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AIRAH'S 100 FACES

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Brett Hedge, M.AIRAH

Brett Hedge, M.AIRAH, is the national sales and marketing manager at Kirby HVAC&R.

He’s also co-chair of AIRAH’s Refrigeration Special Technical Group (STG) and has been heavily involved in developing and advancing AIRAH’s position statement on HVAC&R licensing in Australia.

Hedge provided his thoughts on the industry and the importance of change and innovation in our 100 Faces Q&A below.​

100 Faces Q&A

​​What brought you to the HVAC&R industry?

I was lucky enough to get an apprenticeship starting in 1996 with Kirby Refrigeration.

It was one of many apprenticeships that I applied for as a school leaver. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do; I just wanted a trade. In some respects, you could say the trade picked me rather than me picking the trade.

Since that fateful day all those years ago I have been lucky to work in many roles with many great people and leaders. What started as one of many applications to a job ad that I knew nothing about ended up being a great career choice.

How long have you been a member of AIRAH?

I have been a member on and off since I was a student.
What's your favourite HVAC&R-related memory?

Having the opportunity to help my dad fix his coolroom and freezer room systems at his butcher shop in my early years as an apprentice. Being part of a family that owned a small business, I always understood how tough things could be, and being able to assist my parents through a tough period by putting my skills (and connections) to use was rewarding and humbling.

What's something everyone should know about you, your work, or the HVAC&R industry?

The thing that people should know about me is that I am committed to making change. Being better at what I do and what we can do is what drives me every day.
​
The most pleasing thing about my career has been the involvement I have had in accelerating the use of CO2 technologies and making them scalable, efficient, and reliable in Australia.

That legacy serves as a real opportunity to shape the future of our industry and the deployment of technologies that reduce the footprint of the HVAC&R systems that we use in the future. That is where I continue to focus my energy outside of the day-to-day.

As a vegetarian and the son of a butcher, I think it is fair to say that I was never going to be your conventional fridgie!
How do you see the HVAC&R industry developing over the next 100 years?

Given the impact on the environment and the demand associated with cooling and heating, the footprint of HVAC&R will become a significant focal point over the next 100 years. I can only hope that this increases awareness and highlights the importance of the industry and need for investment.
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I am hoping that the recent investment in technological innovation from Richard Branson and the Global Cooling Prize is just the start of things to come.

For more on Brett Hedge, visit his LinkedIn.

EXPLORE AIRAH's 100 FACES

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