Wanganui District Council has installed 14 LED fittings from GE Lighting on the Wanganui City Bridge. The new fittings are estimated to save the council NZ$9000 over their life, giving a payback period of 6.2 years. [ + ]

Philips Dynalite recently installed 1700 energy-efficient lights as well as more than 58 km of electrical cabling, 1200 fire sprinklers and 240 solar panels in the iconic and heritage building, Sydney Town Hall. The project required a sensitive solution that not only showcased the beauty of the building but respected its historic significance. [ + ]

ABB has won an order to build six substations for GoldLinQ, Queensland’s first light rail system. [ + ]

During flood conditions, electrical hazards pose dangerous risks and can be fatal. Master Electricians Australia CEO Malcolm Richards is warning contractors about getting in over their heads doing floodwater repairs. [ + ]

Privately held Australian commercial contractor D&M Electrical Communications deployed energy-efficient electrical systems for the refurbishment of Westside Hotel in Dubbo, New South Wales. This included main supply and installation of switchboard, distribution boards, all lighting, power, emergency systems, data and C-Bus controls. [ + ]

Currently in Australia, there is no regulated surge protection standard. It is not compulsory to fit surge protection. This means that your electrical equipment may be relying on the upstream protection that simply doesn’t exist to do most of the work in handling harmful surge events. Installing surge protection before your electrical equipment also makes sound economic sense as it increases the longevity of your investment. The cost is really small compared to your investment. [ + ]

Emerson Network Power has released a list of the 10 most common surprises for data centre and IT managers. Released at AFCOM Data Center World Spring, the list offers tips to help managers prepare for these nasty surprises in order to minimise downtime. [ + ]

The Australian lighting industry is facing a myriad of problems, including complicated and fragmented regulatory environment for energy-efficient products and substandard products giving a bad name to the industry, that could potentially restrain growth. However, it’s not all doom and gloom. In the article below, Ilum-a-lite’s CEO Mark Rutherford, explains how private and government funding options make it easy for businesses to go green. [ + ]

Darling Quarter is a redevelopment of the 1.5 ha ex-Sega World site located at the southern end of Sydney’s Darling Harbour, between Harbour Street and the Western Distributor Freeway, overlooking Tumbalong Park. The project incorporates a number of sustainability initiatives, including rainwater harvesting, on-site recycled water treatment, on-site trigeneration system, carbon emission reduction through energy-efficient design, recycled construction waste and a high-performance facade designed to maximise natural light and minimise heat gain. [ + ]

Companies continually look for ways to improve plant safety and a growing area of focus is reducing the potentially serious hazards caused by arc flash events. This article examines the causes of arc flash and discusses the standards guiding arc flash safety. It also explains the role that arc-resistant motor control centres (MCCs) play in helping to contain arc energy. [ + ]

National Manufacturing Week (NMW), Australia’s only fully integrated annual manufacturing exhibition, returns to Sydney in 2012 with industry showcases across 12 specialist zones. The event takes place on 8-11 May 2012 at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park. [ + ]

Australia’s construction industry continues to decline, a result of drops in activity and new orders. January 2012 was the 20th consecutive month that the sector has contracted. [ + ]

A hospital in the Sunshine State is making the most of the weather to cut costs and reduce carbon emissions. The Hervey Bay Hospital will install a 266 kW roof-mounted solar panel system later this year that will save an estimated $20,000 on electricity costs and reduce carbon emissions by around 400 tonnes annually. [ + ]

A key issue for businesses in 2012 will be the new energy reporting regulations. The Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) scheme is the first regulatory step in making business more energy wise and penalties will apply for non-disclosure. Programs such as the NSW Government’s Energy Saver program are available now to businesses wanting to take the important first step towards understanding their energy footprint. [ + ]

The new BCA lighting requirements restrict lighting to 5 W per square metre, as opposed to the previous 25 W per square metre. [ + ]