Every Australian jurisdiction faces unique opportunities and challenges in their journey to reduce embodied carbon. The construction industry is often referred to as a ‘hard to abate’ sector. But the barriers to decarbonisation are contextual – specific to the government and industrial landscape of that region. WA has its own unique pathway in the push to decarbonise construction and drive down embodied carbon emissions.

In the MECLA WA event, we spotlight the specific opportunities and challenges in the WA market. The event included presentations from across a range of different WA industry sectors, as well as government representatives, including from NSW where Transport for NSW and Infrastructure NSW have taken a leading role in engaging with industry to address decarbonisation challenges across major infrastructure projects. 

Speakers:

• Susan Kreemer Pickford, General Manager, Engineers Australia, welcome and brief introduction to the challenges and opportunities for decarbonising infrastructure in WA
• Monica Richter to introduce MECLA – the collaboration ‘Do-Tank’ model
• Ross Donaldson, WA-based architect and lecturer on good design and embodied carbon
• David Kelly and Dena Jacobs from NSW government – to share their knowledge and experience of influencing infrastructure decision making on embodied carbon
• Tyrel Momberg, Technical Manager at IS Council on the IS rating scheme and addressing embodied carbon
• Mark Taylor, Sustainability Manager at Hesperia
• Linda van Achterbergh, Sustainability Manager, Public Transport Authority on Transport Infrastructure
• Greg Ryan, Sustainability Manager at Development WA on circularity and reducing embodied carbon in land development