Month: March 2014

Leighton Contractors is committed to operating sustainably

We are transparent about our sustainability commitments, standards and performance requirements, and we report regularly on our progress.

The safety and health of our people is also core to every aspect of our business, and how we deliver on our social, environmental, ethical and financial responsibilities. In addition, our social commitment is extensive in the communities in which we operate.

As a long-time member of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, we recognise the importance of the infrastructure sustainability (IS) rating tool and its positive impact on the industry.

We have partnered in the first project to achieve an “As Built” rating – the Great Eastern Highway Upgrade in Perth – and we are also involved in several others that are registered for a rating, including Gateway WA and Elizabeth Quay. Increasingly, our clients, industry, governments and communities expect more from us in regard to sustainability and the environment. For example, we have seen a significant increase in requests for IS ratings in the infrastructure projects we tender for.  Given this, we are developing the capacity and capability of our people by organising in-house IS Foundation Training courses, which have been run in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. To date, we have 33 IS accredited professionals across our sites in Australia.

We have supported and encouraged a broad cross-section of our people to participate in IS training, including designers, environment managers, procurement managers and project directors. In some cases, client staff have also participated. Tailored in-house training has facilitated knowledge sharing, provided opportunities for open and frank discussions about performance and areas for improvement, and helped lower costs.

To date, the feedback from the training has been positive, with many people commenting on the course content, quality of materials and an improved ability to assess projects using the IS rating tool. With IS Foundation Training, our people are better equipped to understand applied sustainability in the context of infrastructure projects, and what can be achieved and how. Not only does this support our efforts to continue building organisational capability, it also ensures our people have the right skills to perform their roles and are living our core purpose and values every day.

Softly, Softly on the hard task of Sustainable Infrastructure

While green buildings have become standard for government – and projections suggest they’ll soon become the norm for most new construction – infrastructure in Australia is a completely different story.

When you think of the scale of some infrastructure development there’s a huge untapped potential for savings, both environmental and economic.

However, getting infrastructure projects to adopt sustainability goals is a hard ask. Where the building industry has years of hard data proving the business and environmental case for sustainability, infrastructure lacks both local precedent and a market to drive the change.

While tenants can up and leave to new sustainable digs in order to improve productivity, worker retention and overheads, in the infrastructure world we’re stuck with what gets built, sustainable or otherwise.

The Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia has been created to address the issue of sustainability in infrastructure development and operation.

“Where GBCA’s Green Star is the building sectors leading rating sustainability tool, ISCA’s IS Scheme is Australia’s only sustainability performance, assurance and rating tool for civil works and infrastructure projects and assets,” says Sprigg.

To view the full feature article, please follow this link.

Colonial First State Global Asset Management (ISCA Member) has published an article which discusses the trustees’ dilemma when responding to systemic risk.

The article covers:

• The economic significance of superannuation funds
• Climate change – a case study
• Unlocking the fiduciary puzzle
• Engaging and educating members
• Enhancing investment processes
• Collaborating broadly and deeply
• Advocating beneficiaries’ interests

Article courtesy of ASFA’s Superfunds magazine.  For the full publication please view: http://www.superannuation.asn.au/superfunds-magazine

ISCA Announces Australia’s First Infrastructure Sustainability As Built Rating

ISCA CEO, Antony Sprigg, formally awarded Australia’s first certified IS As Built rating to the City East Alliance team who delivered the Great Eastern Highway Upgrade on behalf of Main Roads Western Australia in Perth yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 13th August 2013).

The presentation occurred at the WA Transport Infrastructure Summit with Leo Coci, Executive Director, Infrastructure Transport Directorate, receiving the rating on behalf of Main Roads Western Australia. Stephen Nicolay (Leighton Contractors) who was the Alliance Director and Erik Geidans from GHD also received a Rating certificate.

“This is a milestone for ISCA and demonstrates the importance and benefits of applying the IS rating scheme to our Nation’s assets. I congratulate City East Alliance (CEA) for applying the IS rating scheme during the design and construction of this project. Their focus on sustainability, innovation and implementing best practice sustainability solutions no doubt enabled the project to achieve a ‘Commended’ level of rating.” Mr Sprigg said.

The assessment process highlighted three areas where the CEA team best demonstrated sustainable practices, these being, the project management systems, materials and land management. The extensive use of recycled materials, reducing the use of non-renewable resources of limestone, sand and bitumen were all particularly important features of the project.

Highlights of the project include:

• The highway now has the largest use of recycled material on any WA State road with 43 per cent of imported material being recycled.
• Instead of using high-value potable water, the project installed groundwater bores and constructed a weir which, on completion, was handed to the local council to irrigate parks.
• The project also reduced energy consumption and environmental impact by using warm mix asphalt – applying innovative foaming technology to mix the bitumen into the asphalt mix.

“The entire Project Team was enlisted to support the achievement of this rating, from generating ideas relating to protecting the environment and sustainability during the design phase, through to making a difference in minimising the use of water and correct disposal of waste during construction” Mr Nicolay said. He also recognised several benefits from the IS rating, including:

• Continued testing of current systems and processes for sustainability, as well as helping benchmark against other best practice projects in Australia
• Introduction of a sustainability assurance process
• Providing a framework for sustainability performance and reporting for the project.

The project achievement of a ‘Commended’ IS rating reflects the positive and proactive approach to sustainability by the Alliance partners. “The IS rating process has encouraged Main Roads WA to formally identify major projects where project teams are able to implement best-practice and innovative sustainability solutions to deliver long-term environmental, social and economic benefit through WA road infrastructure.” Mr Coci said.