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RACA Journal Publication
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FRIGAIR 2022 – THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS
It ’ s a year away , you say ? Well , we all know how quickly a year passes – given the recent circumstances the world has been through .
For me , anyway , it has proved how quickly time does go by as we are already more than a year past the announcement of the pandemic warnings and subsequent implementation of the hard lockdown in South Africa in 2020 .
Economies around the world are again starting to indicate recovery – China recently reported real economic expansion of 2.3 % ( 6.5 % GDP ) Q4 of 2020 . Decreases in contraction yearon-year for other big global economies is signalling the light at the end of the tunnel . Business confidence is also on the rise as vaccine rollouts progress globally , albeit that Africa is trailing ( generally ). We may see certain countries continue to battle the pandemic with variants emerging , but control is in sight .
With these two notes , from the time everyone was hanging their heads in despair and frustration , like every catastrophic event the world has faced , we will overcome . Other interesting factors recently brought to the fore was the appetite for foreign investment into South Africa , citing “ continued incredible economic resilience ”. This is something we can all be proud of as we continue to drive solutions to make business work .
FRIGAIR , as the continent ’ s largest dedicated HEVACR event , will likely be the first major in-person event to take place since gathering restrictions and social distancing were implement by the government last year , which brought the traditional events industry to an abrupt halt . It is also an event that is eagerly anticipated by industry , as you may also have experienced that the digital world , with social media and specifically virtual engagements , has fatigued many an industry , and in my own opinion can be likened to a bottomless pit of need .
This issue we have decided to primarily dedicate to celebrate the kickstart to the new show countdown and invited the industry to participate with their new innovations or services ,
and also what they have been up to , or if there are any meaningful things they would like to celebrate with the industry . This is the main feature .
Our additional feature is on fans and ventilation – the middle points in providing a building quality air , and , ensuring extraction in applications where it is needed – from smoke and emergency situations to commercial kitchens and greasy vapours . We bring you our regular contributors who talk about various issues from safety to addressing student mentorship and our personality profile this month is Derrick Craig , engineering manager at Metraclark .
Internationally , scientists have developed a new ‘ white ’ paint that one day they believe will dramatically reduce the need for large HVAC systems when buildings are coated with the product ( which is currently in patent stage ). Along with other technology such as smart windows and intelligent buildings , new solutions are being sought out as mitigating techniques for a drastic increase in energy supply demands .
All in all , a lot is happening on a global scale with this type of development and the continual investment of manufacturers to produce new , and better products , with recent launches taking place .
The quote I leave you with this month is something that can be taken on a person level or a business level and is important to keep in mind no matter how challenging things may seem .
“ We may encounter many defeats , but we must not be defeated .” – Maya Angelou
As always , I welcome your engagement , comments and suggestions in order to produce a quality product that brings you value . This is your magazine as I have noted before , so if you see opportunity for improvement or wish to contribute – let me know !
Have a great month ! Ben RACA www . hvacronline . co . za RACA Journal I June 2021 1