HVAC&R Nation July 2017 by AIRAH

Skills WORKSHOP

Managing condensate for condensing boilers

FEATURE

Duct troubles

Rebuilding

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July 2017 / ISSUE 103 / FREE

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ISSUE 103

HVAC&R Nation is published by the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air conditioning and Heating (Inc).

July 2017

AIRAH – National Office James Harrison Centre 3/1 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia. Tel: 03 8623 3000

Rebuilding Christchurch

Fax: 03 9614 8949

www.airah.org.au/nation

Magazine team Editor Boon Mark Souphanh boon@airah.org.au Tel: 03 8623 3011 Contributing writer Sean McGowan

Advertising sales Glenn Douglas glenn@airah.org.au Ph: 03 8623 3018 John McGrath john@airah.org.au Ph: 03 8623 3007

In 2011, the New Zealand city of Christchurch was shaken to its foundations by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake. As well as taking the lives of 185 people, it destroyed or damaged many of the city’s buildings, including the heritagelisted Arts Centre. Sean McGowan reports on the painstaking rebuild that is returning the site to its former glory.

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HVAC&R Nation is an official publication of the Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating Inc. Statements expressed in HVAC&R Nation do not necessarily reflect the policy or views of AIRAH or its members. No responsibility is accepted by AIRAH, the Editor or HVAC&R Nation’s supply partners for the accuracy of information or for errors or omissions. HVAC&R Nation is distributed without charge to all financial members of AIRAH. The publisher reserves the right to alter or omit any article or advertisement submitted and requires indemnity from advertisers and contributors against damages or liabilities that may arise from material published. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without permission of the Publisher.

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Condensing Boilers An overview of condensing boilers and how to correctly manage condensate.

8 Global Update industry news from around the world

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The Toolshed

Skills Workshop

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Lighter Side the shonkier side of the nation

Duct troubles Although changes to the National Construction Code (NCC) in 2013 made leakage testing compulsory for duct systems over 3000 L/s, many smaller systems continue to go unchecked, and do not perform as designed. Sean McGowan explores the impacts of leaking ductwork on whole-of-system energy efficiency.

Please consider the environment and recycle this magazine if you are not going to keep it.

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 3

Editorial

HVAC GROUND BREAKERS Parts of Christchurch remain damaged from the 2011 quake.

One of the more devastating natural disasters to occur in New Zealand in recent times, the 2011 Christchurch earthquake provides a stark reminder of nature’s cruel potential. Taking the lives of 185 people, the magnitude 6.3 quake also seriously damaged most of the city’s buildings, including its heritage-listed Arts Centre. With much of the city still picking up the pieces, the Arts Centre has recently completed a meticulous rebuild, which included three new plantrooms. The site has now returned to its former glory, with the project a testament to the local community’s resolve as well as the evolution of HVAC installation practices (you can read about it in this month’s cover feature on page 10). “It was a really complex site when we first got there,” says Benmax NZ director Geoff Absolom, M.AIRAH, who headed the project.

Australia is a big place. We’re talking 7.692 million km² big, making us the sixth biggest country in the world. And due to its geography and sheer size, the HVAC&R landscape “Down Under” is equally as extensive. From the hot-humid climates of the north, to the much cooler temperate climates of the south, Aussie HVAC&R technicians are faced with a broad range of climatic considerations when it comes to their installations. Although our mates across the pond in New Zealand have less to worry about in terms of extreme heat, their precarious geographic position between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates means they’re forced to deal with another unforgiving force of nature – earthquakes. In New Zealand, the threat of catastrophic seismic occurrences is very real. According to local monitoring network GeoNet, the country recorded 32,828 quakes in 2016 – a new record.

NEEDS YOUR FEEDBACK! To help improve Australia’s most popular HVAC&R magazine, we are seeking valuable reader feedback. Fill out the HVAC&R Nation readers survey at

www.airah.org.au/HVACR_Nation_survey All responses will go into the draw to win a 700ml bottle of Jim Beam.

4 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

“At times, work was very challenging, with the conservation of the existing building structures given priority. The original schematics could not change, yet the services within the building, including HVAC, required a modern, earthquake-resistant retrofit.” Making use of specially designed pipework prefabrication system and subterranean water cooling, the seemingly impossible rebuild was successfully completed – albeit with its fair share of planning and hard work. We’ve certainly come a long way over the past decade, and I look forward to witnessing the continual progression of installation practices within our industry. And, as history shows, those quickest to embrace the evolution are the most likely to thrive. Boon Mark Souphanh Editor boon@airah.org.au

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July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 5

Toolshed 01

Engineered using the same blade technology as jet-engine planes, MHIAA says the system boasts the longest reach airflow on the market, reaching up to 18m.

Good wood

Quality Air Equipment has introduced Premium Graphic Finishes to its offerings, which is created using a process called photo imaging.

“This provides larger rooms with climate consistency and a powerful, yet silent, air channel that was unachievable till now,” says MHIAA.

This is a two-stage process of powder coating the aluminium and then sublimating the wood grain pattern into the coating. This method can be applied to our wide range of aluminium custom-made air-diffusion products.

Another feature is the optional Wi-Fi connectivity. This control system allows access anywhere, enabling the temperature to be set from outside the home using a smart-phone, smart watch, computer, or tablet.

A range of timber finishes are available, including Australian Cedar, Black Butt, Bush Cherry, Casuarina and Wood Ironbark.

With a wide operation range, the range is designed for sustained heating and cooling, even in extreme outdoor climates from as low as -15°C and as high as 46°C.

Other finishes are available on special request.

Bronte by MHIAA comes with a five-year guarantee.

For more information, go to www.qualityairequipment.com.au n

For more information, go to www.mhiaa.com.au n

Fuss-free Fluke

The Fluke 64 MAX IR thermometer is designed to capture measurements while unattended, freeing maintenance teams to focus on other issues.

Adaptable air

Kelvion AirToAir stainless-steel heat exchangers with glued tube-to-tubesheet design are intended for application ranges from approximately 20°C to 180°C.

The unit logs up to 99 data points, eliminating the need to manually record measurements.

For higher-temperature applications, up to 1000 °C, Kelvion offers tubes which are welded to the tubesheets.

“Temperature events rarely occur while technicians are around to capture them, complicating the troubleshooting of electrical, HVAC, and industrial equipment,” says Fluke. “The new Fluke 64 MAX IR thermometer features ‘Auto Capture’, letting technicians set time and intervals to record up to 99 data points unattended so it can capture elusive temperature events.”

The glue used in the light design is silicone-free, which means they can be used in the paper and automotive industries. “Whether welded or glued, Kelvion adapts both versions to the necessary air-volume flow to be moved, and to the required performance levels,” says Kelvion. “Reversal hoods allow various airflow routing principles, to match the installation situation or to further increase heat-recovery efficiency and assure remaining pressure-drop values at the desired level.”

The thermometer can be mounted on a standard tripod using a tripod mount accessory for unattended measurements. The 64 MAX displays minimum, maximum, or average temperature, or the difference between two measurements, and features Hi and Lo alarms for display of 17–16 measurements outside set limits. Fluke says the unit can survive a three-metre drop and continue to operate, making it ideal for industrial and field environments.

Kelvion AirToAir heat exchangers have been designed for applications in the paper, textile, wood, and constructionmaterials industries, as well as in printing operations, pharmaceutical and chemical plants, food and beverage processing, and in additional industrial sectors.

For more information, go to www.fluke.com n

For more information, go to www.kelvion.com n

Get the silent treatment

Silenceair acoustic ventilators are designed to eliminate noise.

The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool Link purifier heater includes a new compact filtration technology – the 360-degree glass HEPA filter. The filter includes an extra layer of activated carbon for improved gas capture.

The acoustic ventilators can be used in simple exhaust-ventilation systems, or provide the make-up air for fully ducted AC systems. They are also hidden in the walls with only the louvre visible.

Dyson says the filter in the Pure Hot+Cool Link purifier heater automatically captures 99.95 per cent of fine particles such as allergens, pollutants including potentially harmful gases that can be emitted inside homes.

“It is proven to be the lowest cost and easiest to install solution, and is recommended by an increasing number of mechanical engineers,” says managing director of Silenceair International, Chris Matthews.

“Our obsessive approach to engineering has led us to take a different approach to purification,” says company founder James Dyson. “It is our most advanced purifying technology yet to ensure that the air in our homes is cleaner.”

For more information, go to www.silenceair.com n

The unit is designed to automatically detect airborne pollutants and purify the air, as well as monitor the air to maintain your preferred temperature.

Brand-new Bronte

The new Bronte reverse-cycle air conditioner range from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioners Australia (MHIAA) makes use of R32 refrigerant for improved efficiency and reduced environmental impact. 6 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

Progressive purifier

Dyson has unveiled its latest purifier range, with a new filter designed to improve gas capture while trapping ultrafine particles.

With award-winning passive technology, Silienceair looks to deliver superior performance, cost-effectiveness, and code compliance.

According to the company, Silenceair has been successfully installed in apartments and townhouses located in noise affected areas across Australia for the last ten years.

Users can track their air quality with the Dyson Link app, which provides live reporting on both indoor and outdoor air quality, based on a location of your choice. For more information, go to www.dyson.com.au n

Toolshed 07

“The result is the high-efficiency AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller that saves energy costs and reduces environmental impact,” says Carrier.

Cool your cabin

Featuring with new technology, the latest generation Dometic CoolAir RTX 2000 truck air conditioner is a compressor-powered unit designed as a step-up from its predecessor.

The advanced two-stage compressor is designed and optimised for refrigerant R-1233zd(E), which has a GWP of 1.34 and an A1 safety classification per ASHRAE standard 34.

“The compressor’s low-speed direct-drive back-to-back design significantly improves efficiency while balancing internal forces, enabling the use of energy-saving ceramic bearings that utilise the refrigerant already in the chiller as lubricant,” says Carrier. “The intuitive touch-screen user interface provides graphical trending and remote access capability and can be mounted on any corner of the machine.”

Dometic says its CoolAir RTX 2000 generates more than twice the cooling power with the same runtime due to the variable-speed compressor. The unit generates 2000 watts in order to cool down larger cabins. “To provide this outstanding level of performance and quality, Dometic's product development engineers have put the RTX series parking cooler through its paces under extreme conditions in Australia,” says the company. “The engineers utilised a global first-mobile data interface that enabled them to retrieve data from field test equipment around the globe wirelessly and in real time.”

For more information, go to www.carrier.com n

Designed to provide cooling for longer stops in moderate climates, the smaller Dometic CoolAir RTX 1000 is also available and makes use of the on-board power resources, including a battery voltage monitor fitted with a sensor line to maintain the trucks starting ability.

The ASADA Eco Saver V230SP is a refrigerant recovery machine for vacuuming room air conditioners, commercial conditioners, freezers, refrigerators, showcases, as well as air conditioners for automobiles, trains, ships and aircraft.

The Eco Saver V230SP is designed for recovery and charging of refrigerant in case of disposal, replacement, repair and maintenance.

The CoolAir RTX series has other features including a tailor-made vehicle-specific installation concept, TÜV approval, e-certification, and operation by remote control.

It is equipped with a 1HP twin compressor for stable cooling with a large airflow fan, and is R32 applicable.

For more information, go to www.dometic.com n

Blackmax goes cordless

The unit’s R410A vapour recovery is listed at 240g/min, and can also be used for fluorocarbon recovery and destruction. For more information, go to www.garrickherbert.com.au n

New at Heatcraft is the Blackmax Cordless Vacuum Pump, brought to you by CPS.

A lightweight and portable cordless pump, the company says it is ideal for small A/C installs and small commercial service and install, as well as domestic, automotive and on sites where power supply is an issue.

With the new app, the company says full and up-to-date compliance information can now be available to every HVAC installer, technician and project manager equipped with a smart phone.

The Blackmax VPC2S-18VC Cordless Vacuum Pump also comes with a normally closed solenoid valve. The solenoid valve closes once the battery is about to run out. This is designed to ensure there is no cross-contamination of system and vacuum pump oil once the battery runs out. It also holds the vacuum, so the user won't lose the vacuum if the battery runs out.

A smart innovation

Kilargo claims to have introduced an industry first for intumescent fire dampers (IFDs), with the release of an all-inclusive mobile app to support the HVAC industry on the go.

“Many other cordless vacuum pumps are supplied skin only, excluding battery and charger,” says Heatcraft. “The Blackmax VPC2S-18VC Cordless Vacuum Pump is supplied with a 6.0Ah battery to ensure you have the right amperage battery for usage of up to one hour run time.”

For more information, go to www. heatcraft.com.au n

ASADA to the rescue

The app is designed for simple selection based on Kilargo’s System Selector with full details to ensure compliance on site. It also makes recommendations on the spot from Kilargo’s range of leading IFD solutions based on the user’s specific use and application. 10

“The app has been widely accepted as the HVAC installers ‘go-to’ source of compliant IFD Installation details,” says Kilargo.

A leading AquaEdge

Now available on the Apple App Store or Google Play. For more information, go to www.kilargo.com.au n

Carrier recently hosted a series of events in Australia to mark the launch of its AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller. The AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller features Greenspeed intelligence, a new technology that has introduced for the first time. It is designed to deliver on customer demands for excellent performance, leading efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Carrier says improvements in compression technology and integration of the Greenspeed variable-speed technology enabled the company to significantly improve its centrifugal full-load and part-load efficiencies.

DO YOU HAVE A NEW PRODUCT TO GO IN THE TOOLSHED?

Email boon@airah.org.au All submissions received will be considered, though publication cannot be guaranteed.

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 7

Global Update

QATAR

COOLING THE CUP Rebuilt for the 2022 soccer World Cup, the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar has been completed and equipped with much-talked-about cooling technology. Part of the air conditioning revamp, approximately 500 jet nozzles blast out cold air, keeping temperatures at around 23˚C. Chilled water is piped to the stadium from a cooling centre about 1km from the stadium, then once it arrives, cold air is pushed into the stadium. "I think it is a source of immense joy and pride," says World Cup organiser Nasser Al-Khater. "It's a stadium dear to our hearts – Khalifa Stadium – so we're happy that it's the first stadium to be completed. It's real, it shows you the progress you've been working hard on is actually coming to reality.” n

USA

A TRANSCRITICAL TRANSITION Several large US refrigeration users, including Whole Foods, Target, and the US Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) announced plans to increase their use of natural refrigerants, particularly CO₂ transcritical. Making the announcement at the recent ATMOsphere America 2017 conference, Whole Foods Market will retrofit 15 to 30 stores per year with natural refrigerant-based systems. A representative for Target also announced the retail company will install its first two transcritical CO₂ systems in California and Minnesota this year. DeCA, which is responsible for supermarkets on US military bases worldwide, says it can “make it work anywhere" even in warm ambient climates, in regard to transcritical systems. n

FIJI

SOUTH KOREA

RINK REFUGE Residents in South Korea are flocking to ice rinks in order to seek refuge from poor air quality. Fine-particle dust levels inside ice risks are low because there are few factors generating dust inside. According a local spokesperson, ice rinks are sensitive to changes in moisture levels and have excellent climate control systems to prevent outside air from getting in. Ice rinks have reportedly received numerous inquiries from schools about group lessons due to fine-dust-based restrictions on outdoor activities. The unusually poor air quality in the country has also prompted mass sales of air purifiers, particularly from mothers looking to protect their children from dust particles. n

VIETNAM

APPLE’S NEW CORE

COLD FROM HOT

FAKE FRIDGE OILS

Apple's newly opened headquarters building in California has been built with no air conditioning.

Two remote off-grid villages in Fiji will uniquely make use of their local hot springs for refrigeration.

One of the most expensive corporate complexes ever constructed, its centrepiece – a 260,000m² circular main office called "The Ring" – features natural ventilation.

The plan for this pilot project is to pipe the Waikatakata Hot Spring, which is comes out of the ground at 70°C, into an absorption chilling facility. This centralised cold storage facility will then be available for villagers to preserve their goods.

In Vietnam and Korea, counterfeiters are partly disguising imitations refrigeration oils with the logo and name of the specialist for refrigeration compressors.

The concrete floors of the Ring are lined with tubes of water designed to keep temperatures between 20°C and 25°C. "We don't want you to feel like you're in a casino. We want you to know what time of day it is, what temperature it is outside," says Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives. n

"So, for example, if they slaughter a cow or catch some fish they can freeze and store them there," says Professor Regenauer-Lieb, who heads the project. "This will be an important facility for the villages where people still regularly die from food poisoning." Regenauer-Lieb believes that deriving energy from natural hot springs represents a state-of-the-art and reliable renewable approach to cooling in villages and urban areas. n

8 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

Product pirates not only sell counterfeit compressors, they also bring low-quality oils into the market. Bitzer recently discovered several fake oils in Vietnam, where a local company was illegally declaring and selling containers with low-quality oil as original products. Bitzer has investigated the counterfeiting and has warned customers against the possible risks associated with their use. The viscosity characteristics, moisture content, and chemical formulation vary from the original products. “Using the fake product can lead to insufficient lubrication of compressors, chemical reaction, destruction of elastomers, and, thus, great damage,” says Bitzer. n

GAS

Join AIRAH today To align yourself with Australia’s most dynamic HVAC&R organisation, become an AIRAH member. For more details,or to join right now, go to www.airah.org.au/join

Member benefits: n Industry recognition and career progression

by carrying the M.AIRAH post-nominal. n A copy of the industry’s foremost technical reference,

available exclusively to members– the AIRAH Technical Handbook. n A subscription to Ecolibrium – a publication that profiles

and champions industry best practice and innovation. n Discounts for Design Application manuals, fact sheets

and other technical publications. n Regular state and national email updates containing

important news and details of key industry events. n Regular technical division meetings held by the state sections

of AIRAH.

n Accessing a variety of educational programs that will

give you continuing professional development (CPD) credits to a wide variety of organisations. n Substantial discounts on training, seminars, conferences,

industry best-practice guides and site visits plus complimentary monthly technical seminars. n Access to the AIRAH HVAC&R industry

Professional Diploma of Building Services – HVAC&R. n Participation in the AIRAH Awards. n Complimentary member webinars and podcasts. n Access to ASHRAE member benefits through

the ASHRAE Associate Society Alliance (AASA). Membership of AIRAH is tax deductible.

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 9

Cover Feature

The complex rebuild of Christchurch Arts Centre included the creation of three new plant rooms.

REBUILDING CHRISTCHURCH In 2011, the N ew Zealand city of Christc to its founda hurch was sh tions by a m aken agnitude 6.3 taking the liv earthquake. es of 185 pe As well as ople, it destr of the city’s o y e d buildings, in or damaged cluding the many Sean McGo heritage-liste wan reports d Arts Centr e. on the pains that is return taking rebuil ing the site to d its former glo ry. Located in the heart of the city, the Arts Centre of Christchurch is made up of 23 neo-gothic stone buildings that were home to the Canterbury College (now the University of Canterbury) until the late 1970s. The site was then transferred to the Arts Centre of Christchurch Trust Board to be used for a variety of arts-related activities. The buildings – all of which are heritage listed – made up a thriving arts precinct offering art and artisan studio spaces, galleries, theatres and cinemas as well as speciality shops, bars, cafes and restaurants.

Five months later, a larger and more devastating earthquake struck the city. Buildings that had already been damaged or weakened by the previous earthquake were unable to withstand the shocks. Of the 3,000 buildings inspected within the four avenues of central Christchurch, 45 per cent were given red or yellow stickers to restrict access because of safety problems.

Such was the Arts Centre’s success that it became a major tourist attraction for the city in the decades that followed.

One of the sites most affected was the Arts Centre of Christchurch. Although no one died on the site during either earthquake, all historic buildings were made inaccessible to the public, and the entire complex was closed.

But in September 2010, a major earthquake struck the region and caused significant damage to some of the buildings, resulting in the chimneys of the Great Hall, Observatory and Clock Tower collapsing.

Initial estimates of NZ$100 million (AU$96 million) to rebuild the Centre were soon revised to more than NZ$200 million (AU$192 million), with an estimated rebuild time of 15 years originally floated.

10 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

Ultimately, as the scope became better known and understood, the cost to rebuild was revised upwards to NZ$290 million (AU$277 million), making it one of the largest heritage restorations projects to be undertaken anywhere in the world.

BRICK BY BRICK Given the size and heritage nature of the site and its buildings, the rebuilding of the Arts Centre of Christchurch has been conducted in stages. Following the appointment of multiple builders on the project, significant structural works commenced in 2013 with the aim of stabilising and strengthening the buildings prior to their refurbishment. Some of the buildings were literally pieced together brick by brick in a painstaking rebuild that not only returned them to their former glory, but also reinforced the building structures to meet strict earthquake-proofing codes. Following much of these works, ACT-based Benmax Group was directly engaged by the Arts Centre in 2015 to complete the design and installation of mechanical services for a number of buildings across the site. “It was a really complex site when we first got there,” says Benmax NZ director Geoff Absolom, M.AIRAH. “At times, work was very challenging, with the conservation of the existing building structures given priority. The original schematics could not change, yet the services within the building, including HVAC, required a modern, earthquake-resistant retrofit.”

Cover Feature broke down the schematics into smaller, segmented spools that were small enough to meet the space restrictions of the site. “The spool drawings were exceptionally good,” says Morley. “They were labelled, numbers and were essentially foolproof. Our team was able to quickly fabricate the spool pieces based on the information provided, and we knew exactly where each assembly belonged on the site. A size limit of 3m was placed on each length to ensure it could be taken down the staircase, before fitting together like a Meccano set. “Even at 3m, we were pulling the pipe right down to the bottom (of the staircase) then lifting it up at the far end to twist around the right angle at the bottom of the stairs that entered the basement,” adds Morley. To allow large pieces of equipment into the basement, the floor of the library above was temporarily removed before being reinstated. Both approaches also avoided welding works being conducted within the confined space of the basement. “We only had the plantroom space to work in,” says Morley. “It’s not like we had a lot of space available to use to build anything outside, and we really didn’t want to be creating too much heat in an old, historic building with timber floors directly above us.”

To overcome access issues in the heritage-listed library, Benmax designed a system of components that could be prefabricated offsite.

The HVAC solution at the Arts Centre of Christchurch takes advantage of the constant temperature of the subterranean water supply below the site.

Benmax Group created three new plant rooms – one in the basement area of the heritage-listed Library building, another below the Workshop building, and a third in the existing Chemistry building. The Library plant room was designed to serve the site’s C Block, which includes the Great Hall and Chemistry buildings, while the new Workshop plantroom serves a number of other buildings as well as providing redundancy to the main Library plantroom.

NEW TECH IN OLD DIGS One of the major challenges for the Benmax team was in making the mechanical services plant fit within the confines of the existing Library basement. Working with documents prepared by consulting engineer Powell Fenwick, a great deal of work was completed by Benmax site supervisor Dave Morley

ARTESIAN HEATING

and his team to not only ensure the plant would fit within the space, but would also meet the stringent requirements required by Heritage New Zealand. “We were given some pretty clear instructions around what we were allowed to fix to, what we weren’t allowed to fix to, how they wanted it to look and what items such as radiators were to look like,” says Morley. With components of the Library plantroom required to be constructed of steel, space as well as access became a significant problem. Accessed only by a small narrow staircase, the Benmax team was confronted with the challenge of not only getting materials down into the Library basement, but also major pieces of HVAC equipment, including heat pumps, heat exchangers, and ancillary pumps.

The HVAC solution at the Arts Centre of Christchurch takes advantage of the constant temperature of the subterranean water supply below the site.

EARTHQUAKE PROOFING In order to meet new regulations in place around the earthquake proofing of plantroom components, the Benmax team were required to meet strict codes.

“The Library plantroom was definitely the most challenging build on the site so far,” says Morley.

This included having seismic engineers review the design of components and how they are fixed and secured into place.

“With a maximum ceiling height of 3m in the basement, and only one narrow stairwell to access the room, we had very little flexibility to get the system components into the space. The basement was originally designed to hold books – we had to get large, heavy industrial components like pumps into the space.

“It became a coordination nightmare, really,” says Benmax site supervisor Dave Morley.

“It meant we had to get creative.” To overcome these issues, Benmax designed a system of components that could be prefabricated offsite. It commissioned the Victaulic construction piping services (CPS) department to assist with the design, and provide detailed spool drawings, which were used in the prefabrication of the pipework. As well as providing an overall design of the heating and cooling systems in the plantroom, Victaulic also

“In Australia, 63mm fusiotherm pipe would require just a straight hanger, enabling you to deal with everything in the same plane as the pipe and parallel with the pipe. But what you need to do here [in Christchurch] is install brackets at 45 degrees for anything 200mm or more off the ceiling. “So it means that if you are 600mm off the ceiling, for example, you are also 600mm out on each side of the pipework, creating a large V-shape. This impacts on access, future access and maintenance and has implications for other services because they also require the same fixing.”

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 11

Cover Feature

This design also provides redundancy in the event that one of the ring mains is inoperable.

The basement was originally designed to hold books – we had to get large, heavy industrial components like pumps into the space. It meant we had to get creative

Four bore wells have been drilled in two locations – two that extract water from deep in the artesian water basin, and another two at a more shallow depth that re-inject that water back. “The water is extracted from the well, goes through a heat exchanger and into an artesian ring main made of 250mm HDPE pipe, before going into the other plant room on the ring main and being re-injected into the artesian basin on the other side of the site,” says Morley. “So, part of the ring main is going clockwise and the other part is going anti-clockwise. That way we keep the water pure, because there’s no stagnant water in there – it’s constantly moving.”

“The Arts Centre could actually operate the whole site from the Library bore wells just by opening valves in the plantrooms,” Morley says. “So, we’ve got four different modes it can go into, just by closing the valves in the various plantrooms. It’s a very clever system.” The water extracted from the artesian basin is a constant 12°C, and supplies five heat pumps in the Library plantroom that are used to provide heating throughout the buildings. In the main Workshop plantroom, two heat pumps provide heating water to fan-coil units (FCUs), radiators and under-floor heating serving the AA Block, Gymnasium and future additional buildings as they are repaired. In the Chemistry building, a single heat pump working in reverse provides chilled water for the climate control of the University of Canterbury’s James Logie Memorial Collection of Classical Antiquities – a permanent public display. “The system is required to control humidity closely in the Chemistry building,” says Morley. “It’s probably the most complicated system on the whole site.”

FURTHER WORKS The plantrooms installed below the Library and Workshop buildings have recently been connected via a linked line to provide a further level of redundancy. Pipe connections to other buildings yet to be restored have also been installed for future connection, in anticipation of their completion in the coming years.

12 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

While more than half of the Arts Centre of Christchurch has now been reopened to the public, including the Great Hall, the Library and the Chemistry building, there is much still to be completed. The Classics building is scheduled to reopen later in 2017, while the West Lecture and School of Art will reopen to the public in 2018. Other buildings, including the 126-year-old Engineering building, are not scheduled to be completed until after 2019. n

THE ARTS CENTRE OF CHRISTCHURCH AT A GLANCE THE EQUIPMENT Dehumidifiers: Calonex FCUs: Aermec and EPI Heat pumps: York Heat exchangers: Sondex Pumps: Grundfos Radiators: EPI

THE PERSONNEL Builders: Simon Construction Ltd and Fletcher Construction Client: The Arts Centre of Christchurch Consulting engineer: Powell Fenwick Prefabrication design: Victaulic Mechanical services: Benmax Group

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DA20

THE AU

INS TIT

REFRIG UTE OF

N, ERATIO

ND AIR CO

ITIONIN

HE ATI G AND

AIR COND

ITIONING,

COOLING

AND COMF

ORT IN HOT

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Building de and system sign selection 3.1 Section 3

DA20

Climate zones

AIR COND

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COOLING

based

on temper ■ Hot humid ature and summer humidity ■ Warm summer, ■ Hot dry summer, mid cold winter ■ Hot dry winter ■ Warm humid summer, cold summer winter ■ Mild/warm summer, cold winter Figure 2.2: Six Australia n Climate

Australia and New Zealand cold and hot-hum id regions with mixed demand betwee n

Residential

■ Hot-hum zones id (air ■ Cold (heating conditioning) ■ Mixed (heating required) and Figure 2.3:

ORT IN HOT

HUMID TROPIC

Note: The data contours are not as conditions, high as summer being only design average 3pm month and data year. and time periods Figures showing other for a particular months are available from the BoM.

Vapour Pressure, hPa DewPoint Temp, °C

19.0

20.4

21.7

23.0

24.1

25.2

26.2

27.2

DA20

36 hPa 34 hPa 32 hPa 30 hPa 28 hPa 26 hPa 24 hPa 22 hPa 20 hPa 18 hPa 16 hPa 14 hPa 12 hPa 10 hPa 8 hPa 6 hPa 4 hPa 2 hPa

3pm Vapour pressure (hPa) January 2013

Three zone

•

Ceiling fans are a low cost, option and low energy should be cooling conside They can be highly effectiv red where possible . e during the drier months Quality ceiling . insulation heat flows. reduces downw ard

Low-e glazing reduces internal Tropical location s can experie radiant heat. nce high diffuse • All externa radiation. l and internal should be lightly colouresolar exposed surfaces d. • Eaves on the norther n and reduce wall and window southern walls heat gains. • Externa lly shaded windows on oriented walls the east and reduce heat west load. • Shade trees to the east and west reduce heat • Low mass load. construction will time but may heat quicker cool quicker at night bridging should during the day. Therma be eliminat is used then l internal insulatioed. If high thermal Passive design particularly can improve n may be conside mass if the of building the internal red, Solar exposed building is to be s that are not conditions air conditio significantly air conditio ned. with summe high thermal masses ned reduce the should be r shading. cooling loads and can that are to provided be air conditio of building • Cooling s ned. breezes Well insulate elements such can be encouraged d roofs, optimal by design eaves both solar orientat to face breezes as wing walls. Avoid north and ion, overhan orienting building south, externa . on both east ging l window shades and west, shade s • Reflecti ventilated trees, and ve insulatio spaces large n should be openable windowfor naturally allowing free insulation used materials to air decrease the with other desirable. Light movement and cross-ve s with louvres absorption • Sealing ntilation are capacity and weight construction of heat. the building reduces thermal therefore cools to ensure vapour barrier quickly after encompasses a continuous sunset. The followin especially the building if the building g are all importa , strategies is to be air nt passive for building conditioned. If the building building design s in tropical of these strategi is to be air climates sealed and es reduces comfort in insulated and conditioned it should cooling loads . The application the building be well high perform provided with and improve : ance s well glazing. Outdoo positioned • Solar orientat incorporating r air ventilati ion on systems occupancy heat recover y should (i.e. the longer with long axis aligned spaces. be provide walls should east/west d in high and south) be oriented reduces the Infiltration to the north thermal load and window can s. on such as shoppinbe hard to minimise and solar hot This also provides optimal external walls g centres, shops, in building types water orientat (particularly photovoltaic restaurants, foyers) ions. hotels of doors. Positive and the like, with frequent opening pressuri (see 3.5.4) or air curtains sation is essential and air (see 3.5.5) can be utilised. locks •

3.2 Passive desi strategies gn

DITIONIN AL AIR CON IC P O R T ID M HU

••• 33

cooling)

heating/

One definitio n “areas where for the “Hot Humid Tropics” the summe temperature r outdoor design could be; exceeds the temperature”. indoor design dew-point Dew-point temperatures dry-bulb are a critical

introductio

This section discusses the and HVAC&R considerations designers that building must give and systems to designin for applicat g building Information ion in tropical and advice climates. is provided on Passive design strategies; Low energy design strategi es; Effects and design implicat of tropical climate charact ions eristics; • Building moisture migratio n design strategi • Design es; strategies for minimis the infiltrati ing and controll on of outdoo ing r air. This section also comfort system provides guidance selection includin on appropriate evaporative g; Ventilative air cooling, spot cooling cooling, refrigerative air and hybrid applications. conditioning,

AL CLIMA TES

HVAC system

cooling regions 2.2.3 Dewmap. point temp eratures in tropical regions

•••

AND COMF

consideration humid tropicalwhen designing comfort systems for summer dew-poclimates. The use of suitable maps hot int contour the likelines showing s are useful s of conden when assessin sation and g air moistur Figure 2.4 e content. shows pressure which the average 3pm January using the table. relates directly to dew-po vapour int tempera the BoM climateThese maps reflect ture zone and climate the information above but in quantifies classific ation the moistur and also shows e content in figures the drop in the air inland from moisture the and east coasts northern coastline content moving and down of Australia. the west

Northern Territory Zones. and Western have been Australia. Zones excluded are and tempera which known as desert, te zones (see grassland the whole Figure 2.1) of New ACT and Tasman South Wales, Southwhich include Australia, Victoria ia and large The tropical parts of , regions of Australia whichWestern Australia. zones and warm humid include hot portion of the total area zones add up to a significa humid of the contine nt nt. A climate analysis and zone mappin and heat pump g New Zealand devices carried out for air conditioners for for air conditiogovernments propose the Australian and d a three zone Mixed (Coolingning; Hot-humid (predom map heating) refer and heating) and Cold inantly cooling) to Figure 2.3. (predominantly

HUMID TROPICAL AIR CONDITIONING

AIRAH’s bestselling technical application manual, DA20, is available as a hard copy.

AN STR ALI

Figure 2.4:

Average 3pm

January vapour

2.2.4 Evap orative in tropical cooling

pressures.

APPL IC

AT IO N

MA NU

regions Evaporative air coolers are not suitable cooling in hot Zone 1. Evaporahumid tropical climates for comfort , see Figure tive air coolers coastal area 2.5 are suitable and most of in the souther see Zones the inland n 2 and 3. areas of Australi a,

n Simple user-friendly format n Covers the application, selection, design installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of AC and other comfort systems in hot humid tropical climates n Standardises and promotes best-practice design, installation, and management n Outlines principles and processes applicable to any building type or size in hot humid conditions. n A must-have design resource.

Order you copy online at www.airah.org.au/DAmanuals

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 13

Fly Guy

AN OLYMPIC HIGH-FLYER A Toyota-backed team are torchbearers in the flying car game. Flying cars aren’t necessarily a new idea. And, judging from sci-fi movies of the 80s and 90s, they should be commonplace by now. However, for the team at Cartivator, the dream is still well-and-truly alive.

A concept image of SkyDrive – “the world's smallest flying car”.

With funding from Toyota, Cartivator is behind a flying car project that developers hope could be used to kick off the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Toyota is investing 40 million yen (AU$ 474,000) in SkyDrive, a drone-like compact flying car designed by a group of Toyota employees in their spare time. The ultimate goal is to have the vehicle light the torch at the opening ceremony at the Tokyo Games. The SkyDrive concept is a compact, one-seated craft flanked by large propellers on each corner – a bit like an oversized quadcopter. Cartivator says SkyDrive will measure 2.9m long by 1.3m wide, and only 1.1m tall, touting the machine as the world's smallest flying car. To top things off, the team are targeting a top speed of 150km/h, with the steering to be "intuitive”. So far, development of the vehicle has relied on crowdfunding and other donations, but the group hopes a prototype and a manned test flight will happen sometime next year. And, following the public demonstration at the 2020 Olympics, the group hopes to begin public sales of SkyDrive in 2023. n

The foremost resource EDITION 05 EDITION 05

N REFRIGERATIO G AUSTRALIAN NDITIONINRCE AND AIR-CO NAL RESOU

AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATIO N AND AIR-CO NDITIONING NATIO

NATIO

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NAL RESOURCE

GHT TO YO OU U B BR

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The completely revised fifth editions have brought a new dimension to this highly regarded resource, with a new full-colour format, hundreds of updated and upgraded images and improved text, which make for easier reading and understanding.

For more information, go to www.airah.org.au/ARAC

14 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

HVAC&R

MODULE

103

MANAGING CONDENSATE

Skills Workshop FOR CONDENSING PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

BOILERS

PULLOUT

Over the past decade, the number of condensing boilers and water heaters being installed has continued to rise. All indications are that this trend will continue and eventually become mandatory due to their higher energy efficiency and cleaner emissions compared to standard boilers. In this month’s Skills Workshop, we provide an overview of condensing boilers and how to correctly manage condensate.

WHAT IS A CONDENSING BOILER? A condensing boiler, also known as a condensing hot-water heater, is a type of boiler that is considered by many as more efficient than the traditional-type appliance. Extra efficiency is achieved by extracting more energy out of the flue gas as compared to that of a conventional boiler, and using this energy to pre-heat the return water flowing into the boiler. To understand how this process works, we have to consider some basic chemistry. When gas burns, it combines with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water, and some other by-products. For instance, methane gas (natural gas).

However, even when running at traditional, non-condensing temperatures of 80/60 a condensing boiler typically offers 4–5 per cent better efficiency than a non-condensing boiler due to the superior heat exchanger and burner control in a condensing boiler. A conventional boiler will typically have a minimum entering water temperature of around 60°C, with an exit temperature of 80°C, and will not have the heat-exchange elements in place to achieve the extra heat recovery in any case. Indeed, if condensing does occur in a conventional boiler it’s a bad thing, because the condensate does include acidic by products that will corrode the inside of the boiler and ultimately cause it to fail. Condensing boilers have additional heatexchange elements and are manufactured of the right materials to withstand corrosive condensates.

HOW EFFICIENT IS A CONDENSING BOILER? The efficiency of a boiler is measured by the ratio of energy output to energy input. To complicate matters, there are two conventions for measuring the energy content of gas: • Gross calorific value: this is the energy released in combustion assuming that the water in the flue is liquid • Net calorific value: this is the energy released in combustion assuming that the water in the flue is vapour. The correct figure to use when considering a condensing appliance is always the gross calorific value, which is the larger value.

CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O + ∆E Where ΔE is the energy released in combustion. The size of ΔE depends on the final state of the carbon dioxide and water. The cooler they are, the more spare energy there is. For the water, this is particularly important because if the water is vapour, then it carries a lot more energy than if it is liquid. So, if on leaving a boiler, the flue gases are cool and the water is liquid, then the amount of energy ΔE that we can use is going to be larger. In a condensing boiler, the water is condensed inside the boiler so more energy can be extracted; in a conventional boiler, the water escapes as vapour and the energy is lost. To be able to condense the water vapour from the flue gas, the condensing boiler should operate using a lower entering water temperature than a conventional boiler. This is because the condensing process occurs at around 54°C.

Condensing vs. non-condensing boiler efficiency

Figure 1: illustrates the superior financial and environmental benefits achieved by condensing water heaters over conventional water heaters. July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 15

HVAC&R Skills Workshop Return water temperature and efficiency

HOW MUCH CONDENSATE IS PRODUCED? A general rule of thumb, 3.5 litres of condensate is produced for every 30kW of input providing the boiler is operating in full condensing mode. A boiler having 30kW of input operates for 1200 hours annually will produce approximately 4200 litres of condensate.

ACIDITY LEVELS The acidic level of the condensate is measured as pH. Most condensate from natural gas appliances will have a pH of between 2.0 and 4, with 7 being neutral. The actual pH will vary according to the actual chemical makeup of the fuel that is being burned.

Figure 2: Shows the increase of efficiency achieved when return water temperatures are below 54°C. Effectively what this means is that the lower the return water temperatures, the greater the boiler efficiency.

However, some promotional literature for conventional boilers will use the net calorific value, because this makes their conventional boiler look more efficient. Using gross calorific values, conventional boilers are typically around 80–83 per cent efficient at full load. By contrast, a condensing boiler using the same basis is around 95 per cent efficient at full load. Using net calorific values, these figures both increase by about 10 per cent, so that the condensing boiler has an apparent efficiency of 103 per cent – because it is extracting more heat from the flue gas that the net calorific value recognises. So, the immediate benefit of a condensing boiler is an improvement in efficiency of at least 10–15 per cent. However, it’s actually much better than that, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2.

CONDENSING BOILER CONDENSATE AND WHY IT NEEDS TO BE MANAGED CORRECTLY

WHAT IS CONDENSING BOILER CONDENSATE? Condensing water heaters achieve higher energy efficiency than standard boilers by condensing the water vapour in the flue gasses and using the latent energy recovered through this process to heat the return water going into the water heater. The condensing process is achieved by passing the piped hot flue gases through the cooler return water flowing back into the boiler. Flue gas starts to condense when it drops below its dew point of 55°C. Therefore, condensing boilers are designed to accommodate a return water temperature of 54°C or less. It is this resulting condensate liquid that is acidic and requires treatment to avoid damage to piping systems, sewerage systems and other items it may come in contact with.

Condensate contains different types of acids that are corrosive to many materials and contain concentrations of nitric, nitrous, sulfuric, and sulfurous and hydrochloric acids. These acids can become more concentrated by repeated condensing and evaporation on heat exchangers and flues. A pH of 4 can damage drainage pipes, septic tanks, treatment plants and other materials handling waste water. The pH scale is not linear. Each whole number step below 7 is 10 times more acidic than the next higher number.

HOW TO TREAT CONDENSATE Treated condensate should be as close to 7 (neutral) as possible with 5 being the minimum. Most national and state codes prohibit anyone from allowing acidic liquid into a drainage system without treating it to raise its pH. To increase the pH to acceptable levels, whereby it no longer has the potential to damage the sewer system or environment, a condensate neutraliser should be installed. Condensate neutralisers are designed specifically for this task, and consist of a tank or module containing alkaline limestone aggregate or chips.

Over the last decade, the number of condensing boilers and water heaters being installed has continued to rise every year and all indications are that this trend will continue and eventually become mandatory due to energy efficiency and cleaner emissions compared to standard boilers. Condensing boilers discharge a corrosive condensate as a by-product of their operation. Because of the long-term effects of the sustained introduction of this corrosive condensate into drains and sewer lines, there is a growing awareness of the need to educate code enforcement officials, contractors, building owners, facility managers and homeowners of the need to neutralise this corrosive outflow and the means available to do this. 16 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

Figure 3: This image shows high-efficiency condensing boilers with condensate neutralisers installed in the pipes that connect the boiler drains to the point of discharge.

HVAC&R Skills Workshop

CONDENSING BOILERS FOR RETROFIT INSTALLATIONS Here, we’ll be answering a question often encountered in the industry – whether condensing boilers offer a benefit in retrofit 80°C/60°C installations. Modulation is key Typically, boilers are replaced like-for-like when replacing an existing boiler that has reached the end of its life. However, performance data shows that even though optimum performance of condens ing boilers occurs at temperatures below 60°C, condensing boilers can still provide substantial energy efficiency benefits when retrofitted to a conventional 80°C flow/60°C return hot-water system. The major increases in efficiency are available in times when the heating load is less than the peak design value and can be achieved by varying the boiler operating temperatures from 80/60 at times of peak load to lower temperatures when heating loads are lower.

PULLOUT

This is quite simple to achieve using the on-board controls available on most condensing boilers, which permit the supply hot water temperature to be reset by an outside signal. The total efficiency gain achieved is almost as good as if the system was being run at low temperature all the time.

Efficiency benefits It’s important to remember as a starting point that even in noncondensing conditions (such as 60°C return hot-water temperature), a condensing boiler will still provide an efficiency benefit of around 5 per cent relative to a conventional boiler. This is because the additional heat-exchanger area of the condensing boiler improves efficiency even when no condensing occurs. However, once we drop the return-water temperature below 55°C, the condensing efficiency benefits kick in and we start seeing combustion efficiency impacts of 10 per cent and better – as well as reduced distribution pipework thermal losses.

Conclusion Condensing boilers are an ideal retrofit for an existing 80°C flow/60°C return system. Modulation of the supply temperature, typically across the range 80°C-60°C across normal operating conditions, enables the system to serve the full system demands of the hot water system while still achieving the significant efficiency benefits of a condensing boiler system. This is an excerpt from the third of a series of articles contributed by Dr Paul Bannister, F.AIRAH, a thought leader and public speaker on energy and energy efficiency issues in Australia. For further information, go to www.automaticheating.com.au

There are several models that accommodate water flow rates from 6.05l/hr to 155l/hr depending on the size of the condensing water-heater system.

MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING

A fully condensing appliance will produce up to 3.5 litres of condensate per hour for every 30kW of input.

The acid is converted to water, carbon dioxide and mineral salts when exposed to the media. The carbon dioxide will generally stay diluted in the water and pass out of the neutraliser. The mineral salts generally settle at the bottom of the neutraliser. Over time the media dissolves and must be replenished.

The best way to check if the condensate neutraliser is working properly is to test the treated condensate with a pH meter, which are available at a reasonable cost and should be added to the technician’s tool arsenal.

The neutraliser media is reacting with the solution to raise the pH and does need to be replaced. Most manufacturers recommend replacing media and checking operation at least annually. n

If applied properly and maintained regularly, damage associated with acidic condensate in the drain piping can be avoided.

CONDENSATE DRAINS

All manufacturers of condensing boilers recommend annual maintenance and the service technician should check and service the condensate neutralizer during this service. It is the responsibility of the HVAC&R professional to follow state and local plumbing codes including proper disposal of condensate and equally important for the end user to provide ongoing maintenance ensuring proper function of the unit.

The condensate expelled from a condensing-water heater is acidic with a pH of between 2 and 4, so it is critical that the appropriate materials are used in all piping where this liquid is present.

Damage can occur underground and in unseen, remote locations. Imagine digging up your basement floor to replace a rotted out metallic drain line!

In high temperature areas, like the flue, stainless steel must be used to prevent corrosion.

IN CONCLUSION

The low-temperature piping, such as that which drains the condensate from the heat-exchanger condensate draining system, should be PVC or ABS to also mitigate corrosion. This system normally consists of a short length of PVC or ABS pipe with a water trap to prevent exhaust gases from being expelled into the drain and building.

Condensate from condensing boilers is acidic and corrosive to many materials and should be treated to maintain a pH of no less than 5 before disposal.

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

There can be a wide variation of the pH of condensate from condensing appliances due to the chemical make-up of the gas being combusted or from the way in which the appliance is operating in a particular application.

MORE INFORMATION This month’s Skills Workshop has been provided by Automatic Heating. For more information, go to www.automaticheating.com.au

Next month: Humidifiers 101 July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 17

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VRT

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Without VRT

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In Cooling mode operations, the VRT technology adjusts the evaporation temperature of the system to rise to 16 degrees or fall to 6 degrees as the load on the system changes. For example, in a low load situation, the ability to raise the evaporation temperature to 16 degrees reduces the risk of cold draughts and improves the energy efficiency of the system.

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Visit commercial.daikin.com.au or call us on 1300 368 300 18 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

Green wedge

KICKS FROM KERNELS Reebok will release a new sneaker made from a combination of corn and cotton.

Reebok’s latest sustainable sneaker innovation is corny – in a good way. Sustainability is in fashion – so hot right now. And, leading sports manufacturer Reebok is the latest company looking to up its enviro-cred after announcing plans to release its first sneaker made entirely from biological materials. Slated for release later this year, the Cotton + Corn shoe will have an organic cotton upper and a sole made from “Susterra” – a corn-based plastic substitute. Reebok says the recyclable runner will be completely compostable and will use biologically derived glue to keep all the materials together. “We started considering the whole lifecycle of the shoe and whether you can make it with something that grows, taking into account that people have to accept the styling and the comfort,” says Bill McInnis, who heads the Reebok Future team. “We know there’s an appetite for it already.” Developed by bioproduct go-getters DuPont, Tate & Lyle, Susterra is derived from industrial corn used predominantly in livestock feed, certain flours, and various durable goods. Most importantly, using the

material means Reebok won’t put any pressure on the food supply. According to its inventors, Susterra costs about as much to make as ubiquitous petroleum-derived plastics, but creates 40 per cent to 50 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions. It is created by separating starch out from the corn, fermenting it with microbes, and then filtering it. Notorious for its wasteful manufacturing processes, the fashion industry continues to produce nonsustainable apparel at a rapid rate. The US-based Environmental Protection Agency estimates that approximately 85 per cent of unwanted clothes are discarded, while about 12 per cent are recycled into new clothes or other materials. Shoes amount to a relatively small portion of fashion goods, but they also have a harsher impact on the environment due to their traditional make-up of hard-to-recycle materials.

"Ultimately, our goal is to create a broad selection of bio-based footwear that can be composted after use," says McInnis. "We'll then use that compost as part of the soil to grow the materials for the next range of shoes. We want to take the entire cycle into account – to go from dust to dust." After five years in development, Reebok plans to sell its first Cotton + Corn shoe in limited quantities, with only 500 pairs available in the first batch. The company says it would’ve been difficult to produce more due to limited obtainable materials. Future releases from Future Reebok will depend on the popularity of its first release. However, McInnis has high hopes for the company’s corn-constructed creation. “We expect them to disappear on day one.” n

Smoko with . . .

Name: Tim Barret t. Co

Dim sims.

Favourite smoko snack?

rigeration. mpany : Cold Concepts Ref

Sporting hero? Mick Doo

mechanic. Occupation: Refrigeration

Supermarket and industry do you work in? What par t of the HVAC &R commercial. &R ut working in the HVAC What's the bes t thing abo people. the and rk, wo for go you industry? Variety of places rs. d in the industry? 20 yea How long have you worke g made by Footprint Tools. Favourite tool? Any thin do you think you HVAC &R industry, what If you didn't work in the an electrician. would be doing? I’d be The Lighter Side. tion of HVAC &R Nation? What's your favourite sec Dream car ? A black HQ Mo

han.

When I'm not working I'm

. . . On call.

naro.

Dream date? Jane Bunn. Dream holiday? The No

rthern Territory.

Drink of choice? Water. What song did you las t

listen to? Whatever is on

Favourite quote or saying

the radio.

? It is what it Is.

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 19

Feature

DUCT TROUBLES Problems can occur when ducts are installed too close to the underside of the slab or structure, limiting the installer’s ability to install cleats near the centre of the duct joints

COMPOUND INTEREST Although ch anges to the National Con in 2013 mad struction Co e leakage tes de (NCC) ting compuls 3000 L/s, ma ory for duct ny smaller sy systems ove stems contin do not perfo r ue to go unc rm as design h e ed. Sean Mc cked, and of leaking du Gowan exp ctwork on w lo res the impa hole-of-syste cts m energy effi ciency. In May 2013, HVAC&R Nation’s stablemate publication Ecolibrium, the official journal of AIRAH, published a technical paper authored by Ian Wills, M.AIRAH, that revealed the hidden costs of leaking ductwork. Wills was able to demonstrate that the traditionally held view – that air leakage from ducts was insignificant – was a falsely held one. He found that even minor leaks could have a significant impact on plant energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. “Consider a typical air conditioning system in which the designer follows AIRAH DA09 and assumes a supply duct leakage rate of 5 per cent,” wrote Wills. “To deliver the design air quantities to the spaces served, the fan must handle 1/0.95 times the sum of the room air quantities or 105.3 per cent of the nominal airflow. Applying fan laws gives an increase in fan power of 117 per cent, so the widely accepted leakage rate of 5 per cent has added 17 per cent to supply fan energy, for every hour the plant operates.

Not only is fan energy impacted by leaking ductwork, but so too is cooling and heating plant energy consumption. Wills wrote that the size of the impact is largely determined by the location of the leaking duct. “If the duct is in the conditioned space and the leakage percentage low, one might argue that nothing need be done; that is, that the fan can safely supply 100 per cent, not 105.3 per cent of design because the leaked air produces useful cooling or heating effect,” he said. But Wills said this is not the case if the duct is in a ceiling return air plenum.

But evidence recorded by a leading air tightness specialist has shown that duct leakage rates are commonly 60 to 360 per cent greater than the accepted leak rate of 5 per cent.

“The leaked air will travel around the system producing minimal useful cooling and heating effect while increasing fan power and reducing return air temperature slightly.”

In extreme cases, leakage rates have been found to be as much as 700 per cent of the targeted rate.

If the supply duct is outside the conditioned space, such as in a ventilated roof space, the leaked air is lost and the 17 per cent increase in fan energy is compounded by 5 per cent waste in cooling and heating effect and the corresponding increase in greenhouse gas emissions.

According to John Konstantakopoulos, Affil.AIRAH, managing director with Efficiency Matrix, his experience has found that poor sealing occurs in all types of ducts. “Usually the larger the duct size, the more problems we expect to find,” says Konstantakopoulos. “Our experience has shown that most ductwork we have tested leak between 8 and 18 per cent. In some extreme cases, duct systems can leak above 35 per cent in the initial test.”

“At 10 per cent leakage, the extra fan energy is 37 per cent.”

These figures have been obtained by Efficiency Matrix from random sampling of ducts to be tested on the day of, or during, a feasibility study for energy efficiency retrofit works.

One may argue, of course, that achieving duct leakage rates below 5 per cent is near impossible, or that the cost would outweigh the potential energy savings.

Konstantakopoulos says that when advanced notice is given as to what sections of duct will be tested, better performance is generally recorded.

20 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

Similarly, Wills explained that the analysis for return air ducts also depends on its location. “If the return air duct is outside the conditioned space, the effect is more serious,” he said. “Assume that under normal (non-economy cycle) operation the plant handles 15 per cent outside air, in which case return air will be 85 per cent of design supply air. Leakage at the rate of 5 per cent into the return air duct will thus be 5 per cent of 85 per cent or 4.3 per cent of the design supply air.” “If the air that leaks in is from outside the building, it adds to the outside air load, the air percentage

Feature becoming 15 per cent + 4.3 per cent = 19.3 per cent of the supply air. Since the outside-air load is pro rata, the outside-air load increases by 4.3 per cent/ 15 per cent = 28 per cent. For a typical comfort cooling plant in Sydney, 15 per cent outside air would be about 18 per cent of the peak cooling capacity, so the leaked outside air would add … 5 per cent to the peak cooling load.” Wills concluded that a 5 per cent leakage rate implies a 17 per cent increase in fan energy on the supply side plus an additional 5 per cent cooling and heating energy if the leakage is to outside the conditioned space. An additional 5 per cent waste in cooling and heating energy on the return air side also needs to be factored in, if it increases the outside air percentage. Of course, such impacts will depend on the type of system employed. A variable-air volume (VAV) system with economy cycle will not be affected as much as a constant-volume system with a lower percentage of outside air. Wills cited several overseas studies to support his findings, revealing the real-world effect of leaking ductwork. For example, a study of VAV systems in large commercial buildings in California compared “tight” duct systems (2.5 per cent leakage) to systems with a leakage of 10 per cent. It found that those systems with a leakage rate of 10 per cent had an annual HVAC system operating cost 9 to 18 per cent higher than those with “tight” duct systems.

CAUSE AND EFFECT

BEYOND ENERGY As well as impacting negatively on the energy efficiency of the HVAC system, leaks in supply ducts can result in condensation in some areas, which accelerates the deterioration of the sheet metal. The same applies to kitchen exhausts where hot-humid air leaks to cool spaces inside or outside the building. Short-circuiting of conditioned air is another common issue in leaky ducts, where supply air enters the return stream, bypassing the occupied zone.

Duct leakage is dependent on a number of factors, including the duct-surface area and the pressure differential across the duct wall. Yet it is the “tightness” of the duct construction and installation over which HVAC practitioners can have the most influence. According to Efficiency Matrix’s Joseph Cheung, many factors contribute to the poor sealing of ducts. “Usually the main issues relate to a limited, accessible workspace around the ducts, which can be caused by design issues or site constraints,” says Cheung. He says problems can occur when ducts are installed too close to the underside of the slab or structure, limiting the installer’s ability to install cleats near the centre of the duct joints.

“Short-circuiting of conditioned air is not only a direct energy waste but can also mess up the HVAC systems controls due to the mismatching of room temperature and return air temperature,” says Efficiency Matrix’s Joseph Cheung. “The thermostat in the conditioned space keeps calling for more cooling while the return-air temperature sensor indicates that the chiller can be turned down.” Poor distribution of air, uneven temperatures across the floor and increased occupant complaints can also be symptoms of leaking duct.

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22 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

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FILTERING OF AIR – THE BASICS Air must be filtered in an air conditioning plant for a number of reasons, not the least being that airborne dust would stick to the wet surface of the evaporator or coil, and eventually block the airflow. Another basic reason is that air conditioners introduce a proportion of outside air which can contain dust, pollen, smoke and/or other fumes not wanted in an air-conditioned space. Thirdly, ducted air conditioning plants often circulate air from one room or 'zone' to other rooms, and smoke, fumes etc should be extracted before the air is recirculated. The quality of the filters must be considered on the basis of the level of cleanliness required within the conditioned space. An industrial area may require only the removal of large dust particles. A shop or home would require the removal of small dust particles which, for instance, would be visible on polished furniture. An office block owner with rented space might consider the cost of regular cleaning and redecorating, and balance the cost of high-quality

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“This installation method can easily create situations where the foam seal on one side of the duct is rubbed off or rolled up when the custom piece is being slotted in,” he says. “As a result, the seal ends up not being effective.” Where ductwork is in the subfloor, it can be prone to damage from tradespeople walking on them, resulting in an inability to create a proper seal, as demonstrated. “Improper transport and storage of the duct can also result in the corners of the joining rims being bent or deformed,” says Cheung. “This can easily create gaps that cannot be properly sealed by the typical foam seal used. “In one instance, a gap caused by such deformation was found to leak 6 per cent of the design airflow at test pressure.”

The main types of filter in increasing order of efficiency are: (a) water sprays or wet pads (b) dry filters made of synthetic cloth materials (c) viscous filters made of cloth materials coated with adhesive (viscous) fluid (d) metal viscous filters using a twisted air path and automatic cleaning mechanisms (e) electrostatic filters, which can be either dry or viscous (f) absolute filters.

Although such installation issues remain the responsibility of the contractor and/or installer, Cheung says a lack of feedback on non-optimum practices usually results in the contractor or installer being oblivious to the larger impacts of HVAC plant energy efficiency and unknowingly carrying on with poor practices. “The other problem is that the industry is focused on the volume of air being delivered at various outlets, as the key performance indicator for HVAC ducts,” says Cheung.

“In some cases, the installer can put the cleat in place with telescopic tools,” Cheung says. “But accessibility issues don’t allow a proper visual inspection to understand how well the cleat is holding the joint together.” Poor sealing can also result from the installer not having sufficient space to install custom pieces of duct after all the standard sections have been installed and connected to the riser.

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Cheung sites instances where contractors have had to push the already installed duct pieces to the side to “jam” the custom piece in, due to a lack of margin or tolerance.

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July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 23

Feature “As long as the HVAC contractor meets the air delivery specified, it’s considered a job well done – regardless of the level of leakage.”

Testing disrupts efficient workflow on site. There’s also the problem of the time involved, the cost, and the complication of temporarily closing up the duct.

This is compounded by the accepted industry practice of oversizing air-handling plan to meet safety margins.

“The contractor will need to weigh up the cost of careful sealing of ducts at the factory,” says Konstantakopoulos. “They are erected against the potentially greater cost and complication of identifying and rectifying leaks found when the system fails under leakage testing.”

“Sometimes the slightly oversized air handler reduces the incentive to improve duct sealing,” Cheung says. “The contractor or installer knows there will be enough slack in the system.”

VISUAL INSPECTION

Wills concluded that research was required to correlate duct-sealing methods to achievable leakage rates.

Although foam seals combined in transverse joints and mastics should effectively seal duct pieces together, successful sealing is not guaranteed without visual inspection.

“Interrelating these would give the contractor some certainty that if the prescriptive sealing methods are followed, the duct system would be likely to pass the leakage test.”

Even then, visual inspections can only achieve so much where space is limited or where the seal is covered by other materials such as is the case with insulated ducts or attenuators. This is where pressure testing can be used to reveal the true story. “Pressure testing normally reveals the issues, but sometimes it can still hard to pinpoint the leaks even with the help of tracer smoke,” says Konstantakopoulos. In his technical paper, Wills also pointed to the challenges leakage testing presents on site.

However, Konstantakopoulos says duct sealing is unlikely to ever be properly addressed while the industry remains accepting of the spatial constraints and accessibility issues it is currently presented with. “It’s not easy to seal all seams and holes while the ducts are on the ground before installation, and it’s tougher to apply mastic when it’s installed overhead, let alone in tight spaces,” he says. “In certain situations – such as riser ducts inside speedwall risers, or ducts above highly ornamented plaster ceilings – it is also virtually impossible to retrofit duct sealing using conventional methods.”

Figure 1: Despite having been painted, this duct still shows potential leakage points (arrowed).

For this reason, the company has developed a fully automated duct-sealing system that achieves costeffective sealing of duct from the inside in buildings where duct leakage rates are high. n

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24 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

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July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 25

Around the nation 1

BOMBERS RE-SIGN FUJITSU

On a televised broadcast from Etihad Stadium, Fujitsu General Australia managing director Philip Perham announced that the brand has renewed its contract with the Essendon Football Club until 2021. “From the perspective of brand awareness, member and fan engagement, and business development there have been substantial gains made and relationships built through the Clubs’ national business network over the past three years,” says Perham. “This partnership presents Fujitsu with the opportunity to engage with the club’s 65,000 plus members, and with this season’s strong game attendance we see a future full of promise for the new generation Bombers.” The renewed contract confirms Fujitsu General will remain on the club’s playing guernsey as co-major partner for the 2018 to 2021 AFL seasons. Fujitsu General Australia is an AIRAH company member. For more information, go to www.fujitsugeneral.com.au n

UNCERTAINTY OVER TRAINEE TARGETS

Apprentices and trainees will have to attract more than 30 per cent of the projected employment growth by 2020 to fulfil the ambitious goal of the federal government’s new Skilling Australians Fund – even though they currently occupy just 2.3 per cent of jobs. Many casted doubts over the targets in the fund, which the government says will deliver an extra 300,000 apprentices and trainees over the next four years. Assistant Skills Minister Karen Andrews says the aim is to restore structured training numbers to their 2012 peak, by generating some 230,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships, mostly at certificate III and IV level. On top of this, the fund will create 50,000 new pre-apprenticeships and 20,000 diploma-level apprenticeships. The construction industry, which is expected to attract only 8 per cent of the new jobs, is the biggest area by far for apprentices and trainees. The Australian Council for Private Education and Training believes the fund’s emphasis reflected broader misconceptions about vocational education.

Executive officer of the Group Training Association of NSW and ACT Jason Sultana recently revealed that the body are struggling to find young applicants for more than 500 positions.

Through NECA’s training capabilities, the organisation says its willing to discuss ways to help impacted apprentices. NECA has already been in touch with both the Minister’s Office and the administrator, PPL.

“You can go out and get all the vacancies you want, but there’s no point making employers promises you can’t meet,” says Sultana. n

“NECA will continue to call upon the Government for greater compliance and regulatory safeguards, as we believe this will benefit both the students and those private providers who are doing the right thing,” says Manickam. n

LUCKY ESCAPE IN LAUNCESTON

A father and son made a lucky escape after a wood heater fire caused $400,000 damage to a home in northern Tasmania. The fire started after combustible materials were placed too close to a wood heater. The two were woken by a smoke alarm, escaping before the blaze managed to engulf the home. Following the incident, regional fire investigation officer Anthony Goss issued a public reminder about the dangers of placing flammable items too close to heaters. “As the months become cooler and we rely more heavily on heating our homes, we urge people to ensure that all flammable items are a minimum of 2m away from any heating source,” says Goss. “If not for the installed and working smoke alarm, firefighters would have potentially been confronted with a tragedy. The reality is that this father and son are extremely lucky to be alive.” n

NECA VOICES TRAINING CONCERNS

As the peak employer body for the electrical contracting sector, NECA has released a statement voicing concerns in relation to the landscape of Australia’s training providers. “Reports would suggest that there are approximately 15,000 students across a number of disciplines and courses that are victims of the Careers Australia failure,” says NECA CEO Suresh Manickam. “Whilst the impact on our sector is contained, we are of the view that the detrimental impact created by the failure of this Registered Training Organisation (RTO) upon electrotechnology apprentices in our sector is unacceptable.”

26 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

GROSVENOR’S FIVE-YEAR MILESTONE

AIRAH company member Grosvenor Engineering Group (Grosvenor) recently celebrated five years of service in Queensland, Western Australia and Northern Territory. “When Grosvenor commenced operations in Queensland in 2012 there were five permanent employees and in the past five years we’ve grown to over 100,” says the company’s Qld, WA and NT general manager Paul Anderson. “Two years later in 2014, we opened our Western Australia branch and we continue to grow, having recently opened a premises in Townsville, Queensland in September 2016.” Grosvenor operates nationally with 16 offices servicing over 17,000 sites in Australia in the areas of HVAC, fire, electrical, sustainability, analytics and solar power systems. n

FAMILY FACES $18,000 AC FINE

A Melbourne family could face an $18,000 fine unless they shut down their air conditioning at night. Under a little-known regulation, the family has been told they must “cease operation” of the unit during prohibited times, which are between 10pm and 7am on weekdays, and 10pm and 9am on weekends. The family received a letter from the City of Casey stating the council had received a complaint from neighbours regarding noise from their evaporative air conditioner.

Around the nation 6

The letter cited the Environmental Protection (Residential Noise) Regulations 2008 and stated an investigation had been done, which advised the unit could only be used at certain times. Fail to comply could potentially result in a $18,655 fine. Other items included in the guidelines include evaporative coolers, domestic heating and central heating, heat pumps, swimming pool pumps, domestic vacuum cleaners and spa pumps. “Residential noise regulations are set up to be enforced by local council and police,” says EPA spokesman Lachlan Quick. “Air conditioners and other domestic equipment … are often the source of noise disturbances and the regulations seek to provide some limits to protect people’s environment. EPA encourages the resident to speak to the council or neighbour to understand the nature of the complaint and the circumstances and see if there is some way that the matter can be resolved without enforcement.” n

SA SUBBIES’ WORK BONANZA

More than 70 South Australian subcontracting firms are set to benefit as part of stage one of the $90 million West Franklin urban regeneration project. Local builder Built Environs, which has been awarded the contract, says hundreds of construction jobs will be generated during the two years it takes to complete this initial phase. Adelaide’s Climat Air Conditioning and Solar will be the main mechanical services contractor, looking after air conditioning, ventilation and smoke control. The company has four people doing the modelling and 20 onsite at peak times, a 50/50 split between its own staff and further sub-contractors. “West Franklin is in an area that has been dormant for many years. The sheer size of this project will help activate this entire precinct,” says managing director of developer Greaton, Nicho Teng. “We are creating a new affordable urban lifestyle in the west end that has never been seen before. Adelaide is one of the world’s most liveable cities and is undergoing a major transformation, with significant economic growth and infrastructure investment.” The first stage of West Franklin, on the corner of Elizabeth and Franklin streets, features 272 residential apartments spread across two towers – the north tower is 20 storeys and the south tower is 18 storeys. n

FUJITSU’S NIGHT OF NIGHTS

in January, which were suspected to have been contracted within the Adelaide CBD, although the source was not identified. n

The 20th annual Fujitsu General Australia national conference was recently held on a cruise ship off the coast of Brisbane, with senior management sharing the brand’s vision and strategies for the future, as well as reflecting on the previous year’s success. “The success of Fujitsu General Australia is a result of the passion and drive of our employees over the years,” says managing director Philip Perham. “We’ve worked hard to create an environment that meets the essential criteria to foster curiosity within our business, enabling us to look ahead, be innovative, ask questions and to always put the needs of customers first.” The conference concluded with the annual awards dinner to celebrate successful staff and business development. The 2017 winners were: Rohan Hopkins (Vic) – Business Development Manager of the Year – Retail; Darrin Ede (NSW) – Business Development Manager of the Year – Dealer; Kyle Rafter (NSW) – Business Development Manager of the Year – Commercial; Alex Turner (NSW) – State Manager of the Year; and George Tsiotras (Vic) – Culture & Values Champion of the Year. For more information, go to www.fujitsugeneral.com.au n

LEGIONNAIRES' CASES REPORTED IN ADELAIDE

Three Legionnaires' disease cases in Adelaide have prompted health authorities to urge businesses to decontaminate air conditioning and industrial cooling towers. SA Health's director of health protection Chris Lease says three cases of the disease had been reported in two males and one female. All three people, aged 58 to 77, had been hospitalised. "While there is no source identified for the recent cases which may or may not be related, the investigation into the cases is continuing and precautionary work to address the identified areas of risk is already under way," says Lease. SA Health has called on cooling towers operators in the southern metropolitan area to decontaminate systems. The new cases follow a cluster of nine cases

TAFE TRADE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

The recipients of the second annual Industry Educational Trade Scholarships (IETS) have been announced, with nine TAFE students and their teachers honoured. The result of a partnership between ARBS, AMCA and AREMA, the scholarships aim to increase opportunities for students studying commercial refrigeration and air conditioning and provide professional development for teachers. The scholarship recipients will commence the first week of a two-week residential course at the Refrigeration and Climate Control Centre of Excellence (RCCC) in Melbourne on July 3, before returning for a second week of study from October 2. The RCCC is a partnership between AMCA and Box Hill Institute, ensuring recipients of the scholarship are exposed to the latest technological advances in HVAC&R. The winners of the 2017 Industry Educational Trade Scholarships are Chris Accary (Nirrimba TAFE NSW), Liam Reck (Ultimo TAFE Sydney NSW), Thomas Stevens (Box Hill TAFE Vic), Jamie Sigley (Box Hill TAFE Vic), Innes Dutoit (Townley TAFE SA), Jake Docksey (Nirrimba TAFE NSW), Lionel Benoit (Box Hill TAFE Vic), Brandon Miller (Nirrimba TAFE NSW), and Thomas Stewart (Nirrimba TAFE NSW). "I see this as a real opportunity to increase my skills and knowledge and gain more confidence in my job," says IETS recipient Brandon Miller. "This will make me more productive, directly benefitting my employer and helping enhance my future career prospects.” Executive director of AMCA Sumit Oberoi believes this year’s winners have the potential to be future leaders. “As an industry, we must ensure we continue to address ways to upskill apprentices, and further professionally and personally develop our important trade teachers," says Oberoi. "This led to us increasing our intake from five students in 2016 to nine this year. It’s a great result.” For more information, go to www.arema.com.au n

July 2017 | www.airah.org.au/nation | HVAC&R Nation | 27

Safety corner

AIRAH’s Safety in the HVAC&R Industry survey AIRAH receives many comments and enquiries from its members and other industry stakeholders regarding safety issues within the HVAC&R industrys and decided to run a national survey in collaboration with a range of industry associations. Reaching out to technical service providers on the topic of safety in the HVAC&R industry, the survey focused on the refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) sectors. Hundreds of people reviewed the online survey, and a total of 79 completed survey responses were received. Here, in an excerpt from AIRAH’s “Safety in the HVAC&R Industry” report, we delve into the key safety issues identified.

Low-quality welding and brazing can lead to refrigerant leaks.

2.6 THE IMPACTS – ON SERVICE PROVIDERS AND ON OTHERS When asked what impact the various safety issues have on them, survey respondents answered as follows: • Inability to carry out my work in a safe manner, inability to complete works to customer satisfaction.

2.5 THE HEADLINE SAFETY ISSUES When survey respondents shared what they thought were the “biggest safety issues facing the industry”, four main topic areas were identified, as follows: Quality and training – 37 per cent of respondents highlighted issues to do with training, competency and quality as having the major safety impact. Issues raised included untrained people, people working beyond their competency level, as well as unscrupulous contractors cutting corners and costs to win work but providing unsafe solutions as a result. Access – 29 per cent said access-related issues were the biggest cause of risk in their work day. Issues raised included working at heights, working in confined spaces and working alone. There were significant concerns with unsafe access routes and lack of space to safely carry out maintenance and service work. The overuse of vertical ladders (with harness wire) to access plant, as opposed to stairs, walkways and platforms, was also highlighted as an issue. Working fluids – 21 per cent said that issues to do with refrigerants and oils, including flammability, toxicity and inappropriate retrofits were the main area of safety concern. Concerns about the long-term toxicity effects of refrigerants and oils, concerns about the widespread introduction of flammable refrigerants and concerns about the possibility of flammable A3 refrigerants being introduced into any direct expansion (DX) refrigeration or air conditioning system without warnings, appropriate labelling or any safety considerations or modifications. Electricity – 10 per cent of respondents said that working with the electrical side of the job was the most hazardous aspect of their work, including old legacy and unsafe distribution boards with outdated wiring and fuses and unmaintained safety systems. The ability to effectively electrically isolate existing HVAC&R plant and to lock-out tag-out is widely questioned. The remaining safety or risk categories highlighted included diverse and specialised issues such as exposure to a range of other chemicals and substances, encountering asbestos in older buildings, travelling by vehicle to various sites, manual muscular/ skeletal injuries, hazards from outdoors and on construction sites, inaction A new take on the tired oldworking tyre. by owners on previously identified hazards, and irate and unhappy customers Throughout the survey responses, the prevailing industry and client attitude to risk was highlighted as an area that needs to be addressed. Complacency is no friend of safety. Each job should be complimented by a risk assessment process as most comprise unique circumstances. The quality of safety plans and the effectiveness of relative approaches to safety management are always in the detail. “ Lack of knowledge, vested interests, buck passing, poor change management by Government, lack of credible and unbiased information, poor training, poor training systems that fail to monitor training outcomes, misinformation, deceptive and misleading conduct by some suppliers and total lack of political leadership.” 28 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

• Increased risk of injury or liability, risks are taken to get to poorly located equipment, complex access arrangements leads to tiredness and mistakes. • Concerns regarding long-term health impacts of small cumulative exposures to refrigerants, oils and other chemicals. • Inability to correctly inspect or service plant, leading to downstream safety risks. • Stress and mental health impacts associated with the above issues

Respondents generally believed that correctly addressing safety increased both the time needed and the overall costs of a job.

• Time – Continually addressing safety issues and maintaining safety as a focus takes a lot of time and effort. • Cost – Costs are greater when safety is correctly addressed; costs due to access equipment, including PPE, and the additional human resources required to correct poorly designed/installed systems.

“ As safety awareness has increased for many in the industry, the public appear to have little or no concern for safety when it affects the cost of a project. This is compounded by a few operators that are comfortable flouting safety issues.”

When asked what impact the various safety issues have on others, survey respondents responded as follows: • Maintenance of plant and equipment that is located in unsafe areas or with unsafe access will either not be carried out at all or not be carried out adequately, resulting in possible downstream safety impacts including damage to equipment, loss of service and associated loss of productivity for the building or facility.

“ The buildings we look after are worthless, if they can't be maintained properly.”

• Additional costs to end users for out-of-hours work due to access limitations (e.g. indoor fan coils that cannot be accessed during office working hours).

“ In the end of the day, it is the end user who is paying a large penalty to allow us to perform our works.”

“ To do things safely, sometimes takes longer due to the planning and preparation required. This can be disruptive to businesses. The price to carry out works as safe as possible often means that clients give work to others who may be faster and cheaper.”

• Delays in completing works and resulting lack of service, or pressure to further cut corners (and increase safety risks) to get program back on track or to get a system back running as quickly as possible. • Poorly located equipment generating trip or clash hazards for occupants, poorly fitted guarding on fans can cause injury to people in the vicinity of the plant. • If essential safety HVAC equipment fails during an emergency event (e.g. smoke control during a fire alarm), it could have a very serious detrimental impact on people being able to safely evacuate a building.

View the full Safety in the HVAC&R Industry report at www.airah.org.au

AIRAH and Industry classifieds Pre-Loved Buildings Forum 2017

EVENTS

Mackay Trade Night

The Pre-Loved Buildings Forum advocates that a strong focus on HVAC&R in the existing built environment can achieve dramatic effects when it comes to reducing energy use, conserving water, and improving the occupied space. Date: Thursday, August 3 Venue: Doltone House Hyde Park, Manhattan and Avenue Rooms, 181 Elizabeth Street, Sydney Cost: Members $295, Non-members $395

Brisbane Trade Night AIRAH Trade Nights are a great opportunity to broaden your networks and see the HVAC&R industry's latest innovations. Date: Thursday, July 20 Time: 4.00pm–7.00pm Venue: Royal Int. Convention Centre, Brisbane Cost: Free

Central Sydney Trade Night

AIRAH Trade Nights are a great opportunity to broaden your networks and see the HVAC&R industry's latest innovations. Date: Thursday, August 10 Time: 4.00pm–7.00pm Venue: Mackay Grande Suites, Mackay Cost: Free

AIRAH Trade Nights are a great opportunity to broaden your networks and see the HVAC&R industry's latest innovations. Date: Tuesday, August 8 Time: 4.00pm–7.00pm Venue: Pullman Resort Casino, Cairns Cost: Free

Send in your submissions, text only – no images or logos.

Whether you are looking, selling, trading or tendering – HVAC&R Nation classifieds is the best way to spread the word!

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HV 1.8 .4. Unu sua contam l HVAC system ination to anyeunusu s and event jectedcomp al contam age onents should any renovs sub mag salvination ent ation/ ine event such be inspected pon buildin events . In g er da com after as are determ

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AS/NZ es of the HVAC entative portio al surfaces com Any me and fire be health and 2.5.7. systemswill the haz comp em rn opera immediately restoration identic.fied relating n of the uld beora systems S 3666 lied tion as conta tion and and Retu provision er from e with n worktoxi sho air syst maintenancwith as they are to HVAC hygien should Clea of theent s are includ due be if restminated, d by wat ordanc of access parts 1 and 2 bothas defined in to ing verifyi resi e Outside relevant e. accselect for maint The edurs cte e ng theermine under taken pon restor system in system odo to hav • affe air both enance. require adequ or t TABLE Good house det cleanliness Hygiene s a/c s com may ate ents assessed by AS 1324ion and applic qualityuld. Inspections g lates the 2.1 DEFI Level ated Exhaus pon ation of -porouparaticu system the like rocessin ct keepin and comm sho g – HVAC NITIO N com should be Description non filtration and minimum general refriger use and g g/p tion ly affeonora sense Any eam hygien OF HYG tres s filters are cial 1. Clean of ventila applic turin gener ace of tributin appro erse nstr lers e -ducted thea vitie spe y also ation HEPA ating rest ufac surf covere ach tion IENE LEVE g , adv requires coo requiremen con gor filters are Non system em of activit man the d ise ratin all dowies within to limitinacti respon No visible cate ative syst g conta LS classifited ts for ding g to s, ope bodies, When rated andor otherw theEven l ofs are specified rs a buildi minan dust, debris inan leve in AS Evapor in AS 1668.2the , It is not ugh n room erning everyday any unusual conta ng and promp t /cleanin e operato latory or other iene hav4260. deterio stream intend contam thro ectiondisinfe d. . and as clea r gov 2. 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Mode com Territory sent into the compo ensu of the juris s visible certain leve rate Tab Visible levels should em. Any eral dus nent surfac regulation. ts of any HVAC system ination ssment ple to be beneath erials should ents d in gen d thatfor higher e with little the fine of gener need and asse of sam irem g mat . ulated specifie of contam the syst note like. layer of al dust requ lysis Comp be linin be the ails e ents the ls ing um or with of em dust. onent ana uld Det ent n irem ns and varying acc the leve the typ surface should gal pon al for test site. lysis sho latio traces the syst densit y is still visible e: It cific requ latio on for fun ratory growth and limited than visu C insu d and within uld be Not ana 4. 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Clea con the contam ssm analysis fungal h.org.au species ether the ion. This ssment er and restore be clea ts and clea asse ed, by ination. Reference Fungal ine wh concentrat risk asse g own ratory ples for ix D. should taminan images confirm to be order labo ldin r per sam for the end been ssment, determ outdoo www.aira a pro n the bui hed in wing four define for con surface d in App em or ent has h.org.au d hygien to the to per form betwee be establis level follo . pon lytical asse cted syst ed. e levels detaile em d er inat gal com tion uld are provid affe ana the cte ord fun C syst rg. au ontam uld affe n or em or ed in Appen n municacleaner shoeptable cleaned 3. the HVA com ira h.o dix F. If a systobservatioinated the uld be decof a mo C ed and Section w.a rough an acc tion of the HVAermine ww visual contam ents sho ediation if a tho ken and aminat , see edia ont fied to det g and rem n dec be veri mould compon or rem ertaken n underta . 13 ion und bee ples has beel should cleanin system aminat only be has ted sam leve system ld or Decont should the system on limi rg. au e the hygiene to mou that is Onc ira h.o em system ent of ent based em due activity itory w.a ssm the syst Terr ww sed C syst asse assessm and HVA speciali the of a a State ents for not an ation ion is eline.

BE ST

HV AC

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H YGI ENE

AIRAH’s HVAC Hygiene Best Practice Guidelines is available to purchase in hard copy. n Establishes the criteria for evaluating the internal cleanliness of HVAC system components n Clearly determines when cleaning is required, according to the building use n Describes the components of HVAC systems to be evaluated n Describes the types of contamination likely to be encountered and includes for post fire and flood damage assessments

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The Lighter Side

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30 | HVAC&R Nation | www.airah.org.au/nation | July 2017

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