By Ethan Benedicto
A new laboratory in Narre Warren will soon provide a boost to not just the City of Casey, but Victoria’s transition to energy-efficient technologies.
The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) officially announced on Friday 6 December, the state’s first energy efficiency and appliance safety laboratory.
With its completion date set for 2026, the new lab was part of the $15 million Made in Victoria – Industry R&D Fund, which granted between $250,000 to $2 million to businesses in order to invest and support research and development across key sectors.
It serves as a major building block for the state to reach its emission targets, but most importantly, it also allows families and residents to be a part of that endeavour.
Paul Bonsak, the managing director of IAPMO Oceania, said that the State Government, through “the need for change, the need to reduce our carbon footprint”.
“We need to make sure that by developing new technologies, ensuring the safety of those technologies and their viability, we do testing to ensure the safety of our community, installers, and practitioners.
“This is an opportunity to take new ideas and innovations and ensure safety, but also through the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC), we’re able to take some of this technology and pass that on to training,” he said.
IAPMO, both the global and Oceania branch have a long-standing history of fulfilling the organisation’s role of developing and adapting plumbing, mechanical and other codes to meet the needs of cities and their people.
From writing codes, conducting testing and inspections, and certifications, this new laboratory will see an expansion of the organisation’s current capabilities, catering to more – such is the lab’s name – safe and energy-efficient appliances.
IAPMO Global’s ceo, David Viola, said that seeing such an innovative facility and, along with others, heading the global operation is “extremely exciting”.
Speaking on its origins, he said that it has “certainly been an evolution”.
“This group of like-minded people from around the world who have major influences on their specific countries came together and shared what was happening from the environment to climate change.
“From the needs of those that are installing, the needs of manufacturers and the pace of evolving technology, it didn’t take long for us to understand the things that were happening here in Australia,” he said.
Viola, collaborating with the World Plumbing Council and individuals such as Shayne La Combre from PICAC, has referred to the lab’s construction as the move towards addressing energy efficiency in their sector.
The organisation’s president, Steven Panelli, was excited to be part of the development and said that while not everything is perfect, the initiative remains a worthwhile contribution not only for Victoria, but also for the world.
“Not everything’s perfect and anybody that says so is lying to you, you’re never going to get a hundred per cent,” he said.
“But what you can give back is a step to save our planet for everybody that’s younger.
“My grandkids, twins, it’s for them to see what we’re trying to leave behind, see what we’re trying to do for testing and having people understand what the benefit is, and I think that’s the big push.
“It’s not so much as saying, ‘look what you’re going to save in money’ or ‘look at what you’re going to save in your energy’, it’s more of ‘look at what you’re giving back to the earth, the community, look at what you’re trying to sustain, to make things better’.”
Narre Warren South MP, Gary Maas is eager for the completion of the lab, adding that the State itself is “very keen to move towards zero emissions”.
Job creation was another aspect he touched on, but also another environment for learning, research and development.
“It’s a terrific facility and the Government Research and Development Infrastructure Fund is there for that reason,” he said.
“It not only fuels that research, that innovation, it also creates jobs for our young people.
“It’s terrific for Narre Warren in terms of job growth, but it’s terrific for the environment as well and it helps us reduce our carbon footprint in Narre Warren and gets us closer to that zero emissions target a lot faster.”
The government’s manager of innovation, industry and research and development infrastructure fund, Elizabeth Young, was also present during the event.
Briefly, she touched on the importance of the fund, and how it can “accelerate projects like this laboratory”.
“In new energy, health technology, food manufacturing, defence and aerospace,” she said.
Touching on the importance of sanitation, Bonsak emphasised the importance of proper plumbing, as well as utilising existing and developing technologies to cater to those who need access to them the most.
“I’m very excited about all this, we’ve outgrown our facility so this will give us the opportunity to expand into all the areas of plumbing,” he said.
“Not only gas and lead, but other areas and we’ll be able to service the whole industry and new technologies in energy efficiency.”
