From the president – what a year

Regular columns

February 4, 2025

Mikaila Ganado, M.AIRAH

It’s hard to believe 2024 is already coming to a close! My first six months as AIRAH president have been both an honour and a whirlwind. It feels like just yesterday that I was introduced as the new president at the AIRAH AGM, but in reality so much has happened since then.

It’s been my privilege to attend several fantastic AIRAH events over the past six months. Our two-day Indoor Air Quality Conference in July felt like a landmark moment in Australia’s IAQ debate – it was fascinating to hear perspectives from both AIRAH members and those outside the Institute on how we can tackle the one of the defining issues of our generation.

In September we travelled to Brisbane for the Institute’s crowning jewel: HVAC24, combining the Future of HVAC, the Building Physics Forum, and the Big Data and Analytics Forum. The sense of camaraderie was palpable – holding the conferences concurrently and encouraging attendees to move between rooms was a great way to form new connections and share new ideas with those who might not otherwise be exposed to them.

Finally, in November, we gathered at the Crown Aviary in Melbourne for a spectacular AIRAH Awards gala dinner, where we honoured those companies and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to our industry this year. I want to pass my personal congratulations to all those who won awards. This is a huge achievement, and something I hope you’ll remember fondly for a long time.

I’d like to thank the conference technical committees who dedicated their time and effort to putting together such outstanding programs for our conferences. In particular, I’d like to mention AIRAH’s Conference and Events Manager, Marie Karekla, who has excelled since taking on the role. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for the Refrigeration Conference in March next year!

It has also been a big year for the AIRAH board, which has farewelled several true legends of the Institute, and welcomed several who we’re sure will play a similarly important role going forward.

Earlier this year we welcomed Alan Fok and Chris Bong to our board, with Paul Jackson stepping down after leading the Institute through the tough times of the COVID-19 pandemic and Ura Sarfejoo taking her leave after a six-year tenure of immense impact. Both Alan and Chris have already made valuable contributions during their brief stints so far – neither has shied away from the difficult decisions that come with leadership positions, and both have shown great enthusiasm for what the future of AIRAH will hold.

There was one further change to the board at the AIRAH National Convention, held in Melbourne on November 21. After a record 14 years across several stints, Bryon Price has finished up with the AIRAH board. I can’t express just how much Bryon has contributed to AIRAH over a long period, and how much personal support and guidance he has given me as I’ve transitioned into the role of president. There’s no replacing somebody of Bryon’s experience and business acumen – he will be sorely missed.

Our newest board member is Adam McIntosh, chair of the ACT Division Committee and an active member of the Electrification STG. I can’t tell you how excited I am to have Adam join us on the board. He is an outstanding engineer, a born leader, and a fount of ideas and enthusiasm. He’s exactly the kind of person we need as AIRAH looks toward the future.

Thank you all for your support of AIRAH during 2024, and I hope an even better 2025 awaits!

This article appears in Ecolibrium’s Summer 2024-25 edition

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