FY18 Sustainability Report Transurban 37
Innovation
Materials
Research Cement is our most significant source of embodied emissions. Identifying ways to minimise the amount of cement we use in the construction, operations and maintenance of our roads is critical to reducing the impact these embodied emissions have on our environment. We have partnered with Beyond Zero Emissions and Boral—one of Australia's largest cement producers— to investigate opportunities to reduce embodied emissions in cement and to explore opportunities to use more materials currently treated as waste. This collaboration will: • identify the potential to reduce emissions from cement use in Australian urban motorways • explain the potential to use more waste products in cement in Australian urban motorways • describe the barriers to achieving this potential • propose solutions for tackling these barriers, including recommendations for Transurban and others. Sustainable materials Supporting the development and implementation of new and innovative products and materials is a critical component of our strategy to reduce our overall materials footprint. In FY18, we have expanded our use of EME2 pavement and followed through with integrating a high proportion of cement substitution on NorthConnex.
Materials we use in construction can potentially affect the environment and nearby communities for the full life-cycle of a project, in both positive and negative ways. To manage these impacts, and make the most of opportunities, we look for—and often implement—new and innovative solutions for materials use on our development projects. In FY19 we will implement a number of initiatives, including a sustainable materials strategy, to improve the way we integrate sustainable materials into the development and operation of our assets. Industry engagement In May 2018, with the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA), we co-hosted an industry forum on the use of sustainable materials in Queensland road construction, focusing on the challenges and opportunities these materials can generate. More than 60 government, industry and supply chain representatives attended. The insights and actions forum members discussed presented real opportunities to reduce the environmental and social impact of Queensland’s new infrastructure projects. Attendees showed both willingness and the ability to make meaningful changes in how construction materials are specified and used. In FY19, we will be publishing an industry
paper with the outcomes and key recommendations from this forum.
Material and other relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals for this chapter
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