Mark Padwick has worked tirelessly throughout his 40-year career in HVACR contributing to the development of our industry.
The HVACR Leader of the Year Award winner is best known throughout the industry as the president of the Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia (AREMA).
He joins Cold Rae director, Kevin O’Shea, as the joint winner of this award.
Mark is a former director of the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) and sits on the boards of Australia’s most influential industry associations.
In 2003, he graduated with an MBA from the Macquarie University School of Management.
“I am motivated by the ongoing success of our industry’s efforts to increase energy efficiency across products and practices,” Mark says.
I’ve been asked why I don’t retire and concentrate on hobbies. After much soul searching I realised HVACR and the pursuit of energy efficiency in heating and cooling equipment was actually my hobby.
“I love the fact that I can be part of the solution, and that I can contribute to real change.”
He is clear about where the industry is heading and its biggest challenges.
“Without a doubt the greatest challenge we face is the lack of visibility of our industry,” he says.
“We contribute about three per cent of GDP and as an industry we are the largest consumer of electricity yet we struggle to attract apprentices.
“Our other great challenge is energy efficiency, not just ensuring our manufactured products are the best they can be, but ensuring they are correctly installed, serviced and maintained by qualified technicians.”
Back in the early days, Mark says it was a simple industry until everyone became aware of global warming and the need to change everything from work practices to equipment, and of course refrigerants.
“Now, we have multiple species of refrigerants and extremely complex systems and controls. Energy efficiency is the new normal,” he says.
“Technology has come ahead in leaps and bounds, and today’s refrigeration and air conditioning technicians have become highly skilled individuals working on extremely complex systems.”
Sponsored by Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (RRA), the award winners were announced by RRA general manager, Kylie Farrelley.