Posted: Mar 10, 2010  |  By: ConnectorTech

The benefits of composite materials in connectors

The selection of electrical and electronic connectors should be made with a full knowledge of the application and the suitability of the available materials. Read more »

Posted: Mar 10, 2010

Distributed energy has power to save billions

Wide-scale adoption of low-emission distributed energy could reduce the cost of transitioning to a low-carbon future by as much a $130 billion by 2050, according to a new report released by CSIRO. Read more »

Posted: Feb 18, 2010

OLED lighting in 2010

According to technology analyst firm NanoMarkets, the year ahead for OLED lighting is significant. Read more »

Posted: Feb 15, 2010

New drivers towards energy efficiency

An expert on emissions trading schemes points to a number of new market trends that will drive Australian businesses to be more energy and resource efficient in the way they do business. Read more »

Posted: Feb 4, 2010  |  By: Tim Takala, Technical Director, ADC Krone

Simple measures to reduce energy consumption in data centres

The continued thirst for energy is a recurring story in news headlines every day - global warming forecasts rising temperatures, melting ice and population dislocations due to accumulation of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere from use of carbon-based energy. There are arguments for and against the dire predictions of global warming, yet one fact is undeniable - over the past 10-20 years, earth’s inhabitants are collectively consuming more energy at a faster rate than ever before. Read more »

Posted: Feb 4, 2010  |  By: Information supplied by Sustainability Victoria

Electricians and energy efficiency

It is important for electricians to have an understanding of energy efficiency in their day-to-day work. Businesses and households are increasingly looking to implement energy efficiency measures to reduce their energy bills as well as their carbon footprint, and the emissions trading scheme would provide an added impetus for this. Read more »

Posted: Feb 3, 2010

BICSI South Pacific Conference 2010

The BICSI South Pacific Conference 2010 will be held at the Rydges Hotel in Melbourne, 19-21 April 2010 and will feature a conference, exhibition, workshops and product demonstrations. Read more »

Posted: Feb 3, 2010  |  By: Kam Ho, Executive Director, Forward Shift Environmental Ltd

Energy management opportunities

The low-carbon economy is likely to have significant financial impacts for all businesses, due to the need to account for existing market externalities such as carbon emissions and adverse environmental impacts. While the UN climate conference in Copenhagen attempted to develop an international approach to mitigating and managing the impacts of climate change, the Australian government has proposed a set of measures as part of its climate mitigation plan, such as the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS). Read more »

Posted: Feb 2, 2010  |  By: Matthew Wright*

Solar power all day and all night

According to the not-for-profit organisation Beyond Zero Emissions, Australia is falling behind in its uptake of viable solar energy technologies. Read more »

Posted: Jan 28, 2010

Investment Allowance update

Many businesses took advantage of the government’s Investment Allowance last year. Although the window is now closed on equipment purchases, it is timely for businesses to sort out their finance to ensure they do qualify for the allowance. Read more »

Posted: Jan 13, 2010

US EPA targets electrical industry for financial obligations in clean-up of environmental releases

The electric power generation, transmission and distribution industry in the US was one of three industries identified by the EPA as potentially being required to provide financial assurances to fund the clean-up of environmental releases. Read more »

Posted: Jan 7, 2010

Employer hiring optimism surges in Australia for 2010

Australian employers are reporting considerably stronger hiring intentions for the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, according to results from a recent employment outlook survey. Read more »

Posted: Dec 15, 2009

Top ten data recoveries list

Data recovery specialist Kroll Ontrack released its sixth annual top 10 data recoveries list of lost and sometimes retrieved data. Read more »

Posted: Dec 4, 2009  |  By: Wayne Kayler-Thomson*

Energy revolution required to meet carbon targets

Nothing short of an ‘energy revolution’ will be required to successfully transition to a carbon-managed economy while fulfilling its energy needs, according to a VECCI report. Read more »

Posted: Dec 4, 2009  |  By: Regina Good-Engelhardt, Private Networks Product Marketing Management, Reichle & De-Massari, R&M

Category 6A vs category 6A: what’s the difference and why should I care?

New standards for copper cabling smooth the way for high-performance data transmission in buildings, industrial plants and data centres. However, in order to have a long-term guarantee for the desired performance, the pitfalls in nomenclature need to be considered during project design and component selection. Read more »

Posted: Dec 2, 2009  |  By: Sylvania Lighting Australasia

Luminaires for industrial and hazardous environments

Industrial environments can pose significant challenges to the safety and effective operation of lighting systems. Luminaire selection and system design must meet performance goals where mechanical strength, weight, thermal, electrical, corrosion resistance, hazardous environment and water and dust ingress requirements must be considered. Designers must gain a firm understanding of all environmental factors that can cause system failures to deliver ‘environmental compatibility’ of lighting. Read more »

Posted: Dec 2, 2009  |  By: Paul Stathis

A snapshot of the current employment landscape

There’s been a lot of negativity about the job market lately, much of which is fuelled by uninformed speculation. I found that it’s not all bad news, as I researched what’s going on at ‘street level’, especially in the electrical industry. Read more »

Posted: Dec 2, 2009  |  By: Paul Stathis

Avoiding costly underground cable problems - now and in the future

Recently, a friend of mine who operates an excavator tore through a mains cable as he was digging footings on a commercial site. Not only did he get the scare of his life, but he had a few anxious moments afterwards wondering if he would cop the huge repair bill for the damage he had just caused. Fortunately for him, he called Dial Before You Dig before commencing to excavate. Read more »

Posted: Dec 1, 2009

Six simple steps to avoid weather-related power quality problems

Eaton, an electrical power quality systems supplier, warns that electrical infrastructures across Australia will experience increased weather-related stresses and offers advice on how to protect against power outages during severe weather, heat, electrical storms and cyclones during the upcoming summer season. Read more »

Posted: Dec 1, 2009  |  By: Paul Stathis

Dealing with the halogen downlight conundrum

The 2007 Wiring Rules introduced a number of installation directives for halogen downlights because of the high incidence of fires directly attributable to the extreme heat output from them igniting nearby combustible materials. One of these directives is to leave considerable clearance around them from all materials, including insulation. But this introduces the problem of potentially compromising a home’s thermal efficiency. How do electrical contractors deal with this conundrum? Read more »