might also request tips on recommended dishes that match their tastes, or even pairing suggestions from the hotel wine list. If information about particular amenities or services was repeatedly requested, an AI assistant could identify these as preferences and make relevant suggestions about other services that might also be appealing.

TRAVEL ASSISTANCE Checking out of a hotel can sometimes be a pretty hectic experience, especially when there’s an early flight involved. But assistants such as Google

Home can already remove a lot of the stress associated with travel. Along with checking the status of flights, Google Home can set an alarm, call an Uber, and provide real-time traffic data – all of which means a person can reach a destination on time with minimum hassle. Clearly, this kind of service would be of major benefit to hotel guests. In addition to easier planning and arranging transport, they could ask their in-room device to have front desk come and collect their luggage, or bring their car around for collection. Smoothing out the checkout process ultimately means that a guest would leave the hotel feeling both positive and relaxed.

THE FUTURE OF GUEST EXPERIENCE AI has advanced rapidly in recent years and hotels have an opportunity to use it in a number of game-changing ways. Soon enough, a person may check into a hotel room and use an AI assistant to order room service, turn on the TV, book a massage treatment, and plan their latest trip. Not only can AI provide a more personalised experience, it can free up hotel staff from dealing with requests that don’t always

require personal interaction. While it’s still early days, it’s clear that this technology will play an increasingly central role in hospitality. By at least considering its potential now, hotels can begin to prepare themselves for a time when it becomes increasingly central to the guest experience.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR With a great passion for all things hotels, but in particular technology and a desire to help others his role as director at Technology4Hotels allows him to do both. Brendon has worked with hundreds of hotels to help them with their in-room technology. In the last few years he has helped them to increase guest satisfaction, strengthen guest loyalty and encourage repeat bookings as well as win awards such as the best business hotel, best city hotel, best upscale hotel and best luxury hotel in Australasia. Always going the extra mile, Brendon began his hospitality career over twenty five years ago working in 5 star hotels whilst completing his Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management. He has held various management positions within 5 star hotels, worked as a consultant in both hotel feasibility and technology and has an extensive background in hotel technology.

Xpert Digital Solutions Director Henry Moeatea, proud supplier of Sony TV’s for Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour

For more information call now 02 9620 4221

BREAKING NEW GROUND In the year 2000, Sydney was hosting the Olympics, the GST was introduced, and everyone was talking about the so-called Millennium Bug. It was also the last time a major, internationally branded new hotel was built in Sydney â&#x20AC;&#x201C; until now.

he Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is a statement in the Harbour City. It is an ambitious project using the latest technology, offering visitors the chance to try something completely new. Chief Engineer Anton van den Brink knows he is part of something special. He has seen this new build come together for close to a year. For someone with extensive industry experience, working on Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour has been an unprecedented opportunity. Shortly before its official opening, Van den Brink described the chills he felt during a final walk-through inspection. “I could hear everything,” Van den Brink says. “Every step, every tick, every rumble. There was not a scratch anywhere in the building. This is a very high quality build, and I’m confident the opening will go off with a bang.”

The hotel was developed by Lendlease as part of the $3.4 billion, 20 hectare transformation of Darling Harbour. It opened on October 6, three weeks ahead of schedule. Since the first pouring of concrete in July 2015, more than 2500 workers have contributed more than 1.1 million hours of work. The quantity of material used to build Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour is staggering. It has: • 20,000m³ of concrete, • 3,000t of reinforcement, • 19,500m² of façade, • 12,000m² of blockwork, • 17,000m² of marble tiles for guest bathrooms, • 500km of power cable, 20km of sub mains, 250km of data cable,

• More than 21,000 light fittings, 10,000 GPOs and 4500 data outlets, and • 191 baths.

SOPHISTICATION THROUGHOUT The only other time Van den Brink had worked on a new hotel build was 17 years ago in Melbourne when the 52-year-old brought a smaller, 220-room apartment-style hotel to life. His task at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour has been on a much grander scale. It boasts 590 guestrooms at a cost of close to $500 million. “I really wanted to put my hat in the ring for this role,” Van den Brink says. I officially started on the project in May. Initially, I was working on policies and procedures and talking with and engaging suppliers. I have been working very closely with the

19 Commercial Equipment half page Ads_90(w)x270(h)mm.indd 1

10/3/17 1:21 PM

eco series 20

builders during handover. We were checking up to sixty rooms each afternoon to make sure each one was perfect.”

snowflakes falling down the building. There are so many different ways we can use it.”

Every facet of the building features advanced technology. Creating the hotel from scratch means you can be sure only the latest equipment and procedures will be put in place.

Guests entering the hotel will have a similar eye-catching experience. The pool on the fourth level is another stand out. The Chief Engineer says the pool gives an impression of being able to swim into Darling Harbour.

An impressive feature is the hotel’s backup generator. This can power the building to full capacity for up to 24 hours in the case of an outage – most buildings will only power essential elements, such as essential services and lifts. The generator is fed by a huge, 10,000 litre diesel storage in the basement. Six thousand external LED lights are installed on the hotel’s exterior facing towards Darling Harbour. Animations and text can be projected to the public. “We can tailor the LEDs so we can be part of events in the city, such as (light and music festival) Vivid,” Van den Brink says. “Over Christmas, we can change it to have digital

Frame delivers integrated ICT solutions and services to meet the evolving needs of workplace, retail and residential environments. Working closely with developers, architects, building services consultants and others such as potential tenants. For ICT infrastructure and services that are technically advanced, yet economically and environmentally sustainable, Frame develops: • ICT strategies that meet today’s demands for connectivity, while embracing innovation that anticipates tomorrow’s needs as communication evolves towards the Internet of Everything • Designs that are modular, flexible, scalable and resilient, yet independent of any particular vendor’s equipment or system protocols • Intelligent building solutions which enable internet, big data and building technologies to converge on a single, integrated management platform.

For further information Phone: 61 (0) 2 9323 2800 Email: contactus@framegroup,com.au Website: www.framegroup.com.au

InterContinental Double Bay Anson Smart Photography

Shangri-La Sydney Mauro Risch Photographer

Delivering beautiful, high performance woven flooring solutions that will take your breath away. To find out how Brintons can take your venue to the next level with a custom designed carpet call us on 1800 332 694 or find inspiration at www.brintons.net.

www.brintons.net

1800 332 694

enquiries@brintons.com.au

Watermark Hotel Gold Coast Alex Donnini Photography

A hotel on the size and scale of the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour presents a unique set of challenges. To cover security, around 200 CCTV units have been installed. An extensive antenna system is needed to make sure guests can receive mobile phone coverage throughout the property. In the near future, the hotel is looking to offer guests the option of using their smartphone as a key card to access their room. “It is built to be sustainable, with a four-star as built green rating,” Van den Brink says. “There has been so much to learn and take in with the new technology, understanding the HVAC, CCTV, access control, electricity, fire and hydraulic systems.

A central chilled water plant, featuring one water-cooled chiller for low load operation, and two water-cooled chillers of equal capacity, provides cooling. Heat rejection from the chillers is handled by three counter flow fibreglass cooling towers. Meanwhile, heating is provided by two gas-fired, forced draft, fully condensing hot water heating generators. Hot water is distributed to the air handling units and fan coil units through insulated pipework and a primary hot water system.

The Chief Engineer has maintained good contact with everyone involved in the project. A strong culture and friendship between the various builders and contractors ensures help is never far away – this will be particularly important post opening.

HVAC AND OTHER SYSTEMS The extensive property uses a technically complex and largely automatic air conditioning system. Common areas are served by air-handling units with chilled water and hot water coils. The air is distributed from the air-handling unit to each area via internally insulated sheet metal ductwork and variable air volume boxes reticulated in the false ceiling space. The operating air pressure of the building is provided though relief air fans discharging through louvres in the façade.

The system is managed via a digital direct control system operating over a local area network. It allows the hotel to easily reprogram the system, while keeping advised of any malfunctions. It allows temperature adjustments for the public and common areas. In guest rooms, the fan coil unit is automatically set to ‘off’ or ‘low’ fan speed when occupants leave the room to save power. Supplying water throughout the building requires an extensive potable cold water system. At Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, a 100mm rising main service is reticulated up the building via dual pressure boost pumps from the basement. A 40,000L water storage tank is located on one of the higher levels. The hot water system features two natural gas fired boilers and a separate storage tank. Water is provided to lower levels through a flow and return circulating system, reticulated through Type “B” copper tube and insulated to minimise heat loss. The fire sprinkler and hydrant system consists of three diesel fire pumps and a hydrant and sprinkler storage tank in the basement with a 190,000L capacity. In the event of a fire, the loss of water pressure in the system will cause the primary diesel fire pump to operate. Water is pumped into a 150mm main to service all levels of the hotel. Fast response heads have been installed to the fire sprinkler system throughout the building.

The IPTV & Digital Signage Specialists

Bespoke Guest Entertainment Solutions

Product Features: • 24/7 support • Hotel compendium • Screen mirroring • Latest VOD content • Digital concierge • Easy digital signage • On-screen transactions • TV supply and Installation

1300 300 407 sales@streamvision.com.au www.streamvision.com.au

To wash the windows and inspect the façade, the hotel uses a Building Maintenance Unit manufactured by Manntech. The hotel uses Brintons carpet for its guaranteed quality throughout the building. This is designed to hide soil, achieved by employing wool-rich fibres. Sleepmaker Commercial is providing Sofitel’s MyBed products.

FLAGSHIP PROPERTY Naturally, Sydney’s first major new hotel build in nearly two decades attracts special attention. Media, competitors and Accor have their eyes on the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Anton Van den Brink is not daunted by the attention, but acknowledges there is a healthy dose of anticipation. “The materials and workmanship is excellent, so I have no doubts the opening will be seamless,” he says. “It is a case, however, of going from zero to one hundred per cent occupancy overnight. It means all the showers will be used at the same time, along with the air conditioning systems and lights. As an engineer, you can never fully test for that kind of stress.” The hotel is an architectural delight. The glass exterior features a triangular accent and a striking porte-cochère. The area’s waterside heritage is incorporated into the design. While the architecture pays tribute to the maritime industries that formerly occupied the site, the hotel’s cutting-edge design places it squarely at the centre of Darling Harbour’s future.

comcater are proud to have been part of The Sofitel Darling Harbour Sydney Project

For your nearest Dealer call 1800 035 327 or visit www.comcater.com.au from the world of Comcater

Along with Chief Engineer Van den Brink, the engineering department includes Assistant Chief Engineer (Ben Fahey) and three duty technicians. The tight-knit team feels a sense of pride working on the project. The engineering team will be boosted (post opening) by a further five engineering specialists to ensure the property is maintained to the highest standards.

EXPERIENCED OPERATOR

The project has been successful and rewarding for the entire team at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour. Although working on a brand new hotel is a rare experience, the rewards have been extensive. With a premier location and an outstanding experience on offer for guests, the hotel is expecting strong occupancy right from its first day of trade.

Part of the reason why Anton Van den Brink took the role at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour was to enjoy a sea change from Melbourne, where he has previously lived for close to twenty years. He brings to the project a wealth of experience from elsewhere. He entered the industry as a duty technician at City Gardens Apartments in Melbourne. From there, he worked his way up to become second in charge at the Novotel in Collins Street. Then, he moved to Tasmania.

We would like to thank the following advertisers for their contribution to the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour:

“I got my first Chief Engineer role at the Novotel (now Grand Chancellor) in Launceston,” he says. “Tassie was an amazing lifestyle. I love the outdoors, so I spent my days off going hiking and enjoying the fresh air. I made some friends for life during my time in Tasmania.”

• JJ Richards and sons: Supplied Pulpmaster 5000 machines

The lure of career advancement eventually took Van den Brink back to Melbourne, where he worked at the Saville Hotel Group for eight years in a range of roles from Building Manager to Regional Building/Maintenance services manager. He returned to a Chief Engineer position and ACCOR at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, where he spent nine years before heading to Sydney.

LUXURY OFFERING

• Brintons Carpets • Carrier Australia: Supplied chillers and heat recovery equipment • Comcater: Supplied kitchen equipment • Doust Automation Controls • Meiko Australia Pacific • Sleepmaker Commercial: Supplied Sofitel My bed • Stream Vision: Public area audio visual system and distribution • Temperzone Australia: Supplied fan coil units and Split DX air conditioning units • The Frame Group: Communication/data roll out • Vintech Systems/Assa Abloy: Door locks and safes and minibar fridges • Xpert Digital Solutions: Supply install Sony TVS

Converting food waste into organic fertiliser The Pulpmaster effortlessly transforms food waste into recyclable pulp which is then converted into organic fertiliser. The Pulpmaster is an ideal waste solution for: Ÿ Commercial kitchens Ÿ Hotels Ÿ Cafes & restaurants Ÿ Fruit & vegetable shops Ÿ Clubs & pubs Ÿ Shopping centres Ÿ Food processing plants Ÿ Nursing homes Ÿ Hospitals Ÿ Any facility commercial volumes of food are

prepared

Benefits Ÿ Improved efficiencies with food waste handling Ÿ Enhanced space saving in the kitchen area with less

need for multiple waste bins

Ÿ Reduced need to purchase bin liners Ÿ Reduced environmental impact

www.pulpmaster.com.au

NSW - (02) 9525 5252 28

ACT - (02) 6270 5000

sales@pulpmaster.com.au

QLD - (07) 3208 8055

WA - (08) 6278 1000

VIC - (03) 9794 5722

SA/TAS - (08) 8244 4077

FOOD WASTE

why it matters & what to do about it VANESSA DOW I ENCYCLE CONSULTING

Food waste is a major part of the general waste stream to landfill, particularly where food is prepared and served. In a hotel setting this equates to high costs in not only disposal but also needless purchasing and handling but it also has a direct negative impact on the environment.

ADVANTAGES OF SEGREGATING FOOD WASTE

here are several specific advantages in segregating food waste for composting in hotels such as;

COST SAVINGS

Potential reduced cost of general waste to landfill; the volume of general waste can be reduced so that potentially the cost of that waste to landfill is also reduced. If you consider the entire lifecycle of food waste there are even greater savings to be made. In fact the impact of removing â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;avoidableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; food waste from the waste stream can be significant. Savings can be made in terms of not purchasing, ordering, transporting, moving, storing, chilling, handling, preparing food which is destined to become waste. A report from the UK: The True cost of food waste within hospitality and food service (WRAP, 2013) found that in the hotel industry the true cost of avoidable food waste is $10,280 per tonne which equates to approximately 85 cents per meal.

PROFILE OF GENERAL WASTE BINS MORE MANAGEABLE Separating out food waste will change the profile of remaining general waste so that it is lighter and easier to handle, is less likely to cause spills or odours and reduces attraction of vermin and pests. The cost of pest control can also be greatly reduced.

POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS The Food Waste Hierarchy (Waste Authority, WA 2014) presents the preferred options for food waste from an environmental perspective. The ideal option is to reduce food waste, while disposal to landfill is the least desirable. As food waste decomposes in landfill where there is an absence of air it is far from benign. The products that are generated as food breaks down are liquid leachate (which can contribute to groundwater pollution) and methane gas (which is a greenhouse gas 25 times1 more powerful than CO2). Rather than be sent to landfill, food waste can ultimately be either composted aerobically (in the presence of oxygen) or anaerobically (in the absence of oxygen). Both scenarios result in a compost-type product and this represents a higher value for this resource. The environmental benefit of anaerobic digestion (either on or off-site) is that energy can be generated which can be used to displace energy from a non-renewable source providing an additional environmental benefit when compared to other composting systems.

OPPORTUNITY TO MARKET A COMMITMENT TO ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY There are a range of options for marketing a commitment to environmental responsibility shown through composting food waste.

OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF ENGAGEMENT Staff involved in the segregation of food are engaged and likely to be proud of their role in delivering a positive environmental outcome. So it can be beneficial financially, operationally and environmentally to segregate food waste. There are several ways food waste can be treated in a hotel setting so it can be difficult to know where to start. There are several main factors which need consideration.

DEVISE A PLAN OF ACTION FOR FOOD WASTE Compost offsite or onsite? When deciding on a plan of action for food waste in a hotel setting, the first choice to make is whether the waste will be treated off-site by an external contractor or on-site. Cost benefit analysis will assist in this decision. If segregating for off-site treatment, the benefits are that there is relatively basic implementation and manual handling but it requires high-level staff engagement to ensure the correct items end up in the right bin to avoid contamination. The food waste will be collected and taken to a facility for either aerobic or anaerobic composting. Both options generate a quality compost with an anaerobic facility also generating methane and utilising it for a power source. On-site: Manual or in-vessel composting? Alternatively if you decide to treat on-site there are many options available which range from basic manual composting bins through to high-tech in vessel processing technologies. Manual methods such as compost bins or worm farms require a high level of manual handling and space but are cheap and fairly basic to operate. The in-vessel technologies require a much lower level of manual handling and are fully contained but do require some up-front costs to purchase/lease the equipment. Cost benefit analysis will show how up-front costs will be offset by ongoing savings. What will be the use of the end product? With an in-vessel food waste processing unit it is essential to have a clear understanding of what the end product will be and to have a plan about what the use for the end product or output will be. The outputs from the on-site food waste processing units range from dehydrated food waste (which is a stable product but needs further processing to be useable as compost) through to mature compost which is ready for use.

MAIN TYPES OF IN-VESSEL COMPOSTERS There are several options for on-site processing in-vessel, each with different space requirements, labour costs and outputs. The main types are; • Dehydration: Food waste is treated on-site using a dehydration machine. The process takes 8-12 hours and achieves 80-90% reduction in the volume of waste to produce a dehydrated soil additive. For example Gaia Food Waste Dehydrator, Hungry Giant Food Waste Dehydrator. • Composting: Standard composting is low energy consumption and the product can be directly added to soil. The product is not as reduced a volume as dehydration and requires higher labour but is relatively inexpensive. Examples are: Rocket, HotRot, Big Hanna, Closed Loop.

• Disposal to sewer: Food waste is tipped into a machine that macerates and digests, then discharged the material to sewer (avoiding the need for storage and collection from the site). Key benefits are that this process is automated and minimal storage is required. For example: Orca/Waste to Water and Rendisk. • Food maceration: Food waste is macerated in machines before the food slurry is transferred by pipes at negative pressure to a storage tank. The slurry is collected from the tank by a tanker vehicle and taken to a commercial facility for treatment. Requires less frequent waste collections but requires storage tank and collections are not currently happening everywhere. For example Pulpmaster, Meiko. • Anaerobic digestion: As the food is digested in these machines, energy can also be generated by burning the methane produced, resulting in potentially more financial advantages. These machines do however need a large space. For example Bio-Regen or The Rocket Anaerobic Digesters. With numerous factors to consider in dealing with food waste it is important to choose your approach carefully for your hotel. To ensure your success once you have chosen a system, staff training is of the utmost importance to ensure the correct material is segregated. The savings and benefits associated with addressing food waste in hotels will be well worth your effort.

REFERENCES 1. Department of the Environment and Energy, National Greenhouse Accounts Factors July 2017

CUTTING ENERGY from HVAC systems

ANWAR AHMED I PRINCIPAL CONSULTANT, ENMAN PTY LTD

A HVAC system is normally the largest energy consumer in commercial buildings, particularly those occupied continuously such as hotels, hospitals, etc. This can be as high as 70% of the total building energy use.

ecently there has been a step increase in both electricity and gas prices. New energy saving technologies have also emerged in recent years, which are economically attractive and have had great success.

HVAC System Upgrade:

KEY FEATURES OF AN ENERGY EFFICIENT HVAC SYSTEM

Chiller Upgrade – The air-cooled DX reciprocating chiller system was replaced with a state of the art centralised liquid chiller with an environmentally friendly refrigerant system. This is a Powerpax twin compressor chiller with VSD, evaporative condenser and magnetic bearing which eliminates the need for lubricating oil. The chiller can operate at extremely low loads of about 6%. Unlike conventional chillers, these chillers are more efficient at lower load conditions.

• Energy efficient chiller and boilers • Energy efficient HVAC configuration • Use of variable speed drivers in pumps and fans • Building and energy management control system • Comprehensive monitoring and tuning of the control system

NORTHCOTE PLAZA, MELBOURNE This is a relatively small shopping centre with a variety of stores. It has a decentralised HVAC system with a large number of aircooled PAC units.

Enman was engaged to conduct a study to improve the energy efficiency of the shopping centre and was subsequently engaged to upgrade the HVAC system as follows.

Chilled Water System – As the AHU and PAC units are decentralised a chilled water reticulation system has been installed to supply chilled water to all the existing AHU and PAC units. Boiler Upgrade – The old gas fired conventional boiler was replaced with a highly energy efficient condensing boiler system. Hot Water System – The existing hot water reticulation system has been extended to replace the reverse heating system of the PAC units. AHU Modification – The AHU’s were upgraded by replacing the DX heat exchangers with chilled water heat exchangers. The fan

motors were replaced with newer energy efficient motors and VSD’s were installed on the fan motors.

Energy Saving:

PAC Unit Modification – The two large PAC units were replaced with a new water cooled AHU system with energy efficient fan motors and VSDs and a hot water heating system.

• Provide redundancy for chiller and boiler operation

AHU Modification – The AHU’s were upgraded by replacing the DX heat exchangers with chilled water heat exchangers. The fan motors were replaced with newer energy efficient motors and VSD’s were installed on the fan motors. Benefits from HVAC System Upgrade

• Energy saving of around 17% of both electricity and gas • Reduce run hours of chillers and boilers to around 50%

KINGS TECHNOLOGY PARK, MELBOURNE HVAC System Upgrade Kings Business Park precinct is a five building campus style development. Four buildings were retrofitted as part of this project. Enman conducted an energy audit of all these buildings and identified a large number of energy saving opportunities.

• Energy efficient HVAC system • Another 25 years of new life for HVAC system • Environmentally friendly refrigerant • Web based remote monitoring and controlled system • Reduced noise to the nearby apartment block • Improved system redundancy Energy and Demand Savings Predicted saving

Actual saving

% Savings

Electrical energy

281,970 kWh/year

316,800 kWh/year

44%

Gas energy

412 GJ/year

70 GJ/Year

Negligible

Electrical demand

118 kW

115 kW

36%

THE VICTORIA HOTEL, MELBOURNE HVAC System Upgrade Enman conducted a study of HVAC energy efficiency improvements and was subsequently engaged to implement the project. • There were multiple wings of the hotel and each wing operated with its own chiller and boiler with no redundancy.

Existing HVAC System It was found that over 70% of energy was used by the HVAC system, which was very energy inefficient. • HVAC System: water cooled packaged unit with DX system and hot water system for space heating and cooling. One PAC unit on each floor • Control system: Discrete control and no BMS. • No Variable Speed Drive • No Economy Cycle Project Upgrade

• There was no BMS and the hotel HVAC system was controlled by discrete local controllers.

The Green Building Fund was awarded for project implementation with the following scope:

Modification: • Chiller and boiler interconnection.

• Replace the package unit with chilled water and hot water AHU.

• A new state of the art BMS and EMS.

• Install a central chiller using the existing cooling tower.

• VSD’s in pumps and fans.

• Install a BMS with piggy back EMS.

• Introduction of economy cycle.

• Use of VSD in SAF, CT fan CHW and CND pumps.

Chiller and Boiler Reconfiguration

• Introduce enthalpy based economy cycle. Energy saving The achieved energy saving was 43% of electricity use.

STAMFORD PLAZA, MELBOURNE HVAC System Upgrade The hotel comprises of two wings. Each wing has its own chiller and boiler plant controlled by a BMS. Chiller Upgrade Each chiller plant consisted of two old chillers which were replaced with state of the art Smardt Powerpax chillers which utilise variable speed drives and have slightly more capacity

to cater for the future increase of load in the building, due to the hotel’s planned expansion program. These chillers provide a 250% increase in the chiller efficiency with environmentally friendly zero ODP HFC R134a refrigerants and provide another 25 years of life. Boiler Upgrade There were three boilers in each tower, two for the building heating and one for a domestic hot water generation. These were gas fired conventional atmospheric boilers and were very old and inefficient. These boilers were replaced with a set of modular gas fired condensing boilers with a common hot water supply for both building heating and domestic utilisation. Domestic hot water is generated by a plate type double plated, heat exchanger with secondary pumps. Benefits of the boiler upgrade: • Increased boiler efficiency • Improved boiler redundancy for greater reliability of hot water supply.

The Control System Upgrade The old BMS was replaced with a state of the art nonproprietary Niagara BMS and Enman’s energy management system with remote web based monitoring, control system and superior trending facility which assists with diagnosis and tuning of control for efficient operation of the HVAC system. The energy management system provides the following functions: • Optimising chiller plant operation. • Optimising boiler plant operation. • Optimising VSD operation of pumps and fans. • Demand management and control system to reduce electricity demand cost. • Extensive reporting function for chiller KPI and electricity consumption and demand. • Variable speed drives for chilled water, condenser water and hot water pumps.

• Reduced maintenance costs

AMORA HOTEL JAMISON, SYDNEY

• Provide another 25 years of service life.

HVAC System Upgrade

• Ease of HVAC operation remotely.

The Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney is a 5-star hotel located at 11 Jamison Street, Sydney. The hotel has 415 guest rooms as well as facilities, including eight meeting and conference rooms, two restaurants, a bar, gym and swimming pool. This is a medium to large size hotel which is about 20 years old. The HVAC system comprises of two old liquid chillers and two hot water boilers and a BMS. Chiller upgrade The main large centrifugal chiller was replaced by an energy efficient Smardt Powerpax chiller with an increased capacity. The Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney is a 5-star hotel located at 11 Jamison Street, Sydney. The hotel has 415 guest rooms as well as facilities, including eight meeting and conference rooms, two restaurants, a bar, gym and swimming pool. This is a medium to large size hotel which is about 20 years old. The HVAC system comprises of two old liquid chillers and two hot water boilers and a BMS. Control System Upgrade The old BMS was replaced with a state of the art nonproprietary Niagara BMS and Enman’s energy management system with remote web based monitoring, control system and superior trending facility which assists with diagnosis and tuning of control for efficient operation of the HVAC system. The energy management system provides the following functions: • Optimising chiller plant operation. • Optimising boiler plant operation.

• Advanced economy cycle with demand based ventilation control on AHUs.

SUMMARY OF HVAC SYSTEM SAVINGS

• Optimising VSD operation of pumps and fans.

1. Energy Efficient Chiller with VSD can reduce energy usage by up to 60% of chiller energy.

• Demand management and control system to reduce electricity demand cost.

2. HVAC configuration, Plant and control system upgrade can reduce energy by up to 60% of HVAC energy.

• Extensive reporting function for Chiller KPI and Electricity consumption and demand.

3. An energy efficient condensing boiler can reduce gas energy by up to 25% of boiler energy.

• Variable speed drives for chilled water, condenser water and hot water pumps.

4. Control system upgrade with - VSD in fans and pumps - Chiller/boiler optimal control

Energy Saving Plant Upgrade

Predicted Saving

Actual Saving MWh/year

% Savings of hotel elect

Chiller Replacement

510/9.7% MWh/year

520

10 %

Control System Upgrade

947/18% MWh/year

998 MWh/Year

19%

- Demand management Energy saving by up to 30% of HVAC energy 5. Tuning of the control system can reduce energy up to 12% of total HVAC energy usage.

The NABERS rating before the upgrade was 3 stars. The expected NABERS rating after the upgrade is more than 1 stars.

Enman is an energy and engineering company specialising in commercial building projects, including hotel retrofits to improve energy efficiency and performance of the building. Enman’s services encompass everything from feasibility studies to project implementation, delivering guaranteed energy savings. These services include:  Project Engineering and Management for major projects including the turnkey supply of: - Energy Management Control Systems - Building Management Systems - Variable speed drives, control and optimisation - Room management systems - Chiller system upgrades - Boiler system upgrades - HVAC upgrades - Co-generation systems  Assistance with Government Subsidies and Funding  Assistance with Carbon Trading

Enman’s BMS is a non-proprietary web-based system which can monitor and control from anywhere. This is a ‘Niagara’ BMS which is a Tridium based system and uses Easy IO (another non-proprietary controller). Enman’s energy management control system ‘ENERTROL’ is a well proven system that has been operating for over two decades. Its features are:  Chiller optimal control and performance monitoring  Advanced optimal control with variable speed drives for pumps, fans, etc.  Advanced HVAC control  Demand management and control  Energy performance monitoring

Enman also offers obligation free Desktop studies to ascertain the economic and technical viability of your project.

Phone: 03 9877 2266 • Website: www.enman.com.au

THE ELEPHANT in the room COL NATION

I’m sure we have all seen the real estate adds for houses that say “Renovators Delight” only to find that it is a termite and mould infested shack that needs bulldozing not renovating, or “Close to Transport” meaning there is a rail line running past the back fence even though it is ten kilometres to the nearest train station and there is a trucking company based in the factory next door. It’s close to transport alright, heavy freight transport! We call this creative marketing and this can apply across many industries and the carpet industry is certainly not excluded from the idea.

arpet has been around for a long time and the sales industry has had plenty of time to develop their marketing spin. The Pazyryk rug, discovered in 1949, was found in an Iron Age tomb in Siberia and shows some intricate weaving styles and patterns indicating that rug making was a well advanced art form as early as 500 B.C. The busy pattern on many rugs is there to hide some problems that can develop over time. It is basically an early form of marketing to hide the problems and make rugs more appealing to the potential buyer. Until the middle of last century nearly all carpets were made with wool pile and they lasted well and looked great for many years. With the invention of synthetic polymers, the world of carpet, and rugs for that matter have gradually shifted towards the synthetic pile carpets as they are a lower cost alternative to wool. Cost can be a powerful marketing strategy. The marketing of carpet is designed to promote one manufacturer’s product over another so there is often a bit of licence there to make one look better than another. So in this article I will try and cut through some of the marketing jargon that is common with carpet to help you make better decisions when buying new carpet. Carpets can be made from a wide range of materials. There are different types of construction, backing materials and of course the face fibre as well. They will all have advantages and disadvantages. A ‘woven’ construction carpet such as an Axminster or Wilton carpet are slow to produce and can be quite expensive to buy, but they will wear exceptionally well and are ideally suited to high traffic conditions. But there are tufted constructions as well, and while these may be a bit cheaper to make they may have other issues that are not experienced with woven carpet,

such as delamination that can shorten the life of a carpet. But the main difference in the choice of carpet will usually be based on the style, colour and pattern. The choice of fibre will usually be down to other issues such as, cleanability, durability and production issues, but hey, who wants to know about all that, its the colour that is most important isn’t it? Any fibre can be made in any colour, so that sorts that one out. So after you have chosen your colour then you need to start to think about what it’s going to look like in 1, 2, 5 or 10 years time and how are we going to keep it looking and performing well over that time and how much is it likely going to cost to maintain it over that time. So for this we need to look at the face fibre content. Fibres can be roughly divided into 3 main groups, animal, vegetable and mineral. Wool is the most common animal fibre, but there are variations on this. You can get goat hair, alpaca wool, llama wool and even silk fibre used in some carpet and area rugs. Now the finer the fibre, the less resilience the carpet will have so fine fibres don’t generally wear all that well. The thicker cold climate wools such as those from New Zealand and Scotland are what is most commonly used in making good quality robust carpets that will perform well for many years. A goat hair carpet can wear exceptionally well due to the robust nature of the fibre, but sheep wool is by far the most popular. Wool looks good and cleans well year after year. Mineral fibres, There are four main groups of synthetic fibre, Polyamide (Nylon), Polypropylene (Olefin), Polyacrylonitrile (Acrylic) and Polyester. These are made from fossil fuels like coal, oil or natural gas. Nylon comes in a variety of formats. We have a ‘6’ nylon and a ‘6.6’ nylon. The 6.6 nylon is used in a lot

of commercial carpets and has a tighter molecular structure making it a little more stain resistant. Stain ‘Resistant’, not stain proof! Then there flood dyed nylons where the white nylon carpet is flooded with dye to produce the range of colours. Solution Dyed Nylons (SDN) are coloured by integrating a coloured pigment to make a coloured plastic and this coloured plastic is melted and a fibre is drawn and stretched to make the finished fibre. All Synthetic fibres can be coloured with solution dyeing. This makes the fibre more fade resistant than a flood dyed nylon or even wool, so an SDN is often marketed heavily as ‘fade resistant’, but by itself is not very stain resistant. If a Nylon fibre is coated with special protective treatments and or a dye blocker treatment, the fibre becomes more stain resistant. So one manufacturer claims their product is a Stain Resistant SDN. The next manufacturer says, “We can make a SDN too, but ours is cheaper” but it might be missing the protective coating and or the dye blocker as this costs money to apply. But the sales and marketing people may not get this aspect and sell the product as “its SDN, therefore it must be stain resistant”. This means that you really have to ask the questions and find out if it has these dye blockers or protective treatments in order for the fibre to be fade and stain resistant. Polypropylene on the other hand can only be dyed with Solution Dyeing. This means that the red cordial or red wine spills will simply wash out of a polypropylene fibre with nothing more

than water. The dye in red cordial is the same type of dye that can dye a wool or nylon fibre. Carpet dye only has the sugar and flavour missing or it would be simply called, ‘cordial’. So it would seem that polypropylene has some real advantages when it comes to this type of stain. It is cheaper than any other fibres so can make a low cost carpet that resists stains and this sounds great. Well it would if it didn’t flatten and soil so quickly. Polypropylene is highly absorbent to oils. This means that it usually soils faster than other fibres, so in a high oil environment such as a restaurant, or busy city area where there is lots of pollution the polypropylene readily takes in these oils. The polypropylene may cost a bit more to maintain as you have to clean it more frequently to keep it looking good. Acrylic and Polyester have some similar cleaning characteristics. Both are resistant to the cordial dye spills and both will clean well. Not many manufacturers are making acrylic fibre these days but polyester is certainly making a bit of headway into the carpet market, especially since the invention of some of the polyester variations. Polyester is basically the same plastic as used in the plastic recyclable drink bottles. But now there are variations on this theme where some of the component of the plastic is derived from a vegetable source, namely corn sugars. About 30% of the fibre is derived from corn products but the other 70% is from good old fossil fuels. So I suppose it is a bit more eco friendly than the original Polyester. It can actually be recycled back into drink bottles when the carpet is old and

PREVENTS ODOURS & DRAIN FLIES! CREATE A BARRIER BETWEEN THE SEWER & YOUR GUEST ROOMS!

BENEFITS OF GRATE SEAL    

Prevents sewer gas odours escaping. Prevents drain flies & other vermin escaping. Quick & easy to install. Maintenance-free.

SEAL YOUR DRAINS! BUY YOURS TODAY! ®

worn out, but I don’t think the council would like you to fill your recycle bin with old carpet. These new fibres do perform quite well, but again the marketing departments seem to have a field day and tend to stretch the truth a bit. One add I have seen is where a carpet is laid in a zoo and the elephants do what elephants can do, in a big way, all over the carpet. The carpet cleaners are called in the next day and with just water, they clean up the carpet so it looks good as new. Now when you think about this, the elephants eat plants so there is not a lot of fats and oils in what they leave behind. Water based soils will simply clean out of this fibre with nothing but water and this is the feature they tell you about, but they forget about the normal oily soils which are a different matter altogether. The other thing is that this carpet gets cleaned the very next day. This simply doesn’t happen in real life. We just don’t clean a carpet daily, except maybe for daily vacuuming. Oily soils building up over a 12 month period and these are going to need some serious cleaning and some pretty strong chemistry in order to get the carpet clean again. So while cleaning up after elephants might seem impressive at first it just doesn’t relate to reality. As long as you understand this then you can get an understanding of the maintenance issues and this may help your choices of carpet. Then there are vegetable fibres too. While these are generally found more often in fabrics and in carpet backing materials, there are some that are making it into the face fibre. These can include cotton, jute, and sisal and I have even seen linen fibre used in floor coverings but I just shake my head and roll my eyes with this one. Sisal is a tough fibre extracted from the Agave plant. The juice is turned into Tequila and the fibrous plant matter that is left behind is then dried and can be woven into a floor covering, but while it is fairly tough it can have a few issues. It is difficult to clean and is easily stained by oils or water based spills. This

applies to pretty much any plant based fibre. When wet they can release tannins and this causes a brown stain. Any water based spill, even cleaning, can also cause a brown stain even if the water is clear to start with. So these plant based fibres are not always practical where spills are likely to occur. But we now hear of Bamboo being used in carpet. It has been used in bedding for a while to provide a soft and comfortable mattress outer covering. Typically this is not bamboo fibres extracted straight from the plant, it is usually bamboo which has been mulched down in something like Caustic soda and then some chemicals extracted and cooked up into a viscose liquid that is then extruded through a very strong acid solution that solidifies it into a fibre. It can be produced from wood pulp, cotton waste or any supply of cellulose plant matter, including bamboo. This ‘regenerated cellulose’ fibre is sometimes called viscose rayon. But can also be called bamboo silk, Faux silk or Art Silk with the ‘Art’ bit meaning ‘Artificial’ and not as some artistic piece. This has been used in rugs for many years and has been tried in the past in fitted carpet with disastrous results, but is now being promoted fairly heavily in a blend with wool. It is used as a low cost substitute for silk. Silk is a very prized and expensive fibre and it has a beautiful softness, fineness and lustre that make it really attractive. It does wear reasonably well, but cleaning can be very expensive and full of risks. Viscose Rayon also has that softness, fineness and lustre that makes it look like silk but it can be very difficult to clean as it doesn’t have the resilience of silk and certainly doesn’t have the resilience and cleanability of wool and this can lead to disappointment when it comes to cleaning a wool and viscose blended carpet. So be careful when choosing a carpet. Ask the questions about cleaning and maintenance and then check this out with your carpet cleaner and don’t get caught up with the marketing hype or you could find the elephant in the room.

Kleenduct Australia delivers outstanding full system cooking exhaust cleaning to existing and prospective clients throughout Australia. Australia’s oldest and longest running duct cleaning company. Our company offers 24 hour, 7 day a week servicing 363 days of the year. This ensures that we are in a position to promptly and efficiently meet the demands of clients.

SERVICES 

Comprehensive Photographic Reporting



Complete Kitchen Exhaust System Cleaning



Filter Clean and Exchange Programs



Electrostatic Filter Clean and Exchange Programs



Environmentally Friendly



Fully Trained Service Teams



Fully insured – $20 Mil Public Liability, Work Cover & Fully Comp Vehicles



High Pressure Cleaning



Steam Cleaning



Complete Kitchen Cleaning

A lot of duct cleaning companies will only clean your kitchen exhaust hood/canopy. This will make your system non-compliant and be a possible cause of oil leaks or even worse FIRE. Kleenduct;  Clean complete systems

We offer a wide range of services and are able to plan and program maintenance across multiple sites on a national level.

ATTRIBUTES



Supply and fit ceiling access



Supply and fit ducting access

 Give obligation free quoting 

Carry out detailed reporting for your systems

Our teams are highly trained with a focus on safety.



Accurate tender estimation



Management of complex and extended projects



Efficient handling of all administration requirements from SWMS/JSA to invoicing, follow up reporting, customer service and ongoing support



Networked nationally with full IT support



Up to date with Industry Standards, regulations and best practices

1300 438 287

DON’T BE FOOLED

Bringing together a broad range of skills in different fields from all over the world our teams are thorough, professional, efficient and skilled. Contact the professionals today – no project too big or small.

1300 4 DUCTS 1300 4 38287

www.kleenduct.com.au

info@kleenduct.com.au

High Efficiency Oil-Free Chillers Water Cooled Chillers 200-8150 kWR Largest Oil-Free Range Stainless Steel Condenser Options: â&#x20AC;˘ Tubesheets â&#x20AC;˘ Waterboxes

Air Cooled Chillers 200-1800 kWR 10 Base Models, 116 Configurations Standard Anti-Corrosive Materials Highest Efficiency Available

Purpose-Built Evaporative Chillers 200-1300 kWR Unique Purpose-Built Range Standard Anti-Corrosive Materials Highest Efficiency Available

Proudly Australian Built Smardt Chillers Pty Ltd 148 Colchester Road Bayswater North, Vic., 3153 p: (03) 9761 5010 e: sales.au@smardt.com

CHILLER GROUP

High Efficiency Oil-Free Chillers Chilled Water Plant Optimisation Water Cooled Chillers 200-8150 kWR Largest Oil-Free Range Stainless Steel Condenser Options: • Tubesheets • Waterboxes

Air Cooled Chillers 200-1800 kWR 10 Base Models, 116 Configurations Standard Anti-Corrosive Materials Simulation Based Chilled Water Plant Optimisation Highest Efficiency Available • Typical savings of between 10-30% on chilled water plant operating cost • Open protocol, brand agnostic automation and optimisation solutions • Scaleable to any application, plant configuration or size • Integrate with any Building Management System Purpose-Built Evaporative Chillers • Increase asset value and facility net operating income 200-1300 kWR • Simplify the complex process of optimising a chilled water plant • Risk free project planning, implement optimisation without comprimisingRange cooling Unique Purpose-Built • Flexible implementation cost options available Standard Anti-Corrosive Materials • More than 95 optimisation projects delivered and operating Highest Efficiency Available • Tune and manage your plant via the Smardt Remote Monitoring network • Intuitive and adaptable Graphical User Interface

Proudly Australian Built Delivered by Smardt Solutions Smardt Chillers Pty Ltd 148 Colchester Road Bayswater North, Vic., 3153 p: (03) 9761 5010 e: sales@smardtsolutions.com sales.au@smardt.com

CHILLER GROUP

AssA Abloy Hospitality

Lead, don’t follow.

Mobile Access

VingCard locks

Elsafe safes

your property security is no place to fall behind. That’s why AssA Abloy Hospitality has been leading the industry in security technology innovation for over 40 years, since introducing the world’s first electronic lock. Today, millions of guests around the globe are secured by our advanced solutions, including VingCard locks, Elsafe in-room safes, mobile access and integrated software platforms. With worldwide service and support in more than 166 countries, AssA Abloy Hospitality helps you put security out front and keep it out front.

1 300 796 233 www.assaabloyhospitality.com australia.hospitality@assaabloy.com

Polarbar minibars

INDUSTRY INTERVIEW MARK THOMSON

Hotel Engineer writer Mark Thomson recently interviewed Hutchinson’s Builders Building Services/ESD Engineer Jacques Vever following the successful receipt of the EarthCheck Design Certification, for the Emporium Hotel Southbank, Queensland the first project in Australia to achieve such status.

• As a mechanical engineer what do you believe are the greatest opportunities in achieving an efficient hotel operation? Passive design. Before the advent of cheap fossil fuels, buildings were designed to maximise what nature offered us, but then we got lazy and added in large HVAC systems and lots of lights and forgot about the old. A renaissance in passive design can help reduce the building services capital & operational costs without compromising the occupant’s experience – in fact it can improve it – all while allowing more efficient hotel operations. • What changes have you seen over the last 10 years in the delivery of hotel engineering services from a compliance perspective? More complex, but more efficient systems designs are creating better indoor environments for occupants and better operational results for businesses. Efficiency is becoming as important as cost in the design process. • If you could provide one insight to improve the engineering of hotels what would that be? Greater adaptability of the functional design in operation to allow building systems to adapt to the changes in occupants’ usage and behaviour.

• What is your understanding of compliance and industry best practice in the current marketplace? Compliance is soft in Australia because we do not enforce the rules. It’s self-regulated rather than having an external body carrying out surveillance. The exception to this being NABERS commitment agreements which are actually tracked with contractual consequences, so they tend to perform better than promoted. • You’ve just assisted the achievement of the Emporium Southpoint Earthcheck rating, what was your experience of this process compared to other ratings you've been involved in? With a strong background in Green Star, I found EarthCheck far more intuitive and trusting of the practitioner. Where Green

ratings. This is equally so for new builds and for refurbishments or extensions. Coming in at the end of that process when the business starts operations is a bit like fighting with their hands tied behind their backs. • Gathering the relevant information for rating evidence is often a challenge, what can be done to improve this process in the future?

Star can be very legalistic and some assessors can be very pedantic about following the ‘letter of the law’, EarthCheck is more flexible and allows assessors to follow ‘the essence of the law’. The reason for this is that ultimately it will fall on the hotel operator if the design is not what the rating says it is. • What advice would you offer to Hotel FM's working to achieve future Earthcheck compliance? Get involved as early as possible to be a part of the design process, so that the end product is a building that they can manage efficiently to continue achieving EarthCheck Company

The focus from the very outset should be on understanding exactly what needs to be demonstrated and determining what documentation will achieve that. The documentation can be developed along with the design in tandem throughout the process so that everything is ready to collate and present to the assessor at the end. This should really be driven by the business owner/operator rather than a superintendent, architect, consultancy or builder. • What do you envisage will be important issues for hotels in the next 5 years? Meaning and Value. Without the right engagement, none of this has meaning, and without meaning there is no value. Like ratings for fuel-efficient cars or water/energy efficient white goods that have labels for the general public to learn and adapt their purchasing decisions, the hotel industry needs to engage their patrons to give all their efforts meaning and therefore value.

WaterLink

Sp nTouch

The Future of Water Testing Super fast and simple—results in 30 to 60 seconds Stand-Alone or Cloud-Ready Seamless integration with DataMate Web Ready To Go Anywhere, designed for... § Pool Operators § Service Technicians § Retail Professionals Learn More!

p 02 9624 8842 f 02 9674 5115 e sales@lamottepacific.com www.lamottepacific.com

BRAIN FITNESS and its impact on organisational health DR. JENNY BROCKIS

Is your workplace healthy? Is it a place where policies and procedures are in place to ensure that the risk of physical injury is minimised? Is it a place that offers free lunchtime sessions on healthy nutrition, and discounted gym memberships? While all highly valuable, a healthy workplace is one that provides complete health, safety and well being for everyone that includes care of their physical, mental and brain health requirements.

WHY BRAIN FITNESS?

aving a healthy brain makes everything work better. Brain fitness is a relatively new concept in the business world and now is the perfect time to take advantage of this. We already have a far better understanding of what the human brain is potentially capable of, how it best likes to operate and what really works to boost performance. This knowledge has arrived at the perfect time because in a world facing relentless and increasing speed of change, knowing how to adapt fast enough and in the right way is vital to business and our own wellbeing. The statistics around levels of disengagement, burnout and mental health issues reflects the amount of pressure many people face today in juggling heavy workloads, high expectations and being available 24/7. This has led to a reevaluation of what matters most to future business success and growth. Traditionally the approach has been to build profit through investment in technology and expertise. While still relevant, forward thinking business is now looking to invest in what is called their existing mental capital. A vast amount of time, effort and energy is invested in recruiting and retaining the best staff. It makes sense to ensure that every staff member is given the opportunity to work to their best capacity through developing a workplace culture based on shared values, beliefs and purpose. Cutting through the jargon, what this implies is that fundamentally business is about people and the business of relationships. A workplace that is people focused, results in staff enjoying their work more, helps them retain a higher level of energy and enthusiasm, and builds confidence in their ability to do their

work well. When people feel valued, respected and supported for the work they deliver, we contribute more and to a higher level. In a study published by the Society of Knowledge Economics in 2011 it was shown how in the highest performing workplaces, the key differences lay in how people behaved and interacted with each other, leading to a 12 % higher level of productivity and a profit margin three times higher than in the low performing workplaces. While happiness and better health can be difficult parameters to measure, the value of brain fitness shows up in lower staff turnover rates, reduced sick leave and improved profit margins. There are a number of ways organisations can quickly and easily incorporate some of the brain fitness principles:

1. REVIEW REPORTED FATIGUE LEVELS. Operating tired is a cognitive menace because it reduces concentration and is associated with higher rates of human error, miscommunication and misunderstanding. When we have been awake for over 17 hours our ability to think has been reduced to the equivalent to operating with a blood alcohol level of O.05%. Encouraging staff to not work extended hours consistently, helps keep everyone safe.

2. STAY ON THE MOVE. Prolonged sitting at our desks reduces blood flow to the brain and has been shown to boost anxiety levels. Exercise or increased physical activity during the workday has been shown to boost attention, lift mood and increase performance. Encouraging people to walk rather than take the elevator,

or to stand while on the phone or in meetings has been shown to increase energy levels and productivity.

3. TAKE REGULAR BRAIN BREAKS. The human brain was designed to apply focus in chunks of time. Attempting to stay focused on work-tasks for hours on end is cognitively exhausting and sets us up to make more mistakes and take longer to complete our work. By working in blocks of high focus time of 60-90 minutes and then taking a 10-15 minute break, we provide our brain the break it needs to consolidate thoughts and learning and opens us up to more innovative thinking.

4. FIND YOUR THINKING SPACE. Overbusy brains find it harder to switch off leading to poor sleep patterns and increasing fatigue. Many people today report how hard it is to find the thinking space required to pause and reflect. Scheduling a 20-minute appointment with yourself is a

great way to start. This could be as simple as closing the office door with a do-not-disturb sign, a 20 minute interlude listening to a piece of your favourite music, a brief meditation or getting outside to a nearby green space. Organisational health is a must not a maybe for future potential business growth and success. Integrating brain fitness is the logical next step because it provides the means to know how to lead, change and adapt in response to our rapidly changing environment, and create a brain healthy workplace that leads to high performance. Dr. Jenny Brockis specialises in high performance thinking and brain health. She is a medical practitioner, speaker and bestselling author of Future Brain: The 12 Keys To Create Your Own High-Performance Brain (Wiley) www.drjennybrockis.com

SAVING ON ELECTRICITY

in a disruptive energy market DAVID CARDOZO I ENERGY WRITER

Cardozo speaks with the former CEO of an Australian electricity company about developments in the market and opportunities to reduce electricity bills. The use of a new, digital power saving device is already saving hospitality facilities, supermarkets, schools, golf clubs in Queensland and NSW significant dollars.

aving on electricity in the hospitality industry is increasingly important as operating margins are more and more under pressure. The obvious saving measures have probably been instituted; putting in LED lighting, movement detection switches in public amenity blocks, key switches in rooms, double glass windows, modern variable speed drive air conditioners, etc. Yet electricity bills are likely to continue increasing, eating away at energy savings your enterprise might be making.

In order to keep your kVA charge at the absolute minimum, an electrical installation needs a power factor of 1.00 (but 0.99 will do). The bad news is that more than likely your restaurant, boutique hotel, conference centre, serviced apartment complex, etc. has a power factor significantly lower. This isn’t your fault because much equipment like refrigeration, climate control, pumps, etc. inherently has low power factors. The good news is that there is a solution for improving the power factor – and avoiding unnecessary additional monthly charges.

This article looks at hardware that can be installed in order to reduce a significant addition to electricity bills for many small to medium size as well as large energy consumers, the so called demand charge. In the volatile market we are facing, demand charges are on the increase and are being applied to smaller business customers!

It may be that you are not as yet charged for kVA demand. However many commercial and industrial consumers with electricity bills of the order of $2000 per month or higher already pay these kVA demand imposts, adding significantly to the bill – as much as 25% or more. Power factor correction – in other words getting it to as close to unity as possible – is the solution for bringing kVA down and lowering costs. Network companies throughout Australia are increasingly putting up kVA demand charges for more and more customers as a means of recovering investment in transmission and distribution assets. Power factor correction is the best way to combat this.

MAXIMUM POWER DEMAND IS BECOMING AS IMPORTANT AS ENERGY USE Demand charges appear on bills usually as a monthly charge over and above the kilowatt-hours used in the month. The poles and wire folk impose this charge basically for the cost of transporting your energy and for many, many electricity consumers more electrical current has to be supplied than is actually required for the kilowatt-hours consumed. In electrical terms this ratio of minimum to actual value is called ‘power factor’. To take a numerical example, if your facility has a power factor of 0.85, you will be supplied with 18% more current than actually needed for the kilowatts required for lighting, climate control, etc. The additional charge for ‘carriage of electricity’ appears on bills as a ‘kVA charge’ (kVA stands for kilovolt-amps).

A new electric power saving device, the digitally controlled PowerSave™ from Edge Electrons. These devices are suitable for small and medium size as well as large consumers, and have short paybacks. A typical installation at Freedom Fuels service station and convenience store in Queensland will pay for its investment in 27 months through improvement of power factor from 0.88 to 0.99. Below typical demand reduction figures, savings in demand charges, and return on investment are shown overleaf.

Business

Location

PowerSave unit size

Power Factor before

Power Factor after

Demand Charge reduced by

ROI (years)

Annual savings

Ipanema Resort

Surfers Paradise, QLD

50kvar

0.91

0.99

$3,300

Noosa Golf Club

Tewantin, QLD

50kvar

0.89

0.99

10%

$2,350

Dundrenan Residences

Kangaroo Point, QLD

50kvar

0.97

0.98

15%

$2,000

Jindalee Golf Club

Jindalee, QLD

25kvar

0.75

0.99

20%

$1,300

capable of assuring a commercially attractive payback period. Major disadvantages are the inability to properly correct power factor for unbalanced electrical loads and avoiding the ‘kVA trap’ (the kVA trap catches customers who use an excessive amount of kVA for a short period within the billing month which then becomes the base for your maximum kVA charges for each of the following twelve months). Richard McIndoe is now Chair of Edge Electrons, a company specialising in electrical energy saving devices including power factor correction. Edge Electrons has introduced a new, digitally controlled PFC, the PowerSave™ Series specifically designed for small as well as large energy consumers. Critically important is the ability to correct for unbalanced loads. Some explanation is required here.

Richard McIndoe, who was CEO of Energy Australia for a decade till 2014 explains his surprise at the Government’s inaction and disinterest in energy saving and a more efficient usage of existing electrical infrastructure assets. In speaking with McIndoe who headed up an organisation with generation assets in excess of 5000 Megawatts as well as almost 3 million retail customers, he asserts that power factor improvement will be a game changer for commercial and industrial electricity consumers. He sees the use of network charges (kVA demand charges) as an increasingly important cost recovery factor for network companies as more and more people reduce their energy consumption by putting in solar and storage.

POWER FACTOR AND AVOIDING THE DEMAND (KVA) SURGE Power factor correction (PFC) technology is well established for large industrial consumers, in particular for those who purchase well in excess of 600 Megawatt-hours annually. This traditional equipment is bulky and unsuited to smaller energy users. In addition, the correction programs are based on very predictable demand patterns, requiring few ‘corrective steps’ to be made during a typical operational day. To date PFC equipment for small and medium size enterprises, although available from a number of suppliers, has been essentially scaled down versions of legacy technology, and not

Commercial and industrial users of electricity are supplied with three-phase power. In other words they are connected via four wires; that is say, three of those (the phases) bring electric current into the premises, and the fourth wire is the return wire for the three individual phase currents. Commercially available PFC technology assumes all phases are equally loaded, applying the same amount of correction for all three phases on the basis of measurements in one phase only. Legacy equipment as used by large consumers functions in the same manner with large, fixed plant per phase. The problem that smaller users encounter is that they have many power points per phase with varying numbers of devices plugged in at any one time so that the loading on the phases can be very unbalanced. This means the risk of falling into the kVA trap is far greater and represents a danger of significant electricity cost overrun for smaller and medium size users in hospitality industries. Another critically important way to avoid the kVA trap is to make sure your PFC equipment makes small, accurate kVA correction steps and that it has a very rapid speed of response to load changes. Richard McIndoe indicates that correction step size of the PowerSave™ is as low as 0.5 kVAr (for the nonelectrical readers, the ‘r’ indicates the manner in which the kVA demand is reduced), and that response is a fraction of a second because of the digital computer technology employed. This allows the PFC to follow loads in real time as they vary in each of the three phases. McIndoe makes the point that the digital accuracy of the PowerSave™ allows it to pay back its acquisition cost usually in less than 4 years. “Send me your electricity bill and I will tell you what savings are available for you” he says as the interview concludes.

CONTINUOUS

indoor air quality monitors JEREMY STAMKOS CIEC

ABSTRACT

etails of a workplace's Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) are generally not available to occupants (including tenants) so most of us must rely on business and building managers/owners to ensure that IAQ it is at acceptable levels. It is a fair and reasonable expectation for workplaces to provide a safe work environment which includes having acceptable indoor air quality. Unfortunately, most workplaces don’t have regular IAQ assessments undertaken, if at all, so the levels of IAQ in most buildings remains largely unknown. If there has been specific complaints or concerns regarding indoor air quality, an IAQ investigation may be instigated but it's usually not until prolonged exposure has occurred. As most of us spend up to 90% of our time indoors and many studies showing that indoor environments can have pollutant levels much higher than outdoor levels, it is important to ensure that IAQ is at acceptable levels. So, with an estimated 30% of all commercial buildings experiencing IAQ problems, what would happen if occupants had immediate access to detailed information on their workplace's indoor air quality? With rapid technological advances in sensor and wireless technology, new, affordable IAQ monitors are now available that can provide continuous monitoring of IAQ. These devices have various combinations of electronic sensors to measure specific IAQ parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, pressure, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, ozone, volatile organic compounds, etc. Some monitors also have non IAQ sensors for light and noise levels as well as built in cameras. The monitors take readings either continuously or every few minutes then send the data wirelessly to an offsite (cloud) server. The IAQ data is then available via a smart phone APP and/or web portal. Some of the IAQ monitor APPs provide notifications for when IAQ levels are outside of desired levels. Some IAQ monitors designed for the domestic market are finding their way into workplaces providing occupants with insight as to the building's IAQ.

This means there is the potential for a building's IAQ levels to not only be accessible to occupants but made available to the public by the data being shared on social media forums. This public sharing of a building’s IAQ could have a significant (and potentially detrimental) impact on businesses so knowing how to prepare and embrace the emergence of this technology is something that needs to be understood. Having access to an affordable and comprehensive way to monitor a buildings IAQ can be useful in many ways as it addresses the limitations of conventional IAQ monitoring.

HISTORY Indoor Air Quality really didn’t come into the limelight until the late 80’s early 90’s. With buildings becoming more energy efficient, they became more prone to develop IAQ issues due to reduced ventilation effectiveness causing build up of airborne pollutants and less actual air-conditioning. As such, Sick Building Syndrome and Building Related Illness became familiar terms. There are always the naysayers and sceptics when it comes to indoor air quality however, the importance of maintaining acceptable indoor air quality has become better understood and generally accepted.

CONVENTIONAL IAQ INVESTIGATIONS Conventional IAQ assessments are generally undertaken as a reaction to a IAQ complaint or periodically as part of a due diligence (duty of care) program. When a specific concern has been raised by building tenants or occupants, an external IAQ consultant is generally engaged to investigate the area of concern to determine the cause and provide advice on how to rectify the situation or prevent it from occurring again. The IAQ Investigation usually includes a walk-through of the affected area (including any areas where the source of the pollutant may have been generated), occupant surveys and sampling for specific IAQ pollutants. Prior to arriving on site to conduct the investigation, the IAQ consultant will try their best to ascertain what the pollutant is or was so that they bring the appropriate equipment to identify the specific pollutant.

Once they have assessed the area of concern and discussed the issue with the appropriate people, the consultant will form a hypothesis as to what the cause may be. Unfortunately, as in most IAQ complaint situations, the reported issue is no longer present as it was either an isolated incident or an intermittent issue. If this is the case, it makes it very difficult for the consultant to identify what the cause was (if any was there in the first place). The consultant may conduct general screening for particulate matter, volatile organic compounds and bio-aerosols which may be conducted alongside temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide. If the IAQ pollutant was still in the area during the time of general screening, the consultant may then be able to determine the type and level of pollutant and if more specific analysis is required. This may include sampling for specific pollutants such as synthetic mineral fibres, specific species of gases and microorganisms etc. If the IAQ pollutant was still there, an experienced IAQ professional should be able to identify the source of the pollutant and provide practical advice on how to rectify the situation and return the area to acceptable levels. If the pollutant was not present at the time of monitoring or not able to be identified through analysis, the property can remain at risk of reoccurrence.

PERIODIC IAQ ASSESSMENTS Sometimes, IAQ assessments are conducted periodically to address a duty of care. Whist some of the IAQ parameters monitored may be similar, very few assessments include all the same IAQ parameters.

If any IAQ parameters are found outside acceptable levels on the day of monitoring, one cannot tell if that is indicative of what's occurring the next day, week, month or throughout the entire year.

ELECTRONIC SENSORS Like all advancements in electronic technology, many electronic sensors are becoming both cheaper and more accurate. An example of this is the available particle counters that can measure 1, 2.5 & 10 micron (particulate matter) reasonably accurately and are available for as little as $10-$20. Other accurate electronic IAQ sensors such a carbon dioxide, temperature, relative humidity, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide etc. can be found for $2-$5. Low cost electronic sensors for other IAQ parameters such as ozone, formaldehyde, volatile organic compound etc. are also readily available. Of course, these sensors cannot be used unless they are configured with all the accompanying electronic circuitry As mentioned earlier, there are quite a few manufacturers now packaging these low-cost sensors into WIFI enabled IAQ monitors which are available from $150-$300 USD. Most of the IAQ monitors will have built in sensors for temperature, relative humidity and particulate matter but only a handful include additional sensors for things like volatile organic compounds, ozone and carbon monoxide. These consumer products will generally have an APP to access the data they produce.

In addition to this, the frequency of IAQ assessments is also inconsistent and is often determined by budgetary restraints. Due to the costs associated with engaging qualified IAQ professionals using calibrated high end monitoring equipment, periodic IAQ assessments are generally limited to only once or twice a year. With much of the IAQ monitoring conducted being for 24 hours or less, the sample period is less than 1% of the total days of the year. Even if IAQ assessments are conducted four times a year for 24 hours, it only equates to just over 1% days of the year being assessed whilst monthly would equate to just over 3% of the days of the year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not until IAQ monitoring is conducted weekly that the amount of days of the years monitored could be even be considered representative. With IAQ conditions being influenced by many internal factors, there can be significant variations in indoor air pollutant levels from one day to the next. If the data collected from conventional periodic IAQ sampling is not representative, it is difficult to ascertain whether the building's IAQ is acceptable all year or needs improving.

Sample of APP screenshot

Let us help you transform your space Considering an upgrade to your existing furnishings, fittings or finishes? Do you require custom made furniture, carpet, kitchens, bathrooms, or any other item?

Our services include:  Procurement  Refurbishment  Project Management  Space Saving Furniture

“Servicing Accommodation providers Australia-wide”

 Custom made Lounges  Kitchens & Bathrooms  Window Furnishings  Carpets & Flooring  Lighting & more

Procurement & Refurbishment Solutions Australia 1300 777 287 or admin@prsaustralia.com.au

www.prsaustralia.com.au

Particles Plus screen

Having access to real time information from a continuous IAQ monitoring system can provide many benefits over periodic or conventional IAQ assessments.

Sample of APP screenshot

Like with all consumer products, the quality of the monitors varies significantly as well as the accuracy of the data they produce. Comparison trials of various consumer IAQ monitors have shown variances or discrepancies in reported IAQ ranging from as little as 1-3% up to 15%. When it comes to these consumer IAQ monitors, the general rule is that the more your pay, you either get more accurate sensors or just more of them. As such, it is important that consumers conduct their own research on these products to ensure that what they buy will meet their expectations. As with these emerging consumer products, various manufacturers of commercial grade indoor air quality monitors are keeping up with the trend by implementing connectivity into their design. Some of the commercial IAQ monitors are WIFI enabled allowing the recorded data to be viewed or downloaded manually. There are even some systems available that can provide continuous monitoring, make the data available in close to real time and send alerts for when IAQ parameters are outside of optimal levels.

One of the foremost benefits of these systems is the alert feature that allows immediate response to indoor air pollution incidents. Receiving an alert shortly after a sensor identifies unacceptable IAQ can prevent prolonged exposure. The system also provides useful information as to exactly when the IAQ "incident" occurred, what the pollutant was and how long it lasted for. These are things that conventional IAQ assessments cannot do. Where real time IAQ information can be very useful is for monitoring IAQ in hotel rooms for smoking incidents. If guests have smoked in a room, the hotel generally wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know until check out and room service staff have been in the room. IAQ monitors that measure fine particulate matter (2.5 microns) as well as Volatile Organic Compounds can be used to provide hotel management with alerts for when smoking is occurring in a room. Another main benefit of having a continuous IAQ monitoring system is that it not only provides alerts for when IAQ is poor but also the averages for any given time period. This helps when making decisions as to if IAQ improvements actually need to be made. Just because an IAQ parameter has spiked during a given monitoring period, doesn't necessarily mean that building's IAQ is poor. There are many things that can occur in a building that may cause the IAQ to become temporarily "poor" for a short period but overall, the IAQ is most likely acceptable. Again, having access to the duration of such incidents as well as the levels, can help make informed decisions. Having a continuous IAQ monitoring system may help achieve credits towards some of the existing building rating systems as well as improve the tenant/worker experience. If years of historical IAQ data is available to demonstrate that a building has acceptable indoor air quality (or better than acceptable), it may help to attract tenants or even increase the property value.

Penske Power Systems has your emergency power backup solutions covered

Penske Power Systems provides technically superior, cost-effective solutions for all power generation requirements, ranging from 20 to 11,725 kVA. With MTU generator sets from Penske Power Systems, you will never be left in the dark. From hotels to hospitals, data centres to remote mine sites, our experts will find a solution to suit your needs.

1300 688 338 | penskeps.com

Occupant satisfaction levels also tend to improve when staff know that their workplace has a continuous IAQ monitoring system operating.

As sensor technology becomes more affordable and reliable, a multitude of new technologies will become available enabling better insight and control over indoor environmental quality.

IAQ TRANSPARENCY & RAMIFICATIONS

Whilst early adopters of these continuous monitoring systems will help pioneer modern design and construction as well as set a benchmark for the industry to follow.

With all this technology, issues may arise including deliberate interference or even the unauthorised distribution of information that could negatively impact a business. Say for example, a building had consistently poor IAQ and whilst in the process of making improvements to change this, someone accessed the IAQ data and made the information publicly available. This could lead to a very challenging situation for the building or business managers having to explain what is occurring and having to answer questions regarding risks to occupant health.

Jeremy Stamkos is a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant and CEO of AMR Live Holdings.

To that end, it is important that the IAQ information for a property is distributed in a controlled manner. What is very difficult to control is when occupants bring consumer type IAQ monitors into the workplace to monitor the IAQ levels themselves. How businesses and property managers handle this will be interesting to see, particularly if the monitor indicates that the levels are not what they should be.

*AIRAH â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air-conditioning & Heating

Further to this, if occupants know where the IAQ monitor units are installed, they could influence the results of the recorded IAQ by any number of ways including introduction or disturbance of fine dust or other pollutant. Even a short spray of aerosol deodorant will cause an IAQ monitor to register both very high volatile organic compounds and particulate matter. If incidents like this are suspected, the building or business managers will need to be mindful of what may be occurring and address the situation accordingly. To help prevent these types of situations, any permanently installed IAQ monitors should be not identifiable as such to avoid any potential deliberate tampering.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeremy has been providing effective solutions to address indoor environmental contamination issues for over twenty-three years. Jeremy was also the Convenor of the AIRAH* HVAC Hygiene Best Practice Guidelines published in 2009 and is now working within the industry to help develop an Australian Standard for Indoor Air Quality.

Poor IAQ in mock building in social media.

To help avoid setting a site up to fail, it is crucial that any IAQ monitors are installed in locations that are representative of the air within the workplace. They should never be installed near printers, toilet blocks, lift lobbies, kitchens or other areas that are not normal work areas and have known potential IAQ pollutants. If pollutants from those types of areas are migrating into the occupied areas of the workplace, a correctly installed IAQ monitoring system should identify that.

FUTURE TRENDS So, over the coming years, continuous and real time monitoring systems will become more common place. Not just for indoor air quality but for energy and water usage, tracking waste streams, occupant movement, workplace productivity etc. Buildings will become "smarter" to the point where continuous buildings diagnostics will become mainstream and the expected norm.

TACKLING

environmental aspects

DR DENIS BOULAIS I NATIONAL RISK MANAGER – BROADLEX SERVICES PTY LTD

This article covers the environmental aspects and impacts register which I believe is the heart of the AS/NZS ISO 14001 standard for Environmental Management Systems. Many experts agree that identifying the environmental aspects and impacts of an organisation is the cornerstone of effective and efficient system implementation and continuous improvement within an environmental management system.

he ISO 14001 defines an environmental aspect as any “element of an organisations activities or products or services that interacts or can interact with the environment”. The relationship between environmental aspects and impacts is basically a cause and effect one. An environmental aspect refers to an element of an organisations activity, service or product which can have an adverse or beneficial impact upon the environment. In order to identify environmental aspects one needs to study how ones organisations activities, products and/or services affect the environment. Some general examples of environmental aspects include noise, emissions, discharges and reuse and consumption of materials. Within the cleaning industry this may include for example, consumption of water, generation of noise and storage of chemicals. An environmental impact refers to the change that occurs within the environment as a result of the aspect. These may include consumption of natural resources, disturbance to the surrounding environment with risk to health or contamination of air, water and soil. Take the simple example of washing a car, the environmental aspects are cleaning agent in the waste water and use of water, the impacts shall be potential water pollution and impact to natural resources.

Sample Aspects and Impacts Register Activity

Aspect

Impact

Diluting chemicals.

Consumption of water.

Consumption of natural resources.

Outside blowing.

Generation of noise.

Disturbance to the surrounding environment.

Storage of chemicals.

Stored chemicals potential for leakage or spill.

Risk to health and contamination of air, water and soil.

Washing a car.

Cleaning agent in waste water. Consumption of water.

Potential water pollution. Consumption of natural resources.

The reasons for adopting the AS/NZS ISO 14001 range from consumer pressure and compliance to the cost saving resulting from a potentially healthier environment. For example the use of more non-hazardous chemicals may result in reduced injuries etc. Hence it is very important that an organisation identifies and lists its environmental aspects which is the base of the environmental aspects and impacts register. In a nutshell, I recommend any organisation work towards external certification to the AS/NZS ISO 14001 as it essentially advises an organisation how to:

• Establish an effective disciplined system for achieving developed environmental objectives that adhere to relevant regulatory and legislative requirements. • Perform effectively and efficiently according to its policies and procedures. • Audit the system, ensuring a high level of compliance leading to continuous improvement. Some very positive outcomes of the implementation of an environmental management system are: • Legal compliance. • Employee motivation and cultural improvement. • Documented environmental performance. • Reduction of risk. In my examination of the literature, three points are continually highlighted: Point One: The importance of establishing an environmental management policy that addresses the relevant impacts of the organisation. An environmental management policy is the base feature of any environmental management system. In establishing an effective and suitable environmental management policy an organisation must be aware of its significant aspects. For example, aspects are vital in determining which employees should get additional training where all such training and procedures should be documented. Environmental aspects are also the starting point when establishing environmental performance indicators (EPI’s), which ultimately assist the organisation in evaluating its environmental performance. In order to best gain employee “buy in”, it is important that the policy truly addresses the actual organisational situation. Consultation in policy development may assist with employee acceptance of the policy and increase employee motivation to achieve policy objectives. Point Two: Development of an environmental aspects and impacts register where quantitative material flows are focused upon. In one cleaning organisation it was identified that they use 150 different chemicals. This is very difficult to manage in stock

and also difficult to comply with correct storage and handling requirements. An inventory analysis reduced the number to 30 chemicals, which reduced risk, increased storage room, and saved loss of money due to unused chemicals being disposed over time. Point Three: The advantages of competency based training. Training is a cornerstone in any risk management process and environmental management is no exception. People remember 10% of what they hear, 51% of what they see and hear, and 92% of what they see, hear and become involved in. Hence the concept of competency based training is most important to ensure that trainees truly understand what is being taught and can effectively apply the training where required. In conclusion, I was once advised by an environmental auditor that where an environmental management system is of high quality then management should not have any issues answering the following questions. • Explain the objectives of your environmental policy – what is your policy? • How do you essentially determine the environmental effects resulting from your organisations activities? • How do you ensure that your organisation complies with relevant environmental legislation? • How do you ensure that your organisation is kept up to date with existing and new environmental legislation? • How does your pollution prevention program actually work? • How do you ensure the most practicable and effective technology is available to avoid or reduce the impact of environmental effects? • Does your management direction and budget include environmental needs and responsibilities? • How do you ensure your employees are trained in relation to their environmental responsibilities? • How do you ensure that your organisation is adequately informed about environmental effects? On a final note it is important to focus closely upon your environmental aspects and impacts register as a key document within your AS/NZS ISO 14001 Environmental management compliance efforts.

SAFETY-IN-DESIGN RESPONSIBILITY DAVID OAKESHOTT I LEADER TECHNICAL ADVICE (QLD) A.G. COOMBS ADVISORY

Building Operators have the onus to manage the residual risks from Safety-in-Design decisions and, as such, should actively engage in both the initial “Safety-in-Design” process and ongoing management of workplace safety.

ince the introduction of the Commonwealth Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Safety-in-design is a legislated requirement for the design, construction, on-going operation of buildings, all the way through to demolition. The Act details the responsibilities of designers, constructors, manufacturers, owners and operators to:

“…ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health and safety of other persons is not put at risk from work carried out as part of the conduct of the business or undertaking”. Under the Commonwealth Act, and in each state under their respective WH&S Acts, there is a clear onus on designers to ensure that built outcomes minimise risk to the Health & Safety of the persons:

Planning/Design phase:

• Who use the product

• Develop minimum standards/design expectations/tolerable risk criteria

• Who construct the product

• Conduct an “Initial assessment” including:

• Who manage, operate and maintain the product

o Identify the optimum long term solution

• Who decommission the product

o Consider future capacity

Safety-in-design is the integration of hazard identification and risk assessment methods in the design process to eliminate or minimise the risks of injury throughout the life of a facility.

o Consider all stages of asset life (including demolition)

WHEN TO ADDRESS RISK The earlier an issue is identified and addressed, the less financial impact it will have. Improved co-ordination throughout the project planning phase may also reduce the ongoing operational and maintenance cost implications. The integration of control measures early in the design process to eliminate or, if this is not reasonably practicable, minimise risks to health and safety throughout the life of the structure being designed.

Each stage of a building’s life should address Safety-in-design considerations:

o Document your thought process in a Risk Register. o Ensure contractors are aware of their/your obligations to Safety-in-Design • Use of Building Information Modelling greatly assists with coordination of systems and access • Use of offsite (prefabrication) techniques • Alternate methods to achieve project goals Construction phase: • Obtain copies of the design phase Safety-in-Design Risk Registers • Continue Safety-in-Design workshops

• Engage professional Commissioning Management Handover phase: • Ensure documentation and training includes appropriate information about safety-in-design considerations. • Obtain the Safety-in-Design report from contractors • Refer to/update risk register throughout life of the facility. • Document safe work methods and control measures to be utilised when maintenance or works are undertaken. Addressing Risk The most effective approach to reducing hazards is to Eliminate the risk all together or Substitute the risk with a safe alternative. Once all Elimination/Substitution options are exhausted, Engineered Controls can be implemented to reduce the risk associated with access and operation of the facility. What remains is deemed the Residual Risk.

Building owners are also responsible for ensuring people carrying out works on site are aware of the residual risks and control measures.

MANAGING RESIDUAL RISK For buildings constructed after the introduction of the Act, identified risks and the residual risks should be identified in a Risk Register. This document categorises the risk with and without the nominated control measures and helps building operators discharge their statutory duty. However, for older buildings, while the duty remains, it is a more significant challenge for building operators to manage these risks without a register provided by the designers. As such, building operators should apply a process to develop an initial register and then, review and refine this throughout the churn and change processes during the building’s lifecycle. www.agcoombs.com.au

倀爀攀昀攀爀爀攀搀䴀愀琀琀爀攀猀猀匀甀瀀瀀氀椀攀爀琀漀

倀爀攀昀攀爀爀攀搀猀甀瀀瀀氀椀攀爀琀漀氀攀愀搀椀渀最爀攀猀漀爀琀猀䴀甀氀琀椀愀眀愀爀搀眀椀渀渀椀渀最洀愀琀琀爀攀猀猀攀猀䌀甀猀琀漀洀椀猀愀戀氀攀洀愀琀琀爀攀猀猀搀攀猀椀最渀猀䔀砀瀀漀爀琀攀搀琀漀欀攀礀䄀猀椀愀渀洀愀爀欀攀琀猀㌀㔀礀攀愀爀猀漀昀焀甀愀氀椀琀礀攀砀瀀攀爀椀攀渀挀攀倀爀漀甀搀氀礀䄀甀猀琀爀愀氀椀愀渀䴀愀搀攀一愀琀椀漀渀眀椀搀攀匀攀爀瘀椀挀攀

⠀ ㌀⤀ 㤀㐀㘀㔀㘀㐀㐀㐀眀眀眀⸀挀漀洀昀漀爀琀猀氀攀攀瀀戀攀搀搀椀渀最⸀挀漀洀⸀愀甀

Your Complete Carpet Care Solution from Diversey Care

first impressions matter...

impress your guests

with fresh fragranced clean carpets

Your guests and staff will enjoy the fresh fragrance and clean carpets achieved effortlessly with the TASKI® Tapi carpet care range and the ergonomic 2-in-1 TASKI® Procarpet 45 machine.

TASKI® Tapi carpet care

Shampoo, Extraction, Spotter, Defoamer & Gum Removal • Odour Neutralising Technology (ONT) for effective malodour neutralisation and lasting fragrance • Independently tested to reduce allergens in carpets+ • Woolsafe approved - Shampoo, Extraction, Spotter & Gum Removal

TASKI® procarpet 45

Save money with 1 machine - Encapsulation and Extraction • Fast drying time with TASKI®’s advanced suction technology • Large 45L tank and 45cm working width covers large areas • Adjustable handle for push or pull motion • Quiet operation for day-time use

Aust Phone:

1800 647 779

cleaning up your

FLOOR CARE PROGRAM DEBBIE WALKER I ANZ MARKETING MANAGER, DIVERSEY

Your facility faces a number of floor care challenges and must increasingly clean better with fewer resources. A new floor care machine might have a high initial investment cost, but it provides numerous benefits to your business and machine operators. It’s important to recognise the value of investing in a better floor care machine.

FLOOR CARE CHALLENGES

t’s important that your employees know how to correctly prepare, operate and maintain the equipment. However, the cleaning industry typically has a high rate of turnover and many organisations struggle with developing a simple yet robust training program around floor care. Many organisations also face budget constraints that affect the maintenance cycle for floors. For instance, the time between restripping, recoating and burnishing may also be extended to reduce costs. This creates an opportunity to find ways to keep floors looking great without added effort. Proper floor care requires a careful balance between multiple factors, such as unique traffic patterns and increased traffic during holiday periods. Some facilities may also have floors with different substrates and finishes, and surface changes such as upward or downward slants. Machine operators need to match chemicals, squeegees, brushes and floor pads to the task in order to maximise cleaning performance and efficiency while still maintaining the life of floor cleaning machines.

BEFORE YOU BUY Before purchasing a new floor care machine, you should consider the following questions: 1. In what type of environment will the machine be used and what types of substrates are present there? 2. What types of cleaning chemicals and finishes are currently being used?

3. How frequently will the machine be used and what time of the day will it be used? 4. Who will operate the machine and what training material is available? 5. How will the expense of the machine be managed? Will it be purchased or leased?

INVESTING IN A BETTER MACHINE Your organisation can overcome floor care challenges by investing in a more advanced floor care machine. The ideal machine will: • Be simple to use. This may mean it has icon-driven controls to overcome language barriers. It must provide easy-access to the recovery tank for proper cleaning. The machine should allow the operator to see the water level (solution). It shouldn’t be complicated for operators to switch out squeegees, brushes and floor pads to adjust for soil load or floor coatings. These tools should have wear indicators so that operators know when they need to be changed. • Use speed-controlled solution dosing. A typical machine has a certain flow-rate and dispenses chemicals every minute or so regardless of the machine’s speed. However, you should look for a machine that accommodates for changes in speed during manoeuvres such as turning. Speedcontrolled solution dosing eliminates chemical waste and reduces labour costs because operators don’t have to fill the machine’s tank as often.

• Be intuitive. The machine should have automatic shut-offs so that if it is overloaded, safety mechanisms can protect it from being damaged. • Use an advanced squeegee. Squeegees need to pick up the water and chemical dispensed onto floors to eliminate slip-and-fall accidents. Operators shouldn’t have to manually adjust the pressure that the squeegee has with the floor in order to account for changes in floor surfaces or angles. The squeegee should also be durable so that it doesn’t wear too quickly and need replacing. The squeegee should also have proper pick up to allow for water-only cleaning in light soil applications. • Be designed with ergonomics in mind. The machine should reduce strain and pain for workers. For instance, workers shouldn’t have to reach under the machine to detach brushes and floor pads. Workers should also be able to adjust the machine to a comfortable without requiring them to take their hands off controls while in operation. • Have the capability to share machine tracking data.

area. You can also see which machines have low battery levels, whether the machine is being operated and whether it has had impact with a wall or other object. Once the right machine is in place, it’s important for your organisation to develop and implement a solid training program to ensure operators know how to prepare, operate and maintain the machine over time. Common floor care challenges such as costly labour and chemical waste can be eliminated with one simple step: investing in a better floor care machine. It’s helpful to understand which features to look for in a machine and why these are so important. With a machine that’s better matched to tackle floor care issues, you can not only improve cleanliness in your facility, but enhance employee satisfaction and reduce labour, maintenance and chemical costs. Diversey are the leading provider of smart, sustainable solutions for cleaning and hygiene. Through the integration of new technology-enabled services and systems, our solutions drive increased productivity, food safety and infection prevention to ultimately enhance the end-user experience. For more information, visit www.diversey.com.

Optional machine tracking devices allow you to set a perimeter and receive alerts when the machine leaves a predetermined

Is your building compliant? Hendry Group (Hendry) is an Australian owned, integrated Property Compliance Company, that uses business and technology to provide building compliance services. Hendry’s range of projects include restaurants, leisure centres, parks, theatres and complexes. Having an appreciation of the functionality of your building, our building surveyors work closely with you and your team to achieve the best practical and cost effective project results. Our services cover /

Building Controls

Authority Negotiations

Safety Measures

Risk Matrix

Building Audits

Work Health & Safety

Emergency Planning

Plan Documentation

System Interface Testing

Condition Auditing

Legal Appraisals

hendry.com.au | info@hendry.com.au | 1800 875 371 MELB / SYD / BRIS / PER / ADE / DAR

Are your life safety and firefighting systems

“FIT FOR PURPOSE” and if not who is responsible?

RICHARD HOSIER I REGIONAL MANAGER IN ASIA/PACIFIC, MICC GROUP

Electric cables provide the connectivity which keeps the lights on, air-conditioning working and the lifts running. They provide power for all equipment and computers, data, communication and entertainment systems. The most important electric cables enable all the life safety, firefighting and security systems by connecting fire alarms smoke and heat detectors, break glass alarms, fireman’s telephones, EWIS and CCTV. They connect smoke extracting fans and shutters, air pressurisation fans and dampers, emergency and exit lighting, fire sprinkler pumps, automatic doors and facilitate all the features of a modern building management system. If these essential cables were to fail during fire then the connected life safety and firefighting systems will also fail.

e seldom think about electric cables because they are mostly hidden in the construction, ceiling spaces, riser shafts and wall cavities. Cables are installed by many different trades for different applications but what is not often realised is that the many miles of cables and tons of plastic polymers which make up the cable insulation system can represent a major fire load and propagation path in the building. For this reason it is important cables don’t significantly add to any fire risk by spreading fire, smoke or toxic byproducts. Electrical cables have often been blamed as the cause of fires and research tends to support this however, it is often not the failure of the cable which starts a fire but the misuse of the cable by damaged insulation, overloading due to incorrect or insufficient circuit protection, short circuit or over-voltage.

These situations can cause high temperatures in the cable conductors or electrical arcing which may heat the cable insulation and any surrounding combustible materials to start a fire. Old cables may also pose problems as the plastic insulation ages it often becomes brittle increasing risk of shock or breakdown. Fortunately we have regulations, building codes and standards which recognise the potential risk electric cables present and require compliance with various tests to demonstrate a minimum level of performance. What is often not realised is that these standards and codes are only minimum requirements and should a project or location require more robust performances it is the responsibility of the owners and professional design engineers to provide

this. What this means is simply following code may not in all circumstances absolve owners and engineers from liability. In the UK, British Standard BS8519:2010 and BS EN12485 clearly recognise areas with ventilation limitations and areas such as underground car parks, loading bays and storage areas as “Areas of Special Risk”. In these environments more stringent requirements for fire resistance are recommended and especially for any electric cables supplying power to life safety equipment which are installed in or run through these locations. In Australia we don’t have an equivalent Standard so it is left to engineers to identify and design accordingly.

FIRE RESISTANCE

Both these electric cables meet code for Life Safety Systems.

Unless you specify MICC you will get the burnt one. MICC the only true fire survival electric cable www.miccltd.com 64

For circuits that are needed to keep working during fire which includes all Life Safety and firefighting systems, Australia and New Zealand have ASNZS3013:2005. This test method subjects the cable, supports and fixings samples to the time temperature protocol of AS/NZS1530pt4 for 2 hours in a 1 meter by 1 meter horizontal furnace. The test has an option test for water sprinkler resistance after the fire test but only requires 1 sample from selected groups to be tested for qualification of the whole group. This test allows for a 2 out of 3 pass criteria should the first sample fail. Whether a 2 out of 3 performance is good enough for life safety and firefighting systems is perhaps questionable and this without any representative vertical test component leaves the relevance of this fire test method problematic for the professional engineers responsible for designing with reasonable skill and care ‘Fit for Purpose’ systems. Looking at global best practice for fire resistance testing of essential electrical wiring systems it is clear the American UL 2196 test method is more robust. This test is done in a large 6.6 x 7 meter vertical furnace where cables, fixings and accessories are all tested together in the mounting configuration they will be actually installed. The most demanding installation configuration is for vertical runs of cables, which in most large buildings and high rise is an unavoidable installation condition. UL2196 requires that cables are tested at their rated voltage (rather than just the operating voltage) and with a minimum 5 samples across a range of small to large sizes. All these circuits are mounted both horizontally and vertically in 3 meter (10 foot) lengths with bends and joints if needed. The cables are energised and samples are subjected to the fire time temperature protocol of ASTME-119-75 which is virtually identical with the Australian ASNZS1530pt4. During testing the cables, fixings and supports experience significant mechanical stresses caused by expansion and contraction. After 2 hours at a final temperature of 1,020°C the cables are immediately subjected to a fire hose stream test which not only imparts huge thermal stresses on the wiring system but also significant mechanical stresses. All 5 samples must survive in working condition and certification is given independently for horizontal and/or vertical mounting. (Note, it is well established that fire testing representative lengths of vertically mounted cables for electrical integrity

is significantly more demanding than testing short lengths of horizontally mounted circuits). What has not been factored into any standards in Australia or USA is the effect fire temperatures will have on the electrical resistance of the conductor. The resistance of copper will increase almost 5 times at 1,000°C and this negatively impacts the cables voltage drop and current rating capacity. This effect must be considered by the design engineers to ensure the reliable operation of connected essential equipment even when parts of the wiring system maybe involved in the fire.

FIRE PROPAGATION The Australian standard for flame propagation testing of installed circuits of cables is AS/NZS 1660.5.1 (harmonised with IEC60332-3) this standard may be unrepresentative for flame retardance testing of power cables due to fact this test method does not require preconditioning of cable samples to their operating temperature and only tests at ambient temperature. The current rating standard AS/ NZS3008.1.1:2017 allows many LV power cables to operate with current ratings inducing conductor temperatures of 90°C and some even up to 110°C, so it is a surprise to some to learn the cables they specify and install might only be flame retardant if they are not energised! It is well documented that electrical wires have caused fires due to short circuit or overload. Despite this there is no mandatory test on electric cables for ignition under short circuit or overload conditions. Tests conducted at Australian universities and published in a Ji-cable conference report in Paris, June 2011, show that some common LV polymeric cables (meeting AS/NZS1660.5.1) can, under un-cleared short circuits, self-ignite within 60 seconds when subjected to gross overloads.

SMOKE EMISSIONS The Australian standard for testing cables generation of smoke during fire is AS/NZS 1660.5.2 (harmonised with IEC61034) This standard requires smoke testing by burning cable samples in an alcohol flame. It does not require testing in a non-flaming mode. Many common insulating materials generate significantly more smoke in a non-flaming mode than in a flaming mode. Users of this standard thus are often misled into thinking the cable materials they use are low smoke and in many cases, like un-cleared short circuit/ overload, incomplete burning, or high heat this can be quite the opposite.

TOXIC BYPRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION The Australian standard for testing cables for toxic halogen gas emissions in fire is AS/NZS 1660.5.3 (IEC 60754.1). This test is specified widely in Australia and around the world with many manufacturers, consultants and authorities believing Halogen free cables will be safer in case of fire. In fact what commonly happens is cable manufacturers then make Halogen Free cables with Polyethylene insulation which is Halogen free and cheap but due to its extremely high calorific

value in fire can generate significantly more heat, eat more oxygen and can generate large volumes of toxic Carbon Monoxide, especially during burning in reduced oxygen environments like in most building fires. Whilst CO is not a Halogen gas, it is highly toxic and is claimed to be responsible for many toxicity deaths in fires. (Note; the increase in man-made fibres light weight building materials, plastics is reported to be increasing the amount of HCN generated in modern building fires). In America many building standards do not require halogen free cables. Certainly this is not because Americans are not wisely informed of the dangers, rather the approach taken is that: “It is better to have highly flame retardant cables which do not propagate fire than minimally flame retardant cables which may spread or contribute to a fire” (a small fire with some halogens may be better than a large fire without halogens). There are many factors to consider when choosing appropriate cables and especially when designing wiring systems enabling life safety and firefighting equipment. When the limitations of current standards are known it is important to ensure that with reasonable expertise, all precautions and factors have been properly assessed. Fortunately there are wiring systems and expertise available to address all these concerns and the purpose of this article is to provide a background for owners and engineers so that the right questions can be asked.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Richard Hosier is the Regional Manager in Asia/Pacific for the world’s largest manufacturer of mineral cables the MICC Group: www.miccltd.com Mr. Hosier has lectured at institutions and universities around the world publishing many technical papers on advanced fire safe cable design. He was the winner of the Institute of Fire Protection Officers UK technical trophy award in 2014 for his research into fire performance wiring systems and previously served on 3 Australian and New Zealand technical standards committees for fire safe wiring systems and cables. Other publications by this author: • Fire Resistant Cables – April 2017 • Wiring Systems for Hospitals – June 2015 • Wiring Systems for Nuclear Power Stations – July 2014 • Wiring Systems for Road and Rail tunnels – July 2014 • Electric Cables Fire Performance – May 2014

USING ANALYTICS

for improving building performance ANDREW SMITH I LEADER BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES A.G. COOMBS ADVISORY

Advances in digital technology are providing valuable information to help improve the operation and maintenance of installed building systems including HVAC, electrical and lighting systems, and lifts and escalators.

ew technology is facilitating the cost effective acquisition of detailed information about plant assets and their real-time operation. This powerful asset management system and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;rules basedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; analytics software enables us to sort, assess and evaluate this new wealth of data to provide powerful insights into how to better manage, operate and maintain building services systems for improved systems performance, life cycle cost and energy efficiency outcomes.

There are broadly two approaches that are being applied, these can be termed Asset Analytics, and Operational Analytics. Whilst separately effective, when used together they provide particularly good insights to support improved performance, plant reliability, and reduced asset life cycle costs and overall maintenance and energy spends. Asset Analytics considers both the static physical, and historical attributes of an asset including make, model, age, installed

environment, condition rating, hours of operation, maintenance and repair history and expenditure. Low cost and large scale acquisition of this data is now enabled through the development of ‘asset apps’ to support the field collection of information, and powerful data storage and manipulation capabilities. This data can be analysed to develop and support tailored predictive maintenance programs that are a ‘best budget fit’ for the needs of the equipment and its purpose, and inform capital upgrade and or replacement plans, ensuring money is spent where it’s needed. Whilst predictive, and condition based maintenance has long been widely applied in industry, its application in the built environment has often been limited by cost and capability to large items of equipment such as chillers, and plant and systems serving critical facilities. Operational Analytics considers the real-time operational performance of systems and equipment to identify poor or out of specification performance, inefficient operation, wear and malfunction, incorrect interaction between system elements and system instability. Operational analytics is not a new concept, and has previously been carried out as a manual intervention by specialist technicians using the Building Management and Control System (BMCS) as part of fault finding and fine tuning of building services systems. What is new is the emergence of software that continuously acquires and analyses detailed operational data from the BMCS. This uses an automated ‘rules based’ data analysis approach to look for system operational and maintenance issues that would previously have been masked or hidden. Once identified these issues can be rectified with adjustments to control strategies or settings, or through targeted maintenance activities. These rules can be complex, or as simple as identifying heating and cooling operating concurrently. These software systems are typically deployed either via a direct link into the BMCS database or by duplicating the BMCS field points into a separate module. In either case, care must be taken not to place undue burden on the performance of the BMCS. It also should be recognised that many BMCS have in-built automated analytics capabilities which can often be programmed to provide real-time graphical visualisation of system operation to highlight issues, capture operational data in trend logs, and apply rules to determine alarm conditions. This capability should be reviewed before implementing additional operational analytics software applications. Together Asset and Operational Analytics can offer particularly valuable insights; with asset records providing the historical financial and technical framework for decision making, and operational analytics identifying issues in real time. This enhanced information base can underpin significant improvements in building services asset management and targeted maintenance resulting in lower overall costs, improved system performance and enhanced energy efficiency. www.agcoombs.com.au

BACK OF HOUSE

october 2017 CHILLERS ET AL

s a necessary by product, refrigeration creates waste heat that must be exhausted to ambient, or for greater efficiency, recovered for heating purposes.

Don’t you just love that? The necessary by product bit. I’m thinking of the first motor cycle I ever rode, a huge singe banger Harley with stick exhaust and no muffler, 80mph and scared the bejabbas out of me. [Of course now there is Anthony Hopkins putting NZ on the map with an Indian 600 cc vamming the locales at 200 plus. Ho!] The so-called triple drum set up. Evaporation, Condensing and Heat recovery. This last as prime make-up for the hot water systems. And Mavis, did you know it was some years in the Industry before many of us ever saw the ‘third drum’? For me it was in the Punjabi Hotel in Karachi. I was tracing hot water mains and had come to a stop at one end of a condenser drum. Eh?? Turns out it had all the looks of said drum, but was in fact a heat exchanger downstream from the condenser serving the domestic hot water system make-up. Logical. The always constant pressure on Hotel plant engineers to reduce HL&P cost invariably comes down to air conditioning cost, and in our neck of the woods this means cooling – artificial as opposed to natural cooling of internal spaces. Propping open of windows is a no-no these days Mavis: guests are not pleased to be breathing impure air of a temperature outside their Comfort Zone. It may not be possible to provide thermal conditions that please all occupants all the time, but that hasn't stopped many Hotel Engineers from trying! Heck I can remember applying the notion of passive solar heating in/on one property where the curves of heating and cooling were well defined [sounds like Melbourne on a good day] and got in quotes for a how-to with the GM and you guessed it: “Now Chief, while admiring your efforts in this matter, the Board of course will be out of its depth. And thus regrettably, I must follow suit.” Well that was then, before our Institute, before the Period of Enlightenment, and before a further Rise In Power Cost; interesting cases before, don’t you think, because they do broaden the picture. And so it is, colleagues, that talking about that huge piece of energy use equipment in the Plant room, is a reminder that we should all walk mighty carefully in that space. We should be mindful too that to date, there are no nuclearbased prime movers down below. What do you say to that

NEIL WEENINK Mavis – would you say that nuclear heated boiler sets might do the trick? Heck those things will run forever. Wont they? Interesting times ahead I would say. The first hotel I focused within, if memory serves, was some 65 years ago, with Direct Current generated via a Bellis & Morcom hi-speed self lubricated steam engine. The selflubrication was the first ever in a steam engine, and was cause of the demise of the iconic oilcan, with the attendant oilers and greasers, a wee factor in the story of oil and lubrication. But we were talking about refrigeration Mavis; in particular the Water Chiller who’s function is to cool [not freeze!] the water circulating through miles of insulated air-conditioning pipes connected to hundreds of Chilled Water Coolers, and thus control the temperature and humidity within the hotel. Vast and expensive cradle-tothe-grave-Plant. Many of you will remember your first Centrifugal Chillers; the whirring beast down there in the plant room with the awesome screech as she took on or dropped off load. And as a lowly Junior Watch Keeper, if you committed the heinous sin of starting a second chiller before getting the nod from the old Chief Engineer, then boy, your life expectancy was positively doomed! Willis Carrier was the chap who almost coined the words Air-Conditioning, and most certainly lays claim to drawings for what became recognised as the world's first modern air conditioning system. The 1902 installation marked the birth of air conditioning because of the addition of humidity control, which led to the recognition by authorities in the field that air conditioning must perform four basic functions: 1. Control temperature 2. Control humidity 3. Control air circulation and ventilation 4. Cleanse the air So the ‘waste heat third drum’ scenario as mentioned earlier, would have held small interest for Carrier and his team back then; after all energy was cheap. But now things are a mite changed, and it is of interest to note mechanical design gradually changing in step. Whilst it is true Mavis, that change may be abhorrent to many, there are those in Hotel Engineering who will always have the passion to question the status quo. Good night & good luck Neil Weenink

TOMORROW'S world

PAUL ANGUS I ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; HYDRAULIC SERVICES AT AECOM

Water is a necessity of life. Approximately 70 percent of the earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s surface is covered in water, yet the amount of fresh wholesome water available is significantly limited. This is reflective in the increasing costs associated with supplying water to buildings. Is water availability posing a risk to your property portfolio? The World Economic Forum believes this is the case. In fact, they rank it alongside climate change, consistently positioned within the top five global risks in terms of impact, over the last six years.

ithin Australia, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s huge demand for water conservation. This is a result of exciting new technologies, sustainability initiatives evolving current and future codes and legislation. Green plumbing is a result of environmental and economic issues, which are steering facility managers to implement innovative plumbing systems that use fewer resources, which effectively have a minimal impact on our planet. But this is not a new concept, is it? We only have to look back 2000 years ago to our Roman ancestors who realised that aqueducts could utilise recycled bath (grey) water to flush out latrines and irrigate gardens. However, somewhere along the way, society lost the pressing demand to conserve natural resources, instead focussing on luxury for the end user. In recent times, due to the rising costs associated with energy and the ever imposing threat of climate change, we need to consider how we can utilise energy and our resources more efficiently.

FLUSHED AWAY Approximately, 30 to 50 percent of the energy and water that flows into our buildings is wasted. We simply let it flow down the drain.

This highlights the need, to not only review and improve existing plumbing systems, in particular for ageing buildings within the Facility Managers portfolio, but to influence future proofing our facilities to become the smart buildings of our future. For the past 30 years, plumbing technologies have been consistently evolving and improving. When considering the future availability and scarcity of water here on the planet, where else to look for inspiration than facilities located in the extreme cold, tropical or arid environments. However, taking plumbing systems to another dimension in terms of sustainability requires us to reach for the stars. This was the inspiration of a Swedish industrial designer, Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, working on an academic project for NASA. When you consider the extremities of plumbing in space, water supply must be as efficient as physically possible, in particular for existing and future facilities. Inspired by his research and advancement with the space agency, Mahdjoubi developed a shower system recirculating the wastewater by utilising a filtration system to remove impurities, as the water is circulated. The shower system of the future operates on only five litres of water. As the water is constantly

recirculated, over a period of 10 minutes – the average shower not only saves water consumption, but also saves energy. If you compare that to a typical shower, which generates about 25 per cent of water savings under the current WELS scheme: where a standard showerhead uses about 15 to 25 litres of water per minute – in comparison, a three star rated water efficient showerhead uses as little as 6 or 7 litres per minute. You don’t have to be a mathematician to quickly realise the savings that could be made. The revolutionary shower arrangement incorporates a simple two stage filtration system, which ensure larger particles, such as sand, skin and dust are removed, prior to passing through a finer filter to extract bacteria, viruses and blood. The recirculated water passes through a heat exchanger, exiting the shower

Do you need to keep temperature records? Are the manual records always kept? Are they to your satisfaction? Do they take valuable staff time?

• All in-house • No compulsory third party payments • Easy installation • Security

• Regular updates to your PC •WiFi connectivity • Remote access • Safely stored files • Analysis • Graphs • Alarm messages • Optional SMS • Cloud storage 263 Gilbert Street Adelaide SA 5000 www.t-tec.com.au

After upgrading tapware, showers and toilets to conserve water are you still looking to save water consumption and energy in your building, but with little success? With the majority of buildings incorporating end of trip facilities for showering, utilising a technology that reduces water usage and energy consumption would be paramount. What can you do to take it that next step further?

SOME LIKE IT HOT

With TempReport® you can get daily / hourly / up to the minute accurate temperature records — and then it is done!

Temperature Technology

nozzle, with the end user experiencing a shower with the same results of a conventional shower. Since launching, this technology has been a resounding success, in particular Denmark, where the price of water is the highest in the European Union, plus from California, which experiences persistent drought, every year.

tt Ph: 08 8231 1266 Fax: 08 8231 1212 sales@t-tec.com.au

Approximately 40 percent of energy can be recovered from the plumbing systems and re-used by implementing a simple heat recovery located in the drainage system. Heat recovery from wastewater systems has been operating successfully in America, Canada and Europe for a number of years. Smaller domestic systems generally consist of a heat exchanger, although in some instances with a storage tank.. The heat exchanger design ranges from fairly simple, to extremely complicated, such as those that are incorporated with a storage tank or heat pump. However, in the majority of the installations, the drainage configuration requires modification to separate the grey (shower) and black (WC) water. This is to ensure that any effluent or discharge, which contains solids and other potential contaminants, do not come into contact and foul the heat exchanger. The operating principles of a simple domestic heat recovery system are quite straight forward.. Effectively the incoming potable water from the main cold water counter flows through one side of the heat exchanger, while the wastewater passes through the other, pre-heating the incoming cold water. After leaving the heat exchanger the potable water is plumbed to the hot water generator, in most cases the hot water cylinder or directly to the hot water appliances, such as a shower. There are several notable benefits, which a heat recovery from wastewater system can provide to the end user:

• Energy savings – reduction in carbon emissions • Reduction of the instantaneous peak hot water demand.

PLUMBING THE DEPTHS Of the current configurations available, the most interesting technology available is sewer heat recovery, which can be used in conjunction with a heat pump that can be used for small networks of buildings. Effectively specially adapted concrete sewers are installed with heat exchanger plates cast inside the pipework, located on the bottom (invert) of the sewer. The heat from the wastewater within the sewer is then recovered and extracted to be used with a heat pump facility. Channels are cast into the concrete sewer to ensure close proximity of heat transfer can take place from the effluent within the sewage. To provide an idea of water temperatures in sewers, in winter the average minimum temperature is approximately 10 degrees Celsius, whereas in summer the minimum temperature is 19 degrees Celsius, therefore the mean annual temperature is 15 degrees Celsius. An independent case study, published by WasteWaterHeat, a joint European project involving research institutions from Germany, Austria, Sweden and Norway published results after the testing of wastewater recovery devices. Data from a sewer installation in Zurich, Switzerland, that has been in operation since 1999, provided a minimum efficiency of 69 percent

in recapturing wastewater energy. From the research data published indicates that this type of system can recover 3 to 7 kW of useful heat, per 1m2 of heat exchanger. To provide some perspective, the sewer in Zurich provides heating and hot water to a network of buildings (5,300 MW•h of heat per year). The future of plumbing relies on advancing technologies, creating smarter and more intelligent systems, effectively utilising water and energy in a way that leaves little to waste. Water scarcity is set to increase in the coming years, along with the costs associated with supplying water and removing waste will require you to ensure your building or facility is resilient towards a net zero in tomorrow’s world. Paul Angus is an Associate Director – Hydraulic Services at AECOM, based in Sydney. Paul has strong commercial and technical capability in developing and delivering hydraulic design strategies and solutions. He specialises in providing a sustainable approach to system design, including water conservation, recycling and generating innovative engineering solutions. He has extensive experience in the hydraulic design, pre-acquisition and condition surveys, including all forms of specialist client advisory work. He also has extensive experience in expert witness reporting, taking part in adjudications, mediations, negotiations and arbitrations.

UNIQUE FLOORING “Committed to service and quality” Flooring demands innovative designs that are welcoming and unique for the discerning traveller seeking luxury, style and comfort. A highly competitive industry, hotels demand contemporary flooring that creates ambience yet offers cost effective solutions that address practical, environmental and safety issues, understands the importance of design, function, planning and implementation for the ultimate in hotel flooring.

Visit our website at www.uniqueflooring.com.au or please call Mark Gannon on (02) 9838 7011 to find out how we can customise your hotel.

www.uniqueflooring.com.au 73

ADVERTORIAL

WHO DID YOUR CUSTOMERS SHOWER WITH THIS MORNING? RAY SQUIRES I COMMERCIAL MARKETING MANAGER, ELGAS

Throughout Australia the biggest single use of fuel in commercial industrial operations is for heating water. LPG is an easy choice as its Efficient, Continuous and Cleaner. In your business you have a enough to do without worrying that there is enough continuous hot water 24 hours a day for your customers not to mention whether your guests rooms are warm enough in the cooler months.

Elgas are Australia’s largest supplier of LPG with a wide distribution network, enormous backup of LPG reserves and can provide an optimised energy solution backed by professional advice and expertise.

You know that your customers have a had a great day and many want a nice hot shower and neither of you want to be discussing why that isn’t happening because there isn’t enough gas.

Wherever you are there is a representative near you with local knowledge and expertise of LPG and appliances.

Elgas can make sure that your showers ready and your rooms warm 24 hours a day!

ith rising energy costs it can be a balancing act keeping costs down and productivity high. LPG is an extremely cost efficient method of water heating with little energy loss from its production or use. The fast recovery rate of LPG hot water units means the hot water storage tank size can be kept to a minimum too. Because LPG is cleaner burning, lower exhaust emissions make it far healthier for the environment and lowers maintenance costs for your equipment.

Endless LPG Hot Water LPG is an extremely energy efficient method of water heating, with little energy loss from its production or use. LPG delivers hot water a lot faster too. You simply turn it on and it flows at a temperature that you can control and unlike other fuels there are no peak and off-peak pricing levels to worry about.

COMMERCIAL & INDUSTRIAL

1300 362 389 www.elgas.com.au

There are many different applications for LPG hot water and Elgas will offer you an energy efficient heating method to best suit your requirements. Hot Water Systems • Your LPG system will work even at freezing temperatures • No worries about peak and off-peak rates with LPG • Space efficient with little visual pollution for better aesthetics Some of the benefits include: • Never have customer complaints about the lack of hot water • LPG hot water systems are quiet. They won’t keep your guests awake at night • No worries about peak and off-peak rates with LPG • No pumps and motors that can break down and require servicing, as is the problem with heat pumps • Even multiple units take up little space and are typically mounted outdoors to save valuable interior space

LEADERS IN LPG SUPPLY • SERVICE • SAFETY



MEMBERSHIP FORM PLEASE CHOOSE THE STATE: NSW 

QLD 

VIC 

WA 

I WISH TO APPLY FOR: Renewal of my Membership 

Membership Number (if known):

I WISH TO BECOME A NEW MEMBER VIA: (a) Fellow – a member of at least 10 years standing who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of hotel engineering (as determined by the management committee) or this association may be advanced by the management committee to the grade of Fellow. This membership class is a life membership of the institute. (b) Honorary Fellow – any person who has rendered conspicuous service to the hotel industry (as determined by the management committee), or any person prominently connected with but not necessarily in the hotel industry who may be approved by the management committee, shall be eligible as an Honorary Fellow. This membership class is a life membership of the institute. (c) Member – a person shall be eligible as a Member if the applicant holds a certificate, degree or diploma or such other qualification in engineering approved by the management committee, and has at least 5 years experience in a head of engineering position and shall be directly engaged in hotel engineering. (d) A ssociate Member – a person shall be eligible as an Associate Member if the applicant holds a qualification in engineering approved by the management committee and is directly engaged in hotel engineering and his/her qualifications and/or experience do not in the opinion of the management committee entitle him/her to admission as a Member. (e) Student Member – a person who is attending an appropriate course of instruction at an Institution approved by the management committee shall be eligible as a Student Member (f) Affiliate Member – shall be a person of 21 or more of age who is associated with the Hotel Industry and whose, qualification or experience do not in the opinion of Council entitle them to admission as a Member or Associate member. (f) Corporate Member – entitles applicants endorsed by the Council to be eligible for Corporate Membership, which will carry those rights and entitlements of an Affiliate Members, with a maximum of (5) members of the corporation being eligible to attend monthly meetings. In addition, this membership will entitle the Corporation to receive all specialised material sourced and published by the Institute for overall benefit of the Hotel Industry. All applicants’ membership classification shall be determined by Council in accordance with the above guidelines.

Membership  Corporate Membership  Associate Membership  Student Membership  Affiliate Membership  Honorary Fellow Membership (no fee)  Fellow Membership (no fee)  SURNAME: GIVEN NAME(S): COMPANY NAME: POSITION: POSTAL WORK ADDRESS: WORK TELEPHONE: WORK FAX: WORK EMAIL: WORK MOBILE: HOME POSTAL ADDRESS: HOME TELEPHONE: HOME FAX: HOME EMAIL: PERSONAL MOBILE: Please send all my correspondence to my:

Work Email 

Please send me an Invoice (if required) for payment by:

Email  Mail (a receipt will be sent by mail) 

Please send me newsletter by:

Email  Mail 

Please send ‘Hotel Engineer’ to my:

Work address 



QUALIFICATIONS/EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Home Email 

Home address 

FEES: Membership/Associate Membership:

New Member AUD$130

Yearly Renewal AUD$100

Student Membership:

New Member AUD$90

Yearly Renewal AUD$60

Corporate Fees: New Member AUD$550

Yearly Renewal AUD$550

PAYMENT CAN BE MADE BY: NSW Chapter: Cheque payable to:

Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering (NSW) Chapter

EFT Transfer/Direct Deposit to:

BSB: 062 014 Account Number: 0090 2426 Commonwealth Bank of Australia

(Please use surname/company name as reference)

QLD Chapter: Cheque payable to:

Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering (QLD) Chapter

EFT Transfer/Direct Deposit to:

BSB: 084 462 Account Number: 205126424 National Australia Bank

(Please use surname/company name as reference)

VIC Chapter: Cheque payable to:

Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering (VIC) Chapter

EFT Transfer/Direct Deposit to:

BSB: 013 403 Account Number: 4988 69693 ANZ Ringwood Nth

(Please use surname/company name as reference)

WA Chapter: Cheque payable to:

Australian Institute of Hotel Engineering (WA) Chapter

EFT Transfer/Direct Deposit to:

BSB: 086 006 Account Number: 518 190 216 National Australia Bank

(Please use surname/company name as reference)

MAIL COMPLETED FORMS TO: NSW Chapter: The Secretary, AIHE NSW Chapter, PO Box H263, Australia Square NSW 1215 QLD Chapter: The Secretary, AIHE QLD Chapter, PO Box 5118, Gold Coast Mail Centre 9726 VIC Chapter: The Secretary, AIHE VIC Chapter, PO Box 2136, Caulfield Junction VIC 3161 WA Chapter: The Secretary, AIHE WA Chapter, PO Box 6191, East Perth WA 6892 Your membership application will be processed, which includes the following:: o Certificate of membership

o Membership number

o Member name badge

o Official AIHE receipt

* Note: Allow up to four weeks for processing.

I have read, understood and agreed to conform to the Institute’s Code of Ethics as set out, conditional upon acceptance of my application for membership. Note: your membership includes receiving ‘Hotel Engineer’ quarterly. As the AIHE is a non-profit organisation, GST is not applicable. Signed: Date:

FOR INSTITUTE USE ONLY Date received: Fee received: Grading: Cheque #: Entered:

PRODUCT news

AireFlow-V: High efficiency filtration for premium indoor areas The Airepure AireFlow-V is a durable, energy saving, mini-pleat air filter for high velocity, commercial HVAC systems. Designed to provide high efficiency filtration, AireFlow-V filters remove airborne contaminants such as smoke, bacteria, fume, fungi and virus-bearing droplet nuclei; and is perfect for premium indoor enclosed spaces such as gaming rooms, ballrooms and conference rooms. Airepure AireFlow-V filters have an extremely low initial pressure drop compared to other mini-pleat air filters on the market. This low-pressure drop results in lower energy costs and extended service intervals. With effective operation in 100% humidity and temperatures up to 70Â°C,

Airflow-V is suitable for use in humid, tropical areas and coastal areas. Superior construction features ensure product rigidity, thermal stability and eliminate any chance of contaminant bypass. Furthermore, vulnerable outer media pleats are protected by sturdy metal mesh to avoid any potential risk of damage to the filter media during handling, installation or transport. This reduces the potential risk of fingers damaging the filter media during filter installation. Available in M6 to H11 95% DOP efficiencies tested to EN779:2012 and EN1822-5:2009, the AireFlow-V filter can operate in commercial HVAC systems that face velocities up to 3.38 m/sec and airflows up to 1,260 l/sec.

For more information on the Airepure AireFlow-V filter, please visit www.airepure.com.au or call 1300 886 353

Water Risk Management: QED Legionnaireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease is a lung infection acquired by inhaling contaminated aerosol or water droplets suspended in air. The symptoms can be severe, and without timely treatment the disease may be fatal. Apart from air conditioning cooling towers, the main risks faced by hotel owner/operators are from potable and heated water distribution systems, where tanks or piping dead legs increase

risk, and from drinking fountains and ice makers. Hotel engineers should also be aware that certain outdoor water features may be a hazard in some situations, for example fountains, or mister cooling systems. Car wash systems have also been shown to be a risk for legionella. Ironically, sustainability initiatives may unintentionally increase the risk of

legionella, for instance low water flow, reduced hot water temperature or sensor taps. QED Environmental Services has developed a methodology for hotel water risk management from a subset of guidelines in the healthcare sector. It is tailored to the risk profile and maintenance budget of hotels, keeping guests safe and protecting their most important asset â&#x20AC;&#x201C; brand reputation.

Streamvision Streamvision is a professional Integration company working in the Hospitality, Education, Mining, Health and Corporate Sectors, specialising in the design and installation of IPTV and Digital Signage solutions. We have offices in Australia, New Zealand and Guam, and our Australia-based support team run 24/7, 365 days a year. Through our consultancy process, we help businesses minimise engineering time and drive greater revenue – a true ROI. Our bespoke solution relies on less in-room equipment, decreasing

the chance of failure and creating a solution that allows for simple expansion. Streamvisions platform for audio and video distribution also allows you to manage all your screens from your PC or mobile device. We help you understand that IPTV and Digital Signage are not just mandatory tools to meet guest demands. When implemented correctly, they can become your business' greatest assets. We believe that providing an amazing solution is not enough, which is why

we provide round-the-clock support to ensure your systems stay up and running. If you’re interested in IPTV or Digital Signage, contact us now for a free consultation. www.streamvision.com.au E: sales@streamvision.com.au AUS: 1300 300 407 NZ: +64 0800 664 322

Stop odours and drain flies emanating from hotel waste systems The Grate Seal one-way valve and the Grate Seal Bucket Trap offer low-cost, effective solutions to common issues within waste systems, are simple to install and are made here in Australia. The Grate Seal one-way valve prevents drain flies, hazardous sewer gases, soap suds and vermin from entering habitable areas from waste pipes and drains. It is a flexible rubber one-way valve, specially designed to fit straight into an existing waste outlet. The valve doesn’t restrict flow – the Grate Seal can easily cope with the maximum allowable flows from plumbing fixtures.

The Grate Seal one-way valve can prevent unwelcome breakout from waste pipes in many areas, such as showers, laundries, plant rooms and toilet areas. Three sizes of product are available covering all common waste pipe diameters and the product is suitable for PVC, Copper, Cast Iron, HDPE and Earthenware pipes. Installation is fast and easy, with no need for a water seal or for any alterations to existing outlets. The existing grate is simply removed, the pipes cleaned and the Grate Seal inserted, before the grate is reinstalled.

Conversely, the Bucket Trap is designed to prevent any unwanted debris from entering the hotel’s wastewater system. The Bucket Trap is the most cost effective product of its kind on the market and is the simplest to install, without any disturbance to the existing surface. It’s suitable for a wide range of applications such as kitchens, laundries and plant rooms. The product can be installed within 100mm PVC & HDPE pipes of any drainage outlet style, including trench grating.

For more information call Grate Seal on 1300 393 913 or email sales@grateseal.com.au

Jem Australia For over 20 years JEM Australia has been providing pressure balancing and water savings in hotels, in fact over 75,000 hotel rooms have been fitted with our JEMflo flow controlling technology. JEMflo delivers the required flow rate and balances the hot and cold water

pressures, eliminating showering temperature fluctuations and delivering the ultimate showering experience for your guests. JEM Australia offers a range of specialist services including water usage assessments, the investigation of water supply systems and resolving

water supply issues within hotels. JEM Australia also sells all Methven products including the range of Satinjet and Aurajet showering systems. JEMflo flow control and Methven Satinjet deliver the ultimate water efficient hotel shower.

Port Douglas

CAIRNS MACKAY

BRISBANE

South Pacific Laundry specialises in the provision of quality linen and supplies for hospitality facilities.

Armidale Coffs Harbour

PERTH

PORT MACQUARIE Newcastle

ADELAIDE

SYDNEY

ALBURY Colac

Sale

Warrnambool Geelong

MELBOURNE

South Pacific Laundry (SPL) has been a provider of commercial laundry and linen services to the hospitality industry in Melbourne for the last 20 years. Currently, the South Pacific Group is establishing a strong network of modern laundry across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia with plans for several more facilities up the East Coast of Australia in 2017. The relocation of our Sydney operations to a new larger facility in Bankstown together with the relocation of our Brunswick plant to Broadmeadows will establish South Pacific Laundry as the single largest privately owned laundry in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere.

Contact Robert Teoh National PR & Marketing P: (03) 9388 5300 M: 0421 716 888 Coverage Australia wide

Pricing Information Contact supplier direct Delivery Free daily delivery within 25km city metropolitan areas Minimum Order Contact supplier direct

SPL provides: • A 365 day service to all its clientele with a 24 hour turnaround. • A leading edge technology in RFID to assist housekeeping and managerial staff in time reduction and efficiency. • Dedicated account managers and experienced support staff who are available 7 days a week. • A dedicated software design package and centralised billing system enables seamless transactions, paperless and customised reports. • Delivery rationalisation systems, providing and streamlining efficient delivery routes which will reduce the company’s carbon footprint. • Building of partnerships and sharing benefits with the customers from savings made through its constant laundry process innovations and group purchasing power of linen products. • Dry cleaning, Uniform cleaning services, Housekeeping services, Dust mat hire and Cleaning services. • Provision and supplying of Corporate uniforms/work wears and customised hotel room Amenities.

Full Contact Information South Pacific Laundry 9-23 King William St Broadmeadows VIC 3047 P: (03) 9388 5300 F: (03) 9387 2399

*Albury and Melbourne only

E: customerservice@southpacificlaundry.com.au robert.teoh@southpacificlaundry.com.au