During last week’s Infrastructure Sustainability Council ReConnect conference, the Infrastructure Sustainability Council called for new, shared sustainability initiatives across the infrastructure sector.
More than 300 infrastructure delegates from across Australia and New Zealand met for the conference in Sydney.
A clear call to action emerged for the infrastructure sector, with Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s Chief Executive Officer, Ainsley Simpson, challenging the industry to come together around a “shared vision”.
“Competitive advantage will not be defined by intellectual property, rather by the speed at which innovations are shared to reduce the learning curve for others,” Ms Simpson said.
Infrastructure Sustainability Council Launches two new agendas
The Council launched two new agendas which will be progressed through collaborative member coalitions:
- Advance our nations, fair – world-class infrastructure for thriving nations, developed in partnership with Urbis, finds industry fragmentation, subjective decision-making, risk aversion and sectoral capacity are the key barriers to world-class infrastructure performance.
Launching the paper, Urbis Future State Director, Kate Meyrick, challenged the audience to remember infrastructure’s purpose.
“Infrastructure is about solving problems and enabling opportunities. If we want to be a better ancestor for future generations then we need to take a more restorative approach and make far bolder decisions today,” Ms Meyrick said.
- Place-based approaches to net zero, launched in partnership with Mott MacDonald, calls for a systemic, networked approach to decarbonisation focused on towns, cities and regions rather than just assets, sectors and materials.
Climate Change Practice Lead at Mott MacDonald, Amanda Sturgeon, said, “This is a call to action for the infrastructure sector to lead by example, thinking globally, acting locally in the cities and regions in which we live, work and play.
“The true power of a place-based approach is that it unlocks innovation and new potential that would not be evident from a typical top-down approach, such as local business investment and community engagement in net zero solutions.”
Awards showcase sustainability in infrastructure projects
The infrastructure industry continues to set new benchmarks in sustainability, demonstrated by the achievements celebrated at the Infrastructure Sustainability Council Gala Awards 2022.
“We are embarking on a decade of rapid transformation, and our members know that sustainable development is both a responsibility and an opportunity. They are taking action to address challenges and move forward sustainably,” Ms Simpson said.
Winners from the night include:
- Excellence in Governance Outcomes Award: Victoria’s Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MTIA) North Western Program Alliance (NWPA)
- Excellence in Social Outcomes Award: Cross River Rail’s Tunnel, Stations and Development (TSD) package of works by CPB, BAM Ghella and UGL Joint Venture
- Excellence in Environmental Outcomes Award: McConnell Dowell Decmil Join Venture (MCDDJV) with MTIA’s Major Roads Project Victoria
- Excellence in Economic Outcomes Award: Acciona, Department for Infrastructure and Transport’s NorthHub
- Emerging Leader Award: Rosie Dutton, Sustainability Manager at Acciona, for her influence and contribution to sustainability outcomes
- Sustainability Champion Award: Pamela Simpson, for her work as Sustainability Team Lead for the planning phase of the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway Stage 4 project
- Outstanding Individual Contribution to the Sector Award: Liz Root, Principal Sustainability Advisor on the Auckland City Rail Link, for enhancing sustainability and championing social outcomes in the New Zealand construction sector
- Outstanding Achievement for Infrastructure Sustainability Operations Award: Downer EDI for North West Tasmania Road Maintenance Contract with State Growth
- Outstanding Achievement for Infrastructure Sustainability Design Award: Arenco for the Rooty Hill Station upgrade and multi-storey car park with Transport for NSW
- Outstanding Achievement for Infrastructure Sustainability As-Built Award: MTIA’s Caulfield to Dandenong Alliance (Acciona, CPB, Aurecon, WSP, MTM, LXRP) for work on the Level Crossing Removal Project
Executive leaders recognise 10-year anniversary of IS Rating Scheme
During the conference, industry leaders gathered to reflect on the progress of the IS Rating Scheme and the Council over the decade.
The IS Rating Scheme was launched in February 2012 by then Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Anthony Albanese. Today, the IS Rating Scheme boasts more than $210 billion worth of assets under rating, extending across the full asset life cycle, and every state and territory in Australia as well as Aotearoa New Zealand.
‘’The coming decade presents a unique chance to turn risk and disruption into opportunity and advantage. But this will require a bold new order of leadership – one that creates an operating environment of high coordination, high trust, high investment and high return,’’ Ms Simpson said.
