Shining stars

The winners of the 2024 AIRAH Awards have been announced at a black-tie gala dinner held at Crown Aviary Melbourne on Thursday, November 21.

The awards celebrate outstanding achievements from across Australia’s HVAC&R building services industry. Around 200 guests attended to celebrate the groundbreaking work of companies and individuals within the sector.

AIRAH CEO Sami Zheng, Affil.AIRAH, says the AIRAH Awards play an important function in highlighting the work AIRAH’s members do and showcasing the role the industry has in moving to a net-zero future.

“HVAC&R is a ‘hidden’ industry,” she says. “Our industry’s leading people, projects and initiatives complete their work away from mainstream attention. The awards are a way for us to recognise some of these amazing achievements.”

Best HVAC Retrofit or Upgrade

Goondiwindi HVAC upgrade, NRG Services

Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion

SP&R Group

Excellence in Sustainability

Joint winner: Sydney Airport International Terminal T1 chilled water plant optimisation

Excellence in Sustainability

Joint winner: A.G. Coombs and Exergenics; and Woolworths Metro Gadsden CO₂ WaterLoop system, Woolworths.

Excellence in HVAC&R Research

Accelerating solar and thermal energy storage for HVAC decarbonisation, University of Wollongong

Excellence in Innovation

Sydney Airport International Terminal T1 chilled water plant optimisation, A.G. Coombs and Exergenics

Excellence in Refrigeration

Woolworths Metro Gadsden CO₂ WaterLoop system, Woolworths

Future Leader

Bilal Badadagi, M.AIRAH

Student of the Year – Trade

Jordan Hocking, Stud.AIRAH

Student of the Year – Higher Education or Research

Poorya Shaghaghi, Stud.AIRAH

Product of the Year

Thermal-XR

WR Ahern Award

Striking a balance: planning and implementation considerations for natural gas removal – Simon Witts, M.AIRAH et al

With thanks to event sponsors

• Gala: Daikin
• Entertainment: Superior Training Centre
• Future Leader: A.G. Coombs
• Excellence in Innovation: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
• Student of the Year – Trade: LG
• Excellence in Sustainability: Construction Specialties
• Diversity and Inclusion: Standards Australia
• Best HVAC Retrofit or Upgrade: Superior Training Centre
• Excellence in Refrigeration: RMIT University
• Product of the Year: HVAC&R Search
• WR Ahern: Ecolibrium
• Community Grant: The Coca Cola Company
• Supporter: Fair Air
• Media partner: HVAC&R News

This article appears in Ecolibrium’s Summer 2024-25 edition

View the archive of previous editions