For more than 20 years, the Australian Institute of Refrigeration Airconditioning and Heating’s (AIRAH) DA19 HVAC&R Maintenance manual has been the definitive reference guide for HVAC&R maintenance in Australia – defining what it is, why it’s performed and how to go about it.

Outlining best management practices, DA19 defines a structured process for the development of a system of maintenance appropriate to a specific building or application. The technical resource also describes the roles and responsibilities of supply-chain stakeholders. The manual covers maintenance for all components of HVAC&R systems.

DA19 was revised and significantly updated in 2019 with substantial input from building owners and managers, maintenance providers and equipment manufacturers. The revision was initiated by changes in the Australian regulatory landscape including, health regulations relating to maintenance, essential services maintenance regulations, the Introduction of Model WHS laws, changes to relevant Australian Standards and the introduction of significant new HVAC&R and digital technologies.

Significant updates in the new DA19 Maintenance Manual include:

• Renewed focus on maintenance as an end-to-end process
• Clearer articulation of the need for and benefits from HVAC&R maintenance, re-positioning maintenance as an investment rather than an expense.
• Emphasis on maintenance as a partnership between stakeholders, with new input and alignment from facilities management perspectives.
• New guidance on the development of objectives and key performance indicators for an outcomes-based maintenance approach.
• Additional guidance on the selection of a maintenance strategy (preventative, predictive, etc.) and how to identify critical plant/systems and the ‘risk’ implications to a business of a system failure.
• Detailed guidance on the specification, procurement and delivery of a HVAC&R maintenance program.