Sowing the seeds of change: Reflections from outgoing IS Council CEO Ainsley Simpson
When I started to prepare this last message to members of the Infrastructure Sustainability Council, I kept being drawn to my African roots. So, I took inspiration and guidance from many simple but profound African sayings to reflect on the last eight years and the lessons I will take with me. If you want to
Read MoreRetiring IS v1.2 Design & As Built Rating Tools – 31 December 2023
On 31 December 2023, the Infrastructure Sustainability Council is retiring the IS v1.2 Design and As Built Rating tools, and will no longer be accepting Rating Registrations of Interest. In order to deploy IS v1.2 Design & As Built, the following conditions are applicable: The project has an executed Rating Agreement and is underway; or
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ISC Connect 2023 – Recap
“Our decade of action for people, the planet and the economy…” Reflections on “ISC Connect”, your Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s yearly conference, held on Naarm country (Melbourne), from 5-7 September, 2023. If the strength of our relationships and the ways our actions have impact are the litmus tests of success; and if history tells us we
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Award Winners – 2023 Annual Gala Awards
The Infrastructure Sustainability Council Awards 2023 revealed exciting industry trends, as judges highlighted themes of stakeholder collaboration and local business empowerment. Hosted on 7 September at The TimberYard Port Melbourne, this event showcased the pivotal actions advancing sustainability in the infrastructure sector of Australia and New Zealand. The Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) is the peak
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IS Materials Calculator Update
stEPD up: IS Materials Calculator – ‘+A1/+A2 EPD Update’ – related to new EPD Standard The Infrastructure Sustainability Materials Calculator (IS Materials Calculator) provides a level playing field assessment tool for materials lifecycle impacts across different infrastructure projects and assets. As stated in the ISC December 2022 article IS-Materials-Calculator-Update.pdf , the EPD standard (EN15804) underwent
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InfraBuild pioneering ecolabelled steel
The IS Council is delighted to recognise InfraBuild for successfully gaining GECA Certification for its reinforcing bar and reinforcing mesh products, made by InfraBuild to AS/NZS 4671. InfraBuild is the first business to achieve GECA Certification to their Steel Standard. Steel is a vital material not only for the built environment but also for vehicles,
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Through the lens of Leadership – Patrick Ilott, Perspektiv
Through Lens of Leadership “Creating the conditions that allow people to thrive, make good decisions, and achieve positive outcomes for one another really gets me going. Perspektiv provides me the perfect vehicle to do this for our team and our clients”. Patrick IIott – Perspektiv Leadership in Infrastructure Sustainability Patrick has demonstrated leadership in
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Social value in the Australian built environment
Infrastructure supporting a better future for all In the lead up to the 2023-24 Australian Federal Budget, why unlocking the social value of the nation’s infrastructure investment is key to creating a better future for all WSP and ISC acknowledge that every project we work on takes place on First Peoples lands. We recognise Aboriginal
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Catastrophe escalates the urgency of resilience – A letter from our CEO
This year, much like the start of 2020, has been a confrontation of crises. This year New Zealand’s north experienced extreme rainfall causing widespread flooding events just days apart, with Cyclone Gabrielle following in quick succession. Ex-tropical cyclone Ellie wreaked havoc in the Kimberley with hundreds of people living in multigenerational homes now homeless. Emergency
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10 Stories to Celebrate 10 Years
On Wednesday 29 February 2012, then federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese stood before a packed crowd at Parliament House in Canberra to unveil Australia’s first national rating scheme for sustainable infrastructure. Wishing the Infrastructure Sustainability Rating Scheme, or IS for short, a “busy life”, Mr Albanese noted that project teams working on everything from roads
Read More‘Average $ Values’ used (per metric) – for Australia
Metric $ Value Source Costs of Carbon abatement (CCA) $56 per ton of carbon dioxide Source: Infrastructure Australia, “Valuing emissions for economic analysis,” February 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-05/24IA_Guidance%20note%20-%20Applying%20emissions%20values_1.pdf. Water $310 per ML of water Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, “Water Account, Australia,” 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/environment/environmental-management/water-account-australia/2021-22. [Accessed May 2025]. Energy – Fuel (Diesel) 174.27 cents
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An Australian First: Introducing ViroDecsTM, Holcim’s range of ready-mix concrete with an EPD
As the first concrete manufacturer in Australia to undertake an ISO compliant study and independent verification process, Holcim can now quantify for customers the total environmental impacts of its ready-mix concrete.
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