Infrastructure Sustainability
Parkes Shire Council is committed to achieving sustainable development, and the benefits go beyond the natural environment. Sustainable development is focused on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is founded on three pillars; environmental, social and economic, with a balanced treatment of all three aspects being the ideal.
Sustainability isn't only measured by the final outcomes; sustainability targets are implemented through every stage of the project life cycle including design and construction as well as long-term operation. Parkes Shire Council has committed to sustainable development for the following infrastructure projects.
Waste ~ diversion from landfill
- Leed Construction reused all the spoil generated by excavation works. 750 m3 of spoil was transported to the Western Freight Management Site.
- Overall the project utilised VENM (insitu material) as a replacement to importing fill at Renshaw McGirr Way, Eugowra Rd, Nash St, Fieeld Rd and in the paddocks on Akuna Rd. In doing so Leed avoided the use of sand and DGB20 as bedding for a total of 4.3 kms.
- Mulched trimmed branches on Eugowra Rd. This resulted in a 12m3 mulch stockpile.
- Segregation of wood waste from general construction waste. This resulted in chipping of over 1 tonne of wood waste.
- Segregated PVC pipes from general waste to send over 100 PVC offcuts to an appropriate recycling facility.
- Leed segregated office and lunchroom waste through signing up for council kerb side waste collection. Through this initiative Leed diverted around 73% of its site amenities waste from the landfill.
- Leed reused several culverts left behind by previous contractors.
Replacing potable with non-potable water
Leed utilised brick pit water rather than potable water for dust suppression and compaction. In doing so, Leed avoided using over 3 million litres of potable water.
Amount of trees saved
The Review of Environmental Factors compiled at the design phase of the project allowed for the removal of 31 mature trees. However, Leed did not remove any trees throughout over project life. Rather than removing trees Leed moved the pipeline and trimmed trees.
School engagement
Leed engaged with all schools in Parkes and raised their needs to PSC in a timely manner. Leed worked with Parkes East School and Holy Family School to get them connected to the RWRM. Leed liaised with Middleton school throughout the project and donated their empty plastic bottles to the school. Through the return and earn school Middleton school year 3 & 4 students were able to pay for their school bus fare to Dubbo (Appendix 1). Leed raised Parkes Public School concerns relating the limitation of content for the Wiradjuri teacher. This concern was raised in an internal meeting and Leed decided to champion the idea of a Wiradjuri-inspired garden as part of value-add to the project.
Workforce Sustainability
Leed takes sustainability very seriously especially its project manager Kevin Turner. Through continuous sustainability education Leed ensures its workforce have the capacity and capability to make decisions in a way that considers the environmental, social and economic impacts. In Parkes Leed conducted 5 presentations on topic related to the project including renewable energy, climate change in the Parkes region, sustainability and recycling. These presentation were well received with local contractors contributing to thought-provoking discussions.
CO2 reductions over project life
Leed strived to minimise its CO2 footprint on the projects. Through replacing fuel-powered machinery with battery-powered machinery, as well minimising its material usage, Leed reduced its total CO2 emissions by 87 tonnes of CO2.
Parkes Shire Council is also working in partnership with the contractor, John Holland, to achieve a sustainability rating for both the water and sewage treatment plant projects through the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The ISCA rating scheme offers a voluntary sustainability performance evaluation of the planning, design, construction and operation of all infrastructure asset classes.
To date only two water treatment facilities and one sewage treatment plant have been certified under the scheme. Our projects have been registered to pursue Infrastructure Sustainability As Built and Operation ratings. The projects will be tracked collaboratively throughout construction and commissioning and the costs of pursuing the rating will be shared between Council and the contractor. Accordingly a joint sustainability policy and a joint sustainability management plan have been developed for the combined projects.
Key activities in relation to sustainability and the ISCA rating have included:
Parkes Shire Council worked in partnership with the contractor, John Holland, to achieve a sustainability rating for both the water and sewage treatment plant projects through the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA). The ISCA rating scheme offers a voluntary sustainability performance evaluation of the planning, design, construction and operation of all infrastructure asset classes.
To date only two water treatment facilities and one sewage treatment plant have been certified under the scheme. Our projects have been registered to pursue Infrastructure Sustainability As Built and Operation ratings. The projects will be tracked collaboratively throughout construction and commissioning and the costs of pursuing the rating will be shared between Council and the contractor. Accordingly a joint sustainability policy and a joint sustainability management plan have been developed for the combined projects.
Key achievements in relation to sustainability include:
Parkes Shire Council, in partnership with the contractor, John Holland, worked to achieve a sustainability rating for both the water and sewage treatment plant projects through the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA).
The ISCA rating scheme offers a voluntary sustainability performance evaluation of the planning, design, construction and operation of all infrastructure asset classes. To date, only two water treatment facilities and one sewage treatment plant have been certified under the scheme. Our projects have been registered to pursue Infrastructure Sustainability as Built and Operation ratings. The projects will be tracked collaboratively throughout construction and commissioning and the costs of pursuing the rating will be shared between Council and the contractor. Accordingly a joint sustainability policy and a joint sustainability management plan have been developed for the combined projects.
Key activities in relation to sustainability and the ISCA rating have included:
