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Month: September 2024

Annual Gala Awards – 2024 Finalists

Posted on by loren.blundell@iscouncil.org

We are excited to share the 2024 finalists for our Annual Gala Awards. This year’s awards will exemplify excellence in sustainability across environmental, social, governance, and economic quadruple bottom line outcomes and outstanding contributions to market transformation at organisational, systemic and societal levels. We would like to thank Holcim as our Gala Dinner & Award Partner for our 2024 Annual Awards.

Excellence in Governance – Thanks to our Award Partner, NSW Public Works 

  • Fitzgerald and Robinsons Road Level Crossing Removal Project – The Metropolitan Roads Program Alliance (MRPA)
  • Pound Road West – Frankston-Dandenong Road Bridge Upgrade – MRPV, Seymour Whyte, SMEC
  • Metro Tunnel Project
  • Union Road and Mont Albert Road Level Crossing Removal Project – South Eastern Program Alliance

Excellence in Economic

  • Keon Parade Level Crossing Removal Project – Level Crossing Removal Project
  • Dubbo Mindyarra Regional Rail Maintenance Facility – CPB Contractors
  • Metro Tunnel Project
  • Morley to Ellenbrook Line Project – MELconnx Alliance (Laing O’Rourke and OMTID)

Excellence in Environmental

  • Unanderra and Towradgi Station Upgrade Projects – Degnan and Transport for NSW
  • Western Plains Correctional Centre
  • Sydney Metro West – Western Tunnelling Package – Gamuda and Laing O’Rourke Consortium and Boral
  • Northshore Hamilton Street Renewal Program – Economic Development Queensland
  • Union Road and Mont Albert Road Level Crossing Removal Project – South Eastern Program Alliance
  • Morley to Ellenbrook Line Project – MELconnx Alliance (Laing O’Rourke and OMTID)

Excellence in Social – Thanks to our Award Partner, Ventia

  • Unanderra and Towradgi Station Upgrade Projects –  Degnan and Transport for NSW
  • Tonkin Gap Project and Associated Works – Main Roads Western Australia, Public Transport Authority, Georgiou, BMD, BG&E and GHD
  • M7-M12 Integration project – John Holland
  • Sydney Metro West – Western Tunnelling Package – Gamuda and Laing O’Rourke Consortium
  • METRONET Byford Rail Extension – The MetCONNX Alliance (comprising Laing O’Rourke Australia and the Office of Major Transport Infrastructure Delivery, WA)

Outstanding Achievement

  • Eastlink WA Program Rating – EastLink WA IPT (Main Roads WA, BG&E, GHD)
  • Union Road and Mont Albert Road Level Crossing Removal Project – South Eastern Program Alliance
  • Sydney Metro City & SW – Line-wide Works – Systems Connect (CPB &UGL CJV)
  • Preston Level Crossing Removal Project – North Western Program Alliance
  • South Australia Road Network Maintenance – Downer EDI Works Pty Ltd
  • Morley-Ellenbrook Line – MELConnx Alliance (Public Transport Authority and Laing O’Rourke)

Private Sector

  • Ventia
  • ARUP
  • BORAL
  • Gamuda and Laing O’Rourke Consortium and Boral

Public Sector – Thanks to our Award Partner, Jacobs

  • Office of Major Transport Infrastructure Delivery
  • Main Roads Western Australia

Emerging Leader – Thanks to our Award Partner, Perspektiv

  • Kate Rowan – John Holland Group
  • Heidi Dumesich – Ventia
  • Colleen McDonald – Office of Major Transport Infrastructure Delivery
  • Sasika Perera – M80 Ring Road Alliance
  • Camila Fonseca Mazzo – Laing O’Rourke

Enduring Impact – Thanks to our Award Partner, GAMUDA

  • Lachlan Walker – McConnell Dowell
  • Kat O’Mara – Edith Cowan University and CmdrKat Consulting
  • Cathy Chesson – Mott MacDonald Australia

 

Tickets for our ISC Annual Gala Awards close on Friday 4th of October 2024. For more information and to purchase tickets click here. 

RISE Leadership Program: A Mentee’s Career Story

Posted on by Reshma vallabhaneni

An ambitious journalist turned sustainability professional  

Szeto Yan Weng left high school in Malaysia with the ambition to become a journalist. “I wanted to write for the business section of a newspaper – my idea was to write about business in an entertaining and simplified manner to appeal to the everyday reader.”  

He knew he wanted a break from studying, so headed straight into employment taking up an opportunity at a national newspaper. However, Weng quickly realised that a career in journalism wasn’t for him.  

Following his father’s advice, to enrol in a university course.  Exploring his options, a  Bachelor of Economics featuring a student exchange program to Portland, Oregon, USA, caught his eye..   

Weng spent the final two years of his degree studying at Portland State University. “Living in Portland as a student was such a memorable time of my life – it shaped my future.” 

A career inspired by nature 

Weng had always been an environmentally conscious person, however, a career in sustainability wasn’t on his radar until he was in Portland. “I was really inspired by Oregon’s natural beauty, and the people of Oregon are very environmentally conscious. I was drawn in!”  

In his final year of study, the link between the environment and economics piqued his interest and Weng knew he wanted to pursue a career in sustainability. “I saw the environment as an entity with no voice to negotiate with its users, and I wanted to have a positive impact.”  

Once Weng finished his degree, he found it difficult to get a job in Portland. Disappointed, he found himself back in Malaysia where he landed a job at one of the top four accounting firms as a research analyst, which he openly admits was not the role for him. Facing an unexpected turn of events and unsure of what to do next, Weng’s father encouraged him to enrol in a Master’s course to specialise. 

“I knew what I wanted to do, so it wasn’t too long before I enrolled in a Master’s in Environmental and Resource Economics in Canberra, and after completing my masters, I was determined to find a job in Sydney.”   

Securing a job in Sydney was again another challenge for Weng, however, his luck changed when he discovered that Gamuda, a Malaysian Engineering company, was being set up in Australia. “I was able to get my foot in the door at Gamuda through my Malaysian contacts.”  

Leadership is a journey defined by the opportunities you take   

Weng learned early on that sustainability, like economics, is a broad and often complex topic. He was able to apply his ability to simplify complex topics, to persuade and influence key stakeholders.  

“I really enjoy being able to use my environmental economic knowledge and apply the principles of science communication to achieve desired outcomes. Some people can profit from providing misinformation, whereas my value is being able to comprehend and deliver information on technical topics.” 

 Weng was honoured to be offered the role of Sustainability Representative on the Coffs Harbour Bypass project which saw him responsible for delivering key sustainability outcomes for the project. “It’s a big deal and a cool project. I’m proud to be part of it, and I appreciate the trust given to me by the team, and especially the client.” 

Weng embraced every opportunity that came his way, always looking for ways to add value and tackle new challenges. This proactive approach led him to an early career opportunity where he was entrusted with managing a graduate, setting the stage for his growth as a leader. 

 “The RISE mentoring program was another incredible opportunity that allowed me to develop my leadership skills,” he said. “It was an obvious decision for me.” -The idea of having an experienced professional, outside of the business, willing to commit their time and share their experiences to develop him professionally was what appealed to Weng the most. 

The value of having a mentor 

Weng joined the RISE mentoring program as a mentee in 2023. “For me, having access to an independent person to help me identify where I could develop and guide me on how else to solve problems was incredibly important.”    

“I was most interested in developing my people management skills. I had just been given a graduate to manage, and I wanted to know how to best support this person. I also wanted to expand my network, which I did through the program.” 

One-year on, Weng and his mentor remain in contact. They continue to commit time to each other and further cement their great relationship, which is one of the most valuable outcomes of the program.  

“The people who need the ISC RISE mentoring program the most are the people who don’t think they need it. This program really allows you to explore the unknowns without having to step out of your official duties. Your capabilities expand horizontally and your breadth of knowledge increases, which can often be missed when you focus on your current relationships. I am so glad I enrolled in this program and would strongly recommend others to do the same – you won’t regret it.” 

 

West Gate Tunnel Project: Hea-1 Community Health and Wellbeing

Posted on by Sarina Aguinaldo

Project/Asset Name: West Gate Tunnel Project 

Infrastructure Type: Road Infrastructure 

Proponent:  

The West Gate Tunnel Project (WGTP) is a city-shaping project that will deliver a vital alternative to the West Gate Bridge, provide quicker and safer journeys, and remove thousands of trucks off residential streets. 

The project will include: 

  • Widening the West Gate Freeway from 8 to 12 lanes and include express lanes between the M80 and the West Gate Bridge, reducing weaving and merging that leads to traffic congestion 
  • A tunnel from the West Gate Freeway to the Maribyrnong River and the Port of Melbourne which will take motorists and trucks underground and off residential streets, providing a more efficient freight route 
  • A bridge over the Maribyrnong River, linking to an elevated road along Footscray Road will get people to where they need to go in the CBD North 
  • State-of-the-art smart technology across the length of the project linking it to other freeway management systems across the city 
  • Broad landscape improvements  

The project is being delivered by the CPB Contractors John Holland Joint Venture (CPBJH JV) on behalf of Transurban and the Victorian Government . 

Rating Type: Design and As Built IS version 1.2 

Key Stakeholders: Transurban as customer, councils, and aboriginal organisations. 

IS Rating Details: Hea-1 credit Level 3 achieved in Design submission. 

Location: Victoria 

Drivers:

For the year ending 30 June 2016, Melbourne grew by 107,800 people, with much of the growth occurring in Melbourne’s western suburbs. The western region of Melbourne continues to be one of the fastest growing regions of Melbourne due to a combination of urban renewal in the inner suburbs and greenfield residential development in the outer suburbs. Councils that will benefit from the WGTP include: 

  • Hobsons Bay City Council 
  • Maribyrnong City Council  
  • City of Melbourne 
  • Wyndham City Council 
  • Brimbank City Council

Effective community and stakeholder engagement and leaving a lasting legacy are core commitments across both joint venture partners, CPB Contractors and John Holland. To achieve Level 3 in Hea-1 both in Design and As Built, CPBJH JV has taken the approach to review each council plans as one method of understanding community sentiment and vision as well as to understand their objectives and targets towards health and wellbeing priority issues.  

Through this process, four priority issues have been identified and will be pursued by the WGTP: 

  1. Access to active transport facilities: The project includes the provision of new shared use paths, upgrade of existing shared use paths, a new elevated veloway and pedestrian connections which will support the promotion of sustainable transport options.  
  2. Local businesses: A project of this scale presents a significant opportunity to support local business through the purchase of local goods and services and through promotional campaigns and initiatives.  
  3. Diversity and Social Inclusion: The project will support social and economic inclusion by improving accessibility to employment opportunities, increasing capacity, and facilitating opportunities for all people to participate in the project. 
  4. Community Education of local students: Education equips students with the tools to tackle local challenges, such as environmental issues, public health concerns, and social inequalities. By empowering individuals with knowledge and critical thinking skills, education can lead to innovative solutions tailored to the specific needs of the community. 

To view the full case study click here.

 

ISC Member Update from the CEO – September 2024

Posted on by loren.blundell@iscouncil.org

Having joined ISC just one month ago I have made it a priority to get on the road and meet as many of our members as I can in old-school face-to-face meetings. My primary aim during these meetings is to listen. For those of you I have not yet met, this message provides an opportunity to introduce myself, to say why I joined the ISC, and offer some initial thoughts on how I can serve you in this new role.

My career to date has included founding two successful businesses, serving as Head of Sustainable Development for ANZ Bank and as Melbourne’s Chief Resilience Officer. I joined the ISC from PwC Australia’s Energy Transition team. At every stage I have aimed to harness the talent and commitment of dedicated teams to achieve transformational outcomes for individuals, corporates and governments.

Leading the ISC feels like a fitting and logical extension. I’ve long been an informed admirer, closely watching the ISC’s purpose, its work, and its role in shaping a structured approach to sustainability for our sector. I am energised by the tremendous team and the standout culture we have internally. But I didn’t take on this role to stand still. We have much to do to assist our members and users to achieve ever-better sustainability outcomes, in ever-more effective ways.

Also, Infrastructure matters. It consumes, embodies and enables some 70% of Australia’s and 50% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s emissions. While carbon is critical, it is just one of many ways that infrastructure affects the sustainability of communities. Through the IS Ratings and the enabling of our wider ecosystem through training and collaborative capability development of our membership, the ISC has established a world class framework for shaping, reporting, and incentivising the best intentions of the infrastructure sector, across some 36 aspects in 16 social, economic, environmental, and governance categories.

I cannot overstate the importance of a verification system that provides the evidence of sustainable outcomes, regardless of whether they are funded by the taxpayer or by investors subject to ESG disclosure regulation. Australia’s Infrastructure Policy Statement is crystal clear about the need for infrastructure to serve the communities they connect, and to do so sustainably. In New Zealand…the newly-announced National Infrastructure Agency will apply a fresh focus to the value that infrastructure will deliver in partnership with private investors.

Furthermore – and perhaps ultimately most important – the ISC provides an actively -managed pathway for whole-of-market transformation. We do this by:

  • encouraging and celebrating innovation that delivers sustainability outcomes
  • disseminating knowledge through case studies, training, events and webinars
  • socialising it as “best practice” through the ratings tools,
  • normalising it as “better BAU” when we upgrade the ratings,
  • and standardising it when this leads to formal regulation.

I’d also like to highlight some recent and upcoming initiatives:

  • IS Planning provides early-stage identification and costing of sustainability initiatives, and pull-through certainty into tendering and contracts right through the supply chain.
  • IS Essentials offers a cost-effective reduction in complexity and scale, opening the benefits of an IS rating to projects under $100million – without losing the core purpose.
  • Our Sustainability Capability Framework provides guidance for identifying, attracting and retaining desperately needed talent in the construction sector.
  • The Connect Conference in Sydney from 22-24 October is the focal event, bringing together the whole ISC ecosystem to take stock, celebrate innovation and outstanding leaders, build connections and to look forward together. Please come and find me at the Conference if you have questions, concerns, requests or recommendations.
  • We’re keen to capture more of the value of our collective thought leadership – building on both our working groups and other topic-specific engagements such as our supplier and circularity workshops, and converting these into a more proactive policy and communications strategy that aims to move the policy needle towards delivering more sustainable outcomes

To all of you – member organisations and individuals – that have provided the support and personally put in the hard yards on all of these initiatives – a personal thank you: you’ve set a high bar.

I’m eager to hear first-hand about life at the coalface for ISC members. These are clearly challenging times, and while we have a great foundation there is much that the ISC wants to and can do better. Please tell me where we can help in tackling the complexities and challenges associated with delivering and managing socially equitable, net zero, and nature positive infrastructure.

In closing, I’m delighted to have joined the ISC, I will continue to meet with you to discuss where you’d like us to focus our attention, and I look forward to working together to deliver infrastructure that connects, protects and empowers the communities we serve.

Ratings Case Study Webinar 3

Posted on by Reshma vallabhaneni

In this webinar recording  you will hear from project teams across Australia and New Zealand as they share case studies and key learnings when undergoing an infrastructure sustainability rating.

This session features –

Introduction of  Ecn-1 by Dr Kerry Griffiths and  Declan Collins of Infrastructure Sustainability Council, East Link WA Project highlights by Sophie Wallis of BG&E,MelCONNX/MetCONNX Projects highlights bt Leigh Penney of Laing O’Rourke and Laing O’Rourke Responsible Decision-Making Framework by Sam Donaldson of Laing O’Rourke.

Presentation slides here

IS Update Webinar | 18 September 2024

Posted on by loren.blundell@iscouncil.org

 

During this online session, attendees heard from our new Chief Executive Officer. Toby brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record in sustainability, resilience and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) delivery.

Attendees will also receive the latest information from our teams at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council, with topics covering:

  •  Industry engagement, including our upcoming Connect Conference
  • Ratings & delivery
  • Technical & IS Essentials
  • Learning & capability