Energy efficiency and electrification

A new ASBEC report confirms electrification “unlocks the pathway” to net zero buildings.

The HVAC-related energy usage of a group of three existing buildings on a Canadian university campus (the “Cluster”) was simulated. Two scenarios were compared: (1) an ambient loop paired with conventional HVAC equipment (boiler plant and cooling tower), and (2) an ambient loop using wastewater energy transfer (“WET”). The study aimed to assess the feasibility of implementing WET as a heating and cooling method for cold-climate institutional buildings, as well as to measure the effects of WET implementation on energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy costs

The Australian federal government has commenced work to develop a National Energy Performance Strategy.

A Danish power plant that converts trash to energy just happens to also be a year-round ski slope. 

District heating and cooling could offer an important pathway to decarbonisation – and one of the biggest barriers to its uptake might simply be our mindset, writes Mark Vender.

The GBCA has issued some practical advice about electrification of the existing building stock, writes Rachel Urquhart.

Using a hybrid of dynamic thermal simulation and detailed hourly spreadsheet calculations, the analysis identified design and operation strategies to size PV and batteries for various degrees of grid independence.

Located in South Korea’s capital, the HQ for a luxe fashion brand boasts several sustainability initiatives, including a high-performance façade.

In becoming the first regional NSW project to achieve 6 star Green Star Design and As-Built rating certification, the University of Newcastle’s Q Building has set a new sustainability benchmark for the Hunter region. Sean McGowan discovers how mass timber construction and a smart glass façade contribute to the achievement.

For when the sun doesn’t show and the wind doesn’t blow, sand may just be an option for thermal energy storage.

The application of phase-change material thermal energy storage, with a state-of-the-art control algorithm has enabled the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium in Townsville to make full use of its onsite solar electricity generation. Sean McGowan reports on this AIRAH–Award–winning technology.

As we wrestle with the various issues around climate change, one trend has become clear. We are now on an inevitable drive for an all-electric HVAC&R future.

As part of the ACT’s government’s drive to net zero by 2045, it has effectively decarbonised the territory’s electricity supply – a bold move in a cold capital.

By taking advantage of Perth’s abundant geothermal resources, a new aquatic centre in Armadale is substantially reducing its reliance on natural gas to heat its swimming pools and indoor areas. Sean McGowan reports on the 2021 AIRAH Awards Excellence in Sustainability finalist.