Australia’s National Sustainability Conference Keeps April Dates, Shifts to Online

The 2020 National Sustainability Conference, originally a conventional in-person event, remains set for April 27-28 but has shifted to a completely online format, including a session on ammonia DX refrigeration systems.

Hosted by the Association for Sustainability in Business, the event was originally due to take place at The Calile Hotel in Brisbane, Australia, but, like a growing number of conferences worldwide, will take place online instead due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The health of all involved is our top priority,” said the conference website.

Registration for the online conference can be completed here. All presentations and additional learning material will also be recorded and accessible post-event. Covering a wide range of sustainability topics, the program include seven national and international keynote presentations, as well as more than 30 presentations from industry experts. Each session will offer an opportunity for a live question and answer session.

Stefan Jensen, Managing Director of Brisbane-based Scantec Refrigeration, will present on “Real Energy Efficiency of DX NH₃Versus HFC. Jensen will consider the technical and economic viability of NH3 as a replacement for HFC-based cooling. By comparing ammonia-based cooling to the previous HFC model in a plant in Mackay, North Queensland, he will demonstrate energy savings between 57% and 67%, depending on the recording period, according to his abstract. Jensen’s talk will take place on April 28, 3:37pm-4:07pm (AEST).

Keynote speakers include Davina Rooney, CEO of the Sydney-based Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), whose topic is“Sustainability Mega Trends and Future Focus.” She will address “key sustainability trends globally, and review their application to Australia,” according to her abstract. Her presentation will be given on April 28, 4:50pm-5:20pm (AEST).

The National Sustainability Conference is one of several events hosted by the Association for Sustainability in Business, based in Narang, Queensland Australia. Wherever possible, the group nowoffers online alternatives to its events that allow for social distancing,including webinars, podcasts and interactive learning opportunities“that will continue to deliver the same expertise, insights and qualityas our physical events,” the group said.