Thursday 30 October 2025
9:00am | MC welcome and acknowledgement of country Jamie Durie OAM, Horticulturalist and multi-award-winning Landscape Designer |
9:10am | Suburban Rail Loop: delivering benefits across Victoria Our city and state are growing. Melbourne will be a city of 9 million people by the 2050s – the size of London today. We need more transport and more homes in the right places – and Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) will deliver both. As both a transport and urban planning project, SRL will connect our suburbs, slash travel times, and support the delivery of more homes and housing choice where people want to live – on the doorstep of world-class public transport, services, jobs, schools, parks and cafés. Join Dr Lissa van Camp as she shares the huge opportunity for sustainable outcomes from Victoria’s largest ever infrastructure project and Australia’s largest housing project. Dr Lissa van Camp, Executive General Manager Land, Planning, Environment & Sustainability, Suburban Rail Loop Authority |
9:25am | Keynote: It's not a waste problem, it’s a manufacturing opportunity What if instead of focusing on waste as a problem, we looked at the opportunities it opens up for Australia’s manufacturing sector? This new perspective unlocks a whole world of innovation, forward thinking, collaboration, and opportunity. Join Professor Veena Sahajwalla – internationally recognised materials scientist, engineer, and inventor – as she shares how she is revolutionising recycling science. She will demonstrate how she has harnessed the opportunities presented by waste through her MICROfactoriesTM. With breakthrough technology in e-waste and ceramics, MICROfactoriesTM are proving the viability of the process, and primed for quick deployment to where they can add the most value. Veena Sahajwalla, Scientist & Inventor, University of NSW |
9:50am | Panel: Made in Australia: the opportunities and benefits of local recycling and manufacturing Discover how manufacturing with recycled materials unlocks new economic and environmental opportunities for Australia. This session explores the benefits of local production – creating jobs, strengthening supply chains, and reducing emissions and reliance on imports. Learn how the Recycled First Policy is driving demand for locally made recycled products, fostering innovation, creating inclusive employment pathways, and opening doors for collaboration across industries. With a focus on building a more resilient and circular economy, this session will highlight why investing in local capabilities is key to Australia’s sustainable construction future.
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Panellists
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10:35am | Session coming soon |
10:50am | Morning tea and networking |
11:20am | MC welcome back |
11:25am | Keynote: Scaling up to success: adapting and thriving in an ever-evolving market Join sustainable business expert and former Deputy Lord Mayor for the City of Melbourne, Arron Wood, as he explores the shifting sustainability landscape. Drawing on his extensive experience across sectors, Arron will share his unique insight into the challenges and opportunities facing businesses today. From evolving Environmental, Social, and Governance expectations, to a complex regulatory environment, this keynote offers thoughtful reflections and insights on what it takes to stay relevant, resilient, and impactful in a rapidly changing world. Arron Wood, Chief Policy & Impact Officer, Clean Energy Council |
11:50am | Session coming soon |
12:10pm | Presentation: Circular Economy in Europe: trends, innovations, and future directions Europe is well known for being ahead of the curve globally when it comes to the circular economy. This is due to a combination of strong policy frameworks, significant investments, and a growing awareness of the economic and environmental benefits. Helen Millicer – a circular economy and low carbon expert – will share key insights from her recent summer spent in Europe speaking with leaders, attending conferences and immersing herself in circular economy events across the continent. Helen will share knowledge of the infrastructure sector, both what is happening and what is just around the corner, and shed some light on what Australian operators can learn from the industry abroad. Helen Millicer, CEO, One Planet Consulting |
12:25pm | Session coming soon |
1:10pm | Lunch and networking |
2:10pm | MC Welcome back |
2:15pm | Session coming soon |
2:35pm | Panel: Calcined clay concrete – lessons, progress and next steps Concrete is one of the key contributing materials to the carbon footprint of a construction project. There are many strategies being used today, and innovations being pursued to reduce this footprint. This session looks at one of those– calcined clay as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM) – and its journey to date in Victorian construction. Hear from a panel of experts who will share practical insights from the use of calcined clay, from research, supply and application. The session will explore calcined clay as a material, as well as the lessons learned from the previous applications that will prove essential to progressing innovative products and materials in the future of infrastructure. Moderator
Panellists
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3:15pm | Presentation: The behaviour of change: psychology behind sustainable choices What drives people to make sustainable choices, or to avoid them? In this 15-minute ‘power lecture’, Professor Liam Smith from the BehaviourWorks Centre at Monash University delves into the fascinating world of decision and behaviour science. Learn how humans weigh cost against reward, and why even well-intentioned people sometimes act against sustainability goals. This session offers a sharp insight into the biases, motivators, and blockers that shape behaviour, and how we can use that knowledge to design more effective interventions in support of positive environmental outcomes. Professor Liam Smith, Director, BehaviourWorks |
3:30pm | Event summary and key takeaways Join MRPV’s Executive Program Director, Alexis Davison, as she shares her key takeaways, lessons learned and insights from across the two days. Alexis Davison, Executive Program Director, MRPV |
3:40pm | Closing remarks |
3:45pm | Afternoon tea and networking |