Around the Nation

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1 SAM STEPS UP

Mitsubishi Electric Australia has appointed Sam Garside as HVAC Sales Manager for the New South Wales Central market. In his new role, Garside will manage the HVAC business within the Sydney and Central West region. Garside has more than 20 years of industry experience, including positions with mechanical contractors, service-based companies, and several global manufacturers. After a 13-year hiatus, Garside returned to Mitsubishi Electric in 2018 and, according to the company, has been a driving force in the success of the Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) and project business within the Sydney market. Working closely with his counterparts Jason Lucas (Northern NSW) and Craig Fife (Canberra and Southern NSW), the NSW sales management team will focus on the VRF sector, including introducing new technologies such as Hybrid VRF. “We are delighted that Sam will bring his experience and enthusiasm to the position,” says General Manager of Sales Zane Barron. “We are looking forward to ongoing success under his leadership.” Go to www.mitsubishielectric.com.au ■

2 CHILLING CRIMES

A joint operation by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) has led to the seizure of more than $200,000 worth of refrigeration equipment imported without a licence. ABF officers seized 100 packages in Melbourne in May, after a tip-off that the Victorian-based importer did not have the required licence under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989. The equipment was imported with certificates stating that refrigerant gas controlled under Section 13 of the Act had been removed from the equipment, allowing the items to be imported without a licence. DAWE compliance officers in conjunction with ABF officers inspected the equipment and found that a significant portion still contained controlled hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant gases. Contravention of Section 13 of the Act can result in civil penalties of up to $2.22 million. ■

3 KIRBY ACQUIRES ARMCOR

Beijer Ref is further diversifying its portfolio within Australia with the acquisition of Victorian-based climate and ventilation solutions business Armcor Air Solutions.

According to Beijer Ref, the acquisition will strengthen its ability to provide a complete suite of HVAC equipment, extending on the residential and light commercial packages currently being offered through its wholesale businesses. It also provides the company with new competencies and access to a segment that they have not been present in until now. Armcor Air Solutions is a specialist in energy-efficient fresh air solutions and energy-recovery systems and will be supported by Beijer Ref’s local and international expertise and continued investment in advancing environmentally friendly solutions across evolving market segments. The acquisition will see Beijer Ref take on Armcor’s local manufacturing facility and 37 staff based at the company’s main facility in Broadmeadows, Victoria. Armcor Air Solutions will continue to operate under its current structure and under the direction of Kirby Sales and Marketing Manager Brett Hedge, M.AIRAH. Go to www.kirbyhvacr.com.au ■

4 ARBS IN AUGUST

Exhibition Manager, Sue Falcke says the decision was made to ensure the health and safety of all exhibitors, staff, and attendees. “Given the current COVID-19 situation in Australia combined with the difficulty in predicting the outlook for early 2022, it was felt a short delay would bring about more certainty allowing ARBS to deliver on its full show format,” says Falcke. “Our ongoing priority has always been to ensure the safety of everyone at the event,” says Falcke. “We look forward to August 2022 with increased confidence that ARBS will continue to provide a dynamic and engaging experience for the entire industry.” ARBS is Australia’s largest air conditioning, refrigeration and building services exhibition. The biennial international event hosts more than 300 exhibitors, draws large crowds of over of 7,000 and hosts many social and networking functions including the Industry Awards and Seminar Program. Revised dates for the call for speakers and award nomination entries will be advised in the coming weeks. Go to www.arbs.com.au. ■

5 NEW CODE INCOMING

The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is seeking comment on proposed amendments to energy efficiency and condensation technical provisions, for possible inclusion in the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022. Some of the more significant amendments proposed in this second and final stage of the public comment draft include: • A stringency increase in the thermal performance of homes from the current level, equivalent to 6-stars NatHERS, to the equivalent of 7 stars • Introducing whole-of-home annual energy use requirements (noting differences between Class 1 and 2 buildings) • A new set of Deemed-to-Satisfy elemental provisions for Class 2 buildings

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• New provisions designed to allow easy retrofit of onsite renewables and electric vehicle-charging equipment for Class 2 to 9 buildings • Enhanced condensation management provisions, including additional ventilation and wall-vapour permeability requirements. The ABCB has produced a range of resources to help stakeholders provide informed comments. This includes a condensed “summary of changes” document, an infographic, case studies, calculators and reports. Comments can be submitted through the ABCB consultation hub until 11.59pm (AEDT) on Sunday, October 17, 2021. Go to consultation.abcb.gov.au ■

6 FUGITIVE EMISSIONS

A new report from Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), Fugitive Emissions: the Case For Improving Refrigerant Recovery From Split Systems at End-Of-Life, has found alarming volumes of refrigerant are lost when split systems reach end of life in Australia. It estimates that each year, hundreds of tonnes of refrigerant are not being reclaimed. The figures are based on a landmark survey of more than 100 contractors who logged data of more than 1,150 decommissioned systems. The majority of these systems contained R22 and R410A, with a smaller number operating on R32. The average charge size was 1.93kg, and systems contained on average 70 per cent of their initial charge. Average operating life was 13.7 years. Combining this information with the number of split systems imported into Australia annually, RRA estimates that 945.3 tonnes of refrigerant should be available for recovery each year from this equipment class. This is considerably more than 500 tonnes or so that is currently being collected across all equipment types. “We need to find ways of making it easier for technicians to recover,” the RRA’s Michael Bennett says. “We can do this by increasing focus, removing impediments, and providing greater incentives.” Go to bit.ly/3hhgKBa ■

Image courtesy of A.G. Coombs

7 WESTSIDE CELEBRATION

The Air Conditioning & Mechanical Contractors Association Limited (AMCA) is hosting its annual Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Awards on Friday, November 5. The awards, held in conjunction with the Alan Robert Memorial Fund, AIRAH and South Metropolitan TAFE, celebrates the latest achievements in the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. The event was originally scheduled for September 24, but had to be postponed. The 2019 awards attracted more than 350 industry representatives, and the 2021 event promises to be even bigger with more networking opportunities. The night will include a three-course meal with a beverages package, and will be hosted by Fie Cooper. Go to events.humanitix.com/2021-wa-airconditioning-and-refrigeration-awards ■

8 ARC TARGETS MINE MAINTENANCE

A new mining sector education campaign by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) will promote the benefits of regular preventative maintenance and gas leak detention of mobile air conditioning systems in mine vehicles. Mines around Australia will receive the ARC’s “Save time, money and the environment” packs, which cover a range of topics including safety advice for using alternative refrigerants, common causes of poor performance and refrigerant leakage of air conditioning systems, preventative maintenance, and leak detection processes. “Oversized mine site vehicles weigh hundreds of tonnes and operate in severe conditions where high temperatures, humidity and high dust levels result in mobile units working at high pressures and thermal loads, increasing potential for parts failure and loss of large quantities of refrigerant gases,” says the ARC. “Air conditioning systems in these challenging situations require regular servicing, maintenance and repairs to avoid breakdowns and minimise gas leakage. “Refrigerant leaks can occur during normal operations, equipment servicing and maintenance or at end-of-life. Greenhouse gas emissions from refrigerant leaks cause environmental damage.” Go to www.arctick.org/information/mining ■

9 COVID QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Building services specialist A.G. Coombs has created a new web page answering commonly asked questions about COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, A.G. Coombs has been responding to requests from building owners and managers about restricting the spread of COVID-19 with the help of building services, especially HVAC systems. Over that time, the company has produced a number of advisory notes covering the topic. The COVID-19 resource page has been developed to provide useful and credible building services information to building owners and managers. “A.G. Coombs Group companies are working with our clients, service providers and suppliers to ensure that we continue to deliver our services safely and effectively,” says the company. “We are continually monitoring the situation around COVID-19, have a resilient Business Continuity Plan in place ensuring that we continue to operate effectively, and are closely managing our organisation to assure the wellbeing of our personnel and service providers.” The page provides short answers to common questions, and links to advisory notes that go into more detail. Go to www.agcoombs.com.au/ covid-19-building-services-resources ■