Delivering sustainable project outcomes

Jane Scanlon - sustainability and climate change consultant

Current practices and research trends

Outline

• Defining project sustainability

• Different sustainability tools

• Industry specific tools

• Key challenges

• What does this mean for Manidis Roberts?

Defining project sustainability

• Many definitions and interpretations.

• Context specific.

• No ‘end point’ - about continuous improvement.

• Could be broadly defined as:

directing projects toward positive/enhanced economic,

social and environmental outcomes.

Different sustainability tools

There is ‘assessment’

• Strategic level - sustainability appraisal (or integrated environmental assessment)

• Planning and approvals - sustainability assessment; ESD principles in planning law; preliminary frameworks

There are ‘frameworks’

• Project delivery - indicator frameworks; sustainable construction techniques; sustainable procurement

• Operation - indicator frameworks (inc. change management)

Project life-cycle

Industry specific tools - a taste

• Urban development - Smart Growth Assessment

Tool and EnviroDevelopment.

• Buildings - GreenStar and LEEDS.

• Infrastructure - AGIC and CEEQUAL.

• International - FIDIC’s Project Sustainability Mgt.

• Consultancies - Arup’s SPeAR and Worley

Parson’s EcoNomics.

Key challenges

• Balancing usability with comprehensiveness.

• Is the cart before the horse?

• The curve of influence.

• Sustainability is ‘green’?

• Trade-offs and scope.

• Should not be added but integrated into existing systems and processes.

• Understanding key actors and drivers/incentives.

So what?

• We need to use/create robust, meaningful tools. Do we use AGIC’s categories?

• The market is growing as are available tools.

• Opportunity to adapt existing tools.

• A multi-disciplinary team.

• Complex issues - innovative and creative thinking.

• Collaboration and communication is key!

Websites of interest

• International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC) Project Sustainability Management (PSM) Guidelineshttp://www1.fidic.org/resources/sustainability/

• Australian Green Infrastructure Council (AGIC) http://www.agic.net.au/

• Urban Development Institute of Australia EnviroDevelopment http://www.envirodevelopment.com.au/

• U.S Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 Guidelines http://www.globalreporting.org/ReportingFramework/G3Guidelines/

Reports of interest

• Wagga Wagga City Council Bomen Business Park Draft

Masterplan (2009) www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/www/html/3616-draft-master-plan.asp

• Hunter Water Corporation Tillegra Dam Environmental Assessment

Report (2009) Ch 2 Addressing Sustainabilityhttp://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/page/project-sectors/transport--communications--energy---water/water-supply-works/?action=view_job&job_id=1687

Journal articles of interest

• Morrison-Saunders, A and Fischer, T ‘What is wrong with EIA and SEA anyway? - A Skeptic's Perspective on Sustainability Assessment’ (2006) Journal of Environmental Assessment, Planning and Management 8(1) 1-21 at http://wwwstaff.murdoch.edu.au/~angusms/Publications/publications.html

•Gasparatos et al ‘A Critical Review of Reductionist Approaches for Assessing the Progress Towards Sustainability’ (2008) Environmental Impact Assessment Review 28(4-5).