Net Zero Construction Summit

• Assessing the most impactful industry developments in the past 12 months
• How can the entire value chain work together to ensure scope 3 visibility?
• Reviewing the need for harmonisation in policy, both across the country and globally
• Analysing the intersection between net zero and nature

Patrick Hastings, Chief Impact Officer, Infrastructure Sustainability Council

The way Australia’s construction sector operates must change in order to reach decarbonisation targets. With progress already underway, jurisdictions are seeking new ways to uplift the sector’s carbon management capabilities and foster new expectations and culture. It’s imperative that organisations understand their obligations and seize the opportunity to transform the way they build. In this session our speakers:

• Review current and forthcoming sustainability related regulation
• Analyse the best means to capture and interpret carbon-related data
• Examine opportunities for government-industry collaboration in reaching net zero targets
• Assess best practice to ensure compliance with public policy

Panelists include:

Dena Jacobs, Executive Director Strategy Planning and Innovation, Infrastructure NSW

Ravi Prasad, National Environment and Sustainability Manager, Seymour Whyte

Rory Bracken, Head of Carbon and Circular Economy, Fulton Hogan

Monique Alfris, A/Director, NABERS

Andrew Morgan, Assistant Secretary, Net Zero Unit, Department of Infrastructure Transport, Regional Development Communications and the Arts

Moderated by

Alison Scotland, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council

An oft misunderstood concept, the circular economy is not simply an exercise in waste reduction but a macro-economic model that challenges us to revolutionise the linear way we currently operate. Actors across the economy must adopt circular practices in order to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials at their highest value and regenerate nature and society. In this insightful address, Cameron Kaufman takes us through the what, the why, and the how of the circular economy.

Cameron Kaufman, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, Coreo

With embodied carbon being one of the most immediate hurdles in the journey towards net zero, the issue of building waste must be addressed in order to create spaces that not only excel in their function, but also foster sustainability for generations to come. Design for disassembly embraces the principles of the circular economy by constructing buildings with posterity front of mind, employing materials that may be disassembled and re-assembled repeatedly, with very little loss in value. In this session we’ll explore:

• Creating optimal disassembly plans that account for the entire lifespan of building layers
• Tackling change of ownership and the challenges of buildings’ long life spans
• Utilising recycled components: the effective use of materials in the second instance
• Analysing real life examples: case studies of successful design for disassembly

Joe Karten, Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, Built

In this session we bring together delegates for a series of 30 minute facilitated round table discussions with leading industry experts. Join the table that most interests you, discuss hot topics and share ideas for solving some of the biggest challenges being faced on the road to Net Zero.

Round Table 1: Cross-company collaboration: increasing cooperation to drive meaningful progress

Facilitator: Tayla Fairthorne, ESG Manager, Kapitol Group

Round Table 2: Design for Disassembly: Embedding circular thinking into structures

Facilitator: Joe Karten, Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, Built

Round Table 3: Demystifying the Circular Economy within construction

Round Table 4: Designing out Carbon Sustainable Construction: Navigating Climate Reporting, Greenwashing, and Climate Litigation Risks

Step into an engaging roundtable discussion designed for leaders in the construction sector, tackling the pressing issue of climate reporting and its impact on complex supply chains.

With increasing risks of greenwashing and climate litigation, how can your business stay defensible?

Your roundtable co-hosts will share cutting-edge strategies and technologies that help you meet climate obligations while strengthening supplier relationships. On the contractual front, they will break down how climate risks are shifting liability in contracts—who truly bears the burden, and how can you protect your business from potential disputes?

This interactive session is your chance to explore compliance from all angles and position your organisation at the forefront of sustainable construction.

Facilitator: Emma Peters, Director, Cowell Clarke

Amanda Brady, Associate Director, Cowell Clarke

Round Table 5: The Carbon Oversight: Why Ventilation should be a bigger part of our Net Zero Strategy

Facilitator:   Jordan Chia, Product & Design Manager, Airocle

Round Table 6: How to use technology to decarbonise the supply chain

Facilitator:  Jade Cohen, Co-Founder and CPO, Qualisflow

Round Table 7: Woke – The Elephant in the Sustainability room

Facilitator:  Ann Austin, Executive Director, ESG Strategy

Round Table 8: Carbon rating tools

Tayla Fairthorne, ESG Manager, Kapitol Group

Rory Bracken, Head of Carbon and Circular Economy, Fulton Hogan

Emma Peters, Director, Cowell Clarke

Amanda Brady, Associate Director, Cowell Clarke

Jordan Chia, Product & Design Manager, Airocle

Ann Austin, Executive Director, ESG Strategy

Jade Cohen, Co-Founder and CPO, Qualisflow

As net zero targets draw closer, the construction industry must continue to adapt and develop new ways to address its contribution to global emissions. With new challenges emerging, and deadlines imminent, how is the industry tracking against its goals, and what are the strategies that can most effectively secure a more sustainable future for Australia’s construction sector?

Patrick Hastings, Chief Impact Officer, Infrastructure Sustainability Council

Jody Williams, Special Counsel, MolinoCahill

In order to achieve their net zero commitments, organisations must set out clear, considered and prudent plans which outline their expectations and obligations for the years to come. In this insightful case study, Tim Walker takes us through the best practice in creating a roadmap which not only plots development, but supports it.

• Assessing the merits of taking a whole-of-business approach to tackle the climate challenge
• Engaging with key stakeholders to ensure buy-in and collaboration across the entire value chain
• Understanding the challenges of scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, and the best strategies to address each
• Reviewing the lessons learned through implementation, and the challenges in the future

Tim Walker, Environment and Sustainability Operations Manager - Australia, McConnell Dowell

• Understanding the Fundamentals: Learn the core principles of natural ventilation, including how it harnesses environmental forces to optimise airflow and temperature, reducing reliance on energy-intensive mechanical systems.
• Identifying Barriers to Adoption: Discover the common misconceptions and gaps in knowledge among designers, engineers, and architects that prevent natural ventilation from becoming a default choice in sustainable building design.
• Design Integration Strategies: Explore effective design strategies and case studies that showcase how natural ventilation can seamlessly integrate into modern buildings without compromising aesthetics or functionality.
• Overcoming Regulatory and Perception Challenges: Address the regulatory, perception, and practical barriers that discourage wider adoption of natural ventilation solutions, and learn how to advocate for these systems in the context of Net Zero goals.

Jordan Chia, Product & Design Manager, Airocle

While electrification presents one of the most promising alternatives to burning fossil fuels, the capability does not yet exist for all equipment. In these cases, alternatives such as bio and renewable diesels must be considered if Australia is to meet its net zero targets; the procurement of these fuels presents its own challenges, however, with Federal support promising a domestic renewable diesel industry. In this panel, we explore the opportunities, roadblocks, and alternatives in powering our construction sites.

• Exploring the construction industry’s renewable fuel journey so far: the challenges faced, and the lessons learned
• Analysing case studies of best practice, successful implementation, and procurement opportunities
• Reviewing advocacy efforts to provide market signals and establish domestic capability

Panelists include:

Sam Donaldson, Hub Sustainability Leader, Laing O’Rourke

Abigail Heywood, Senior Manager | Environmental Sustainability, Lendlease

Simon Roycroft, Chair, Cleaner Fuels Alliance

Moderated by:

Nicole Neal, McConnell Dowell, General Manager HSES

The Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance is a ‘do tank’, made up of volunteers from both industry and government, with a commitment to transform the building and construction sector and the materials they use. Chair Hudson Worsley takes us through MECLA’s goals and achievements.

Hudson Worsley, Chair, MECLA

This presentation explores the role of digital innovation in driving sustainability and change in major projects. Specifically it will focus on the crucial aspect of measuring and reducing carbon emissions throughout the project lifecycle. 

One key factor in achieving this goal is the effective utilisation of data during the design and construction phases. By standardising and implementing data practices, especially in the context of major projects, teams can integrate improved decision-making processes throughout the project’s duration. This approach allows for timely adjustments and optimisations, as opposed to making limited changes at the project’s end. 

Luke Menefy, Area Manager and Technical Principal, Materials Technology, SMEC

In the pursuit of achieving net-zero targets, circular design is not just an option—it’s essential. Circular design challenges us to rethink the entire lifecycle of products, ensuring that every stage—from sourcing to disposal—contributes to a sustainable, zero-waste future. In this case study, Daniel hogan takes us through some of the real-world examples of circular design at work.

• Understanding the product lifecycle and how to consider sustainability across product lifespan
• Analysing quality control vs performance-based specifications and their impact upon product sustainability
• Examining practical implementations of Innovative Circular Economy Materials and the learnings they reveal

Daniel Hogan, Sustainability Manager, John Holland

As net zero targets and sustainability mandates are being mainstreamed across the construction industry, it is now more important than ever that the materials, products and services we procure are sourced sustainably and responsibly. The entire value chain, from project owners to subcontractors and suppliers, must come together to identify and overcome the barriers to sustainable procurement. In this session we’ll explore:

• Are the current policy settings a help or a hindrance for businesses? How do we deal with inconsistencies between jurisdictions?
• How do we translate collaboration across the value chain into tangible action and what are they key barriers to doing this quickly
• Reconciling product cost versus sustainable value to create procurement best practice that progresses net zero goals
• What ways can we integrate circular economy ‘quick wins’ into procurement now?

Panellists include:

Tanzin Authoi, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, AW Edwards

Teresa Scott, Executive Director, Australian Procurement and Construction Council

Rachael Lee, Sustainability and Environmental Director, Clough

Cameron Colebatch, Director, Commonwealth Sustainable Procurement Advocacy and Resource Centre (C-SPARC)

Moderated by:

Ro Coroneos, Principal, Praxis ESG