Keeping it chill

February 4, 2025

On my first morning in Yogyakarta a few weeks ago, I took the Indonesian equivalent of an Uber to what the guidebooks describe as a “water castle”. I like water and I love castles, so I didn’t need any convincing.

Outside of the water castle was a fresh food market. If there’s one thing I love more than both water and castles, it’s exploring open markets in other countries. There’s no better way to get a sense of the local culture than wandering through those tightly packed passages and admiring the exotic fruits, vegetables and spices on offer.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t prepared for the meat section. The image of flies buzzing around unrefrigerated chicken legs in 30° heat has been seared into my brain ever since.

My stomach turned as I thought back to the previous night’s $2 chicken satay, cooked in front of me over hot charcoal by a sweet old man with a push barrow food cart. It was delicious, but even at the time I felt that each bite might be a step too far for my stomach.

Thankfully, I didn’t succumb to any stomach bugs during my two weeks in Indonesia. Still, the experience served as a reminder to be grateful for the easy and affordable access to refrigeration that most of us take for granted in Australia.

A letter I received recently from Dr Michael Riese, M.AIRAH – published in this issue of Ecolibrium – reminded me that even in this industry, we often overlook the importance of refrigeration. Michael, who recently got elected to his second term on the AIRAH board, is a passionate advocate for the refrigeration sector. In his letter, he emphasises the specialist skills and knowledge those in the sector possess, and the high standards to which they hold themselves and each other.

This issue’s cover feature shines a spotlight on another hidden hero: building management systems. Experts Chris Stamatis, M.AIRAH – also recently re-elected to the AIRAH board – and Trevor Smith, Affil.AIRAH, took me and my colleague Mark Vender on a tour of a commercial building to show how the BMS smoothly manages every aspect of the building’s HVAC system.

Our other features include a wrap of the 2024 Women in HVACR Conference in Dallas by Sonia Holzheimer, M.AIRAH, Laura Timberlake’s deep dive into the potential dangers of “forever chemicals” in refrigerants, a case study on certification by Dan Hadley, and a review of Dr Ashak Nathwani AM’s new book, Defeating Mr CO₂. Our Forum article looks at systems for mitigating bushfire smoke, we recognise the recently announced winners of the 2024 AIRAH Awards, and we pay tribute to AIRAH legend Alan Obrart, L.AIRAH.

As we head towards another festive season, I want to thank you for your reading Ecolibrium in 2024, and I hope you all stay cool throughout the hottest part of the year!