2026 Award Finalists

ENVAR Engineers & Contractors 

EQ6 – 9 The Esplanade: Design & Construct-Prefabrication-Led HVAC Delivery, Elizabeth Quay 

ENVAR delivered the mechanical services for Nine The Esplanade, a 19-storey PCA Premium Grade office tower at Elizabeth Quay, Perth, under a Design and Construct contract with Brookfield Multiplex. The project commissioned 771 individual mechanical assets (348 VAVs, 82 FCUs, 67 fans, 15 pumps, 8 AHUs, 3 chillers, 3 cooling towers, 3 heat pumps), delivered through a prefabrication-led strategy: BIM-driven clash detection, off-site CNC/robotic fabrication of fan walls, pump modules and heat exchanger assemblies, and factory pre-testing before installation. This approach cut on-site installation time by up to 70% on a constrained waterfront CBD site, with a zero LTI record throughout. Base building practical completion was achieved in March 2025, with the completed, certified base building now holding 6 Star Green Star Design & As Built (v1.3), 5.5 Star NABERS Energy, and IWBI WELL Gold Core certification. Individual tenant fit-outs continue as a separate, later-stage scope. 

Echuca Regional Health | Adelaide University | Plasma Shield Ltd AC – Best Retrofit Project Award

Echuca Hospital – Sustainable Solutions for Pandemic and Bushfire Resilience 

Echuca Regional Hospital’s medical-ward AHU was designed to operate continuously on 100% outdoor air. The project retrofitted it with Plasma Shield bioHEPA, reduced outdoor air to the minimum of two air changes per hour, and supplied the balance as treated recirculated air. The rotary heat-recovery wheel and conventional filters were removed, while an unchanged surgical-ward AHU provided a control for the study. 

AE Smith 

ICC Sydney Collaborative Building Optimisation Program 

Darling Harbour Live is a partnership between Capella Capital, Downer, and ICC Sydney, responsible for operating the Sydney International Convention Centre under a Public-Private Partnership with the NSW Government via Place Management NSW. 
 
The ICC Sydney Building Optimisation Program is a staged, controls-led HVAC retrofit delivered across the Convention, Exhibition and Theatre precincts. Commencing with a detailed engineering audit, the program evolved through targeted control improvements, central plant optimisation, additional occupancy and indoor air quality sensing, technology pilots, analytics and ongoing performance verification. Existing HVAC assets were retained and progressively improved through smarter sequencing, dynamic setpoints and demand-responsive control. The works were delivered collaboratively within a live and highly dynamic international events venue without disrupting event operations. 

Engineered Solutions

Powering Education Through Electrification at The Canberra Institute of Technology 

This project was an important pilot project for the ACT Government which is recognised as a global leader for climate action. Careful selection of an effective form of heating- high temperature radiant quartz, and a campus wide load management system contributed to avoid a power supply upgrade which would have been very expensive and disruptive since the substation is in the middle of the main car park. 

Carrier Automated Logic Australia 

Data-Driven HVAC Optimization at a Regional Shopping Centre in Brisbane 

This project delivered a digital, non-invasive mechanical retrofit for a Brisbane retail centre serving more than 170 tenants. The Centre’s facilities team relied on static HVAC controls and reactive responses to alarms and tenant complaints. Abound Predictive Insights, an AI-powered analytics and optimisation solution, was integrated with the existing Automated Logic BMS to enable continuous monitoring, predictive analytics and advanced control aligned with ASHRAE Guideline 36-2021. Dynamic Trim & Respond, outdoor air reset and predictive optimum start shifted HVAC management from reactive to proactive operations. Within three months, the Centre achieved more than 11,600 kWh in electricity savings and an 8% reduction in AHU energy consumption year over year, while recovering deployment costs within four months. The project also improved maintenance visibility, occupant comfort and operational responsiveness.

AJ Baker & Sons  

Combined CO2 Refrigeration & HVAC Efficiencies 

This project highlights the energy and environmental savings achieved by consolidating Refrigeration and HVAC into a combined central system at a major regional supermarket. The needs of both food safety and customer comfort have normally meant that these systems are completely separate. Working towards integration of these systems, especially when it comes to reducing GWP/environmental impact as well as operational costs has seen enormous benefits to the end user, as well as ensuring consistency in equipment design, functionality, supervisory systems as well as control in maintenance scope and costs. 

Seeley International 

Climate Wizard Hybrid – CW-Hybrid DX & IEC 

The Climate Wizard CW-Hybrid was installed at Amaroo School (ACT) as part of an independently monitored living laboratory led by the Sustainable Buildings Research Centre (SBRC) & University of Wollongong. The project evaluated an innovative all-electric HVAC system that combines Seeley International’s patented Indirect Evaporative Cooling technology with an integrated reverse-cycle heat pump to deliver cooling, heating, ventilation and air filtration within a single platform. 

Scantec Refrigeration Technologies 

Conversion of liquid overfeed ammonia refrigerating plant to dry expansion feed 

This project involved the complete replacement of two centralised, liquid overfeed refrigeration systems employing ammonia refrigerant with two new, centralized, dual-stage ammonia refrigerating plants with dry expansion refrigerant feed. The project is believed to be the first in the World of its kind. 
 
The operations and the building enclosures of the refrigerated storage facilities remained the same before and after the plant upgrades. The energy performance improvements recorded are therefore representative of the advantages of the new system designs with dry expansion refrigerant feed. 

Vahid Vakiloroaya, Pacman Air Pty Limited 

Dr Vahid CPEng, has profoundly advanced the Australian HVAC&R industry through patented innovation, over 1,250 academic citations, published industry textbooks, and hands-on leadership of major projects as Construction Manager and Principal Engineer at Pacman Air. Championing rigorous standards under the NSW Design and Building Practitioners Act, Vahid combines cutting-edge engineering with a deep commitment to mentoring diverse and emerging industry professionals. 

Steven Lam, Mott MacDonald 

Steven bridges academia and industry to advance the HVAC&R sector. As Mott MacDonald’s University Engagement Lead, he mentored students into permanent careers through 30 hours of volunteering at RMIT, while leading initiatives for the CIBSE Young Engineers Network and APNA Graduate Committee. 

Driving technical excellence, Steven spearheaded a firm-wide standardization campaign delivering eight validated design tools. As discipline lead on major projects like the National Gallery of Victoria Contemporary, and a recipient of the Mott MacDonald MyPRIDE Award, he combines engineering rigor with a strong commitment to diversity and community building. 

Nyasha Chiagra, Fantech  

Nyasha has made a sustained, practical contribution to education in the HVAC&R industry through formal technical training and community building. As National Specification and Training Manager at Fantech, Nyasha leads the Engineers Fan Training Program, a comprehensive, CPD-eligible course covering everything from fan selection, laws, and acoustics to energy recovery and intelligent ventilation. Designed to deliver value to both graduates and seasoned engineers with decades of experience, Nyasha brings the program directly to the industry, touring across Australia and reaching regional centers where access to specialized technical training is often limited. 

Martin O’Donovan, ENVAR Engineers & Contractors 

Martin the Senior Project Manager at ENVAR, has driven HVAC industry advancement through landmark WA developments like EQ6 – Nine The Esplanade, where he pioneered prefabrication methodologies that cut installation time by 70% and enhanced site safety. Alongside delivering sustainable, high-performance infrastructure, Martin is a committed mentor who actively develops the next generation of HVAC talent, combining cutting-edge technical execution with exceptional leadership. 

Jeffrey D. Van Zetten, NEXTDC 

Jeffrey is the Chief of Engineering Design at NEXTDC and is concurrently completing his PhD at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). He developed and patented an innovative automated control system that measures real-time electrical loads across individual IT racks, calculates precise cooling airflow requirements, and dynamically regulates motorized dampers to optimize efficiency. Beyond conventional air-cooled data center systems, Jeffrey has successfully extended the application and impact of his research into broader environments. 

Michael Kelly, DeltaQ 

Michael graduated with a Master of Mechanical Engineering (Distinction) in 2017 and joined DeltaQ’s Melbourne team in 2025. Over the past year, he has driven measurable improvements in commercial building energy efficiency. Beyond his technical impact, Michael has mentored and coached at least five junior consultants across mechanical and non-mechanical streams, guiding them in the review, design, evaluation, commissioning, and optimization of HVAC systems across Australia and the UK. 

Luke Evans, HK Solutions  

Luke is a Senior Mechanical Designer and BIM Manager at HK Solutions, bringing over a decade of HVAC&R contractor and consultancy experience to complex mechanical services projects. Since joining HK Solutions in July 2023, Luke has expanded his remit into Job and Design Management, contributions formally recognised by Discipline Director Andrew Brassett. His previous roles include leading the Darwin mechanical team at Lucid Consulting as Mechanical Lead, managing five staff members, and co-founding Frontier Painting, where he served as Director from 2018 until successfully winding down the business at the end of 2025.