CCN July 2017

Internet of Things (IOT) for the built environment JULY 2017 New MD for Bitzer Cool room technology

Climate Control News

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Heat exchangers feature Trump fires Paris accord

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Contents

Heat Exchangers Feature

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18

Climate Control News July 2017

Wood policy

06

Bitzer MD

World News

Tasmania is the first state in Australia to introduce a statewide Wood Encouragement Policy (WEP).

Bitzer has announced the appointment of Simon Wood as its new managing director for Australia.

ASHRAE is committed to the Paris Climate Agreement despite the US Government's decision to withdraw from the 2015 accord.

Secure supply

The search is on for RAC professionals willing to be mentors for high school students in years nine to 11.

Internet of Things (IOT) for the built environment JULY 2017 New MD for Bitzer

Cool Rooms

30

10

Building Automation

34

12

Meet the team

40

16

AREMA president, Mark Padwick, explains how industry and government need to work together to protect Australia's electricity supply.

STEM careers

This month

18

Refrigeration company, Milmeq, has installed 190 plate freezers in Australia, the majority in meat processing plants.

Intel has launched a building management system (BMS) for small to medium sized buildings.

Welcome to Meet the Team, a new section dedicated to showcasing HVACR talent.

Climate Control News

Heat exchangers feature Trump fires Paris accord

www.climatecontrolnews.com.au

9/06/2017 5:40 pm

Cover 43

VET reforms

46

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills, Karen Andrews, outlines the Federal Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new $1.5 billion Skilling Australians Fund.

Cool room technology

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Product News

Carrier has unveiled its new AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller with Greenspeed technology.

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In the news

The global heat exchanger market has never been more competitive with all of the major players focusing on growth in 2017. Plus, SWEP, Advanced Thermal Solutions (ATS) and Kelvion showcase their latest products.

Panasonic, the global leader in Air Conditioning, continues its commitment to bringing the highest quality air conditioning systems to Australia.

Panasonic Multi Split Air Conditioning is the perfect solution for the apartment market, allowing up to 5 indoor units to be connected to a small footprint outdoor unit, and with a maximum connection ratio of 175%.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWSâ&#x20AC;&#x192; JULY 2017

3

Editorial

Climate Control News EDITOR Sandra Van Dijk Ph: (02) 9213 8277 sandravandijk@yaffa.com.au NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Michael Northcott Ph: 0420 403 044 michaelnorthcott@yaffa.com.au

Triple treat time IT HAS BEEN FIVE YEARS SINCE I WAS OFFICIALLY APPOINTED EDITOR OF CCN AND FIRST DISCOVERED THE ACRONYM HVACR.

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Michelle Carneiro Ph: (02) 9213 8219 michellecarneiro@yaffa.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS GREATMAGAZINES.COM.AU CALL 1800 807 760 SUBSCRIPTIONS@YAFFA.COM.AU

Sandra Van Dijk – Editor

WHILE MY BACKGROUND as a journalist allowed me to step into my new role with a degree of confidence, don't assume for a second that I knew the meaning of HVACR. It marked my introduction to the climate control industry and the beginning of my formal schooling in refrigeration and air conditioning.

I have since realised that I am actually one of the chosen few. I mean there aren't too many people outside of the industry that know about HVACR. Ask the average person on the street what these letters represent and you will get everything but the correct answer.

If you ask a person under the age of 30 they will assume the acronym has something to do with social media or they will want to know if it is a new app.

But while the whole world may not know all that they should about what you do, there is a degree of pride in your profession that permeates the entire industry.

It is such an attractive quality that it gave me the impetus to want to learn more and to find out what everyone was so passionate about.

It was clear to me (early on) that I had become part of an industry where people really care. And

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while this too is an admirable quality, it does get a tad challenging (for me, not you). Let me explain.

My job is to keep readers informed. Simple right?

A reporter's job is to report, not favour any one school of thought over another.

It is about being non-judgemental and steering clear of opinions (except on this page and within the confines of this column).

Yet despite my galliant efforts to walk the fine line of editorial independence, it can be tough at times. I am surrounded by the animated fervour of those who are committed to protecting their industry.

This excitement can be infectious. In other words I have to maintain a straight face (without botox) under the most difficult circumstances. Its not easy.

Our mission statement here at Yaffa Media is to 'educate, inform and inspire' our readers. We don't want to just inform, we want to bring the magazine to life which is exactly what we do with CCN Live. There is no better vehicle to inform CCN readers than via this annual event.

Readers can see and hear the news within these pages firsthand and also network with peers.

This year's CCN Live will be held on Thursday, August 24 at the Masonic Conference Centre in Sydney. Early bird tickets to the half day event are available until July 16. Don't miss out, go to www.climatecontrolnews.com.au/live.

Let's celebrate five letters (h-v-a-c-r) and my five year anniversary at the fifth CCN Live event – it's a triple treat!

SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 year $99.00 Overseas 1 year NZ A$110

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ROW A$170 PUBLISHER Helen Davies CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Martin Phillpott MARKETING MANAGER Chris Hamilton MARKETING EXECUTIVE Jasmine Gale PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Matthew Gunn ART DIRECTOR Ana Heraud STUDIO MANAGER Lauren Esdaile DESIGNER Bree Edgar YAFFA CUSTOM CONTENT DIRECTOR Matt Porter Ph: (02) 9213 8209 mattporter@yaffa.com.au CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS is published by Yaffa Media Pty Ltd ABN 54 002 699 354, 17-21 Bellevue Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010.

Ph: (02) 9281 2333 Fax: (02) 9281 2750 ALL MAIL TO: GPO Box 606, Sydney NSW 2001

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News

Tasmania adopts woodfirst building policy TASMANIA IS THE FIRST STATE IN AUSTRALIA TO INTRODUCE A STATEWIDE WOOD ENCOURAGEMENT POLICY (WEP).

WEP AIMS TO ensure that sustainably sourced timber is considered as a key design component, where feasible, in the construction and refurbishment of all public building projects.

Announcing the 'wood-first' policy, the Minister for Resources, Building and Construction, Guy Barnett, said the policy will apply to state government projects where the use of timber represents value for money and complies with relevant Australian standards.

The announcement brings Tasmania in line with two local government authorities and 12 councils across Australia that have adopted WEPs since December 2014.

Planet Ark's Make it Wood campaign manager, David Rowlinson, said it is a positive move and hopefully more states will adopt the policy.

More than 20 per cent of Australia's carbon emissions come from constructing and maintaining the built environment, so making the switch to wood is a key strategy for addressing climate change.

"Timber is renewable, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and stores it in the wood, and there are fewer carbon emissions associated with its production when compared to more energy intensive building materials such

as concrete and steel," Rowlinson said.

In fact Australia’s tallest engineered timber building will be developed in Brisbane by Lendlease and Impact Investment Group.

The 45 metre-tall building will be located at 5 King Street at the Brisbane Showgrounds complex.

Amendments were recently made to the National Construction Code (NCC) to lift height restrictions on timber buildings.

Architects, developers, designers, engineers and builders have welcomed changes to the NCC that apply to both traditional timber framing and innovative mass timber systems – such as cross-laminated timber (CLT).The King Street building will use CLT for the floors, lift shafts and stairs; gluelaminated timber for the beams and columns; energy-efficient LED lighting, optimised airconditioning and rooftop rainwater harvesting.

Ultimately, the code change will mean quicker, more cost effective and environmentallyfriendlier construction of residential apartments, office blocks and hotel buildings.

BELOW: One of the first buildings in Australia to utilise cross-laminated timber (CLT) was the Docklands Library in Melbourne.

LEFT TO RIGHT: AIRAH executive manager, Phil Wilkinson; AIRAH CEO, Tony Gleeson.

Innovation Hub has potential to create 200 jobs PRIME HELD SUMMITS on its Innovation Hub (iHub) for Affordable Heating and Cooling initiative in Sydney and Melbourne last month.

Supported by AIRAH and the CSIRO, the iHub is being proposed as a key mechanism for facilitating the HVACR industry’s transition to a low-emissions future, stimulating jobs growth and showcasing HVAC&R innovations.

Attracting participants from all facets of the industry, the iHub Summits presented an overview on the initiative, and provided those in attendance with a chance to provide much sought-after feedback.

The iHub concept has bold aims, aspiring to create more than 200 jobs from new products and services, retain home-grown entrepreneurs in Australia, have innovative lowenergy designs applied in at least 10 major construction projects, and establish Australia’s only dedicated undergraduate degree in Building Services.

Both virtual and physical spaces where a community of industry innovators, designers and educators can easily access knowledge and research infrastructure, the iHubs will make it easier to incubate ideas and reshape industry practice to our future needs.

AIRAH CEO, Tony Gleeson, said iHub has the potential to revolutionise the industry.

AIRAH’s government relations executive manager, Phil Wilkinson and Dr Stephen White of the CSIRO also delivered presentations at iHub. “The Innovation Hub aims to incentivise industry to collaborate across disciplinary silos, encourage innovation, share learnings and inspire the next generation of students,” Wilkinson said.

To find out more about the Innovation Hub for Affordable Heating and Cooling, go to www.airah.org.au/ihub.

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L to R: National dealer and commercial manager, Peter Cashel, sales and marketing general manager, Dave Smith, Commercial BDM of the Year Kyle Rafter, Brand Ambassador, Mark Taylor Brand Ambassador, Chair Toru Ishizuka and managing director, Philip Perham.

Fujitsu General celebrates success at 20th annual conference 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 years’ success.

The company’s managing director, Philip Perham, attributed its success to the passion and drive of Fujitsu General employees over the years.

“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,” he said.

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 • George Tsiotras (Vic) – Culture & Values Champion of the Year Employee milestones were also recog-

nised during the awards presentation.

This year, national dealer and commercial manager, Peter Cashel, celebrated 20 years with Fujitsu General Australia.

Cashel joined the business as an apprentice and spent three years as national product manager.

Highly regarded within the industry, Cashel is an integral member of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia, Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association and Refrigerant Reclaim Australia.

Visit www.fujitsugeneral.com.au or contact Fujitsu General on 1300 882 20.

Australia failing to keep pace with energy regulations AUSTRALIA’S ENERGY EFFICIENCY policies and regulations are not keeping up with market realities and best practice in other OECD countries, according to a new report by the Cooperative Research Centre for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL).

The centre has called for a comprehensive review to help Australia transition rapidly to the economically attractive low-carbon built environment of the future.

Author of the report entitled Best Practice Policy and Regulation for Low Carbon Outcomes in the Built Environment, Philip Harrington, said Australia has some examples of best practice policy and regulation, but there is much room for improvement.

Best practice examples he cited included the voluntary rating scheme, NABERS and the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) scheme.

“However, some of the best measures are limited in scope, while the list of poor policy and regulatory practices in Australia’s built environment is long,” he said.

“One key reason we are falling behind is that

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we have not updated regulatory measures, such as minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for buildings since 2009, and they are not currently scheduled to be updated until 2019 or 2022.

“Similarly, product and appliance standards have been largely frozen for many years due to government-imposed processes such as regulatory offsets.

“Opportunities to take action on this include

ABOVE: CRCLCL CEO, Prefessor Deo Prasad.

through the National Energy Productivity Plan and the 2017 Climate Policy Review process, to which the CRCLCL has recently made a submission.”

CRCLCL deputy chair, Sandy Hollway, said there were economically-attractive opportunities to move Australia towards global best practices in built environment policy and regulation.

“ASBEC recently estimated the potential for building energy efficiency improvement to be at least 50 per cent by 2050, and we are also seeing reductions in the cost of solar and other renewable energy sources which we must ensure we take advantage of,” he said.

“The report shows that what’s needed is a thorough review and rationalisation of policies and regulations in consultation with states, territories, industry and the community.”

CRCLCL CEO, Professor Deo Prasad, said because Australia’s regulations have not been updated over a period when energy prices have been dramatically rising and technology costs for low carbon solutions, such as solar, have fallen, Australian residents and businesses are paying for it in higher energy costs.

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News

Purpose-built calibration centre in Perth

OLYMPUS HAS OPENED a new, purposebuilt calibration centre in Perth to meet increasing demand from industrial customers for local service and support.

The company’s senior sales specialist, Colm Kinsella, said the key focus of the centre is to service the local WA market by reducing the time involved in calibrating equipment.

“The turnaround times can be quite tight but by saving the transit time and associated costs involved with sending equipment to the Melbourne facility, we can better serve the local market,” he said.

Assisting customers in a broad range of industries, including mining, infrastructure, oil and gas, aviation and defence, the calibration centre in Perth delivers increased capacity and helps to reduce turnaround times.

Olympus manufactures and distributes product solutions for remote visual inspection (RVI) and non-destructive testing (NDT).

The company’s leading testing technologies include RVI, microscopy, ultrasound, phased array, optical metrology, eddy current, eddy current array, portable X-ray f luorescence (XRF) and diffraction (XRD). While calibration is required for most testing equipment, it can be disruptive to operations.

Consequently, Olympus has made substantial investments in their processes to reduce turnaround times.

“We’re investing in infrastructure and staff to support the local market and help our customers get the most out of their Olympus assets,” Kinsella explained.

ABOVE: Olympus has opened a new, purpose-built calibration centre within the Perth facility.

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Bitzer Australia appoints managing director BITZER HAS ANNOUNCED the appointment of Simon Wood as its new managing director for Australia.

Wood has more than two decades of solid management experience gained at different companies including Atlas Copco, BOGE Compressors, Sullair and most recently as managing director of Hoerbiger Australia.

In a statement, the Bitzer Board of Directors expressed confidence in Wood’s ability to encourage positive changes and to maintain the good momentum Bitzer has established in Australia and globally.

Wood spent a number of weeks undertaking induction at Bitzer’s German headquarters in Sindelfingen before commencing work in the Sydney office in May.

“The company continues to forge ahead at the forefront of natural refrigerant research and product innovation by bringing together intelligent high-tech products coupled with user-friendliness,” the statement said.

“Bitzer’s upcoming Technical Roadshow will delve into the specifics of this mindset by way of a seminar that covers how the refrigeration giant’s newest products meet the increasing needs of a rapidly changing market.”

Wood will introduce the Roadshow in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland during the first week of July.

Contact Bitzer for more information on how to register.

LEFT: Bitzer Australia managing director, Simon Wood.

What drives sustainability in HVACR? TAFE ULTIMO AND ebm-papst have joined forces to host Sydney’s very first GreenDay event on July 27, 2017.

The networking event is in its sixth year but this is the first time it has been held in Sydney at TAFE Ultimo’s Turner Hall which is located at 19 Mary Ann St, Ultimo.

The event theme is “What drives sustainability in HVACR?”.

Together with TAFE Ultimo, ebmpapst A&NZ is attempting to uncover this topic at the GreenDay event which brings together practitioners, educators and students from the HVACR industry.

Policy-focused presentations will be delivered by the City of Sydney and the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.

The second half of the morning will be dedicated to ‘energy efficiency in action’ in which end users and contractors such as AMP Capital and Grosvenor Engineering Group will share their success stories.

Attendance at GreenDay is complementary but registration is required, via http://greenday2017.eventbrite.com. ✺

World News

Joint research on new building code A JOINT RESEARCH PROJECT BETWEEN INDIA AND AUSTRALIA INVOLVING THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY HAS PRODUCED A NEW SET OF GUIDELINES FOR INDIA’S BUILDING CODE THAT AIMS TO REDUCE THE ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF THE SECOND MOST POPULATED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. THE GUIDELINES FOLLOW a four-year collaboration between the University of Sydney’s Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Lab, led by Professor Richard de Dear in the School of Architecture, Design and Planning, the University of Technology Sydney, and CEPT University in Ahmedabad, India.

“India’s population of more than 1.3 billion continues to grow and is expected to overtake China’s by 2022. The scale of building being undertaken makes Australia’s construction industry look miniscule by comparison,” commented Professor de Dear.

“Given the rate of building currently happening in India, we need to ensure we don’t end up with more air conditioned cities like Dubai.

The guidelines that have been developed will ensure that air con is not the only solution for controlling India’s indoor climate,” he said.

The research project that began in 2012 aimed to provide the metrics that would shape a national standard for air conditioning, heating and mechanical ventilation in the building code suited to India’s climate.

The research included exhaustive field work in five cities representing the Indian subcontinent’s major climate zones.

Tens of thousands of interviews with building occupants, accompanied by detailed instrumental indoor and outdoor environmental measurements were used to define specifications for commercial buildings in India.

The guidelines identify where natural ventilation is more suitable for human comfort than air conditioning alone. “It makes a strong case for natural ventilation rather than simply installing air con, which will clearly have an enormous impact on reducing energy consumption

Professor Richard de Dear.

and greenhouse gas emissions from India’s commercial building sector long term,” said Professor de Dear.

The idea for the project in India came as a result of Professor de Dear’s work in the 1990s with colleagues from the University of California at Berkeley. The US-funded project led to a new set of global indoor comfort guidelines – Standard 55-2004 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy - for ASHRAE (the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers), which is referenced by countless national building codes around the world, including in Australia.

“India is so large, so climatically diverse, populous and culturally unique, therefore a bespoke building guideline that was specific to the subcontinent was deemed a more appropriate strategy,” added Professor de Dear.

ASHRAE remains committed to Paris agreement THE AMERICAN SOCIETY of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has issued a formal statement reiterating its commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement in the wake of the US Government's decision to withdraw from the 2015 accord.

ASHRAE president, Tim Wentz, said the organisation is commited to accelerating the

LEFT TO RIGHT: ASHRAE president, Tim Wentz, said its 57,000 members are committed to sustainability; US President, Donald Trump, withdraws support for the 2015 accord.

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transformation to a more sustainable world.

“ASHRAE is a global society of 57,000 dedicated professionals in more than 130 countries, committed to reducing the environmental impact of buildings by making them more energy efficient,” he said.

“Our mission will not waiver as geopolitical tides rise and fall.

“Now, more than ever, ASHRAE affirms its mission to advance the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world.”

ASHRAE recently announced a substantial

$1.3 million investment in researching alternative low global warming potential refrigerants.

“ASHRAE’s work is based on research and science,” Wentz said. “The society will continue to establish best practice standards for the design and operation of buildings that have lower environmental impacts and concurrently optimise health and human comfort for occupants.”

“Our society remains dedicated to engineering excellence in environmental stewardship.

In fact, the recent Paris Accord announcement makes the critical role of ASHRAE members in reducing the environmental impact of buildings more important than ever before.”

The United Nations Paris Climate Agreement sets out a global action plan to put the world on track to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting global warming to well below 2°C. ✺

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In Focus

Focus of Legionnaires outbreak misdirected

COOLCLEAN MANAGING DIRECTOR, DARREN DRISCOLL, EXPLAINS WHY INDUSTRY SHOULD STOP TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE FIVE CONFIRMED CASES OF LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE THAT WERE RECENTLY DISCOVERED IN THE MELBOURNE CBD.

FOCUSING ON THE source of the recent outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease in the Melbourne CBD shouldn't be the main focus for industry.

It is very unlikely that the source of the outbreak will be confirmed, as all cooling towers in the suspect area were immediately disinfected to kill off any bacteria.

The onus is on the industry to look after cooling towers correctly to help prevent future outbreaks. That should be the focus.

Because it is a safety issue the emphasis should be on doing everything possible to protect the public.

At present, water treatment is the main focus in relation to managing Legionella. How the cooling tower performs mechanically tends to be overlooked.

Insufficient mechanical maintenance can lead to higher bacteria levels and the increased possibility of outbreaks.

There should be two lines of defence against Legionella – the first is water treatment while the second should be mechanical.

Components such as the fill pack, water distribution system, fan drives, air intake louvres and, most importantly, drift elimina-

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

tors, require maintenance.

Drift eliminators are the most critical component in a cooling tower relating to health and safety. If water treatment fails on a site, which is what happened, then industry should ensure that drift eliminators are working properly to help protect the public.

If water treatment fails, drift eliminators are the last line of defence against Legionella, because they prevent bacteria escaping the cooling tower via the force of the fan. Each droplet of ‘drift’ has the potential to hold many Legionella bacteria and can be inhaled by persons within a two kilometre radius.

DRIFT REDUCTION Current Victorian government regulations do not include a procedure for ‘cleaning’ a cooling tower – therefore there is no legal obligation to remove, inspect or clean drift eliminators. In our experience within Victoria, if drift eliminators are enclosed behind an access hatch or are difficult to access, seven times out of 10, they are not maintained regularly, if at all.

It is also important to correctly maintain other mechanical components such as fill

pack, water distribution system, air intake louvres and fan drives, as all these components have an impact on drift loss and on the water treatment program Coolclean’s approach to cooling tower cleaning, inspection and repair is thorough.

While Coolclean has been committed to safety and performance over the past 28 years, when it comes to the wider industry we've noticed a drop in maintenance standards.

When we began no one specialised in cooling tower cleaning and maintenance. Most cooling tower basins were simply flushed out by site personnel when they were absolutely filthy – we named them ‘the basin flushers’.

We believe that 28 years later, the ‘basin flushers’ are making a strong comeback in a bid to reduce costs. Now, some sites are even going back to using untrained personnel to carry out cooling tower cleaning work.

We challenge the industry to show that they are inspecting and cleaning cooling towers correctly, by taking photos of the access hatches open and the drift eliminators out while they are removed for cleaning. This is what Coolclean does as standard practice.

Industry is often dealing with the past when responding to an incident.

In the Melbourne case all five people would have contracted Legionella five to seven days before they presented to a doctor/hospital.

Finding the offending cooling tower is a near impossible task as so much would have changed in the cooling tower during that period of time.

Immediately on discovering the outbreak, the Health Department investigates and narrows the search to a suspect area. All cooling towers in that area are then disinfected.

This approach results in all the cooling towers being rendered safe in the area, giving the Health Department time to investigate the outbreak without placing further people at risk.

Combining water treatment together with correct mechanical maintenance provides the best means of Legionella prevention.

The best solution is to destroy the bacteria with water treatment and control the spread of Legionella with well-maintained drift eliminators among other cooling tower components. ✺

LEFT: Coolclean managing director, Darren Driscoll.

MAIN: The onus is on industry to ensure maintenance is undertaken at all times.

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Industry Update

Securing supply during heatwaves PRESIDENT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (AREMA), MARK PADWICK, EXPLAINS HOW INDUSTRY AND GOVERNMENT NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT AUSTRALIA'S ELECTRICITY SUPPLY.

Dozens of temperature records were smashed this past summer.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

AS EVERYONE WHO works in the air conditioning and refrigeration industry in NSW and Queensland knows, this past summer was brutally hot. The heatwave that covered much of Eastern Australia was historic, with our nation officially recognised as one of the hottest places on the globe, and dozens of temperature records smashed. It is little wonder everyone and everything was at breaking point – including the electricity grid. The media reported on the potential for the grid to collapse and linked this danger directly to the use of air conditioners. Air conditioning and refrigeration does use large amounts of electricity. Annually, about 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity production is needed to power this sector. On very hot days it is responsible for almost all of the increased load.

This analysis overlooks an area of tremendous achievement that worked successfully in the background over this summer – and years past to safeguard Australia’s electricity system. Over the past 20 years, Federal Governments of all persuasions have worked closely with industry to mandate improved energy efficiency of air conditioners. These efforts have been phenomenally successful. According to the Department of Environment and Energy, air conditioners today are 60 per cent more efficient than they were 20 years ago, with two-thirds of that improvement coming in the last decade. Why didn’t the grid collapse across NSW and Queensland in February? Well air conditioners kept people cool with quiet efficiency. Imagine if all of the air conditioners across the country were 10, 20 or 30 per cent less efficient than they are today. There is simply no way that there would have been either sufficient electrical generation, or the transmission and distribution systems, necessary to deliver that massively increased load. The fact that many of us stayed cool, and for the most part the air conditioners stayed on, is due directly to the successful partnership of government and industry. However, the news is not all good looking forward.

Many improvements to these types of equipment have now been made – and there are real and practical limits to what future technical improvements are available, particularly at a reasonable cost. Indeed in its recent work to set new standards for air conditioners, the Department of Environment and Energy noted that in some places further improvements are either not available nor cost effective. Industry is waiting for energy efficiency levels to be agreed so we can get on with the job. While more improvements will be found, the rate of improvement for the equipment cannot continue as it

Industry Update

has over the last 20 years. If this piece were about light bulbs, our story would end now without a silver lining. Light bulbs pretty much give you a certain number of lumens while using a particular number of watts and costing a specific number of dollars. Pretty much you get what you pay for. The same is not true with air conditioning. Sure, there is an estimated amount of cooling for a certain amount of energy, but many people never get what was promised on the box or by the salesman. Instead the equipment sold is not right for the job and never can meet the demands of a hot day.

Or, the installation is poorly done and the cold air leaves the room in a whoosh when the door is opened. Or, the equipment is not adequately maintained and fans and coils are covered with gunk reducing efficiencies and making the machine work harder to try and compensate. While Australian industry does not have solid data on how often these incidents occur, or what the specific consequences are, the anecdotal evidence is that they happen far too often. Some preliminary US data suggests that about 40 per cent of all equipment suffers

LEFT: Sanden Australia managing director and AREMA president, Mark Padwick.

RIGHT: Air conditioners and refrigeration use about 20 per cent of Australia’s electricity production.

from one of these failings and that the efficiency cost can be 20 per cent or more for each instance. Industry is already addressing these challenges. AREMA, partnered with AMCA and the ARBS Foundation, is providing thousands of dollars in scholarships to ensure we have the trained workforce available to address these issues. But it is not enough. Governments need to work with industry to change their gaze from just looking at efficiency at point of sale to helping ensure that, for our consum-

ers, our air conditioning systems deliver what is promised and that the electrical demands in future heatwaves are met. If we do deliver on this opportunity then there is a very real chance that we will be able respond to the heat waves of the future in comfort and without disrupting supply. ✺

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In Focus

RAC professionals needed as mentors LEFT: Participation in year 12 mathematics is still declining with science at its lowest point in 20 years.

AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN'S CHARITY, THE SMITH FAMILY, HAS LAUNCHED A PROGRAM TO ENCOURAGE CAREERS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) INCLUDING REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING.

THE ITRACK ONLINE mentoring program encourages RAC professionals to be mentors for high school students in years nine to 11.

Students are matched with a supportive adult (other than a teacher or parent) who volunteer to provide students with encouragement and advice and guidance about workplace, study and career opportunities.

Smith Family media advisor, Cathryn Mora, said mentoring is one of the most effective ways to support and engage disadvantaged young people who may lack role models, resources and networks needed to make in-

formed decisions and maximise opportunities.

“All of the students in the program are passionate about a STEM career but come from disadvantaged backgrounds and are on scholarships which support their schooling expenses,” Mora said.

“None of them have a person in their life to guide their STEM career choice and are in desperate need of a mentor in science, technology, engineering, maths, agriculture and environment.”

A lack of interest by Australian students in STEM studies has led to a shortage in graduates to fill STEM related positions.

According to the findings of a University of Newcastle study participation in year 12, mathematics is still declining with science at its lowest point in 20 years.

Take into account the gender gap and the situation is even worse.

The Office of the Chief Scientist released a report that found just 16 per cent of the 2.3 million STEM-qualified Australians are female.

It also found a significant pay gap between men and women in the sector that cannot be explained by women taking time out to have babies.

This is why it is crucial to support students with an interest in STEM careers while they are still in high school. ✺

DO YOU WANT TO LEAVE A LEGACY? You don’t need to be a millionaire, celebrity or CEO to leave a legacy for future generations. If you are in the HVACR industry, you can guide and nurture Australia’s future STEM professionals by becoming a mentor.

Despite the media hype that students are showing a lack of interest in STEM careers, there are scores of aspiring engineers, technicians and mechanics across the country who are looking for mentors just like you.

Many of these students are sponsored by Kristie (only first names are used in the program) is an official iTrack mentor.

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children’s education charity, The Smith Family, and come from disadvantaged backgrounds where they do not have access to a person in their life to guide their STEM career choice – including science, technology, engineering, maths, refrigeration and air conditioning.

Through the online mentoring program – iTrack – high school students in years nine to 11 are matched with a supportive adult (anywhere in Australia) who volunteers as a mentor, providing the student with general encouragement, as well as advice and guidance about workplace, study and career opportunities. Students and mentors communicate online over an 18-week period for only one hour per week.

What will you get out of it? Mentoring is one of the most effective ways to support

and engage disadvantaged young people who may lack role models, resources and networks needed to make informed decisions and maximise opportunities. Mentors report the immense satisfaction they get from witnessing their mentee’s progress towards their chosen career and knowing they helped make that happen.

As an online mentor through iTrack, you will provide essential support and guidance to high school students as they prepare for life after school. Career choices are a big decision – and by volunteering as a mentor, you could be the inspiration for a young person following their career dreams. Now that is leaving a legacy.

For more information, visit www.thesmithfamily.com.au/itrack.

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ARC plans to develop blueprint

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AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION COUNCIL (ARC) CEO, GLENN EVANS, TALKS EXCLUSIVELY TO CCN ABOUT THE ORGANISATION’S IMMEDIATE PLANS AND HOW THE COUNCIL WILL ACCOMMODATE AUSTRALIA’S HFC PHASEDOWN WHICH OFFICIALLY BEGINS ON JANUARY 1, 2018.

ARC CEO, Glenn Evans.

C

CN: WHAT ARE ARC’S PLANS FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE? EVANS: The ARCTick scheme regulates gases which are ozone depleting and synthetic greenhouse gases. Due to Government policy, over time the import and use of these gases will be phaseddown, to be replaced by natural and low global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants with little, or no impact on the environment. However,

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this change is expected to happen over time so regulations on the use, purchase and sale of synthetic refrigerants will need to continue for the foreseeable future.

ARC’s role as the industry’s peak body and national licensing authority, a role that is critical to establishing and maintaining a qualified and professional industry workforce, means we are currently implementing a strategy which incorporates a national, skills based, voluntary accreditation scheme to cov-

er natural and low GWP refrigerants. The accreditation scheme is intended to further upskill the industry so that technicians can operate safely and assist in the adoption of new technologies.

CCN: HOW WILL THE HFC PHASEDOWN IMPACT INDUSTRY? EVANS: Synthetic refrigerants have been the industry standard refrigerant for over 30 years. The market is slowly evolving to natural and low GWP refrigerants, however synthetic refrigerants are likely to remain the bulk of the refrigerant market for a number of years. Natural and low GWP refrigerants will present significant changes to the tools, working practices, component standards, workplace safety considerations and training for the industry.

While these refrigerants have little, to no impact on the environment if emitted, they have their own challenges such as their flammability, toxicity and high operating pressures. If emitted synthetic refrigerants are environmentally dam-

Licensing

WHAT IS THE AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION COUNCIL (ARC)?

The Australian Refrigeration Council Ltd (ARC) is the peak body for the refrigeration and air conditioning industry in Australia, servicing over 85,000 individuals and businesses.

Primarily, the ARC administers a refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) licence scheme (ARCTick), on behalf of the Australian Government. This is a national, skills-based licence scheme which has been in place since 2005.

The scheme operates under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and covers refrigerants that are ozone depleting and synthetic greenhouse gases. These gases make up approximately 90 per cent of the market. With a low likelihood of businesses in the industry only using the remaining 10 per cent of gases (natural and alternative refrigerants), it is fair to say the ARCTick scheme covers over 95 per cent of the industry.

In addition, the ARC provides leadership, value and knowledge to refrigeration and air

aging, however the ARCTick scheme is in place to limit any emissions.

CCN: HOW WILL A NATIONALLY CONSISTENT LICENSE BASED ON REFRIGERANTS ACTUALLY WORK? EVANS: Australia already has a nationally consistent licence based on refrigerants which has been in place since 2005. It serves a number of vital functions for the industry: Ensures only qualified and professional technicians can handle refrigerant Ensures only authorised businesses can purchase, store and sell refrigerant Any ongoing non-compliance can be dealt with by non-renewal. No authorisation, means no refrigerant purchase. This effectively means RAC businesses cannot operate if they are not doing the right thing.

There are similar successful schemes around the world such as the UK F Gas scheme and the Netherlands schemes.

The ARCTick licence scheme has been recognised by COAG who compared the ARCTick

scheme to similar state-based occupational licences and found it to have the greatest net-benefit to industry.

CCN: HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CALLS FOR A SKILLS-BASED LICENCE? EVANS: The ARCTick scheme is a skills based national licence scheme and services over 85,000 licensed businesses and individuals. It is extremely effective and efficient, acknowledged internationally and independently as one of the world’s best (ARHI report 8018 – Review of Refrigerant Management Programs).

The policy driver for the ARCTick scheme is environmental protection, as opposed to State occupational schemes which are Consumer protection, however, as COAG has independently confirmed – there is no difference between the two “on the ground” which was made clear in the ‘Decision Regulation Impact Statement – Proposal for national licencing of the refrigeration and air-conditioning occupations 2013’. COAG found that the ARCTick scheme is the most effective and efficient RAC licensing scheme in Australia.

condition technicians and businesses through: • Licensing, accreditation, regulatory assistance • Technical advice • Preparing technicians for future technologies • Actively promoting training quality • Connecting customers to ARC-licensed businesses • Free promotional materials for ARC-licensed businesses • Helping industry to “build their businesses” through various services and campaigns.

CCN: WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS SO EFFECTIVE? EVANS: The ARCTick scheme is a unique and successful partnership between industry, Government and the ARC, who’s Board and membership is made up of all the mainstream refrigeration and air conditioning associations, Australia-wide.

In addition, one of the key aspects of the validity of any licence scheme is compliance. Last year alone the ARC revoked 74 licences for non-compliance. There currently are 3 State schemes, and to the best of our knowledge combined they have not revoked a single licence CCN: NO SCHEME IS PERFECT. EVANS: The shortfall of the ARCTick licence scheme is that it effectively covers 95 per cent of the market, but it does not cover natural and low GWP refrigerants which will grow over time as a percentage of the market. However the ARC is putting in place a voluntary accreditation scheme to cover these refrigerants. This scheme will be up and running this year. ✺ CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

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Licensing

National licensing will increase trade competency THE AUSTRALIAN REFRIGERATION MECHANICS ASSOCIATION (ARMA) IS CALLING FOR A NATIONALLY CONSISTENT SKILLS-BASED LICENCE TO ENSURE A HIGHER LEVEL OF TRADE COMPETENCY.

ARMA CEO, KIM Limburg, said the need for skills-based licensing is critical with the introduction of Cert II, proof that the trade needs strengthening.

She said Cert II has created a long list of ongoing problems since it was introduced in 2005.

“Problems include a drop in technical competency within the trade, inefficient and dangerous installations and loss of business for refrigeration mechanics in favour of peripheral trades,” she said.

Former Queensland field officer of the National Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Council (NRAC), Mike Gilmore, agreed and pointed out

that the current licensing scheme does not ensure a base level of trade competency.

“The Cert II split-installers course has corrupted the industry. We have people out in Australia who have done a two-day course calling themselves refrigeration mechanics,” he said ARC has released a report recommending the expansion of Cert II to ensure a more in-depth course with a minimum 360 hours to complete.

“The Cert II requires upgrading both in terms of competencies and the means of how skills are assessed,” according to ARC CEO, Glenn Evans.

“ARC has submitted a report to the Australian Government seeking changes as we have no power to alter it or make changes because it is enshrined in regulations.”

The current licence scheme (ARCTick) operates under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989.

Both the Refrigerant Handling Licence and Refrigerant Trading Authorisation respectively, are intended to help limit the harmful emissions of synthetic refrigerants.

ARMA’s actions propose a change to the current licensing structure, shifting away from what Limburg calls a ‘refrigerant-based’ licence.

ARMA recommends the introduction of an Australia-wide capstone test and practical exam to ensure a base level of technical competency within HVACR industries. ✺ ABOVE: Cert II has led to a drop in technical competency within the trade, according to ARMA.

Be the first to know at Trade Talk 2017 FULL DETAILS OF the naturals accreditation scheme for all RAC license holders, as well as other important licensing initiatives, will be announced at CCN Live on Thursday, August 24, 2017.

LEFT: Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Policy director, Patrick McInerney.

RIGHT: ARC training manager, Noel Munkman

Hear about the new scheme as well as licensing changes first hand at ‘Trade Talk 2017: The Way Forward’ – a half day event to be held at the Masonic Centre in Sydney. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and network with speakers and peers. Australian Refrigeration Council training manager, Noel Munkman, will announce training initiatives including the migration to Cert IV. He will be joined by Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (RACCA) president, Kevin O’Shea, who will present vocational reforms for the HVACR sector while legislative updates will be provided by Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Policy director, Patrick McInerney. Early bird tickets to the event are available through to July 16, 2017 at www.climatecontrolnews.com.au/live. ✺

LAST CHANCE TO NOMINATE The formal judging process for the 2017 HVACR Leadership Awards will begin later this month.

This year CCN will be joined by guest judge Peter Cashel, national dealer and commercial manager at Fujitsu Australia.

Finalists for each category will be announced next month in the August edition of CCN. There are still a few days remaining to nominate go to www.climatecontrolnews. com.au/awards ABOVE: This year’s guest judge is Fujitsu Australia’s Peter Cashel.

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CCN L!VE Trade Talk: The Way Forward will focus on a wide range of real-world issues that will impact you and your business over the next few years. With the aim of equipping you with need-to-know insights and information to strengthen your trade, you’ll be briefed on the latest industry developments in the space of our half-day event.

TOPICS INCLUDE: • The future of training and the migration to Cert IV • Details of the new regulatory regime to be introduced from 2018 • An overview of the HFC phasedown and what it means for your business • An overview of new refrigerants to be introduced over the next decade • Amendments to the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act currently before Parliament

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Heat Exchangers

Rotary gets ready to celebrate 50 years of counterflow innovation ROTARY HEAT EXCHANGERS PTY LTD IS SET TO CELEBRATE ITS SILVER JUBILEE NEXT YEAR, WHEN IT ACHIEVES A LONG STANDING 50 YEAR HISTORY SINCE THE COMPANY WAS CREATED BY THE CSIRO.

TOP: The largest wheel has a 2.7m diameter.

ABOVE: The roating heat exchangers and the company’s CEO, Bill Ellul.

RIGHT: Ringwood Aqua Nation which has 12 Mylar heat wheels in four air handling units.

I

T GREW OUT of a CSIRO research initiative into solar air conditioning in 1968.

The company is the sole Australian manufacturer of rotating heat exchangers, for efficient energy recycling in building air conditioning all year round.

Rotary Heat Exchangers also specialises in indoor pools space heating.

The product features a unique thin 10cm wide rotor, manufactured from Mylar plastic film which forms the porous wheel rotating at a slow 18rpm between the hot and cold air streams in counterflow.

This efficiently recycles thermal energy between the contaminated exhaust building or pool air and the incoming fresh air all year round.

The largest 2.7m diameter wheel has approximately 10km of the thin Mylar 10cm width film spirally wound with less than 1mm spacing between layers, for smooth airflow and high heat transfer and storage.

A recent example of a public aquatic centre benefiting from this technology is the recently completed Ringwood Aquanation in Melbourne, which incorporates 12 Mylar heat wheels in four air handling units constructed by GJ Walker, supplying heated fresh air to the new pool hall.

Another recent project is the 2.7m diameter heat wheel for energy recycling at the new RACV Cape Schanck Resort, currently under construction.

The wheel is being installed inside an air handling unit supplied by Veolia, to condition the new pool hall.

It will supply 7000 l/s fresh and freely heated air by recycling 90 per cent heat from the contaminated exhaust from the pool hall.

The company CEO, Bill Ellul, has led Rotary Heat Exchangers for the past 20 years.

“Our Mylar heat wheels have been recycling thermal energy with a continuous service life that is greater than 25 years,” he said.

“Many continue operating today even after decades of continuous operation, such as Melbourne City Baths and Box Hill Aquarina in Melbourne.

“This results in a low life cycle cost which benefits the user and the environment, providing free energy heat reclaim, ultimately reducing rising energy costs.”

Ellul has improved the wheel's design, upgrading its performance to match today’s high sustainability expectations of building designers and operators.

He has also been developing a novel sustainable low energy use and minimum maintenance, indirect evaporative cooling IEC air conditioning system.

“It will revolutionise low energy cooling and promises to achieve COP performance far greater than conventional systems especially in the high temperature hot season,” Ellul said.

“These units promise to reduce electrical energy usage and maximise electricity demand on those extreme hot summer days. We expect to be in the market by next summer."

Way back in 1968, Ellul said the company was one of the first in Australia to introduce a rotating counterflow heat exchanger for higher energy recycling compared to the standard fixed heat exchanger commonly used in the industry.

“Today most consultants recognise the advantages of a rotating heat exchanger which is why their use worldwide has skyrocketed,” he said. ✺ Visit www.rotaryheat.com or email bill@ecopower.com.au.

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Heat Exchangers

Competition heats up along with global demand THE GLOBAL HEAT exchanger market has never been more competitive with all of the major players focusing on growth in 2017.

While the heat exchanger market is spread across a wide range of end-use industries, the biggest area of growth is HVACR, according to research from ReportsnReports.com.

And one region that is leading the charge is Asia Pacific.

“Rising demand from the Asia Pacific is a major driver of growth in the global heat exchanger market which will reach $19.14 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR of 8.2 per cent,” the research report said.

“The high growth is attributed to the growing building and construction industry and increased government investments in infrastructure projects resulting in installation of HVACR systems.”

One of the biggest news in the market during 2016 was the announcement that Danfoss acquired Sondex Holding, a Danish heat transfer technology provider.

The acquisition is a good match for Danfoss, according to the company’s president and

CEO, Niels Christiansen.

“Sondex is a well-performing company with a second-to-none heat exchanger expertise, which perfectly fits our ambition to further strengthen our position within heat transfer solutions,” he said.

“By joining forces we are able to offer a broader, even more competitive and innovative product and service portfolio within heat transfer to benefit our customers.”

Meanwhile, the Modine Manufacturing Company completed its acquisition of Luvata Heat Transfer Solutions (HTS). The purchase price was approximately $418 million.

Luvata HTS is a leading manufacturer of commercial and industrial coils, coolers and related products for the HVACR market.

Luvata HTS’s product offering covers a broad range of heat exchanger coils and commercial refrigeration and industrial coolers, comple-

mented by anti-corrosion coating solutions.

“The combination of Modine and Luvata HTS provides a complete product portfolio as well as agile manufacturing capabilities across the globe, all of which will allow superior response to customer needs,” the company said in a statement.

On a related note, ReportsnReports.com also released research entitled Plate and Frame Heat Exchangers Market Trends and Forecast to 2020.

The report estimates the plate and frame heat exchangers market size is estimated to grow $7.3 billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 9.3 per cent from 2015 to 2020.

While Europe is the biggest market for plate and frame heat exchangers, Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market. ✺

ABOVE: Danfoss CEO, Niels Christiansen.

Airefrig Australia stocks Bitzer nationally AIREFRIG AUSTRALIA AND Bitzer Australia continue to strengthen their long-standing business relationship, with all Airefrig branches offering large stock holdings of Bitzer and Buffalo products nationally.

Buffalo Trident heat exchange and spare parts and the complete range of Bitzer oil and spares for Bitzer compressors are all available.

All Airefrig branches in all states also hold the full range of Ecoline compressors, CO2 compressors and CSH screw compressors. Airefrig has Bitzer two, four, six and eight-cylinder models in stock.

This now offers a lot more choice to Bitzer customers with the ability to source their spare parts or compressors with the option for same-day collection or delivery via the national network of Airefrig branches.

The resulting benefit for Bitzer customers is the constant availability of Bitzer and Buffalo products nationally.

Airefrig Australia has been a major stockist for all Bitzer Australia product for the past 30 years and is proud to continue to offer this ex-stock to Bitzer Australia customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. ✺ For information contact your local Airefrig branch on 1800 671 500.

All Airefrig branches carry large stock holdings of Bitzer and Buffalo products.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

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Heat Exchanger Feature

Energy supply from solar to steam KELVION PRESENTED HEAT exchangers for energy supply in solar thermal power plants at the Power-Gen Europe and Renewable Energy World conference in Europe last month.

The company showcased performance-enhancing solutions for steam power plants. For example, feed-water preheaters and condensing systems such as surface condensers and air cooled condensers.

These condensing systems are designed to recover the exhaust steam from its vapour to its liquid state at certain under atmospheric pressure, and also to remove non-condensable gases present in the steam cycle. These solutions achieve optimal energy yield and maximum efficiency.

Kelvion manufactures customised package solu-

SWEP wins Bishopsgate deal

tions for each particular customer’s needs including thermal and mechanical design, basic and detail engineering, procurement, manufacturing, testing, delivery and commissioning of turbine exhaust steam condensing units. Their materials are selected depending on the environment. The standard supply includes condenser (surface condenser or air cooled condenser), steam duct (including compensator), steam dump connection, flash tank, vacuum unit system, as well as pressure-safety devices (rupture disc and relief valve). The complete solution likewise encompasses the condensate pump system, the control system, and a pipe-cleaning system (only for surface condensers). In addition, the Kelvion product portfolio includes heat exchangers for heat recovery from exhaust gas or steam, and for supply of district heat from cogeneration plants.

Solutions for fuel or air preheating, as well as for cooling of generators and transformers, are also part of the Kelvion offering of products.✺ ABOVE: From the Kelvion product portfolio.

LEFT: Power-Gen Europe was held in Cologne, Germany from June 27-29, 2017.

Liquid cooling line of products ADVANCED THERMAL SOLUTIONS (ATS) has just released its new line of tube-to-fin, liquid-to-air heat exchangers, one of an array of liquid cooling products that ATS offers.

ATS heat exchangers are made with the industry’s highest density fins to maximise heat transfer from liquid to air, allowing the liquid to be cooled to lower temperatures.

The heat exchanger fins and tubes are made of copper and stainless steel and are suitable for a variety of fluids, including water, dielectric fluids and custom designed heat transfer fluids. Each of the seven heat exchanger sizes is available with or without a fan.

A heat exchanger is a device that allows heat from a fluid (either a liq-

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uid or a gas) to pass to another liquid or gas without the two fluids having to mix or come into direct contact.

ATS offers 49 options of heat exchangers to meet a variety of needs. Lengths range from 5.821.9 inches, widths from 5.8-14 inches, and heights from 1.8-2.6 inches. Tube diameters are available at 0.375 and 0.5 inches.

The heat exchangers have silver-solder brazed joints and have been internally cleaned and externally coated for corrosion protection. ATS has pressure tested the heat exchangers and can customise them for different fans.

They have heat transfer capacities up to 250W per 1°C difference between the inlet liquid and the inlet air temperatures. ✺

HEAT EXCHANGER SPECIALIST SWEP has won the contract to supply compact brazed plate heat exchangers (BPHEs) to the 100 Bishopsgate project in the heart of London.

Consultants Hilson Moran have designed the project, which will see 64 BPHEs supplied to the 40 storey tower (950,000 ft2) Brookfield Development building which will provide the best in class office and retail accommodation.

The BPHEs will help ensure comfortable heating and cooling conditions for occupants and visitors.

SWEP will supply its B649 BPHE model, a gasket-free heat exchanger that can handle up to 10MW. Third party performance testing to verify the heat transfer performance was carried out by the German company DMT GmbH & Co. KG, Plant and Product Assessment Division, with B649 performing well beyond minimum performance requirements.

The $685 million project is currently under construction. ✺ ABOVE: 100 Bishopsgate which is located in the heart of London.

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Processors lead the way with

plate freezing technology RED MEAT PROCESSORS ARE INVESTING IN LARGE-SCALE PLATE FREEZING TECHNOLOGY TO ENSURE AUSTRALIA MAINTAINS ITS REPUTATION AS THE WORLD'S BEST EXPORTER OF BEEF.

C

ABOVE: The first prototype of the technology was designed by Milmeq founder Klaus Visser (pictured here) at CCN Live 2015.

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OSTING UP TO $10 million each, refrigeration company Milmeq has installed 190 plate freezers in Australia, the majority in meat processing plants.

The Australian beef industry’s heavy orientation towards export is one reason why plate freezers have been adopted so widely in red meat processing over the past few years.

In 2016, more than 70 per cent of all beef produced in Australia went into export markets.

In contrast, adoption of large-scale plate freezers in competing beef-producing countries overseas has been remarkably low. In the US, for example, about 90 per cent of beef is consumed domestically, and US exports tend to be in higher-end chilled product. This removes some of the need for plate freezer infrastructure.

One factor that has clearly sparked Australia’s recent massive investment in plate freezers is processor profitability. The high

margins enjoyed by processors during 2014– 15 — when slaughter cattle were cheap and abundant due to drought conditions and international beef demand exploded with the arrival of new markets like China — has been a big driver in investment.

As bad as conditions are currently for processors, those high-profit years provided a ‘piggy bank’ which is now being re-invested in expensive plant infrastructure like plate freezers to try to stay ahead of international export competition.

Brendan Dever, Milmeq’s business development specialist, has seen a lot of changes in processing since working on the first plate freezer installation in 1986. He agrees that profitability had sparked the rush of installations seen in recent years.

“We saw a real drought in orders for plate freezing systems between around 2009 and 2013,” he said.

So what makes this technology so special?

In an insulated room, large banks of horizontal freezing plates are positioned within a steel frame. Liquid ammonia circulates through the movable plates, enabling them to rapidly and efficiently cool cartons of meat by transferring heat by conduction from the product to the evaporator. Up to 40 levels of plates, called stations, stacked up to 20 metres

Cool Rooms

LEFT: In 2016, more than 70 per cent of all beef produced in Australia went into export markets.

RIGHT: Plate freezers in use at Fletcher’s in Dubbo, NSW. BELOW: Milmeq’s plate freezer technology.

high, are included in some systems.

Plate freezers replace conventional blast freezing tunnels, which are simply insulated coldrooms circulating fan-forced cold air.

While smaller plate freezing systems have been in use worldwide for decades, they were limited to freezing thin carton blocks, no deeper than 75mm, typically used for seafood.

It was the Australian development of socalled large-scale plate freezers that allowed typical 27kg meat cartons up to 175mm deep to be handled that was the catalyst for adoption in beef plants.

“ESSENTIALLY, QUICKER COOLING TIME MEANS LESS CHANCE FOR BACTERIAL DEVELOPMENT.”

- MILMEQ SPECIALIST, BRENDAN DEVER.

The first prototype designed by Milmeq founder Klaus Visser was installed at Tancreds Meatworks at Beaudesert in 1985, under a Federal Government-backed project designed to deliver greater efficiencies and productivity in red meat processing. The old CSIRO Meat Research Laboratory at Cannon Hill was also heavily involved.

While the original designs were small, manually loaded set-ups handing only 100–200 cartons at a time, modern automatically load-

ed and unloaded systems range anywhere up to 3000 cartons in capacity. Sometimes multiple systems are installed in the same plant.

New innovations, including single-station opening, are providing further attractions for smaller-scale plants and more efficient use.

Installation of a modern plate freezer facility can cost more than $10 million for the largest applications, including the insulated building itself and automated loading and unloading. But Milmeq says it also does a lot of installations in smaller factories in the $1–$4 million range.

Installation costs are high but there are a host of advantages once it is in operation.

BETTER PRESENTATION Cartons handled in a conventional blast freezer can distort and ‘bow’ as the product freezes and expands. This can create problems with stacking and pallet stability, and can compromise the total volume of beef that can be loaded into a shipping container.

Cartons frozen in a plate freezer remain absolutely square, like bricks, because of the flatsided plate compression from both sides. Some processors claim they can load an additional 1.5 tonnes of plate-frozen product into a 20foot export container because of better carton shape. Equally at the other end, the product opens up and transports much better.

SHORTER FREEZING CYCLES A typical conventional air-blast freezer will

take 48 hours to fully freeze a load of 27kg meat cartons, meaning twice as much capacity is needed to freeze each day’s kill. In contrast, much more efficient plate freezers work on a 24hour freezing cycle (many complete the job in 16–20 hours), meaning only half as much capacity is needed for each day’s kill. That, in turn, provides an inventory saving, meaning the processor needs to ‘own’ one day’s less production between slaughtering and market.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY In round numbers, a typical plate freezer installation will use about 90kW of electricity to freeze one tonne of meat. Compare that with even the most modern air-blast style freezers which use about 125 kW/t and it represents an energy saving of around 30 per cent.

FOOD SAFETY, MEAT QUALITY More rapid, even freezing produces a better quality product when thawed and, especially in items like offals, has significant food safety implications. Essentially, quicker cooling time means less chance for bacterial development.

There’s been massive investment made in plate freezing technology across the Australian meat processing industry over the past few years, providing our exports with a strong point of difference in performance in international beef markets. ✺ Information sourced from www.beefcentral.com and Milmeq website.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

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Cool Rooms

Aqua delivers big savings

The unit is ideal for walk-in coolers in restaurants or multi-unit buildings.

THE INVENTS COMPANY is currently developing an invention known as the Agua Cool, which is a specially designed unit that utilises an exchange system between one water coil placed inside a freezer and a second coil in the room to be cooled.

This product is designed to provide an efficient means of cooling or heating areas with up to a 95 per cent reduction in energy consumption.

Unique in design, this technology is intended for multi-unit buildings, allowing over 100 units to be fed by a single Agua Cool unit. Additionally, it can be added to existing A/C units and implemented in walk-in coolers in restaurants and other establishments.

The basic components of the Agua Cool are circulation pump, circuit board, by-pass valve, blower assembly, and thermostat.

Importantly, the installation of the exchange coil is vital to the overall design of the unit and enables the device to rapidly bring a room temperature from sweltering to under 70 degrees

quickly, efficiently and with low energy output.

The Agua Cool can be incorporated into the design of P-Tac units, splits and package HVAC units, city multi and central air conditioning units. This energy efficient concept can also be incorporated into the design of walk-in refrigeration and freezer cooler systems and make the Agua Cool ideal for use in restaurants and similar food service establishments. It can also be added to all existing units, saving customers money without high replacement costs.

The Agua Cool eliminates the use of numerous compressors and condensing units. The patent pending Agua Cool was invented by Erwin Sampson and Gustavo Gonzalez.

“This is an enhanced design with fewer electrical and mechanical parts than a conventional air conditioning unit and makes it easier to maintain, service and install,” Gonzalez said. ✺

Details at www.invents.com.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

Building Automation Feature

Best practice guide to

net zero buildings

AUSTRALIA’S PROPERTY SECTOR IS BEING URGED TO USE READILY AVAILABLE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE THE LONG-TERM PROSPECTS FOR THEIR PROPERTIES, IN A BROADER INDUSTRY PUSH TOWARDS NET ZERO CARBON BUILDINGS.

A

NEW REPORT FROM the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and consultants Norman Disney & Young (NDY) identifies 50 best practice initiatives that can be used across a wide variety of new and existing properties.

CEFC property sector lead, Chris Wade, said the property sector was uniquely placed to be a major driver of energy efficiency, lower emissions and increased sustainability in Australia.

“Property accounts for almost a quarter of Australia’s carbon emissions, confirming there is a pressing need for action in this area. Through this report, we are highlighting a wide range of clean energy technologies that currently aren’t prescribed by the National Construction Code,

FUNDING BOOST The CEFC has recently stepped up its investments in property, as part of its Sustainable Cities investment program.

Its substantial investment pipeline includes some 20 potential projects, seeking an estimated $1.5 billion in CEFC finance, towards projects valued at more than $5.5 billion.

This includes committing an additional $180 million in finance to the NAB EEB program, following its overwhelming success in helping businesses transform their energy use.

The new finance means the CEFC has now committed $300 million to the NAB program, which was launched in 2015 with an initial $120 million commitment from the CEFC. The EEB program provides customers with a 0.7 per cent discount on NAB’s standard equipment finance rate for loans for eligible clean energy investments, such as solar PV, building upgrades, lighting upgrades and refrigeration.

CEFC head of portfolio management, Paul Greenop, said the program had already provided finance for more than 1,000 clean energy assets across Australia.

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

but which are proven, readily available and can be deployed immediately,” Wade said.

“Importantly, these clean energy solutions offer property owners the potential to unlock billions of dollars in ongoing energy savings, and deliver positive investment returns. Two thirds of the initiatives have a payback period of less than 10 years, demonstrating the very strong commercial benefits of clean energy.”

The report, Energy in Buildings: 50 Best Practice Initiatives, details clean energy opportunities across a wide range of buildings, from offices, retail and hotels to industrial (e.g. warehouse, manufacturing and logistics), healthcare (e.g. hospitals and laboratories), common living (e.g. aged care and student accommodation) and education.

Building Automation Feature

The practical guide indicates the climate zones where specific initiatives are likely to deliver the most positive benefits, and potential upfront costs and typical payback periods.

NDY global director of sustainability, Tony Arnel, said it is important to recognise that buildings designed now, for completion in two or three years, will enter a market where they will be competing with an increasing volume of higher performance building stock.

“PROPERTY ACCOUNTS FOR ALMOST A QUARTER OF AUSTRALIA’S CARBON EMISSIONS." - CEFC PROPERTY SECTOR LEAD, CHRIS WADE.

“This handbook will help guide investment decision making, drive the uptake of lower carbon and renewable energy solutions, and deliver real savings for asset owners and end users,” he said.

The peak body for sustainability in the built environment, the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), is supporting a push towards zero carbon buildings by 2050. It has reported that cost effective energy efficiency and fuel switching in buildings can more than halve their projected 2050 carbon emissions, with the use of distributed solar PV able to eliminate the remaining emissions.

The report includes a number of familiar technologies, such as solar PV, LED lighting and improved heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Other best practice initiatives measures include: 1. Light colour and ref lective external materials, which typically cost less than 0.1 per cent of the building’s cost to implement and pay back in less than five years.

2. Data analytics for building management systems in existing buildings, which typically cost less than 0.3 per cent of the building’s cost and have an investment payback period of less than five years.

3. Electronically commutated fans, using microprocessor-controlled brushless motors, which also typically cost less than 0.3 per cent of the building’s cost to implement and pay back in less than five years. ✺

Using the power factor and BMS analytics THE USE OF sub-metering systems connected to a Building Management System (BMS) is just one of the best practice tips identified in the 'Energy in Buildings' handbook.

It also encourages the use of BMS analytics to proactively identify inefficiencies and ensure controls are optimised. Here are five initiatives from the handbook.

FLEXIBLE LIGHTING ZONES AND USER CONTROL Addressable lighting control systems, such as Digital Addressable Lighting Interface (DALI), provide the ability to link any individual light to any particular switch or sensor, all without altering any physical connections. This allows the grouping of lights to be easily reconfigured - for example when desks are rearranged in an office. It also enables separate lighting ‘scenes’ to be setup where a space is used for a number of different purposes. Some control systems allow people to change the brightness of an individual light using their smartphone. Using only the lights needed results in less energy use.

POWER FACTOR CORRECTION Large buildings are often charged not just for how much electricity they use, but also for their peak demand – the peak power drawn from the grid at any time. In many locations this is based on ‘apparent power’ (measured as kVA, where lower is better).

For buildings that have a poor 'power factor’ during peak periods, ‘power factor correction’ equipment can be installed which reduces the apparent power drawn from the grid, thereby saving money. The main causes of poor power factor tend to be AC motors (including pumps, fans and appliances) and some switched-mode power supplies for computer equipment.

DEMAND CONTROLLED VENTILATION Outside air is pushed into buildings by ventilation systems to dilute the carbon dioxide, odours and other chemicals produced by the people and materials inside. In conventional systems the amount of outside air does not vary. Demand controlled ventilation uses sensors to identify when the air in a space is fresh enough and turns down ventilation systems, saving energy. Carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors are common, but volatile organic compound (VOC) sensors can be used instead. Sensor placement needs to be carefully considered during design and re-calibration of the sensors is important during operation.

IN-SLAB HEATING AND COOLING In-slab heating and cooling systems pump hot or chilled water through pipes to affect the temperature of the surrounding concrete and provide localised heating or air conditioning (or influence the temperature of the thermal mass). Pipes are either cast into the concrete slab, or laid on top and covered with a screed. Tall spaces are ideal candidates - the temperature above people’s heads can be allowed to fluctuate, which reduces heating and air conditioning energy. ‘Zoning’ of the system into a number of smaller areas should be considered to help compensate for relatively slow warm-up and cool-down times.

SOLAR HOT WATER Solar hot water systems collect heat from direct sun, usually for domestic hot water purposes reducing the requirement for gas or electricity. In ‘flat plate’ systems, water flows through a darkcoloured panel. In ‘evacuated tube’ systems, a liquid flows through dark-coloured doublewalled glass cylinders, then transfers the heat to water in a storage tank. Evacuated tube type systems are more thermally efficient,✺

Download the report: http://www.ndy.com/news/ media_releases/new-report-helps-property-sector-move-towards-net-zero-carbon-buildings.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

35

Building Automation

FOR YEARS NOW, INDUSTRY HAS BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT – PROVISIONING OFFICES, STORES, WAREHOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS WITH WIRELESS THERMOSTATS AND SENSORS, HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, AND OTHER ENERGY-CONTROLLING DEVICES.

Intel targets small to medium sized buildings with new platform solution will be under $1,000.

Intel is looking to bring the BMP to market through IT distribution partners, or through contractors that install building HVAC and energy management systems, Godart said.

Buildings consume almost 40 per cent of the total energy consumed worldwide. The need to minimise this number, is a major factor driving the growth of building automation systems.

In addition to internal systems, building management systems are also linked with access control such as access doors controlling and turnstiles that allow access and outlet to the building, and other security systems such as motion detectors and CCTV. Elevators and fire alarm systems are often linked with a building management system for monitoring purposes.

Intel says the solution allows smaller buildings to become smart and connected without high installation costs.

T

HERE’S NOTHING LIKE the equivalent of the ubiquitous home or office Wi-Fi router to connect it all – at least, not until Intel’s Building Management Platform (BMP) came to market.

Over the past 18 months, Intel has been working with a set of software and hardware partners to put together a low-cost, simple-to-use IoT server of sorts. The BMP is meant to be as easy to set up as a wireless router, but equipped with all the legacy protocols required to tap into the world of energy-using “things” in buildings.

Intel said its BMP allows small to medium sized buildings to become smart and connected via a system of sensors that can send data to the cloud or onsite servers. Traditional building management system (BMS) typically serve large buildings and have been out of reach to the lower end of the market due to price.

Intel's general manager of energy solutions, Thierry Godart, said this technology enables a simpler solution for installation, a software-

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CLIMATECONTROLNEWS.COM.AU

as-a-service approach for applications, and a large and diverse ecosystem of hardware and software vendors.

This could be a big deal for companies seeking to bring the latest advances in data collection, advanced analytics and device control to buildings.

Today, these companies have been forced to limit themselves to the largest and most sophisticated buildings, or to modify existing technology to run their applications in the vast majority of buildings that don’t have the latest BMS from big name companies.

This solution is for small to mid-size buildings that want to enable IoT and energy management, but can’t afford a traditional BMS, Godart said. For these buildings, “the barrier to entry was the cost of installation and the fact that, without a certification program and an ecosystem of hardware and software, you were not sure you were getting the best-practice [standard] in usability and security”.

Intel estimates that the upfront cost for its

"THIS IS FOR SMALL TO MID-SIZE BUILDINGS THAT WANT TO ENABLE IOT AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT, BUT CAN’T AFFORD A TRADITIONAL BMS." - INTEL'S GENERAL MANAGER OF ENERGY SOLUTIONS, THIERRY GODART.

The only two factors that have hindered growth is high installation cost and lack of skilled labour.

BMS often covers hardware, software and services, all of which needs to be integrated.

The high cost of switching from a traditional individual BMS is a major restraint but the convergence of IoT and smart buildings is expected to make a huge difference.

According to a report by Zion Market Research into the smart building market which covers building management systems, the global market was valued at $9.3 billion in 2014.

It is expected to reach approximately $48 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of more than 30 per cent between 2015 and 2020. ✺ - with Greentechmedia.com

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Profile

CCN PROFILES LES GATFIELD TO COMMEMORATE HIS 40TH ANNIVERSARY AT AIREFRIG AUSTRALIA.

Celebrating 40 years

of refrigeration and air conditioning

M

OST EMPLOYERS WOULD agree that finding honest, loyal and hardworking employees is priceless.

Bill and Waverley Treby, the owners of Airefrig Australia, are no exception.

Little did they know when they hired Les Gatfield to be a storeman at their company in 1977, he would prove to be all that and more for the next 40 years that followed.

Prior to joining Airefrig, Les worked as a leading hand for Brown Build Industries after a stint in the Australian Navy.

As the storeman at Airefrig, Les joined a team of five people and was involved in stock control and purchasing.

It took less than a year for Les to develop an interest in refrigeration and air conditioning.

He commenced studies at night school to obtain his certificate in refrigeration and air conditioning, while he continued working full-time and raising a young family with his wife Penny.

Les transferred into the office, where he worked in stock control and started assisting Bill in sales. The move to sales saw Les out on the road building the Airefrig customer base and when Airefrig Supplies became the WA distributor for Daikin Australia in 1978, Les was put in charge of the division.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THIS JOB HAS TAKEN ME TO PLACES BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD GO.â&#x20AC;?

- LES HATFIELD.

The Daikin days at Airefrig proved to be highly successful for Les and Airefrig with sales continuing to grow in Western Australia. By 2001 Daikin opened its own office in WA. Airefrig's focus returned to refrigeration and expanding its presence in the eastern states. It was at this time that Les was appointed sales engineer.

When the role of systems and inventory manager opened up in 2004, Les took on this role and became an integral member of the national purchasing team.

As Airefrig developed the Enthalpy range of condensing units, Les assisted in development, diagrams and testing and continues to be a large part of the testing and quality control in the company today.

In his 40-year career at Airefrig Australia, Les has been a member of AREMA, served on the board of RACIRB and for a time he was also the secretary of AIRAH. Les Gatfield talks about four decades of refrigeration.

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Profile

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF AIREFRIG? I had decided I didn’t want to work for a big company, so when I got the position at Airefrig I was happy that I had found a job with a small family business. I immediately enjoyed the work and the people I worked with.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU SINCE YOU STARTED? Starting at Airefrig is the best thing that happened. A highlight would be earning the role of running the Daikin division and the places that it took me has been amazing. I think that taking on the Daikin distributorship was also the best thing for the company. It encouraged and showed Airefrig how big they could be and was a large learning curve in how to manage larger scale accounts. It lead to growth in so many other areas.

WHY HAVE YOU STAYED 40 YEARS? It’s been so interesting and a lot of fun. Especially in the early years. It’s taken me to places both physically and mentally that I never thought that I could

go. I didn’t know that I had it in me to do all that I have, but at every turn I have always given as much as I could and given to Airefrig the best I could.

I will be forever grateful for the friends and associates that working with Airefrig has brought me over these years, many of whom are still in my life.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE TO THE INDUSTRY SINCE YOU STARTED? The ongoing changes to refrigerants and the global decision to phase out HCFCs and CFCs. The impact that these changes have made to refrigeration and the application of refrigerants has been the biggest change.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST CHANGES TO COME? The changeover to alternative refrigerants. Because the changes relating to refrigerants are ongoing this is still the biggest change for the future.

HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS? It’s different for everyone. But being happy with whatever you’ve achieved personally in your life is a measure of your success, and I’m happy. ✺

Les Gatfield joined Airefrig Australia in 1977.

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CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

39

Meet the Team WELCOME TO MEET THE TEAM, A NEW SECTION DEDICATED TO SHOWCASING HVACR TALENT. MEET INDUSTRY PEERS AND GET A UNIQUE INSIGHT INTO THEIR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

Profiling a talented team of

Airmasters

I

N THIS ISSUE, CCN profiles Airmaster, which provides end-to-end management of heating, ventilation, process cooling, air conditioning and building automation across Australia and South East Asia.

Airmaster manages 3,200 sites around the country, from retail spaces, commercial office buildings, universities, hospitals and hotels.

Clients include Westfield, Jones Lang LaSalle, Qantas, Knight Frank and CBRE. Headquartered in Melbourne, Airmaster has 12 branches across Australia and employs over 660 staff.

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MANAGEMENT SYSTEM COORDINATOR, IRENE WINTER. Meet management system coordinator, Irene Winter, who is responsible for the development, maintenance and improvement of Airmaster’s integrated management system.

This includes planning and completing internal audits, liaison with external interested parties (independent certification bodies, regulatory agencies, clients etc.) on quality, safety

and environmental management matters.

Winter has been working in the HVAC industry for 19 years.

“My industry experience began in 1998 for Envirotech, a controls company, where I started off as a trainee before moving into the office manager role,” she said.

“Siemens Building Technologies bought out Envirotech in 1999 and I was employed there as a Service Administrator.

“I joined Airmaster in 2004 in the position of service controller then moved into the position of office manager for two years before moving into my current role.”

Meet the Team

Winter is qualified as a certified lead auditor in WPHS, ENV and QA systems.

The most rewarding part of the job for Winter is overseeing the assimilation of safety and environmental cognizance into every day work practices by staff, ensuring they return home safely to their families.

She said the most challenging part of the job is educating "attitudes of old" that it’s totally cool to step back to review safe work practices, as well as forward thinking environmental attitudes.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR TEAM? “Simplicity. We strive to develop our systems as simple as possible so they are easily understood and utilised,” Winter said.

“We work well together because we have practical experience and a diverse range of skill sets across the entire team.

“We also share a can-do attitude that keeps us motivated.”

SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOUR TEAM? “We have just developed and started to roll out Incident Investigation training to all branches and our next big project is to develop an online induction process for all employees and contractors.”

CHIEF PRODUCT ARCHITECT - EVALUATE

CCN: TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE? I lead and manage the development of eValuate, an Asset Life Cycle Management System that was built in-house by Airmaster. eValuate currently manages 80,000 assets, across a portfolio of 1,600 sites. Site assets include a vast array of HVAC and other infrastructure.

It’s aim to is provide a means to aid property owners simplify the management of their facility’s assets and assist in capital expenditure planning.

CCN: BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT YOUR INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE? I have been in the HVAC industry for five years, in the service industry for over 12 years. Previously I worked in Business Process Improvement and CRM. I was involved in implementing Salesforce CRM to streamline the service and sales process. My work involved using LEAN and Six Sigma techniques to improve and optimise business processes.

CCN: WHAT IS THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB? MOST CHALLENGING PART? It is rewarding to develop a product that helps

customers streamline asset management and CapEx planning.

This is one of the key differentiators between Airmaster and our competitors and helps us to ensure we are ahead of the pack in helping customers manage their asset life cycle and budgets.

A key challenge is developing a product that meets customers needs but is also simple to use.

CCN: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR TEAM? We’re a small team with a mix of HVAC and IT knowledge and levels of experience ranging from five to 35 years in the industry.

We are aware of each other's expertise and try to leverage this to ensure we are able to deliver in a succinct and timely manner.

CCN: WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW AND WHAT IS YOUR NEXT BIG PROJECT? We are currently in the process of releasing a customer app for eValuate. This will provide visibility of the portfolio across mobile devices. We are also working on a new feature that will let customers know the Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of the various refrigerants that make up the customer's portfolio.

Through eValuate, we will help customers identify assets with high ODP and facilitate a replacement and CapEx plan.

COMMERCIAL MANAGER NATIONAL JLL / ANZ

CCN: WHAT DOES YOUR JOB INVOLVE? I manage a key national account for Airmaster – the ANZ Bank Commercial Portfolio for JLL – this includes overseeing commercial delivery and account development, while ensuring Airmaster continuously meets and exceeds all contractual responsibilities and obligations under the multi services agreement for national and international services delivery.

The ANZ Commercial Portfolio engagement includes delivery across a diverse commercial portfolio in Australia – 16 properties in six states and territories, comprising base building and tenant services in over 210,000m2, including the Gothic and Heritage building at 100 Queen Street, and Melbourne’s Collins Place Tower at 55 Collins Street.

Internationally, my team also delivers change management services for HVAC and electrical maintenance services across seven South East Asia countries, with a further country in plan.

CCN: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY AND WHERE WERE YOU PREVIOUSLY? I have been in the industry and at Airmaster for 17 years. I began in 2000 as a service controller before moving into a maintenance administration role.

In 2003, I relocated to Sydney to establish Airmaster’s NSW branch alongside the branch manager. I was the office manager there for two years before transferring back to Melbourne to help prepare and transition the national ANZ contract.

Since this time, I have grown my family with the arrival of my daughter and have been promoted to my current role.

CCN: MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR JOB? MOST CHALLENGING PART? The most rewarding part is developing and fostering the relationship with the customer, learning and understanding their needs as a result, and bringing innovative ideas to the table while at the same time continually delivering.

The most challenging part is finding the balance between work and family life.

CCN: WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR TEAM? We have all worked together for such a long time now on this particular contract and we are all so passionate to ensure this contract remains a success.

CCN: WHY DO YOU THINK YOU WORK SO WELL TOGETHER? We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses which enables us to all focus on the strengths. The relationships are built on mutual respect and an understanding of each other’s capabilities, skillsets. Great communication is important too, it ensures there is a constant positive vibe within the team.

CCN: WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW AND WHAT IS YOUR NEXT BIG PROJECT? As we continue to explore energy-savings initiatives with both my client and the wider JLL business, we are currently working on a variety of data analytics-based projects formed by the ever-emerging connectivity technology of the Internet of Things and predictive maintenance principles. There is a big opportunity to apply these principles to the HVAC industry, and it is great when we have partners that are willing to explore this with us. ✺

MEET THE TEAM Would you like to see your company and team featured in these pages?

Contact sandravandijk@yaffa.com.au

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

41

New products

The energy storage system was designed and built in Western Australia.

Home grown, all-in-one storage and inverter system AUSTRALIAN ENERGY STORAGE manufacturer Magellan Power has launched a new streamlined all-in-one renewable energy inverter and storage system.

The Home Energy Storage System (HESS) converts renewable energy into useable power and, more importantly stores it, allowing homeowners to benefit from solar power at night.

This, combined with its bi-directional energy manager enabling battery recharge at off-peak hours, allows users to save substantially on their electricity bills.

It is also the first product of its kind to contain everything in one unit. There is no need for additional inverters, making it more affordable and bringing install time of a unit down to approximately one hour.

Designed and built in Western Australia for Australian weather conditions, the 1.3 metre high HESS is made for durability and reliability. It has an innovative in-built cooling system designed to protect the battery from the Australian heat.

Other benefits include an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) function that allows selected essential power loads, such as refrigerators, lights, computers and TVs to remain unaffected in the case of a blackout. The re-designed HESS can still be monitored via smartphone or tablet, be charged from solar panels or the grid, and contains Lithium LG Chem batteries, the most advanced batteries on the market that come with a 10-year warranty.

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Certified coatings for flammable environments THE ECONOMIC IMPACT of corrosion is often exacerbated in harsh climatic environments and in workplaces with heavy traffic wear from operation of large vehicles and equipment.

Excessive moisture, heat and abrasion can accelerate the deterioration of machinery, vehicles and assets. Applying a protective surface coating is one way of minimising or reducing the effect.

One coating material for harsh conditions – including those in a combat zone – supplied by Rhino Linings Australia (RLA) is Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR. While the material has been available for several years, it was only late in 2016 that the fire resistant nature of the product received certification.

RLA's technical manager, Robert Idzes, said the formal certification of Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR has opened up a range of new opportunities for industrial and commercial applications for the product.

The spray-applied pure polyurea is suitable for any application, such as a fuel bund – secondary containment area – that requires a fire resistant surface.

Historically, bunds have been constructed of concrete or brick, but in recent years have been coated with a spray-applied pure polyurea or welded plastic liner to prevent leaks.

“Fire is a potential hazard if a leak does occur,

ABOVE: Fuel bund sealed with Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR to reduce burn rate and contain leaks.

RIGHT: A Chinook helicopter coated with Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR.

especially where fuel, sodium hydroxide, sulphuric acid and other highly flammable materials are stored,” Idzes said.

“The f lame resistant properties of Rhino Extreme 11-50 FR significantly reduces the burn rate allowing safety officers and staff time to extinguish the f lames before major damage is caused to the liner or catastrophic failure occurs.”

It can also be used on vehicles and equipment requiring abrasion, corrosion and impact protection and when applied with a textured finish (R10 dry slip resistant rating) it is ideal for foot traffic areas requiring a non-slip surface.

Mixed in a 1:1 ratio, the material is a twopart, flame retardant, elastomeric polyurea.

The product's flame resistance makes it an ideal coating for numerous applications that require a flammability rating, all the more important as fire regulations become more stringent.

However, due to the range of substrates – metals, wood, concrete, fibreglass, geotextiles and most plastics – to which the Rhino Extreme polyurea can be applied and the numerous flammability ratings, RLA recommends that testing, certification and approval be considered prior to any application of a coating.

RLA assists its dealers in developing best method procedures and practices for chemical handling and machinery used to apply the company's products.

Visit www.rhinolinings.com.au.

New products

Technology supports stable chiller operations at all loads CARRIER UNVEILED ITS new AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller with Greenspeed intelligence for the Australian market last month.

The breakthrough technology is being introduced for the first time and delivers on customer demands for excellent performance, leading efficiency and environmental responsibility. Carrier is part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corporation. Improvements in compression technology and integration of Carrier’s Greenspeed intelligence variable-speed technology enabled Carrier to significantly improve its centrifugal full- and part-load efficiencies. The result is the high-efficiency AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller that saves energy costs and reduces environmental impact.

Carrier commercial systems vice president, Greg Alcorn, said the advanced two-stage compressor was 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. The intuitive touchscreen user interface provides graphical trending and remote access capability and can be mounted on any corner of the machine. Greenspeed intelligence, together with the unique compressor design that deploys one inlet guide vane for each of two stages, supports stable chiller operation at all times, even at 10 per cent part load.

“This thoughtfully engineered solution delivers the worry-free operation that our customers have come to expect from Carrier,” Alcom said.

Visit Carrier.com.

Carrier showcases its new AquaEdge 19DV centrifugal chiller with Greenspeed technology.

Improved refrigeration installations THE NEW INSULCOR product range has been designed to meet the demand for more efficient and cost effective installations.

It has been specifically designed for on-site refrigeration installation technicians, maintenance technicians and new equipment manufacturers.

Insulating a Demountable Core Filter Drier and Suction Accumulator is much easier now that they are available as a complete assembled product or as a DIY Kit. The kits are available in both 13mm and 20mm thicknesses for single and twin core shells.

Refrigeration Project Plus field service manager, Spiros Triantafyllidis, said technicians find it fiddly and time consuming to make one up on-site, not to mention the finished unprofessional overall look and the material waste.

“Made from high quality closed cell fire rated elastomeric thermal insulation, it meets all the requirements of an insulation material designed for our industry,” he said.

The DIY Drier Kits and the 70/30 series Suction Accumulator products contain all the parts (other than glue) and all the adhesive tape required to assemble the products on-site, including assembly instructions.

The DIY Kits have been designed for installation where the complete assembled product cannot be used due to tight pipework arrangements and small working spaces.

“Make your workday easier, boost productivity, save material, save money and give your installation the professional finish,” Triantafyllidis said.

Email spirotriant@gmail.com or visit www.refrigerationprojectplus.com.au.

ABOVE: The DIY kits are available in both 13mm and 20mm thickness for single and twin core shells.

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

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New products

LEFT: The program calculates heat loads, design cost and creates reports for the customer, installer and supplier.

Streamline air conditioning design SOFTWARE THAT ALLOWS air conditioning companies to design system layouts accurately and efficiently without leaving the office is being rolled out globally.

Plandroid, a program from Delft Red Simulation Technology in South Australia, uses a standard floor plan drawing to create the optimal heating and cooling solution for a property and provides a project quote in minutes.

International demand for the software has grown over the past year from zero to about 10 per cent of the company’s revenue and includes customers in South Africa, New Zealand and the United States.

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Delft Red Simulation Technology founder, Mike Garrett, said he expected exports of Plandroid to rise significantly in the next year and estimated the business to almost double in size by 2018.

He said the company was expanding rapidly to meet demand and was aiming for a push into Europe in the coming months.

“The industry standard is still graph paper and drawing rough hand designs with crayons,” he said.

“It’s inefficient and using Plandroid they can do all the planning in a fifth of the time.

“The thing about Plandroid is it’s a simple, point-and-click, drag-and-drop program that anyone can use. You don't need to be an engi-

neer to get the right design.”

The software is targeted towards large manufacturers such as Advantage Air, which then use installation teams to deliver their products.

These smaller teams are able to choose from a stock list of items from the air conditioning companies and drag them onto a CAD-style ducting design superimposed over a house plan. This eliminates the need for custom designing of a project.

Plandroid calculates basic heat loads, the total design cost and creates reports for the customer, installer and supplier.

It also saves favoured designs as presets to be used on other buildings.

Garrett said Plandroid would be beneficial for shopping centres, airports, factories and large commercial buildings but was primarily used for high-end houses.

Delft Red Simulation Technology has more than 350 clients around the world and is in the process of expanding the program to include more features.

“We are working on a lighting mode right now,” Garrett said.

“The old barriers between electricians, plumbers and air conditioning installers are being reduced and our program will expand into more of those jobs.

“In the future you will be able to do solar panel installations, underfloor heating and more electrical designs throughout the house.”

Using remote access technology, the company supports customers across Australia and the world.

New products

Only the best included in smart refrigeration set A NUMBER OF organisations in Australia exist in industries where closely monitoring temperature is essential.

From horticulturalists growing fruit and vegetables for local and international consumers to pharmaceutical and healthcare businesses conducting research and development, there is a vast array of professions reliant on refrigeration.

Given the sophistication of refrigeration systems required in these organisations, technicians must have the tools and ability to regularly test and maintain equipment. Even a small disruption can be disastrous to temperature-sensitive products and materials. Testo has analysed the needs of refrigeration technicians and gathered together its most valuable tools into a useful, one-stop solution creating the Smart Refrigeration Set. Unzip the Smart Case, and inside there is Testo's most useful measuring instruments for

Unit 4, Gateway Boulevard, Dandenong Victoria 3175 Australia

A/C and refrigeration maintenance conveniently packed inside, including: testo 115i Smart Clamp Meters: Designed to provide flow and return temperature measurements for heating systems, the 115i Smart Clamp Meter allows for easy, accurate calculation of superheating and subcooling.

Detection of temperature changes is provided via a simple graphical progress display on the instrument itself, with more comprehensive measurements transmitted over Bluetooth to the Smart Probes mobile app.

The Smart Refrigeration Set contains two testo 115i devices. testo 549i Smart Pressure Meters: Measuring both high and low pressure, the 549i features a wide measuring range from 0 to 60 bar and hosefree application to ensure refrigerant loss is min-

T: +61 3 9791 9200 F: +61 3 9791 9600 E: sales@coilsaust.com.au

ABOVE: It is time to smarten up your tool kit.

imised. Simple installation and automatic calculation of evaporation and condensation temperatures complete the package, making the two 549i instruments included in the set intuitive and efficient.

While the four instruments in the Refrigeration Set may seem simple on first glance, it's their ability to connect to mobile devices via Bluetooth that gives them the 'smart' moniker.

Testo's Smart Probes app – available on Android and iOS devices – offers features such as timed and multi-point mean calculation, volume flow configuration or pressure drop tests.

Unit 4, Gateway Boulevard, Dandenong Victoria 3175 Australia

T: +61 3 9791 9200 F: +61 3 9791 9600 E: sales@coilsaust.com.au

CLIMATE CONTROL NEWS JULY 2017

45

Temperature Gauge

Billion dollar fund to upskill workforce ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND SKILLS KAREN ANDREWS OUTLINES DETAILS OF THE TURNBULL GOVERNMENT’S NEW FLAGSHIP $1.5 BILLION SKILLING AUSTRALIANS FUND. ANNOUNCED AS PART of the 2017-18 Budget, the Fund will replace the National Partnership Agreement on Skills Reform (NPA), which has seen apprenticeships decline by a staggering 46 per cent over the five years of the agreement.

The biggest annual decline in apprentices in Australia occurred in Labor’s last year in office from June 2012 to June 2013 when the number collapsed from around 515,000 to 404,000, or 22 per cent.

Clearly, the NPA signed off by Labor in 2012 is not working and that is why we are replacing it with a new permanent Skilling Australians Fund from July 1, 2017.

Our Skilling Australians Fund will work to reverse the decline in apprenticeships and traineeships in key areas identified by industry and states and territories.

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It will focus on occupations in high demand, sectors of future growth and regional and rural areas.

The Fund will also provide every opportunity for Australians to gain the skills to fill Australian jobs, rather than business and employers having to rely on overseas trained workers.

This Fund represents a new way for the Government to work with its state and territory counterparts, and includes a strong emphasis on accountability and transparency. It will re-engineer the relationship between Commonwealth and states and territories in vocational education and skills training.

We will work with states and territories to identify clear targets and outcomes with funding provided only to those projects that meet the aims of the Fund.

This significant and critical change to the previous arrangement represents a genuine commitment to co-investment to benefit skills development locally and nationally. It will be financed by the Government’s recent reforms requiring employers hiring temporary or permanent employer-sponsored foreign workers to pay a fee.

We understand that overseas skilled migrants may be necessary to fill a short term need, but the Turnbull Government is ensuring that in the long term we can fulfill those skills needs with

Australian workers, which is good for Australian business and good for our economy.

Industry also has a key role to play in another initiative announced in the Budget.

Our new $60 million Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprentices program will benefit around 47,000 apprentices and trainees over two years.

This mentoring support will complement the support services available under the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network and will help to improve completion rates and support the supply of skilled workers in industries undergoing structural change.

These two new measures represent a significant commitment to raising the status and value of vocational education and training and will provide certainty in skills funding.

The focus of the Fund is on skilling Australians in occupations of high demand including engineering, manufacturing, building and construction.

The Skilling Australians Fund commits $1.5 billion over four years – a funding increase equivalent of about $70 million compared to the previous NPA. This funding is on top of the Government’s yearly commitment of $1.2 billion to support Commonwealth Skills programs and the additional $1.5 billion per annum of Australian Government funding already provided to state and territory governments for their VET sectors each year. ✺ ABOUT THE AUTHOR Karen Andrews is the Federal Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Skills.

Andrews brings her experience in engineering, industrial relations and running her own business to her roles as Assistant Minister and the Federal Member for McPherson.

As one of only two female graduates in Mechanical Engineering at QUT in 1983, and later working at power stations and petrochemical sites in regional Queensland and interstate, Andrews knows that it takes hard work and determination to succeed in sometimes difficult circumstances.

A long-term resident of the Gold Coast, Andrews is married with three children.

up to

Energy Savings*

Complete cold room management with combined temperature and humidity control High efficiency and energy savings ensured by integration with CAREL electronic expansion valves and drivers Highest performance when combined with EVD ice, the valve controller installed on the evaporator that can be configured and managed directly from the Ultracella display Vast range of applications with more than 40 types of gas, including natural and low-GWP refrigerants Highly flexible installation and integration using additional modules for protecting and managing the loads (including three-phase).

CAREL Australia Pty Ltd PO BOX 6809, Silverwater Bus. Ctr. N.S.W. 1811 - Unit 37, 11-21 Underwood Rd Homebush N.S.W. 2140 Tel. (+61) 2 8762 9200 - Fax (+61) 2 9764 6933 - sales.au@carel.com

* combined with EXV sistema

NATURAL REFRIGERANT

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