Around the Nation

1 2 3

4 5

1 QUEENSLAND WON’T RUSH

LICENSING REFORM

The Queensland government has indicated it will be working with the federal government to resolve issues around automatic mutual recognition before adopting the reforms, due to take effect on July 1 around Australia. “The Queensland government is supportive of improving occupational mobility to support economic recovery, but not at any cost,” says the government. “It is committed to retaining Queensland’s high standards of regulatory protections and safeguards. A critical issue for Queensland is ensuring appropriate clarity and flexibility to be able to effectively exempt specific occupations to address and manage the substantial concerns raised by key stakeholders and regulators. In this regard, the Queensland government is continuing to engage with the Commonwealth on these matters.

“As such, any adoption of the reform in Queensland would only be at a time when Queensland is fully ready.” The automatic mutual recognition (AMR) system has been designed to allow licensed workers to operate across borders without having to apply, pay for and wait for a further licence to perform the same type of work in other states and territories. ■

2 SCHOOLS FAILING ON AIR QUALITY

A recent RMIT research project has highlighted the poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in some Victorian classrooms, and added to concerns around ventilation in Australian schools in general. Ventilation rates were below the recommended standards in seven out of the 10 classrooms selected for the study. Average classroom ventilation rates were far below the Australian Standard’s per-person requirement. Average CO2 concentration levels in the different school classrooms ranged from 912 to 2,235ppm, and spiked as high as 5,000ppm during occupied hours. Although the Australian Standard (AS1668.2) specifies minimum floorspace and outdoor airflow rate per occupant rather than maximum CO2 levels, concentrations above 1,000ppm are generally seen as unhealthy. “We hope to provide evidence-based guidelines on appropriate indoor conditions, design/ specifications and operations of classrooms for stakeholders including educational and health authorities and building designers,” says Associate Professor Priya Rajagopalan. “We also hope that the guidelines will inform the operation and maintenance of school classrooms, including filter-grade specifications, ventilation rates and temperature set-points in order to close the energy efficiency, thermal and IAQ performance gap.” ■

3 TIPS FOR TAX TIME

The Australian Taxation Office has compiled tax-return advice for trades. It covers the items you can claim, depending on whether you are an employee or a small business.

In general, employees can claim a deduction for expenses incurred if: • You spent the money yourself and were not reimbursed • It was directly related to earning your income • You have a record to prove it. If your expense was for both work and private purposes, you can only claim a deduction for the work-related portion. Small businesses can claim business expenses if: • The money was spent for your business (not a private expense) • You have a record to prove it. If the expense is for a mix of business and private use, you can only claim the portion that is related to your business. More detailed information is available for categories such as clothing and PPE, tools and vehicles. Special measures such as temporary full expensing and instant asset write-off have also been put in place for COVID-19. Go to www.ato.gov.au/tradies ■

4 PUT HVAC&R ON YOUR CENSUS!

With the Australian Census coming up on August 10, AIRAH is rallying its members and those who work in the wider HVAC&R industry to classify themselves as “HVAC&R” under “industry of employment”. “It is strange that a sector worth $38 billion, that uses more than 24 per cent of Australia’s electricity and that accounts for 11.5 per cent of our carbon dioxide emissions is basically unknown to most Australians,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH. “Unfortunately, the Australian Bureau of Statistics does not provide data specifically on the HVAC&R industry, because we are not listed as our own standard industrial classification, and that is what we would like to address. “When you fill in the industry section of your census on August 10, write that you work in HVAC&R and help us get the standing we deserve.” Go to airah.org.au/census ■

5 STAR SYSTEM FOR SPACE HEATERS

The Equipment Energy Efficiency Program (E3) has published a product profile on space heaters in Australia and New Zealand and is looking for feedback to support a ratings scheme for these appliances. According to E3, space heating accounts for around a third of residential energy use in Australia and New Zealand. Energy rating labelling and supporting tools could help consumers compare different heating technologies, to make a more informed decision to best meet their heating needs. The product profile provides an overview of the space heater market and products, outlines existing government policies (domestic and international) for space heater energy efficiency, and identifies the scope to assist consumers to recognise and select more efficient space heaters. This information and the feedback E3 receives will provide a foundation for the development of a comparative energy rating labelling system. Go to www.energyrating.gov.au/consultation ■

10

8 9 7

(L–R) Richard Agar-Wilson, General Manager, Pacific Ventilation; Peter Gibson, Affil.AIRAH Managing Director, Pacific Ventilation; Jay Owen, Sales Director, IAC Australia; Andrew Twisse, Affil.AIRAH, National Sales Manager, Pacific Ventilation

6 NEW SITE FOR SAFE STORAGE

Trafalgar Safety has launched a new website. “We’ve been working hard to give customers what they want: a website where they can find all the products and information they need all in the one place,” says Rebecca Marlor, group marketing manager at Trafalgar Group. “We’re excited to finally launch the site and properly showcase our wide range of Australian-made and owned products.” Trafalgar Safety is one of five Trafalgar Group divisions with a focus on safety storage and transport solutions. The new website combines all four Trafalgar Safety brands (Store-Safe, Fyre-Safe, JNI Pallet Safe, and JNI Freight Safe), putting the ranges of safe storage cabinets, cages, and stillages in the same place. Trafalgar Group is an Australian business with offices in South Granville, Ingleburn, and Brendale (Queensland). All Trafalgar Safety products are manufactured in South Granville and have Australian-made and owned certification.

Go to tsafety.com.au ■

7 RLS PRESSES AHEAD

Also boasting a brand-new website is RLS, the US-based manufacturer of the RLS Rapid Locking System line of press-to-connect fittings. A new product catalogue and other marketing materials are also part of the marketing roll-out. The new website explains the potential advantages of using flame-free RLS press fittings in place of brazing. RLS says these include saving time, reducing total installed costs, and increasing safety for HVAC&R contractors. “RLS established an Australian office earlier this year to better serve our customers in the region,” says RLS Australia director of sales Ian Robertson. “Now, with the launch of our new website and catalogue, we’re demonstrating an even stronger commitment to Australia and New Zealand as the use of RLS technology continues to increase in these important markets.” In addition to the new product catalogue, the site includes installation instructions, FAQs and other marketing collateral. Distributors are listed by region. Go to rapidlockingsystem.com.au ■

8 DAIKIN’S DEAL WITH AAF

Daikin has announced a distribution partnership with American Air Filter (AAF). As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial and industrial air filters, AAF makes a variety of products for removing and controlling airborne particulates and gaseous contaminants. “By combining Daikin’s market-leading HVAC capabilities and AAF’s air filtration expertise, Daikin can offer an all-in-one solution for any building’s HVAC systems, both at the time of install and for ongoing maintenance,” says Daikin. AAF has been a subsidiary of Daikin Industries since 2007. In 2015, AAF Asia’s regional headquarters expanded into Australia with sales offices and warehouses in Sydney and Melbourne. These strategic locations were chosen to enable short lead times and cost-competitive delivery. AAF filters are now available from Daikin and Daikin Distribution Centres. Pricing and further details available on request. Go to commercial.daikin.com.au/american-air-filter ■

9 A SOUND MOVE FROM PACIFIC

Pacific Ventilation and IAC Acoustics have announced that Pacific Ventilation is now the sole HVAC attenuation distributor for IAC in Australia.

Together, they will provide ventilation and sound attenuation solutions to a wide variety of projects, including MRT, industrial, commercial, and domestic HVAC markets. Pacific Ventilation and IAC Acoustics say they are prepared to lead a new era of HVAC attenuation selections based on reliable, certified, sound data. “Our newest agreement with IAC will provide both organisations and the HVAC industry the most innovative and complete fan attenuation solution available,” says Pacific Ventilation managing director Peter Gibson, Affil.AIRAH. “With innovation and engineering at both companies’ core, the industry will begin the journey to complete fan attenuation solutions, perfectly matched for the best energy efficiency and sound performance. This is only the beginning, and great potential exists as the power of our two companies combine.” IAC Acoustics sales director Jay Owen is also optimistic about the alliance. “We are delighted to be able to announce our formal collaboration with Pacific Ventilation as we firmly believe it represents a change for good in the Australian HVAC market,” Owen says. Go to www.pacificventilation.com or www.iac-australia.com.au ■

10 IMPROVING OUR INSULATION

A coalition of insulation, building and organisations focused on energy efficiency has released a joint Roadmap for quality control and safety in insulation installation. The roadmap sets out a series of actions to ensure that insulation is installed following best-practice processes for quality control and safety. “Insulation is an essential component of a healthy, comfortable building,” the coalition says. “Adequate insulation can increase thermal comfort, lower heating and cooling bills, and reduce the prevalence of illness and death. Insulation needs to be properly installed in order to deliver its full value in both existing and new buildings. “The almost 40 organisations that developed and signed this roadmap are committed to working with governments to ensure that insulation is installed properly. The roadmap includes actions that industry commits to undertake, and recommendations for actions by governments and other organisations.” Go to https://tinyurl.com/ysyhz3ds ■