Speaker:
Victoria’s transport infrastructure projects have made huge strides in the use of recycled materials since 2020 – but we still face some great challenges. The Victorian Government is imploring industry to take further steps towards a greener future.
Presentation: How Victoria’s Big Build is fuelling demand and charting progress (PDF, 5.8 MB)
The data is telling us that the Recycled First Policy has proven to be a powerful mechanism for change. But there are still some common misconceptions. Alexis will pull back the curtain on some of the popular myths about recycled materials and how this is impacting greater use of recycled materials across infrastructure projects.
Road and rail infrastructure projects make their mark on communities and our environment in many ways, but the war on waste is far from over. Recycled materials are critical to winning the battle, and the industry must respond by creating strong supply chains and refining manufacturing processes to meet the demand created by government policies such as Recycled First.
Presentation: Supplying a solution in Australia's ongoing waste crisis (PDF, 13.0 MB)
Presentation: Victoria’s waste and recycling sector supporting use of recycled materials in infrastructure ( PDF, 1.7 MB)
There are considerable performance benefits to plastic and rubber products, making it vital we develop processes and use policy to overcome barriers to its widespread use in infrastructure construction.
Moderator:
Panellists:
The first ‘yes’ to integrating an innovative product on a project is the toughest. We explore a powerful example of how collaboration between asset owner, delivery team, contractor and supplier can make it happen.
The Green Africa Youth Organization is having an incredible environmental, economic and social impact as they lead Africa’s shift to a circular economy. Australia can draw inspiration from this move which apply from grassroots initiatives to large scale infrastructure.
Presentation: Recycled materials' role in building resilience against climate risk and achieving sustainable socio-economic systems (PDF, 7.9 MB)
From social enterprises creating meaningful work for people with disabilities to saving costs on a project, the benefits of waste-to-resource materials are immense.
Australia’s regional areas have unique opportunities and challenges in how they can manufacture and use recycled materials. Local government has a key role in this and some excellent examples of innovation.
Australia’s efforts to map demand for infrastructure construction materials highlight that Australia cannot rely on virgin products, and Victoria is leading the way when it comes to finding sustainable alternatives.
Australia is spending billions on social infrastructure, spurring a huge opportunity to further optimise the use of circular materials. Regional projects are also playing a key role in building local supply chains.
The Federal Government has given clear direction that recycling is vital in moving to a circular economy. We explore how Australian jurisdictions are making progress and overcoming roadblocks.
Design choices can lock up 70% of the environmental impact of infrastructure across its life cycle. This highlights just how crucial it is to utilise new design approaches and tools that consider circularity and material choices.
Speakers:
Presentation: Circular Design – Turning ambition into action (PDF, 3.8 MB)
Reusing and retrofitting infrastructure assets can have immense economic benefits as it leads to construction cost and borrowing finance savings for government and asset owners.
Presentation: Reinterpreting value: Adaptive reuse (PDF, 9.0 MB)
Circular infrastructure can support Victoria’s net zero commitments. The hard truth is we can’t get there without it. It’s a balance between nature, materials and carbon.
Australia’s shift to a circular economy is taking us down a path that other nations and communities have traversed before. There are plenty of lessons to be learnt as we optimise our resources by keeping products in use at the highest possible value.
Panellists
Presentation: Building purposefully greener infrastructure - International perspectives (PDF, 1.7 MB)
As custodians of the land and staunch protectors of our environment and future, there is much we can learn from First Nations people about scaling indigenous practices to support purposefully greener infrastructure.
Presentation: Building purposefully greener infrastructure – a First Nations perspective (PDF, 3.0 MB)
All graphic recordings from ecologiQ's Greener Infrastructure conference 2023.
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