‟
THEME: Forensic
The need for more efficient
Engineering (October-
energy use in air-conditioning has December 2018)
spurred the National University
of Singapore’s researchers, for
one, to invent water-based air
conditioning. Instead of using
HFCs, the air-conditioners rely on
rain water.
Efficiency Ratio (EER) for all air-conditioning units
produced.
EER refers to the ratio of total cooling capacity
against the effective power input into the device. A
higher EER indicates higher efficiency of the unit.
ASEAN countries have agreed to adopt a minimum
EER of 2.9W by 2020 for all air-conditioning units
produced with a capacity of less than 3.5kW. This
was after the ‘ASEAN Regional Policy Roadmap for
Harmonisation of Energy Performance Standards
for Air Conditioners’ was endorsed at the ASEAN
Ministers of Energy Meeting (AMEM) in September
2015.
The need for more efficient energy use in air-
conditioning has spurred the National University of
Singapore’s researchers, for one, to invent water-
based air conditioning. Instead of using HFCs, the
air-conditioners rely on rain water. They also use
40% less electricity compared to conventional air
conditioning units.
If electricity consumption could be reduced by
100 TWh, it could potentially save the region up to
USD12 billion in electricity bills annually.
Should Southeast Asia continue cooling down,
it will need to do so on a much more efficient
basis, or risk incurring ever-growing costs, to both
the economy as well as the environment. While it
is already working towards the reduction of the
impact of air-conditioning on energy consumption
and the environment, ASEAN has to do more
before the situation becomes unmanageable.
DOSH to get more power to pursue errant
parties: Amending nine worksite laws for
better safety. (Source: The Sun, October
26, 2018)
The Human Resources Ministry will amend at least
nine worksite-related legislations by early 2019 in
a move to curb oversights in workers’ safety.
This follows the deadly landslide on October
21, 2018 that killed nine foreign construction
workers while one remains missing.
Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran
said the amendments will empower the
Department of Occupational Health and Safety
(DOSH) to go after errant designers, land owners,
developers and various categories of contractors.
Currently, DOSH is only able to act against
the main contractor, Kulasegaran told a press
conference after visiting the site of the landslide
in Jalan Bukit Kukus.
Kulasegaran said the amendments were
necessary as some legislations were about 30 to
40 years old.
The penalties for negligence will also be
revised from the present maximum of RM50,000
to RM500,000, with two years’ imprisonment
proposed.
KDN PP 11720/4/2013 (032270)
THE
VOL.76
OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2018
L E M B AG A J U R U TE R A M A L AY S I A
B OA R D OF E N GI N E E R S MA LAY S I A
INGENIEUR
M A G A Z I N E O F T H E B O A R D O F E N G I N E E R S M A L A Y S I A
FORENSIC
ENGINEERING
73
Photo courtesy of Ir Tan Bee Hong