MECLA Working
Group 1 - Demand
Working Group 1 – Demand Side (WG1) is focused on sending a clear, consistent and significantly increased demand signal for low/no embodied carbon materials so that suppliers are confident to invest in decarbonisation innovation. All working groups include a diversity of expertise from industry, universities and the public sector. The chair is Ann Austin, Executive Director at ESG Strategies.
WG1 identified key industry stakeholders driving demand and developed several intiatives to help accelerate demand for low carbon materials. These initiatives include two procurement related policy ideas, a tool kit to support policy makers and guidance on effective ways to provide alternate solutions in tendering responses. The working group operates in subgroups, each focused on the aformentioned areas. You can learn more about each of the subgroups and focus areas below.
Pledge Pre-Requisite
The pledge pre-requisite aims to establish a policy to require head contractors to set and monitor a publicly available target to reduce embodied carbon in building materials as a pre-requisite to be able to tender for government work. The focus is on a publically accessable, preferrably Science Based Target that includes scope 3. The target is to apply to the head contractor’s total organisation (not just a project) to drive demand and simplify assessment of compliance with the pledge pre-requisite. You can learn more about the pledge by watching the presentation about it and accessing the MECLA document outlining it.
Show me how to deviate
The subgroup is working to create a standard pathway assisting developers and designers to deviate from material specifications. This pathway identifies key stakeholders, and works with them to map the approval process for contractors or designers to propose alternate, low carbon materials that deviate from client specifications. The resources created by theis subgroup are now live on the MECLA website, and you can watch the recording of their Spotlight event.
Local Council
Support local council officers who are investigating the measurement and reduction of embodied carbon in their Council’s capital works plan. Councils have unique construction projects (roads, parks, civil infrastructure). This sub-group offers a forum to collaborate on common challenges and learn from each other. MECLA ran a Spotlight on Decarbonisation for Local Councils, and you can watch the replay of that event on our website.
Readiness Index
Survey industry to assess readiness to design, supply, and deliver low embodied carbon solutions to build confidence in government asking for them. MECLA collaborated with Infrastructure NSW to design and administer a survey of over 400+ industry professionals to understand where they were at regarding embodied carbon, mapping responses to inform NSW Government strategy on the subject. The results are now available online.
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