HOORAY FOR HARRISON!

The fact that you are reading this magazine means you may already know about refrigeration pioneer James Harrison. If you don’t, listen up!

Meet The Ice Maker

Harrison was the first to create ice via mechanical means, and he did it right here, Down Under, in 1854. He used an ether-vapour compression refrigeration system, with a compressor that forced ether through a condenser, where it cooled and liquefied. The liquefied gas was then circulated through refrigeration coils, and vaporised again, cooling down the surrounding machine.

By the following year, the system was refined such that he submitted his first patent application in Victoria – granted in February 1855 with the title “Refrigerating Machine”. After fine-tuning and exhibiting his invention across Europe, Harrison set up the machine in Melbourne, where he began producing slabs and blocks of ice.

A true pioneer, his obsession with refrigeration would unfortunately not translate to sustained financial prosperity. His attempts to establish shipboard refrigeration between Australia and the UK met with failure. This disappointment resulted in his life’s work remaining unfinished.

Nevertheless, Harrison’s boldness, creativity and ingenuity will long be remembered, even as the Australian HVAC&R industry continues its evolution.

AIRAH maintains Harrison’s legacy with an annual award – the Harrison Medal –and by celebrating Harrison’s birthday on April 17. Our office, the James Harrison Centre, is also named in his honour.

Genius On Display

But AIRAH is by no means the only organisation paying homage to this great Australian inventor. The Geelong and Region Branch of the National Trust (Vic) – GRBNT –continues to advocate for Harrison’s ongoing recognition. And earlier this year, the GRBNT organised an exhibition on Harrison at Geelong’s Vintage Machinery Rally.

The main exhibit was an operating model of Harrison’s 1857 ice -making machine built by Warwick Bryce, who was inspired by Harrison’s ingenuity, design and untrained engineering skills.

“His model excited a great deal of interest, especially when, after running for about 10 minutes, it produced a small disc of ice,” says Lex Chalmers OAM, Convener of the GRBNT City of Design Sub-committee.

According to Chalmers, it is likely that Harrison was Australia’s only contributor to the Second Industrial Revolution when he achieved ice-making on a large scale. In 2017, when Geelong was designated as Australia’s only UNESCO City of Design, Harrison’s invention of commercial refrigeration contributed to the UNESCO designation. ■

2023 Airah Industry Nights

MAR 2 HOBART, TAS

MAR 22 BALLARAT, VIC

MAR 28 DUBBO, NSW

MAY 3 TAMWORTH, NSW

MAY 11 BRISBANE, QLD

MAY 17 MELBOURNE, VIC

MAY 24 DARWIN, NT

JUNE 22 WESTERN SYDNEY, NSW

JULY 27 CENTRAL SYDNEY, NSW

AUG 8 SUNSHINE COAST, QLD

AUG 10 GOLD COAST, QLD

AUG 17 NEWCASTLE, NSW

AUG 22 CAIRNS, QLD

AUG 24 TOWNSVILLE, QLD

SEPT 6 GEELONG, VIC

SEPT 19 CANBERRA, ACT

Explore trades, innovation, and engineering in the HVAC&R industry

OCT 11 ADELAIDE, SA

OCT 19 TOOWOOMBA, QLD

NOV 9 PERTH, WA

AIRAH.ORG.AU/INDUSTRYNIGHTS

1 Trish Takes Top Job At Airah

Following a detailed recruitment process, the AIRAH Board has appointed Trish Hyde to the role of AIRAH Chief Executive. She replaces Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, who announced his impending resignation late last year.

Trish has been CEO of several member-based associations that excelled in member value delivery, including advocacy, and has specific sustainability skills and knowledge, having worked on multiple APAC circular economy initiatives. These include The Plastics Circle, the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC), and the Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia.

“This opportunity to lead AIRAH in its next chapter, is a true honour,” she says. “Built on the profession’s record of air control innovation, safety, and sustainability, AIRAH has the ability to help make our world more sustainable. I’m looking forward to working with the Board, the team, stakeholders, and our members on this journey.”

With a particular interest in the built environment and advocacy, Trish is looking forward to promoting the role of HVAC&R in facilitating Australia’s path to net zero emissions.

“The profession has a right to be front and centre in the fight against climate change,” she says. ■

2 DAIKIN’S PLAN TO EXPAND

Daikin Australia has announced plans to expand its manufacturing operations as part of a continued focus on local manufacturing, research and development.

The project, due for completion by June 2024, will see the construction of a new 7,500m² factory to complement the existing factory at Daikin’s Australian headquarters in Chipping Norton, NSW. The new factory will include expanded production areas for packaged air conditioning units, an expanded assembly line for air handling units, additional warehousing for raw materials, and staff training facilities. In addition, a new multi-level carpark will be built for staff and visitors.

“The construction of a second factory will provide new opportunities for our staff and customers, as well as allowing us to increase our local manufacturing capabilities,” says Daikin Australia’s General Manager of Manufacturing Nicholas MacDonald, Affil.AIRAH. “In addition, it will extend our capacity for research and development.”

The project gained support from the NSW government’s Jobs Plus Program, as it is expected to bring 45 new highly skilled jobs and 223 indirect jobs to the state. The government program provides support to businesses across a range of industries that are working to create new jobs in NSW.

Go to www.daikin.com.au ■

3 Good Clean Fund

Refrigeration and air conditioning apprentices are now eligible for additional financial support thanks to the trade’s reclassification as a “clean energy” job in the updated Australian Apprenticeships Priority List.

As noted on the Support for Australian Apprentices webpage, a full-time Australian apprentice can receive a payment of $2,000 at six,12, 24 and 36 months, and completion; a part-time Australian apprentice can receive $1,000. This payment is to help meet the cost-of-living pressures and to stay in training.

This payment would be received instead of (not in addition to) the Australian Apprentice Training Support Payment, which already offers apprentices in priority occupations similar payments, albeit at lower rates.

Go to shorturl.at/oxDFK ■

4 Cool Runnings

Panasonic has been named as the official air conditioning partner of Supercars for 2023.

Along with joining the championship as the official air conditioning partner, the starting order of each Repco Supercars Championship race will be presented on the Panasonic starting grid on live television broadcasts.

“We are proud to partner with Supercars, a much-loved

Australian motorsport that has a strong history and a longstanding and passionate following,” says Managing Director of Panasonic Australia Paul Reid.

“As the official air conditioning partner of Supercars, we are looking forward to bringing the excitement of Supercars to our business partners and to our loyal customers and can’t wait to share exclusive news and experiences with them. This is a major partnership for us, including advertising, signage, events and hospitality across the Supercars racing season.”

Supercars’ partnership with Panasonic commenced with the first race event of the 2023 Repco Supercars Championship, the Thrifty Newcastle 500.

Go to aircon.panasonic.com.au ■

5 Mentoring For Women In Trades

Charles Darwin University (CDU) has marked International Women’s Day 2023 by announcing the launch of a new Women in Trades mentoring program. The program connects young women commencing their apprenticeships with women working in the NT trades sector.

CDU Careers Centre has partnered with the NT chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction to facilitate the new initiative, and support female apprentices in non-traditional TAFE disciplines such as construction and transport.

“For some women, it can feel a little overwhelming to walk into a predominately male classroom and workplace in industries such as construction, transport, electrotechnology and plumbing,” says CDU Employability Programs Officer Caroline Thompson.

“The goal of the Women in Trades Mentoring Program is to help female students feel confident to engage with their TAFE studies at CDU and also in their workplaces, knowing that they are supported along their journey towards their chosen trade career.

“Their confidence and commitment to the program will ultimately help to increase gender diversity within the future NT trades sector.”

Go to www.cdu.edu.au/study/tafe-trades ■

6 HOMECOMING FOR McCANN

A-Gas has announced the appointment of Louise McCann as Group Commercial Director.

“I am proud to hold the position of Group Commercial Director as we continue our environmental journey,” says McCann. “I am highly encouraged by the dedication of our global commercial teams as we seek to support our customers in fulfilling their sustainability goals through life-cycle refrigerant management.”

McCann joined A-Gas in 2005 and has held a number of roles in the A-Gas business, supporting customers during periods of regulatory change in various regions in line with their corporate commitments. After taking on various roles overseas since 2019, McCann has now returned to Australia to begin her role as Group Commercial Director. She will also lead the Asia-Pacific region, including Australia and New Zealand, leveraging her knowledge and skill-sets across the region.

Go to www.agas.com/au/ ■

7

Refrigerant Roadshow

Tickets are now on sale for 17 industrysupported refrigerant education events aimed at those working in the stationary HVAC&R sector: the future:gas roadshow.

“A lot of change has emerged in the world of refrigerants since the highly successful future:gas refrigerant seminar roadshows of 2016 and 2017,” say the organisers. “So it’s time for another.”

Running through May, June and July, the 2023 future:gas roadshows will assemble expert speakers to discuss and explain the latest on the recovery and handling of new refrigerants, the laws that will influence each part of the industry, and what this will mean for the day-to-day life of those in the business of handling refrigerants.

Tickets to future:gas seminars in Australia and New Zealand are priced at $20, with the aim of making it affordable for technicians to pay for their own ticket and for business owners to send a number of their employees.

Also to help as many people as possible to attend, the seminars will take place on weekday evenings during the winter, beginning at 5pm with complimentary welcome drinks, food and trade displays.

Go to futuregas.ac/stationary/ ■

8 A Hit For Health

The OzHelp Foundation has announced the launch of a new program aimed at preventing suicide and supporting mental health in the building and construction industry: the Health in Trades program (HiT).

According to OzHelp, nine Australians, on average, die by suicide every day. Of all these deaths, 75 per cent are men, and construction workers are consistently found to die by suicide at a higher rate compared to other male workers.

OzHelp developed the HiT program stream to meet the continually evolving needs of the sector.

“Through data-informed decision-making and targeted interventions tailored to their workers’ needs, employers are looking beyond mental health advocacy and how as an organisation they can practically prevent psychological harm within the workplace,” says OzHelp’s Caz Parish. “We have developed evidence-based, scalable and accessible programs that assist employers in creating resilient, psychological safe workplaces and helping individual employees achieve their best possible mental health and wellbeing.”

Go to www.healthintrades.com.au ■

9 Grants Up For Grabs

Small and medium businesses across Australia can now apply for grants of up to $25,000 to improve energy efficiency, save on energy bills and bring down emissions.

The grants can be used for a wide range of activities, such as upgrading or replacing existing air conditioners with high-efficiency units, or replacing gas heating boilers with heat pumps.

Other activities supported through the program include energy audits of business sites, and investment in energy-monitoring systems.

Round 1 of the grants offers $16 million of the total $62 million budget for the program. The new grants will be allocated to states and territories based on the distributions of small and medium businesses nationally.

Eligible activities include installing VSDs, retrofitting glass doors on open refrigerated cases, replacing old cases with new highefficiency refrigerated cases, retrofitting EEVs and upgrading insulation on coldrooms.

Applications for the grants will close on April 19, 2023, or when funding is exhausted.

Go to business.gov.au/eegsme ■

10

Loose Ducts Cost Bucks

Clean-Air is promoting the benefits of Aeroseal Duct Sealing technology, including the important role it can play in making buildings more energy efficient. Aeroseal is designed to reduce energy costs by increasing the efficiency of HVAC fans and by eliminating excess ventilation loads.

“Sixty per cent of a building’s HVAC energy goes to its fans,” says Clean-Air’s Jason Stewart. “Studies show that reducing leaks by 15 per cent drops fan requirements by 40 per cent or more – saving thousands of dollars every month.”

Stewart also notes that although some parts of the industry are already enjoying the benefits of Aeroseal, it could be used more widely.

“Early Australian adopters, including design consultants, EEC and commissioning consultants, advocate for this test and seal service because it works,” he says. “But we’re yet to see its full potential capitalised on in the Australian market.”

Go to cleanairaust.com.au/news ■

Name: Renzo Antonio Münster, Stud.AIRAH

Company: PHW Services, Matrix Traffic & Transport Data, and MIR Sydney

Occupation: Engineer

What’s the best thing about working in HVAC&R? The industry is constantly changing due to technological advances. This has allowed people to have more control over their building services.

How long have you worked in the job industry? 15 years, including an Associate Degree and Bachelor’s Degree in Software Engineering, then training in all three trades of air conditioning and refrigeration, plumbing, and electrical.

What is the biggest thing that has changed about the industry since you started working in it? Manufacturing, quality control and digital technology. The manner in which they’ve all managed to coherently function to provide users with the opportunity to better understand and take control of their grid at home.

If someone wanted to find you on a worksite, they should look for the person who is … In full uniform with tags that stipulate my name and title/position on all my shirts, pants and jackets.

Favourite tool: FLUKE and Kyoritsu electrotechnology instrumentation equipment.

Best on-the-job advice you ever received: Always make sure that you triple-check all your calculations and commissioning prior to rolling live power and releasing refrigerant into the units onsite.

Dream car: Ford F-150 Truck.

Dream holiday: Travelling all around Australia in our Ford F-150 Truck.

Favourite smoko snack: Salad roll with aloe vera drink.

What did you listen to on the way to work today? AC/DC, Credence Clearwater Revival, Def Leppard and Black Sabbath.

Sporting hero: My father Norberto Antonio Münster … Taught me everything I know about the ocean, ice hockey and motorcycles. When I’m not working I’m: Surfing, playing ice hockey or doing motocross with my wife and daughter.