The 2014 Consensus Awards: From Event Software to the Laboratory of the Future
From world-class event technology to greener buildings and a revolutionary university laboratory, five Australian innovations have been recognised at the 2014 Consensus Awards.
SYDNEY, 17 December 2014: Five outstanding Australian-developed technologies have been recognised as winners of the 2014 Consensus Awards, celebrating innovation with the potential to transform industries, improve the way organisations operate and take Australian technology into international markets.
The Awards were presented by Senator The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos, Senator for New South Wales, at The University of Sydney’s new Charles Perkins Centre on Wednesday, 17 December. In a fitting connection to the evening, the Charles Perkins Centre was itself among the 2014 winners for its groundbreaking X-Lab teaching facility.
The five technologies recognised in 2014 were:
EventsAIR from Centium Software Pty Ltd
nimblex from eBMS Pty Ltd
Glycerol Pretreatment from Leaf Resources
IP Hybrid HVAC from Green HVAC Solution
X-Lab from The University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre
Together, the winners demonstrate the remarkable breadth of technology and innovation being developed in Australia, spanning enterprise software, event management, sustainable manufacturing, energy efficiency and education.
Centium Software’s EventsAIR was recognised for a new generation of event-management technology designed for the global meetings and events industry. Developed by an Australian company with decades of experience in event technology, the cloud-based platform brought together the many complex functions required to manage events within a single system.
eBMS was recognised for nimblex, a highly configurable platform enabling organisations to digitise and automate complex business processes. Its flexibility allowed organisations to configure technology around their own operational requirements rather than relying on costly bespoke development.
Leaf Resources received recognition for its Glycerol Pretreatment technology, an innovative process developed to improve the conversion of plant biomass into useful industrial products. The technology demonstrated the potential for Australian innovation to contribute to the development of more sustainable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based manufacturing.
Green HVAC Solution was recognised for its patented IP Hybrid HVAC technology, designed to substantially improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems. The technology had already moved into production, with distributors appointed in international markets and early sales underway. Consensus judges noted its potential to reduce electricity consumption by approximately 40 per cent and greenhouse gas emissions by around 30 per cent.
Completing the five winners was the very building in which the Awards were being celebrated.
The University of Sydney’s X-Lab, located within the Charles Perkins Centre, represented an ambitious rethink of the traditional university science laboratory.
The 264-seat wet teaching laboratory was designed to allow multiple classes from different disciplines to operate simultaneously within one enormous space. Technology was integrated throughout the facility to enable separate teaching groups to work alongside one another without disrupting the individual learning experience.
Consensus judges unanimously recognised X-Lab for its potential to revolutionise science education and create more engaging learning experiences for students.
The 2014 winners were selected through the independent Consensus judging process, which assesses Australian and New Zealand-developed technology against three fundamental measures: innovation, performance benefits for users and potential for further product or market development.
The Awards exist to provide independent recognition to locally developed technologies and help innovative Australian and New Zealand organisations build the credibility and exposure required to enter new markets.
The 2014 Awards were endorsed and supported by the Australian Consensus Technology Association, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, Wholesale Investor and TiE, with The University of Sydney hosting the Awards presentation at the Charles Perkins Centre.
From software capable of managing some of the world’s most complex events to technology reducing the environmental impact of buildings and manufacturing, the 2014 winners demonstrate that Australian innovation is being developed across an extraordinary range of industries.
The Consensus Awards congratulate all of the 2014 winners and the people behind the technologies recognised this year.