Richard Jefford is an established leader in hydronics and renewable thermal energy systems, with 40 years of experience in the plumbing and mechanical services industry.From early trade beginnings to becoming the Managing Director of both Highlands GeoExchange and ecoTHERM Australia, Richard has spent his career at the forefront of sustainable heating and cooling systems—specialising in water-to-water and geothermal heat pump applications.He has overseen the design and delivery of hundreds of high-performance installations across residential, commercial, and industrial sectors throughout Australia and New Zealand—including architect-led developments, agribusinesses, luxury homes, and off-grid community energy projects.A vocal advocate for refrigerant-free building systems and lifecycle ESG design, Richard is actively helping builders, engineers, architects, and property developers rethink the way thermal energy is generated, shared, and stored in modern buildings.He brings together technical depth, field knowledge, customer-first values, and decades of practical project delivery to educate industry partners on the benefits of multi-service, high-efficiency heat pumps and decentralised thermal infrastructure.