The Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) held its very first Commissioning Workshop last week which was attended by 70 participants including HVAC consultants, contractors, developers and facility managers. AIRAH CEO Phil Wilkinson said commissioning is a vital but neglected facet of the industry, which is why it is often done incorrectly. "That’s why events such as this workshop are a vitally important part of AIRAH’s calendar," he said. Speakers included Andrew Crabtree, Ian Sprent and Mark Jacobson covering topics that ranged from current codes and best practice to the best ways to respond to overseas trends. Wilkinson said there was plenty of robust discussion. Despite its importance, commissioning is not a mandatory requirement in Australia. Aurecon’s Jessica Holz, said commissioning is a new and growing business for her firm. “Building tuning offers so many more opportunities than I realised,” she said. “Commissioning is an area which we can develop as an industry to provide better outcomes for all.” Jones Lang LaSalle’s Gary Whatling, said AIRAH should work closely with the Green Building Council of Australia to define commissioning roles in greater detail. “What a fabulous opportunity for AIRAH to lead the charge and take this corner of our industry forward," he said. For more event information go to www.airah.org.au/events
