Sydney Metro Northwest skytrain ‘Leading’ IS Design rating

Sydney Metro Northwest skytrain ‘Leading’ IS Design rating

Sydney Metro Northwest skytrain – bridging the gap to Sustainable Construction with a ‘Leading’ IS Design rating

Sydney Metro Northwest project’s skytrain builders have been awarded with a ‘Leading’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The rating was awarded to Salini Impregilo Joint Venture (ISJV) who are delivering the 4km skytrain viaduct and associated surface works package on behalf of Transport for NSW. A ‘Leading’ IS rating is the highest possible achievement in the IS rating scheme and indicates that the project is achieving best practice in sustainability.

ISCA CEO Antony Sprigg says applying the IS rating scheme during the design of this project and the commitment to continue applying the IS rating scheme through construction is commendable. “ISCA aims to recognise and encourage beyond business-as-usual sustainability activities in the planning, construction and operational phases of infrastructure projects.”

“We congratulate the ISJV team for achieving a ‘Leading’ IS Design rating, the highest possible rating level,“ Mr Sprigg continued. “This is an exemplary performance and testament to what can be achieved when sustainability practices are adopted.”

With the Sydney Metro Northwest project, Transport for NSW has sought to raise the bar for sustainable design and delivery of infrastructure projects through establishing a suite of performance requirements, including that contractors achieve IS Design ratings.

Sydney Metro Program Director Rodd Staples said: “This significant achievement by ISJV puts the Sydney Metro Northwest project as a whole on a very solid foundation to realise exemplary sustainability outcomes”.

ISJV demonstrated Australian based market transformation through development of a sustainability data collection and reporting software. This innovative software solution provides a sustainability management system for organisations to record data and measure sustainability performance of civil engineering projects.
Stuart Hodgson, Principal Manager – Sustainability, Environment and Planning from Transport for NSW has endorsed the software expressing, “this software development has presented an opportunity for TfNSW to review its system for managing contractor reporting requirements on future TfNSW infrastructure projects.”

ISJV has reduced emissions by more than a third through initiatives including the use of biofuels, design efficiencies and reduced electricity use. The ISJV design also enabled a potential 9 percent water saving, over the life of the project using water reduction techniques such as water free chemical concrete curing.

Smart design has also modelled a 44 percent emissions reduction and a net Eco point reduction of 37 percent. The package’s Deconstruction Plan also shows that 90 percent of the value of all materials can potentially be recycled.

Through the discovery of the White Hart Inn, a European heritage site discovered as part of the Early Works package, ISJV has been instrumental in the protection of The White Hart Inn site. ISJV implemented best practice heritage management measures including minimising adverse impacts to heritage during construction, developing signage and interpretive materials describing heritage values, developing educational and community resources around heritage values and developing partnerships with relevant stakeholders to utilise heritage places to promote local heritage values.

Salini Impregilo has over 100 years of experience in the construction of roads, motorways, railways, dams, hydroelectric plants, tunnels, aqueducts, and civil and industrial buildings around the world, which has enabled Salini Impregilo to develop a strong business model that adheres to the principles of sustainable development, which are rigorously applied to all our key processes.

To be awarded with a ‘Leading’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) is a fantastic achievement for a new company working in the Australian market place. It is a real testament to Salini Impregilo’s commitment to Sustainable Construction Globally and to the efforts of the ISJV management in delivering the sustainability objective within the project.

Salini Impregilo Joint Venture has registered Sydney Metro Northwest project’s Surface and Viaduct Civils package for an IS As Built rating. Sydney Metro Northwest project’s Surface and Viaduct Civils package is expected to be completed in early 2017.