Embedding sustainability into infrastructure planning
At a glance
We have been collaborating with Main Roads Western Australia to integrate sustainability into the planning phase of its projects. Our work supports Main Roads' commitment to achieving higher sustainability standards through the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating scheme and embedding sustainability from the earliest stages of project development.
The challenge
Main Roads has taken the next step in embracing a commitment to embedding the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating scheme – a voluntary system introduced by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) to evaluate the sustainability performance of infrastructure projects across Australia and New Zealand. Launched in 2017, the IS Planning rating tool gained recognition as an industry benchmark by 2018, underscoring the importance of embedding sustainability earlier in the asset lifecycle to achieve better outcomes and enhance social license.
With sustainability being a strategic focus area, Main Roads prioritised integrating the tool into its planning projects, reaffirming its commitment to deliver long-term environmental and community benefits. As an established and complex organisation, Main Roads recognised the need to embed sustainability into existing workflows. The process had to complement ongoing planning stage activities without creating silos or overburdening teams already engaged in this work. Additionally, building internal awareness of the benefits of integrating sustainability early in project development was critical to fostering a shared understanding of its value across the organisation.
Since the IS Planning rating was relatively new at the time and represented the pioneering application of the framework for planning projects, engaging a consulting partner with experience in implementing the IS rating scheme on Main Roads projects and sustainability in design was seen as an essential step to support the development of templates and guidelines necessary for its adoption during the planning phase.
Our response
Building on our longstanding collaboration with Main Roads – including our involvement in the first-ever IS rating in 2012 and the first IS Planning rating for the Bunbury Outer Ring Road – we were entrusted to support Main Roads throughout this journey. With our partner, UpThink, we proposed to integrate a dedicated consultant within Main Roads' Project Development Department, stationed on-site to provide continuous guidance, assess existing processes, and identify opportunities for creating new processes to incorporate sustainability considerations from the early stages of project planning and development.
Our efforts focused on both large-scale and smaller-scale projects where sustainability was equally crucial. We worked to identify key activities and assessments that all projects, regardless of the rating, should undertake to incorporate sustainability considerations.
The three parties’ collaboration allowed the development of a comprehensive suite of tools tailored specifically for Main Roads, including templates for reporting, assessments, and sustainability management plans. These resources were designed to seamlessly integrate sustainability into its projects, providing clear guidelines on when and how to apply these tools. The aim was to formalise sustainability procedures that had previously been non-existent, so that the tools and processes we introduced would be adopted and sustained by the Main Roads team long after our engagement.
Having a dedicated consultant as part of the team, rather than an external advisor working remotely, made a significant difference in fostering trust and streamlining collaboration. Over time, we introduced a rotational model, providing the opportunity for different perspectives, expertise, and innovative approaches. This rotation allowed us to propose new ideas and methods periodically and meant that sustainability initiatives could continue to evolve in response to Main Roads’ needs.
The impact
Our collaboration resulted in the development of comprehensive guidelines to systematically integrate sustainability into the planning phase of Main Roads’ projects, while cultivating a strong culture across the entire team, united around the practical application of the guidelines. The organisation has a corporate commitment requiring all planning projects valued over $100 million and funded for construction to achieve at least a Bronze IS Planning rating. For smaller-scale projects with lower capital values, sustainability assessments are embedded directly into its activities, becoming an integral part of the project lifecycle.
Beyond the IS rating scheme, Main Roads has set corporate sustainability targets, including the use of specific materials and advancing the energy transition. Our work directly supports these goals and helps Main Roads align its projects with broader environmental commitments.
Our efforts in project development have also translated into sustainability commitments that have become mandatory requirements in design and construction contracts. This means that the sustainability work initiated during the planning phase can be carried through to the delivery stage, raising industry standards and setting new benchmarks for sustainability.