Masters of temperature
Market leaders in refrigeration, air conditioning and heating, Active Refrigeration puts its focus firmly on energy-efficient solutions.
With a passion for sustainability and providing the best service possible, Active Refrigeration was founded in 2000 by directors Graeme Green and Craig Duff.
Beginning in refrigeration, the company has branched out into heating and air conditioning. On the air conditioning side, 65 per cent of the business is in residential projects.
A lot of work is with architectural builds, installing ducted air conditioning to effectively heat and cool the home. Ideally the company liaises with the architect before plans are drawn up so that the heating system can be fully integrated into the design with units hidden in wardrobes or kitchen cabinetry for a seamless design. The company is involved from specification through to installation and after service.
“We look at each project as if it’s for our own home,” says Graeme. “We try to use the most energy efficient and best practice we can.”
The company also installs hot water-fed underfloor heating into some projects with pipes hidden in the foundations at construction stage. Each room has its own thermostat for a perfectly temperature-controlled environment.
The company has grown from its base in Christchurch to a nationwide company operating in 14 locations with 175 employees. Christchurch, however, will always be the heart of the company. “It’s where our families are and we’re heavily involved in the community,” says Graeme. The company sponsors two rooms at the Ronald McDonald House which supports families of children receiving treatment at Christchurch Hospital. Graeme says everyone on the staff is immensely proud of this involvement.
Active Refrigeration’s focus on sustainability has been well received within the industry. The company won an award in the innovation category of the 2016 ECCA awards. In 2017, it won the Infrastructure/Trades category of the Champion Canterbury Business Awards based on the company’s innovative and sustainable approach to energy-efficient refrigeration and heating, and its contribution to Canterbury’s growth. It also won the 2017 Deloitte Energy Excellence Awards for Health and Safety Initiative of the Year.
“The health and safety of our staff and sub-contractors is paramount and we have an app which they can use to do an on-site risk assessment for each job.”
Innovation is in the form of making smaller units to fit in smaller places, sustainability of energy and around the control functions with remote control and automated houses.
The company is also true to its roots of refrigeration and is heavily involved in commercial and industrial projects, particularly in the North Island. Here, sustainability is also key with a focus on heat recovery. “Often you’ll find a refrigeration unit is installed on the one hand and a boiler to heat water on the other,” says Graeme. “Any refrigeration unit will eject heat and that can be recovered to heat water making for cost- and energy-savings.”
After-service is an important part of the company’s offerings with 24/7 callout possible on the refrigeration side and Mon-Fri callouts for residential.
In everything they do, Active Refrigeration aims to offer a top-notch service.
“We try to be leaders in what we do and always look at the most efficient and best solution for each project.”
03 339 2617 | activerefrigeration.co.nz
