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Darwin-based Arctic Installations has received funding to locally manufacture its innovative refrigerated truck and cool room insulation panels insulation solution, designed for the unique climatic and weather requirements of tropical regions. The company constructs refrigerated trailers from scratch and has an HVAC/R partner come in to install the refrigeration systems. It intends to displace fully … Continue reading Local manufacture of refrigerated truck and cool room insulated panels in the Top End

Australian federal Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek has announced a new bill intended to introduce “stronger measures to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions and continue to play its part in helping heal the world’s ozone layer”. In addition to ozone-depleting substances, the legislation also manages synthetic greenhouse gases such as HFCs like … Continue reading Ozone laws updated as report finds ‘Black Summer’ bushfires damaged the ozone layer

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are becoming an increasing topic of concern due to the fact they do not easily break down and start to accumulate in the environment and living organisms, then make their way up the food chain in potentially high concentrations. Several northern European countries and the EC is undertaking work on … Continue reading Global PFAS concerns will likely lead to tougher refrigerant controls, Australia opens consultation

In the six years since the first future:gas refrigerant roadshow took place, there have been changes of government on both sides of the Tasman, escalating uptake of electrified vehicles and unprecedented use of the word ‘unprecedented’ caused by a seemingly relentless barrage of plague, fire and flood. While all that has been going on, a … Continue reading future:gas is back in 2023!

Shirley (left) and JB Senior

Shirley Blanchard, who with the late John Blanchard Senior founded what is today Australia’s largest family-owned importer and wholesaler of automotive parts, has passed away. In a statement, CoolDrive Auto Parts said: “With Senior’s attention to detail and entrepreneurial spirit, combined with Shirley’s business sense and organisational skills, the CoolDrive business grew exponentially, setting the … Continue reading Vale Shirley Blanchard

Six decades separate the launch of the two rockets pictured below. They look similar and both have the task of escaping Earth’s gravity so their payloads – sometimes including humans – can enter orbit. The NASA Saturn and SpaceX Falcon are technical marvels of their time. It is a similar story with the cold air … Continue reading Air Conditioning History Book project a chance for your name to (literally) be in the history books

Excerpts from the Air Conditioning History Book

The Air Conditioning History Book project first announced at Wire & Gas 2015 is nearing completion and to support the production and printing of what is a significant record of Australasia’s technical and industrial development, VASA launched a crowdfunding campaign at Wire & Gas 2022. During a presentation by former VASA CEO Ken Newton and … Continue reading VASA’s Air Conditioning History Book project crowdfunding campaign launched at Wire & Gas 2022

Redarc MD Anthony Kittel at Wire & Gas 2022

A surprise announcement at Wire & Gas 2022 was that Redarc Electronics will sponsor the VASA Industry High Achiever Award at every Wire & Gas for 10 years, the winner recognised with a prize pack of Redarc products valued at $5000 as well as the usual commemorative trophy. VASA vice-president Brett Meads revealed the initiative at the Wire … Continue reading Redarc to sponsor biannual VASA Industry High Achiever Award, worth $25,000 over 10 years

Michael Bennett at Wire & Gas 2022

Chair of the Australian Refrigeration Council board and former Refrigerant Reclaim Australia general manager, Michael Bennett, was presented with the prestigious VASA Legend Award at the Wire & Gas 2022 Gala Dinner. The Legend Award was joined as a VASA awards category more than 20 years ago when the VASA board decided it should pay special recognition to … Continue reading Michael Bennett receives VASA Legend Award

Greg Thomas (right) receives the VASA Pioneer Award from VASA president Ian Stangroome

For the second Pioneer Award of Wire & Gas 2022, the theme shifted to another equally important sector of the early car air conditioning industry, the workshops and the technical entrepreneurs who were at the front end of mobile air conditioning installations. Among the most significant of Australia’s installers was Greg Thomas, whose Sydney workshop, … Continue reading VASA Pioneer Award presented to Greg Thomas at Wire & Gas 2022