Scientists have discovered that covering solar panels with aluminium studs helps to bend and trap light in the absorbing layer, increasing the amount of energy extracted from the captured sunlight. [ + ]

The home and building control standard KNX has been approved as Chinese Standard (GB/T 20965). [ + ]

The winners of the New South Wales Brightest Spark competition have been announced at a presentation ceremony in Sydney this afternoon. [ + ]

Solar panel systems that both heat and cool buildings may soon be coming to a large office building near you, thanks to engineers at two Spanish universities. [ + ]

RMIT University is helping industry partners connect with the latest developments in industrial ethernet, delivering tailored training in association with Hirschmann distributor Daanet. [ + ]

SolarMax has announced a distribution partnership with Mark Group. The agreement will make Australia one of the first countries in Mark Group's global business to distribute SolarMax's S series and MT series solar inverters and accessories. [ + ]

Early-bird registrations for the PreLoved Buildings 2013 conference are closing on 18 October. Keynote speakers include Robert Morris-Nunn from Circa Morris-Nunn Architects and Jon McCormick from Brookfield Johnson Controls. [ + ]

The Queensland Government’s Electrical Safety Office has issued a recall of Infinity electrical building cables. The NSW Office of Fair Trading issued a recall of the product last week, but no other states or territories had followed suit until now.  [ + ]

The recall of Infinity brand electrical cables in New South Wales - but not in any other Australian states - is putting homeowners at serious risk of fire or electric shock, Master Electricians Australia claims. [ + ]

Following the opening of EMSc-Powerstar's Australian office earlier this year, the company has appointed five Australian distributors. [ + ]

AIRAH is offering a series of half-day courses throughout November which provide an overview of the National Construction Code (NCC) Volume One BCA (Class 2-9 buildings) as it relates to mechanical services. [ + ]

The UNSW solar racing team, Sunswift, will begin the 3000 km 2013 World Solar Challenge on Sunday 6 October. The Sunswift team, comprising 32 students, built the lightweight solar-electric vehicle - the team's fifth - for the competition. [ + ]

Former Optus and Telstra Chief Dr Ziggy Switkowski has been appointed to the board as chairman, pending the appointment of a new chief executive to replace Mike Quigley, who announced his intention to resign from the position in July. [ + ]

The Clean Energy Council has welcomed a recommendation to set a minimum price in South Australia for solar energy generated by South Australians. [ + ]

Scientists have been working frantically to create better LEDs to meet the ever-increasing demand for energy-efficient lighting, but one thing stands in the way: 'droop'. [ + ]