Seven of the refrigeration and air-conditioning industry’s top experts are headlining this year’s future:gas refrigerant seminar series, which start next month aimed at businesses and technicians in the working in installation, service and repair of refrigeration and air conditioning technology.
The mid-week evening events will be held in 12 locations across Australia between June and September this year, delivering vital information to an industry that is now preparing for systems and equipment filled with or designed for a number of new refrigerants – HFOs, CO2, NH3, HCs and lower global warming potential (GWP) HFCs such as R32.
These refrigerants and the components and systems designed for them will present significant changes to the tools, working practices, standards and workplace safety considerations relating to installation, repair, service and refrigerant recovery.
Among the expert speakers are people from major global refrigerant and equipment manufacturers, Australian industry associations and the organisation that safely destroys refrigerant at end of life.
- Greg Picker: Executive Director, Refrigerants Australia
Why existing refrigerants are being phased out and why supplies will remain for servicing older equipment.
- John McCormack: former Director, Chemours Chemicals and Fluoroproducts Australia and Kylie Farrelley: Forane Business Manager, Arkema Australia
Introduction to HFO refrigerants and lower GWP HFCs such as R32, including a comparison with the products they are replacing.
- Mark Padwick: Managing Director, Sanden Australia and Rene Le Miere: Marketing and Business Development Manager, Bitzer Australia
Introduction to CO2, NH3 and HC refrigerants plus their handling characteristics.
- Kevin O’Shea: National President, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association
Overview of the tools, working practices and equipment standards from a contractor’s perspective.
- Michael Bennett: General Manager, Refrigerant Reclaim Australia
Master of Ceremonies, providing an introduction to how RRA helps keep our industry clean.
Kicking off in Newcastle, NSW on June 19, the future:gas seminar roadshow will conclude in Albury, NSW on September 7. Seminars will also be hosted in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Rockhampton, Sydney and Townsville.
Conveniently timed on mid-week evenings with entry priced at just $10, future:gas seminars are designed to be as accessible as possible to those working in refrigeration and air conditioning.
Attendees to future:gas seminars will be among the first in Australia to receive a comprehensive overview of new-generation refrigerants and the related technologies in one knowledge-enhancing evening.
Seminar locations and dates
| Newcastle | June 19 | Harbourview |
| Sydney | June 20 | Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL |
| Canberra | June 22 | Rydges Capital Hill |
| Townsville | July 18 | Townsville RSL |
| Brisbane | July 19 | Beenleigh Events Centre |
| Rockhampton | July 20 | Rockhampton Leagues Club |
| Adelaide | August 1 | Hotel Grand Chancellor |
| Perth | August 2 | Esplanade Hotel Fremantle |
| Darwin | August 3 | The Venue at Fannie Bay |
| Melbourne | September 5 | Manningham Hotel and Club |
| Hobart | September 6 | Hobart Function and Conference Centre |
| Albury | September 7 | Atura Albury |
Following a successful pilot event in Sydney in February, spaces at this industry-led education initiative Spaces are limited, so early booking is advised.
Tickets are heavily subsidised by contributions from industry associations and corporate sponsorship, priced at just $10 per delegate and available from www.futuregas.ac/stationary/ through a secure online booking system.
Refrigerant background
Since ozone layer damaging CFC refrigerants were phased out in the mid-1990s, the mainstream refrigerants used have been HCFC and HFC.
With climate change now on the agenda, systems using some HFC refrigerants will be phased out of use over time.
HFOs, CO2, NH3 and HCs do not deplete the ozone layer and have much lower global warming potential ratings, as do lower GWP HFCs such as R32. New system designs will also have reduced power consumption and refrigerant leakage.
About future:gas
Refrigerants Australia (peak organisation representing Australian refrigerant suppliers and users), Refrigerant Reclaim Australia (product stewardship organisation for the Australian refrigerants industry), the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (RACCA), the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturers Association of Australia (AREMA), the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors’ Association (AMCA) and licensing body the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC), identified a need for a seminar roadshow designed to inform and educate thousands of technicians and businesses about the new refrigerants and technologies they will soon be encountering.
Much of the refrigeration and air conditioning industry lacks awareness or is confused by conflicting messages or misinformation about the new HFOs, CO2, NH3, HCs and lower GWP HFCs such as R32, so there is a pressing need for this campaign of seminars, which will be made up of presentations from highly credible sources.
Topics covered will include technological background, reasons for the phase-down of HFCs and the impacts these will have on their equipment, skills and safety practices.
Among the target audience are: technicians, contractors, suppliers of products and services to the trade, and equipment owners.
Created by industry, for industry, future:gas was originally run for the automotive sector in 2016 with great success and gained international attention as the first refrigerant education campaign of its kind in the world. The 2017 stationary sector roadshow builds on this proven successful format.