Increases to award rates and the national minimum wage are due to take effect from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2016. If you are an employer, you'll need to ensure you are across the changes. [ + ]

CSIRO has unveiled a solar-powered air-conditioning system to cool Australian commercial buildings, achieving greater energy efficiency. Operating at Stockland Wendouree Shopping Centre in Ballarat, Victoria, the system uses concentrating solar thermal technology to produce heat energy used to power the air-conditioning system. [ + ]

Landing a helicopter on an onshore or offshore facility is still regarded as one of the most hazardous operations when flying, but a new lighting system is now changing that. [ + ]

New information from Juniper Research suggests that by 2021, the average driver will save an entire working day per year through less driving time. The advent of smart city initiatives, including including advanced traffic management and smart parking, will contribute to 4.2 billion fewer man hours on the road. [ + ]

The team at Kennards Hire are now making it event easier to find the right tool for the job, launching what they say is Australia's first live equipment hire platform. [ + ]

Master Builders Australia (MBA) has formally launched its Jobs and Skills for the Future policy as part of its Strong Building: Strong Economy campaign for the next term of government. [ + ]

After extensive testing, battery company Redflow and energy storage management provider Redback Technologies have announced the compatibility of their technologies to bring a new, more efficient energy solution to Australian homes. [ + ]

Australian councils should urgently consider tailored debt finance to improve their energy performance and reduce emissions from old and poorly maintained assets. [ + ]

Battery packs supplied with certain HP, Compaq, HP ProBook, HP Envy, HP Pavilion Notebook computers have been identified as a fire risk. Not all HP notebook PCs in these ranges have an affected battery pack. [ + ]

Hilti has opened a new showroom and retail outlet in Sydney, complete with a purpose-built demonstration area, offering customers a more hands-on, interactive experience. [ + ]

Rockwell Automation's Asia Pacific Business Centre (APBC) has been presented Gold at the 2016 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards. The Award for Excellence in the category of Innovation in Manufacturing Industries recognises the success of the APBC in achieving optimal performance and profitability through deploying The Connected Enterprise. [ + ]

Klugo is expanding, with the appointment of new staff in both the Melbourne and Sydney offices. [ + ]

ABB Australia has announced that Tauno Heinola will be the new managing director for the company in Australia following a shuffle of its global leadership team. [ + ]

Nissan Motor Corporation has announced efforts in research and development of a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-powered system running on bio-ethanol electric power, a world first for automotive use. [ + ]

The next generation of rechargeable lithium batteries set to disrupt the electric vehicle industry may soon be here, thanks to the humble salt bath. CSIRO scientists, in collaboration with RMIT University and QUT, have demonstrated that pre-treating a battery's lithium metal electrodes with an electrolyte salt solution extends the battery life and increases performance and safety. [ + ]