Month: November 2015

Auckland Airport Operations Soar

Auckland Airport has been awarded with a ‘Commended’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Operation Pilot rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The award was presented to Auckland Airport at the 2015 Sustainability in Infrastructure Awards in Sydney Australia on Wednesday 21 October 2015.

ISCA CEO Antony Sprigg said, “In addition to achieving New Zealand’s first IS Operation Pilot rating, Auckland Airport has inherently assisted with defining what the New Zealand IS rating tool should comprise.”

“Achieving a ‘Commended’ IS Operation Pilot rating is Auckland Airport’s latest accolade in their continuing leadership of infrastructure sustainability in New Zealand,” he continued. Auckland Airport are a member of the New Zealand Advisory Group on Infrastructure Sustainability, have recent joined as an ISCA New Zealand Founding Member and Martin Fryer (Sustainability Manager) was keynote speaker at ISCA’s recent Infrastructure Sustainability Conference “excellence IS spreading” in Sydney on 22 October 2015.

Since 2007 Auckland Airport has committed a full-time resource to embedding sustainable business practice and produced its first sustainability policy and five year action plan in 2008. Auckland Airport General Manager Airport Development and Delivery, Graham Matthews said “Auckland Airport is the key gateway into New Zealand and as such recognises the important role it plays providing the first and last impressions of New Zealand for the majority of international visitors.” He continued “Auckland Airport is now embedding its third policy and plan, taking a long term view to infrastructure development and operation.” Following the release of its masterplan in 2014, Auckland Airport reviewed its sustainability programme using the IS rating tool as a benchmark becoming the first IS rating operational pilot.

Auckland Airport were rewarded for their innovative waste reduction initiatives in compliance with Ministry of Primary Industry (MPI) biosecurity requirements. Normal waste disposal practice is to classify all cabin waste as quarantine waste and compulsorily send it to landfill. However Auckland Airport worked closely with waste contractors and developed a unique transitional waste recovery facility to segregate and sort cabin waste, resulting in the diversion of some cabin waste from landfill. The development process facilitated further engagement with airlines, to investigate waste avoidance through potentially changing in flight product specifications.

Auckland Airport’s management systems were rewarded for integrating responsibility for sustainability into their senior management team, engaging an independent professional to monitor and review sustainability performance, implementing performance improvements through a sustainability strategy, as well as sharing sustainability knowledge internally, within the industry and with sustainability professionals.

Yarra Park Recycled Water Treatment Facility awarded first ‘Excellent’ IS Operations Pilot rating

The Yarra Park Recycled Water Treatment Facility (RWTF) has been awarded with an Australian first ‘Excellent’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Operations Pilot rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The award was presented to Downer at ISCA’s annual Sustainability in Infrastructure Awards on Wednesday 21 October 2015.

“Downer and the Yarra Park RWTF team are to be congratulated on two fronts,“ said ISCA CEO Antony Sprigg. “Firstly, for their leadership in piloting the IS rating scheme in an Operational context and secondly, for achieving an ‘Excellent’ (IS) Operations Pilot rating.”

The plant is capable of producing more than 600 kilolitres of recycled water per day. As one of the first of its type, the facility was built underground and out of public view, ensuring it did not take away valuable surface land use or impact the amenity of the park. This innovative proof-of-concept design substantially contributes to the broader water market transformation towards sustainable development.

The team were recognised for their public commitment to sustainability in the Yarra Park Masterplan, monthly measuring and reporting on sustainability performance to senior management and their extensive knowledge sharing which had included the sharing of mistakes and development opportunities.

Since the plant was commissioned, Downer has been able to gain water efficiencies of 7% during summer operations and 8% during winter operations and has been able to supply 99.99% of potable water replacement demand. To date the Yarra Park RWTF has directly offset 291,818,800 litres of potable water.

The team monitored energy use and greenhouse gas emissions during the two years the plant has been in operation, enabling operational process improvements that have resulted in reduced energy consumption over the remaining 23 years of the asset’s operational life. In addition to this, substantial changes to chemical dosing, cleaning regimes and process philosophies have resulted in a reduction of 80 tonnes chemicals or 45% of materials.

Panuku Development Auckland paving the way for Infrastructure Sustainability in New Zealand

The Madden and Pakenham road upgrade project in Auckland’s waterfront precinct has been awarded with an ‘Excellent’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The rating was awarded to Panuku Development Auckland who piloted the IS rating scheme in New Zealand.

ISCA CEO Antony Sprigg says Panuku Development Auckland’s leadership in achieving an Excellent IS Design rating whilst piloting the IS rating scheme during the design of this project is admirable. “ISCA aims to recognise and encourage beyond business-as-usual sustainability activities in the planning, construction and operational phases of infrastructure projects.”

“We congratulate Panuku Development Auckland for achieving a ‘Excellent’ IS Design rating“ Mr Sprigg continued. “In addition to achieving New Zealand’s first Design IS rating, Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade pilot has inherently assisted with defining what the New Zealand IS rating tool should comprise.”

Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade project achieved perfect IS rating scores in the Urban and Landscape Design theme. Key design considerations followed the principles of: connecting waterfront precincts, providing continuous waterfront access, establishing diverse public spaces, promoting an active and working waterfront, creating appropriate building height, scale and form, facilitating a mix of uses and activities, as well as promoting sustainable transport and urbanism.

Of great pride to Panuku is the value it places on a design-led approach that resulted in a perfect 5.10 score for the urban and landscape theme. “Unlike many infrastructure projects, where design and construction are outsourced, Panuku leads design and only outsources construction. We believe this allows us to set clear expectations and puts in place the mechanisms to ensure they are delivered through construction,” says Viv Heslop, who manages the IS rating process at Panuku.

Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade project identified, through a multi-disciplinary workshop, direct and indirect climate change risks and adaptation measures to treat all high and medium risks. This included major improvements to the stormwater treatment system now designed to accommodate the 1 in 100 year storm event and allow for an increase in rainfall of 17% over the next 100 years due to the effects of climate change. Sea level rise of 1m is also incorporated into the design as the reticulated systems all discharge to the harbour.

The project team reduced construction carbon emissions by 27 percent and reduced their materials environmental footprint (EcoPoints) by 18 percent. The material foot print reduction was enabled through narrow street design, mudcreting techniques used for in-situ management and containment of contaminated soil, increasing the design life and reducing the embodied energy of the carriageway by using concrete instead of asphalt.

The project demonstrated leading management systems with a member of the senior management team having central responsibility for managing sustainability as well as publically committing to “achieving international best practice by moving into the zero net energy/water/waste and restorative space”. Suppliers on the Madden and Pakenham Road Upgrade project were requested to provide details of their sustainability policy and its implementation.

According to the interim CEO of Panuku Development Auckland, John Dalzell, “The value to the organisation has been in having an independent body scrutinise how Panuku is delivering on its sustainability commitments. We believe we have set a benchmark for other organisations in New Zealand to step up to.”

Sydney Metro Northwest tunnels ‘Leading’ IS Design rating

Thiess John Holland Dragados boring ahead on the Sydney Metro Northwest tunnels with a ‘Leading’ IS Design rating

The Sydney Metro Northwest project’s tunnel builders have been awarded a ‘Leading’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The rating was awarded to Thiess John Holland Dragados (TJHD), which is delivering the $1.15 billion contract on behalf of Transport for NSW. A ‘Leading’ IS rating is the highest possible achievement in the IS scheme.

ISCA CEO Antony Sprigg says, “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 Thiess John Holland Dragados team for applying the IS rating scheme during the design of this project and their commitment to continue applying it throughout construction.”

“The achievement of a ‘Leading’ IS Design rating – the highest possible level – is truly an exemplary performance and an inspiration of what can be achieved when sustainability practices are adopted,” he said.

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 TJHD puts the Sydney Metro Northwest project as a whole on a very solid foundation to realise exemplary sustainability outcomes”.

The TJHD team has excelled in sustainability management and systems, achieving maximum scores in five management systems credits:

• Sustainability leadership and commitment
• Management system accreditation
• Risk and opportunity management
• Organisational structure roles and responsibilities
• Inspection and auditing.

TJHD reduced emissions by 24 per cent through initiatives including the use of B5 blended fuel, hybrid excavators, fuel efficient training and awareness programs, design optimisation and reduced electricity consumption. Closed-loop recirculation networks reduced water use by 37 per cent from the reference footprint.

The TJHD design substituted more sustainable components, for example in its high strength concrete mix, enabling a 45 per cent reduction in ecopoints for its materials score. The design also provided best practice flood immunity to protect station evacuations from the probable maximum flood event through a flood management protocol, barriers, pumps and sumps.

TJHD Project Director Terry Sleiman says, “The whole team has been committed to a ground-breaking vision for sustainable infrastructure delivery of the twin tunnels and civil works for five stations and two services facilities.”

“While constructing a high quality, value-for-money asset, TJHD has worked collaboratively to find sustainability initiatives that reduce environmental impacts on communities, ensure sites are safe for workers and the community, and maximise social benefits.”

TJHD has also registered for an IS As-Built rating. The tunnelling contract is expected to be completed in 2017.

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.