➲ AIRAH News
Greg Hunt MP finds time to tour Box Hill Institute’s
Integrated Technology Hub during his announcement schedule.
THUMBS-UP TO
HFC PHASE-DOWN
AIRAH applauds the government announcement
of the impending phase-down of HFC refrigerants, which
are known for their high global warming potential (GWP).
Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt paid a visit
to the Box Hill Institute’s Integrated Technology Hub
in Melbourne to announce a domestic phase-down
schedule of an 85 per cent reduction of HFC emissions
by 2036. This will be done via a statutory phase-down
of HFC imports over a 20-year timeline.
“Not only is such a measure pivotal to national
and international efforts to reduce CO2-equivalent
emissions in the face of climate change, it provides
some certainty to those in the HVAC&R industry,
who can now plan for and invest in new technology
that will be required.
Enabling provisions for future bans on the import
of new equipment containing high-GWP HFCs will
be included as part of new legislation. Equipment
such as domestic and automotive air conditioners
containing high-GWP refrigerants will be considered
in the future. The government says this decision will
be based on an assessment of the Australian market,
and particularly on the availability of alternative
equipment.
“In taking this path Australia will be a world
leader in reducing HFC emissions, joining the US,
the European Union and Japan in adopting early
action to reduce HFC emissions. And AIRAH has
been a key part of this process. Indeed, we have
been a major supporter of the phase-down
and its environmental benefits.”
“AIRAH applauds the announcement of an HFC
phase-down,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, Affil.AIRAH.
During his announcement, he praised the
collaborative nature of Australia’s HVAC&R
industry, and its critical role in leading the world
to a low-emissions future.
26 | HVAC&R Nation | www.hvacrnation.com.au | August 2016
AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, Affil.AIRAH.
“Those engaged in heating, ventilation,
air conditioning and refrigeration – this is the stuff
of life,” Hunt says. “Yours is an industry that has been
proactive in helping to reduce emissions and global
warming potential. It’s truly a case of local actions
having global implications.”
The government will introduce legislative
amendments to implement new measures as soon
as possible, with all initiatives to begin by January 2018.
Some measures can be implemented more quickly
through regulation amendments, such as changes
to the low-volume import exemptions, and business
and technician licences. n