MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – The Western Roads Upgrade has received is third sustainability certification from peak body Infrastructure Sustainability Council, with the IS rating scheme the gold standard for evaluating sustainable planning, design, construction and operations of infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand.
The project received IS As Built certification, recognising it economic, social and environmental benefits and highlighting the sustainability results it is achieving.
The As Built certification adds to the project’s IS Design and IS Operations certification – one of only three such projects in Australia to achieve a certified Operations rating by ISC – making it arguably the greenest road project in Australia.
An innovative pavement design methodology is reducing lifecycle materials impacts over the 23-year maintenance and operations task, while other initiatives such as LED light upgrades at the maintenance depot have resulted in a 20 per cent reduction in electricity use.
In addition, a trial of a sustainable pavement product that incorporated recycled soft plastics, has confirmed its suitability for use on other road projects.