ARBS CEO, Amanda Searle, addresses some of the issues to be tackled at Australia’s biggest HVACR event, ARBS 2026.
HVAC&R is one of the few sectors that quietly underpins so many things Australians care about: healthy indoor environments, resilient buildings, productive workplaces, energy efficiency and community safety. And it is one of the most fluid industries that’s experiencing change on a range of fronts.
At ARBS, being the conduit that brings the whole sector together in one place provides us with a unique opportunity to witness the recurring conversations. These interconnected discussions are often about where the industry has to go next.
1) Skills are no longer a workforce issue
The skills debate is often concluded at ‘we don't have enough people in this sector,’ but the more pressing conversation relates to capability. Systems are widely becoming more sophisticated, with greater integration and controls as well as improved measurement of success. Whether commissioning or operating an asset base, the difference between baseline and behaving at peak output exists in the details. As such, capability is increasingly finding itself at the centre of how much this industry will grow and whether assets will perform.
2) Women are an unrealised resource
There is no possible solution to bridging the skills shortage while such a significant imbalance exists: Women are still vastly absent from the industry. Jobs and Skills Australia report the female share of employment for air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics sits at 2%.[1] Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) say women only represent 3% of all skilled tradespeople and have publicly set a goal of lifting female representation to 30% by 2030.[2] Yet the data points to how languid the progress has been. In 2025, females made up just 11.5% of all trade apprentices, marginally up on where we were ten years ago.[1] Even in the face of recent improvements, the current flow rate is not steep enough to match the demand profile the sector is forecasted to face. Afterall, If the apprentice pipeline was working, women wouldn’t make up 11.5% of apprentices but only 2–3% of the trade workforce.
3) This industry is seeking viable change.
The crucial transition by 2026 won't be about whether a product has scored enough innovation points, but whether it can be practically applied. Solutions to make equipment easier to operate, or easier to optimise over a working day, that allow teams to directly manage performance with less hassle, will be in big demand. Electrification and a focus on the efficient use of energy both require the adoption of new protocols and accessing new levels of insight using control systems. Moving forward, the products most likely to succeed are those that are easy to use, supported by technicians and relevant to on-the-ground conditions.
Nothing beats seeing solutions side-by-side and having the conversations you can’t replicate online. ARBS is for industry, by industry - the place where the discussions that matter happen. ARBS 2026 (5-7 May, Melbourne) will gather the HVAC&R and building services industry together, including manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, consultants and facility managers, to showcase and explore what’s next. Registration is free and now open. Visit www.arbs.com.au/arbs2026/
[1] https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/sites/default/files/2025-11/understanding_the_importance_of_training_factsheet.pdf
[1] https://www.jobsandskills.gov.au/data/occupation-and-industry-profiles/occupations/3421-airconditioning-and-refrigeration-mechanics