EPC Media Group

10/06/2024

Researchers develop low-cost materials for direct air capture of CO2

Researchers at Monash University in Melbourne have developed a group of low-cost solid materials that show great promise for use in systems to capture excess carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the atmosphere.
Known as “meso-macroporous melamine formaldehyde (MF)”, the new materials can be made relatively easily from the common and low-cost chemicals melamine and formaldehyde and have extra-large pores to facilitate direct air capture (DAC) of CO2.
Until now, large-scale deployment of DAC as a negative carbon emission technology has been slow due to the low performance and high cost of solid materials capable of capturing significant amounts of CO2 at low levels present in ambient air and at normal temperatures.

10/06/2024

SMART CITY TECHNOLOGIES TO BECOME A $100 BILLION INDUSTRY THIS YEAR

The surging use of artificial intelligence and IoT technologies continues fuelling the growth of smart city technologies as more and more cities look for innovative solutions for urban challenges. Over the past five years, the market size of smart city technologies has jumped by an impressive 140%. But this year, the entire industry is set to hit a new milestone.
According to data presented by Stocklytics, smart city technologies are expected to become a $100 billion industry in 2024.
Over the past years, the usage of these technologies has grown tremendously, and a recent survey by Statista Market Insights shows just how much. In 2018, the global revenue from smart city technologies amounted to $37.5 billion. Since then, this figure has jumped by 140% and hit almost $90 billion last year. Statista expects the entire market to hit a new milestone this year, with revenues jumping over $100 billion for the first time.

10/06/2024

Do you know an engineering project advancing society? Here's your chance to spotlight the deserving team behind it! Nominate them for the prestigious Engineers Australia and stand a chance to see their work recognised as Australia's project of the year. Hurry, nominations close on Tuesday July 2. Submit your nomination now:

Excellence awards program Nominations open Home About us Excellence awards program Leaders in engineering pave the way for transformation not just in their field, but in the world at large. The progress engineers make pushes the boundaries of what’s believed possible, shaping how we think, live, w...

06/02/2024

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05/02/2024

The only stand-alone medical research institute in Australia dedicated to dust-related diseases has welcomed unified action by state and federal governments in deciding to ban engineered stone, which causes silicosis.
Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) Chair Peter Tighe said that the ban announced in December would save lives and is a tribute to the strong community and union-led campaign against the product.
Read the full story at:

The only stand-alone medical research institute in Australia dedicated to dust-related diseases has welcomed unified action by state and federal governments in deciding to ban engineered stone, which causes silicosis. Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI) Chair Peter Tighe said that....

05/02/2024

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport recently tabled the report for its inquiry into the implications of severe weather events on the national regional, rural, and remote road network.
Chair of the Committee, Mr Luke Gosling OAM, MP, said ‘the severe weather events over the past few years have taken a tremendous toll on our road network and our nation. The unprecedented scale and intensity of floods, torrential downpours, and bushfires have caused catastrophic damage to our road infrastructure, exposing its vulnerability against severe weather events and a changing climate.’
‘Our communities and supply chain networks are heavily reliant upon a safe and functional road network to ensure connectivity and access to health and other essential services, food, fuel, and other resources. We have reached the crossroads of changing climate risks, socio-economic growth, and long-term resilience.’
Read the full story at:

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport recently tabled the report for its inquiry into the implications of severe weather events on the national regional, rural, and remote road network. Chair of the Committee, Mr Luke Gosling OAM, MP, s...

26/08/2023

Tickets released! Celebrate engineering excellence across Australia. Attend the Excellence Awards local winners announcements. Held in 9 locations from 4–8 September 2023, secure your seat today: www.engaus.org/excellenceawards

18/05/2023

BETTER, BRIGHTER, GREENER NEW BUILDINGS IN MELBOURNE

The City of Melbourne will take bold action to raise the planning standards for environmentally sustainable design – with stronger energy efficiency standards, green rooftops, vertical gardens and solar panels set to transform Melbourne’s skyline.
The Sustainable Building Design Amendment will introduce stronger planning controls for developments – helping to green city buildings, improve environmental standards, and combat the effects of climate change.
“We’re taking bold action to address climate change – and this is another significant step forward to cut emissions and improve sustainability across our beautiful city,” Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp said.
“Developers can find clarity and confidence in these amendments to know they are contributing to long-term sustainability, while the buildings’ tenants will receive the benefits of cheaper operational costs,” the Lord Mayor said.
Drawing inspiration from world leaders like Singapore, Vienna and Copenhagen, the new amendment will focus on improving energy and water efficiency, increasing the uptake of renewable energy, encouraging more greenery on roofs and walls, boosting the number of new trees, reducing waste generation and increasing electric vehicle infrastructure and bicycle parking.
Read the full story at:

The City of Melbourne will take bold action to raise the planning standards for environmentally sustainable design – with stronger energy efficiency standards, green rooftops, vertical gardens and solar panels set to transform Melbourne’s skyline. The Sustainable Building Design Amendment will i...

18/05/2023

Being National Road Safety Week, we felt this was the ideal time to share this review of Melbourne-based specialist driving educator Courtenay Rufus from CRUDE Ultimate Driving Education… it pretty much says everything you need to know about the critical role that advanced driver education plays in improving road safety. We believe that it should be a ‘standard inclusion’ in everyone’s driver education curriculum!
Oh… and MASSIVE CONGRATS to Courtenay and the team at CRUDE for a job well done 👍🏻👍🏻
Visit: https://www.crudedriving.com.au/

08/05/2023

ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS: NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN
As of this year, the Engineers Australia Excellence Awards will be conducted as a single awards program.
To keep pace with the profession and celebrate the most cutting-edge engineering driving Australia forward, Engineers Australia’s project awards have moved from bi-annual to annual. There will be annual celebrations of local and state finalists in each division, with winners progressing to the national awards.
The redesign is a product of an exhaustive review. Engineers Australia National President and Board Chair Nick Fleming says engineering is evolving, and the awards program must as well.
“The changes we’ve made to streamline the awards will ensure the categories are consistent, equitable and inclusive,” he said.
Nominations for the Project Awards and People Awards are now open.
Read the full story at: https://www.epcgroup.com/engineers-australia-project-of-the-year/

As of this year, the Engineers Australia Excellence Awards will be conducted as a single awards program. To keep pace with the profession and celebrate the most cutting-edge engineering driving Australia forward, Engineers Australia’s project awards have moved from bi-annual to annual. There will ...

13/02/2023

CHARLES DARWIN UNIVERSITY HELPING TO BUILD INDEPENDENT SKILLS ACROSS FIRST NATION JAWOYN COMMUNITIES

Charles Darwin University (CDU) is helping to build the independent skills capacity of First Nations Jawoyn communities on country spread across 50,000 square kilometres of Northern Australia.
Technical skills in welding have important applications across this vast, remote tract of Jawoyn country, which extends north-west from Katherine to Pine Creek, south to Mataranka, and north-east to Bulman, including southern parts of Kakadu National Park and Arnhem Land. There, new knowledge and skills that First Nations men have drawn from welding training at CDU’s Katherine Rural Campus is being put to work by the land’s traditional owners in nine Jawoyn communities or clan groups.
These are the Barunga (Bamyili), Beswick (Wugularr), Jodetluk (Gorge Camp), Kalano, Kybrook, Manyallaluk (Eva Valley), Rockhole, Werenbun and Banatjarl (King Valley) communities, with a total population of 800 making up the traditional Jawoyn Nation.
Delivering the Welding Short Course, CDU Agriculture and Rural Operations Lecturer, Jonny McGannon said the expertise imparted to the First Nations men, who are all Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation employees, has wide-ranging benefits.
“The nationally-accredited welding training has helped to build the confidence, skills and workplace credentials of the Aboriginal men,” Mr McGannon said.
Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation Group Human Resources Manager Amy Murphy said the training has benefits for those participating and communities. These benefits range from learning on country and traditional land management to residential construction and professional development.
CDU course participant Samson Andrews plans to teach his new welding skills to First Nations students as part of the Learning on Country program, in partnership with Aboriginal ranger groups and 15 schools in remote communities, including two Jawoyn schools.
“It is this combination of curriculum and culture that will support remote Aboriginal students to walk strong in two worlds.” Miss Murphy said.
“For instance, Samson will teach Jawoyn students how to construct metal cages for feral animal management through the Learning on Country program.”
First Nations employees at Jawoyn Contracting will also apply their welding expertise to residential construction and maintenance in three communities, and rangers will use their new skills to construct and maintain fencing, gates, ramps, walkways and signs, she said.

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10/02/2023

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LEADERS BACK TRADIE HEALTH

Some of Australia’s biggest companies across construction, mining and agriculture have announced a funding partnership with medical research charity The Common Good to create the TRADIE HEALTH INSTITUTE.
Companies such as BESIX Watpac were invited to become founding partners of this world-first initiative due to their commitment to health and safety programs on their work sites.
“We wanted to work only with great companies who clearly valued the health of their tradies” said Michael Hornby CEO of The Common Good.
“Companies who take health and safety seriously, understand the problems and have the capacity to help other trade businesses and contractors”.
The recruitment of industry leaders will provide the base funding of the Tradie Health Institute – with the Institute’s first priority to tackle silicosis, a lung disease that may be impacting more than 600,000 current and retired tradies.
BESIX Watpac’s Mark Baker said they accepted the offer to be the first founding partner based on their health and safety priorities.
“We set up our BESIX Watpac Community Fund last year, which includes supporting community health. We now have an opportunity to not only emphasise our commitment to the health of our staff and contractors, but to make a meaningful difference to the lives of those tradies across Australia who have been diagnosed with a trade-related lung disease.”
“Sadly, there are many out there who have not taken the right precautions or simply weren’t aware of the risks. I now call on other CEO’s to stand with BESIX Watpac and support The Tradie Health Institute in this battle against silicosis and other occupational lung conditions,” Mark Baker added.
The TRADIE HEALTH INSTITUTE is a collaboration with one of Australia’s largest lung hospitals and health services and is the only institute dedicated to powering medical discoveries to help tradies. Companies across construction, mining and agriculture are being invited to partner.

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