It isn’t often that Australia’s HVAC industry is recognised for it’s hard work which is why the 2012 ARBS Awards are so special. Sandra Van Dijk profiles the finalists.
There was plenty of fanfare and excitement when the organisers of Australia’s trade exhibition for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and building services industries announced the finalists of the 2012 ARBS Awards.
Finalists were short-listed across six categories with the winners to be formally announced during the ARBS event on Tuesday, May 8, 2012.
The awards presentation will take place at a gala dinner which will be held in the Savoy Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
In addition to announcing award winners, eight nominees will be inducted into the ARBS Hall of Fame in recognition of the significant contribution they have made to the industry.
The dinner will be hosted by award winning actor and star of Top Gear Australia, Shane Jacobson.
One of the most highly competitive categories featured in the awards is for the HVAC Project Excellence Award.
Finalists include Norman, Disney and Young for the ANZ Docklands, James L Williams Pty Ltd for the Pixel Building in Melbourne and Hastie Australia and Dexus/CBUS for 1 Bligh Street, Sydney.
All three projects are worthy recipients of the award and it is a similar story in the category for product excellence.
This year’s finalists are ESP Ultima by Actron Air, the JetVent Digital EC by Fantech and the Air Change Dehumidification Unit by Air Change Australia Pty Ltd.
Young achievers are important in every industry which may explain why this particular category features so much talent.
The first finalist is Daniel Tan Teng Yeow of Fantech.
There are certainly no shortage of fans supporting Daniel in his bid to win the ARBS Young Achiever Award 2012.
As a Fantech employee Daniel has won over plenty of fans with his reputation as a technical guru and problem solver.
With only six year’s experience in the HVAC industry Daniel is a fast learner and has already established a reputation as a high achiever with Fantech staff and customers.
His greatest contribution has been the introduction of impulse ventilation and JetVent fans to Australia.
This technology is an energy efficient alternative to traditional ducted systems for car parks with the benefit of reduced construction costs.
Daniel craves knowledge and has put a lot of effort into finding out the intricacies of Fantech products, how they work, where they are used and importantly, how they can be improved.
For example, he designed the JetVent EC Series fans which feature efficient EC motor technology with integrated speed control and ComLink digital communication.
This has simplified the system, reduced noise levels and wiring complexity, while still gaining product efficiency.
Daniel is currently developing an attenuator range which will exceed all other products currently on the market.
It will utilise a silencer test rig which he designed and built to ISO7235 standards.
Most importantly, Tan continually strives to improve and educate the industry through the Fantech Engineers training program.
He was integral to the development of the program which provides engineers in the HVAC industry with a better understanding of fan types and fan laws.
Another young achiever finalist is Will Mason of Norman, Disney and Young (NDY) who began his career at the company as a graduate in January 2007.
In just four years, he was appointed to the position of mechanical services discipline manager responsible for 15 staff.
During his time at NDY, Will has acquired significant experience particularly in advanced environmental projects in the building industry.
He has been involved in wind turbine analysis, under floor air distribution systems, energy modelling and cogeneration plants as well as natural ventilation modelling and implementation.
There are a number of landmark projects in Melbourne that are a testament to Will’s abilities including the Emporium, Common Ground Supportive Housing, the Royal Children’s Hospital, Monash University, Williams Landing Railway Station, the Eastland Shopping Centre Redevelopment, Single LEAP Stage 2, Simpson and Pukapunyal Barracks.In 2011 he won the David Norman Young Engineer of the Year Award.
This is an annual award which recognises talent, leadership, integrity and technical ability.
The third finalist for this year’s young achiever category is Robert Stoddart who is also an employee at NDY.
Robert manages the company’s Darwin office and is an example of how a young professional can achieve success by maintaining focus.
It is this quality that has seen Robert involved in such a diverse range of projects.
Robert began his career as a graduate mechanical engineer in January 2005 before being appointed mechanical team manager.
He then became an associate before securing his current role as Darwin manager.
His colleagues at NDY describe him as well balanced, talented and driven with a true passion for the air conditioning industry.
He is very approachable and always eager to assist and share his knowledge with others.
This has made him popular with clients and representatives of the wider construction industry.
Robert’s greatest professional aspiration is to continue on his path to owning a company within the construction industry.
Another award category to recognise excellence is the Outstanding Service and Maintenance Provider for 2012.
The finalists are HiFlow Industries, A.G.Coombs Pty Ltd and James L Williams.
There are two joint finalists for the ARBS Refrigeration Project Excellence Award and they are Bitzer Australia and Strathbrook Industrial Services for F.Mayer Imports as well as Trent Refrigeration and Heatcraft Australia for Tip Top Butchers.
The final category is the Outstanding Industry Education/Training Award.
Finalists are AMCA for Certificate in Drafting, LG Electronics for Air Conditioning Training Academies and AMCA for the Managing for Profit Program.