AIRAH has announced the winners of the AIRAH Awards 2021 at a black-tie gala event in Sydney. Leading figures from Australia’s HVAC&R building services industry took a long-awaited opportunity to reunite and raise a toast to the standout people, projects and products in the sector.
The winners, selected across 13 categories, exemplify the industry’s efforts to make our built environment more sustainable, safe, healthy and inclusive. Through the James Harrison Medal, AIRAH’s highest honour, the awards also celebrate lifetime contributions. On this occasion, Paul Bannister, F.AIRAH, received the Medal for his work improving energy efficiency in buildings, particularly through NABERS and the National Construction Code.
AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH, says the event, rescheduled due to the pandemic, was worth the wait.
“We appreciate the importance of meeting in person,” says Gleeson, “especially for an event like the AIRAH Awards, where the aim is to applaud the best and brightest of our industry, and raise a glass in their honour.
“This year in particular you could feel the anticipation. It was the first time many of us had seen each other face to face for almost two years, and we all had much to share.”
Gleeson says that there was also plenty of positive conversation about the future.
“We recognise that the biggest challenges lie ahead – and we must face them in a united way. Whether it be reducing the carbon intensity of our buildings or improving indoor air quality, we will need to collaborate more than ever over the coming years and decades. Events like the AIRAH Awards help affirm our ties and common goals, and remind us of the key role we are poised to play.
“To the winners and the finalists of the AIRAH Awards 2021, I offer my congratulations.”
The winners of the AIRAH Awards 2021 are:
Best HVAC Retrofit or Upgrade
ESBS – ACT Schools HVAC Upgrades
Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion
TAFE NSW – Refrigeration Teaching Section Ultimo College
Excellence in HVAC&R Research
Keivan Bamdad Masouleh – Model Predictive Control (MPC) to Improve HVAC Operation
Excellence in Innovation (Sponsored by Mitsubishi Electric)
Glaciem Cooling Technologies – Advancing Renewable Energy with Thermal Energy Storage
Excellence in Refrigeration
Glaciem Cooling Technologies – ARENA-WF Montague;
Scantec Refrigeration Technologies – Fernhurst (joint winners)
Excellence in Sustainability (Sponsored by Superior Training Centre)
Aurecon and A.G. Coombs – 25 King Street
Future Leader (Sponsored by A.G. Coombs)
Iain Stewart, Affil.AIRAH
Innovative use of Renewable Energy in HVAC&R
Glaciem Cooling Technologies – Advancing Renewable Energy with Thermal Energy Storage
Product of the Year (Sponsored by HVAC&R Search)
Camfil – Kaire Unit
Student of the Year – Higher Education or Research
Ashfaque Chowdhury, Affil.AIRAH – Central Queensland University
Student of the Year – Trade (Sponsored by LG)
Jessica Lonsdale, Stud.AIRAH – BHP Nickel West/South Metropolitan TAFE
WR Ahern Award (Sponsored by Ecolibrium)
“Effective integration of polymer plate heat exchangers – A simulation study for evaluating their use in tall commercial office buildings” – Dr Chris Menictas, M.AIRAH; Arjun Adhikari, M.AIRAH; Professor Guan H. Yeoh; and Dr Victoria Timchenko (Ecolibrium June/July, 2020)
James Harrison Medal
Paul Bannister, F.AIRAH
AIRAH thanks the Awards Gala Sponsor, Daikin, as well as individual awards sponsors Mitsubishi Electric, Superior Training Centre, A.G. Coombs, LG, HVAC&R Search and Ecolibrium.