Page 10 - Climate Control News Magazine October 2018

News
Australia secures top global ranking
FOR THE EIGHTH consecutive year, Aus- tralia and New Zealand’s real estate market has been ranked the world’s number one for sustainability in the internationally recog- nised 2018 GRESB real estate results.
GRESB is the global benchmark for envi- ronmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of real assets, defining and measuring standards for sustainability performance.
In 2018, GRESB assessed 903 real estate companies, funds and developers across 64 countries, comprising more than 79,000 as- sets worth in excess of $4.9 trillion.
This year the Australia/New Zealand re- gion recorded its highest score of 76, com- pared with 73 in 2017. The global average was 68, increasing from 65 in 2017, indica- tive of Australia's continued world leader- ship, but also the increasing recognition in- ternationally of the importance of sustainability reporting.
A record 73 Australian and New Zealand companies reported to GRESB this year, rep- resenting a property portfolio worth more than $447 billion.
GRESB results also showed 60% of the re- gion’s property companies and funds pro- mote tenant health and wellbeing via their buildings and services, compared to just 24% globally.
GRESB Head of Asia Pacific Ruben Lang- broek said the region was responding deci- sively to new sustainability challenges fac- ing the sector, with more real estate companies and funds setting internal tar- gets for net zero carbon emissions than in other regions.
“The new data paints a picture of a region not only further raising the bar on sustaina- bility performance, but also paving a clear path for others to follow,” Langbroek said.
“Industry stakeholder collaboration and ambitious target setting are driving the region’s
leadership.” ✺
GRESB Head of Asia Pacific Ruben Langbroek
Tradelink gets serious about HVAC
TRADELINK HAS PLANS to set up stan- dalone HVAC specialty stores in each state across Australia.
The plumbing supplies business began its national plan with the opening of its first HVAC specialty store in Milton, Brisbane ear- lier this year.
Tradelink's national business manager for HVAC, Peter Jeffress, said the plan is part of its network expansion strategy which has seen 20 stores open a year for the past two years.
As well as plumbing and HVAC the com-
pany is also opening stores specialising in civil construction.
The Brisbane store offers an extensive range of HVAC pipe, valves and fittings from leading brands including MM Kembla, Oventrop, Viega, Hydroboss, CTS HVAC-R and Thermotec, along with a small selection of plumbing products.
Jeffress said the store is the first of a number of planned specialty standalone HVAC stores.
“We are aiming to open at least one special- ty HVAC store in each state and build from there,” he said. ✺
The plan is part of a network expansion strategy that has seen 20 stores open a year for the past two years.
Free App to verify BITZER products
TO VERIFY THE authenticity of a BITZER product, the company has released a free App which contains extensive documentation and a directory of all Green Point service points and certified dealers.
Users can simply use the BITZER SPOT App to scan the QR code on the product which protects BITZER customers from counterfeits.
With this app, the specialist for refrigeration compressors offers its customers effective pro- tection from system failures and high costs. Scanning the code notifies the user that the arti- cle is a genuine BITZER product.
The BITZER SPOT App has a whole series of useful functions for users: when the QR code is scanned, the app automatically shows the exten- sive documentation for the product concerned, sorted by subject groups.
Users can add this information to their favour-
The free BITZER SPOT App checks the authenticity of BITZER products.
ites, download it and share it. This means that they can access the information even in offline mode. Thanks to a filter which is intuitive to use, BITZER customers can find every document quickly and easily.
The convenient site directory is also helpful: the app knows the addresses and contact de- tails of all BITZER and Green Point service points as well as all certified dealers and other distributors. Users can place a call directly from the app, can write an e-mail and add the data to their address book. If the user has acti- vated the location function, the app will sort the site information by subject groups and by the site’s distance from the user. ✺
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