To help industry prepare for the arrival of new systems, equipment, technology and regulations, a seminar series known as Future: Air will be held in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne throughout May.
There are a number of international speakers featured on the program including Stuart Kirkwood, ANZ business leader at Ingersoll Rand.
He will join Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) president and CEO, Stephen R Yurek who will be travelling from the United States and the director general of the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, Andrea Voigt.
The seminars are designed to help businesses that own, manage or repair chillers and large air conditioning equipment prepare for these changes.
The breakfast seminars have been organised by the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing Association (AREMA) and the Air Conditioning Mechanical Contractors Association (AMCA).
This partnership has recently expanded to include the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration Building Services Exhibition (ARBS) which is making a valuable contribution to organising and promoting Future:Air as an industry-run, non-profit educational initiative.
Taking place in Brisbane, Sydney, Parramatta (NSW), Melbourne and Box Hill (VIC) from May 20-24, 2019, each event will take place between 7.30am and 9.30am with breakfast included.
Future:Air seminar tickets are subsidised by contributions from industry associations and corporate sponsorship, priced at just $79 per delegate until April 15 (normal price $99) and available from FutureAir.ac through a secure online booking system.
AREMA executive director, Greg Picker, who will be speaking at the event, said there are a number of factors driving the changing lanscape.
“One of the drivers for change is the need to transition away from HCFC and HFC refrigerants as a result of international treaties and domestic legislation,” he said.
“Alternative products have much lower global warming potential ratings and new system designs have reduced power consumption and refrigerant leakage.”
Another factor is technology which will have a profound influence on the design, performance, use and maintenance of equipment over the coming decades.
“In addition to refrigerant changes, demographic and societal shifts are expected to result in a moves toward the use of artificial intelligence, further uptake of wireless technologies and the Internet of Things,” Picker said.
“Already the industry is seeing the first changes in equipment to take advantage of these opportunities."
In addition to informing attendees about the latest industry trends, Future:Air seminars will reveal the current and expected regulatory changes that will impact the design, purchase and use of chillers and large air-conditioning equipment.
Details at www.FutureAir.ac