Around the Nation

1 2 3

4 5

1 BE COUNTED!

AIRAH is calling on those involved in HVAC&R to highlight this vital sector in their response to the 2021 Census of Australia. The Census takes place on Tuesday, August 10. In the question that asks about industry or business (Q46 in the paper/online form), AIRAH is encouraging all of those working in the sector to classify themselves as “HVAC&R”. “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. “And that is what we would like to address. Whether you’re a technician, a consulting engineer, a business manager, a salesperson, an educator, or one of many other roles in our industry, when you fill in the industry question on 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 ■

2 AMR A WORK IN PROGRESS

On July 1, the Automatic Mutual Recognition (AMR) scheme took effect. The new system has been hailed as a way of cutting red tape and allowing Australians to work across borders without having to apply and pay for additional occupational licences, if they are already licensed for the work in their home state or territory. As well as benefiting 168,000 workers, the initiative is expected to boost the economy by $2.4 billion dollars. The opening of the scheme, however, has demonstrated the difficulty the federal government faces in harmonising rules across states and territories. Envisaged as a national scheme, at this stage it only covers New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. Moreover, those jurisdictions have filed lists of occupations that are exempt from AMR until June 30, 2022, unless revoked earlier. The lists are extensive, and cover many occupations, including refrigeration and air conditioning technicians. The long-standing mutual recognition arrangements are still operating for those who wish to obtain a second state registration. ■

3 HVAC&R HIGH SCHOOL

A recent Mathematics in Trade Workshop run by the NSW Department of Education, RACCA and Daikin introduced high school students in Sydney to the refrigeration and air conditioning trades. The team at Daikin took students through exercises such as measuring air conditioning unit size requirements for houses, calculating co-efficient of performance (COP), and completing heat load calculations. Students got hands-on with a working 2.5kW split system as well as a disassembled system to gain an understanding of the components used. “We know that when students consider getting into a trade, they immediately think of the typical trades like plumbing, electrical and carpentry,” says Daikin Technical Manager Pravneel Singh. “At Daikin, we want to hero the HVAC&R trade by highlighting the huge number of applications it impacts in our lives.” RACCA and the NSW Department of Education plan to roll out the workshops to more schools, and Daikin has indicated it is also keen to continue being involved. ■

4 ACCOLADES ON THE APPLE ISLE

Mitsubishi Electric Australia has celebrated its dealer network at its annual Diamond Dealer Awards Weekend.

This year’s event was held in Hobart, and marked nearly 15 years since the event was last hosted in Tasmania. It was also a return to a face-to-face format, after the 2020 Awards were held virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. “The awards weekend is a celebration of the shared success, and we take this opportunity to thank every dealer for their support throughout what was a challenging year,” says Zane Barron, general manager – LEG national sales. Dealers enjoyed talks from economist Saul Eslake and survivor of the Beaconsfield Mine collapse Todd Russell. The culmination of the event was a gala ball hosted by Ed Kavalee that saw 38 Sales Excellence Awards, 15 Regional Dealer Awards, and three General Manager Awards handed out. Go to www.mitsubishielectric.com.au ■

5 RACE IS ON FOR SEELEY

Seeley International has become the first air conditioning manufacturer to join a new collaborative research centre (CRC) focused on clean energy – RACE for 2030. The CRC aims to boost energy productivity and demand flexibility, cutting energy costs and reducing emissions, for Australian homes, businesses and industries. “We know that cooling is a huge component of a building’s energy demand, which multiplies during peak demand, especially during the hot, Australian summers,” says Seeley’s executive director of imagineering Rob Gilbert. “The major challenge in our clean energy transition will be to shape the energy load so that it aligns with the demand. As global demand grows for air conditioning and well-ventilated buildings, we cannot overstate the importance of clean, efficient HVAC technology.” RACE partner Professor Frank Bruno, F.AIRAH, of UniSA’s Future Industries Institute, says he is proud to have the South Australian partner on board. “UniSA has had a strong partnership with Seeley for more than 20 years,” Professor Bruno says. “As the only air conditioning and heating manufacturer in the CRC, Seeley will play an important role in ensuring the latest innovations are used for a secure, affordable, clean energy future.” Go to www.racefor2030.com.au ■

6 7

Airmaster CEO Noel Courtney, M.AIRAH

9 8

10

6 NEW RULES FOR SMALL AC?

The federal government has put forward a proposal to limit the import and manufacture of small air conditioning units using high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. The approach would ban the import and manufacture of small air conditioning units using refrigerants with a GWP greater than 750. The rule would apply to non-ducted units including split systems, window/wall-mounted units and portable air conditioners with a refrigerant charge up to 2.6kg. This would effectively ban the import and manufacture of small air conditioners using the refrigerant R410A, which has a GWP of 2,088. Equipment already in Australia would not be affected. Given that most new equipment in this category has already switched to R32, which has a GWP of 675, the approach is not expected to increase costs to manufacturers or consumers, nor significantly impact consumer choice. The ban would support the HFC phase-down by closing the door on equipment using old-generation HFCs. Before going ahead with the plan, the department has been consulting users of small air conditioners, as well as manufacturers, importers, technicians and other stakeholders. This includes the specifics of the limits, as well as the timing of the proposed implementation. ■

7 AIRMASTER GROWS FIRE BUSINESS

Airmaster has entered into an agreement to acquire fire protection services company Celsius Fire and its Queensland operations Fire2U. The move strengthens Airmaster’s fire services capability, after its recent acquisition of Melbourne-based Specialised Fire Protection. Airmaster says the latest acquisition will further grow its suite of in-house knowledge and expertise in fire services. With more than 20 years of experience, Celsius Fire and Fire2U have a customer portfolio that includes both small and large facilities, including multi-state portfolios with government departments, hospitals and commercial office buildings. Between them, Celsius Fire and Fire2U have four offices across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

“Since 1988, Airmaster has continued to develop and evolve through considerable knowledge and experience in the technical services and facilities management industry,” says Airmaster CEO Noel Courtney, M.AIRAH “Through strong growth in Airmaster’s fire and essential safety capabilities, this further acquisition of a fire protection services business accelerates this within key geographies.” Go to www.airmaster.com.au ■

Inaugural AMCA Australia president Michael Anthony, M.AIRAH

8 HITS AND VIEWS FOR FUJITSU

Fujitsu General Australia has launched a new website. “It has a modern and clean design, is much simpler for visitors to navigate, and includes new interactive tools such as the Fujitsu Assist Tool,” says Fujitsu director of sales, marketing and product Dave Smith. “This helps customers identify the most suitable unit for their residential space, then connects them with the closest Fujitsu Authorised Partner to quickly get a quote and progress their enquiry. “Finding a local stockist or a finance specialist and booking service calls is also much easier via the new website, and the extensive library of handy tips and helpful articles can be quickly accessed.” Go to www.fujitsugeneral.com.au ■

9 PACIFIC SEALS DEAL WITH RAVENSCROFT

Pacific Ventilation has acquired Ravenscroft Fire Dampers, a New Zealand-based business that has been developing fire dampers for more than 23 years. “I am pleased to see the Ravenscroft circular fire damper business going to Pacific Ventilation,” says Ravenscroft Fire Dampers owner Malcom Ravenscroft, who is retiring after 40 years in the HVAC business. “They have been supporting Ravenscroft Fire Dampers in North Island for eight years, and now take over the Australasian distributorship. Pacific Ventilation will continue manufacturing and distributing Ravenscroft circular fire dampers to the very highest standards.” Pacific Ventilation managing director Peter Gibson, Affil.AIRAH, says the addition of Ravenscroft circular fire dampers to the business is a “big win” for Australian and New Zealand customers.

“We look forward to supporting Ravenscroft’s existing North Island customers and offering these outstanding fire dampers to our South Island and Aussie customers. Ravenscroft’s high-quality circular fire dampers are a perfect fit for our business.” Go to www.pacificventilation.com ■

10 ANNOUNCING AMCA AUSTRALIA

AMCA has officially switched from its previous state-based structure to operate as a single national industry association under the name AMCA Australia.

The move comes following a comprehensive, three-year review of all association activities, upon which the organisation decided the time was right for AMCA’s state-based entities to formally join forces. Inaugural president of AMCA Australia, Michael Anthony, M.AIRAH, has stressed the importance of maintaining a strong presence in every state and territory. “From occupational licensing to health and safety laws, many of the operating conditions faced by HVAC companies are determined at the state and territory level,” Anthony says. “Member companies must continue to receive local support – and they will. In fact, the new model will allow our executive directors and local staff to connect more regularly with members while empowering them to focus more closely on state and territory issues.” Go to www.amca.com.au ■