Cool room efficiency focus of free session

Cool rooms are an essential piece of equipment for many businesses, but they can also be costly to run.

Local businesses are invited to a free Refrigeration Efficiency Masterclass later this month to learn how to reduce costs and improve the performance of their cool rooms.

East Gippsland Shire Council’s sustainability unit said the session was a great opportunity to learn about practical and cost-effective ideas on how to achieve energy efficient and reliable operation of refrigeration equipment, as well as what to look for when upgrading your equipment. It will be held in Bairnsdale on Thursday, October 25 at The Hub, 27 Dalmahoy Street.

Refrigeration equipment is a large contributor to electricity costs for businesses.

Ross Ingram of Bonaccord Ingram, a local vegetable producer and transport company, said attending the free masterclass will help businesses avoid refrigeration design and operating issues resulting in poor reliability and performance, and increased energy consumption.”

It is estimated there are over 65,000 walk-in cool rooms in Victoria. Cool rooms, unlike domestic refrigerators, don’t have efficiency star ratings and rarely come with an operating manual.

The masterclass, a joint project of council and Sustainability Victoria, will be conducted by refrigeration expert Michael Bellstedt of Minus 40 Engineers, who has decades of experience in refrigeration and energy efficiency.

To register for the masterclass, visit the Sustainability Victoria website, sustainability.vic.gov.au.

Support is also available to businesses through the $6.1 million Boosting Business Productivity Program in the form of expert advice, grants and information cutting energy and materials costs.

The program also offers grants for energy assessments, material efficiency and gas efficiency.