Parramatta Light Rail infrastructure works package has achieved an Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) ‘Leading’ rating for design.
PARRAMATTA Light Rail infrastructure works package has achieved an Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) ‘Leading’ rating for design, demonstrating the project’s commitment to achieve sustainable outcomes throughout the delivery of light rail.
Transport for NSW executive director Anand Thomas said a leading’ rating is the highest industry benchmark of its kind and recognises Stage 1 of the project’s efforts to implement substantial sustainability outcomes throughout the design phase.
“This achievement reflects the project’s commitment to deliver long-lasting economic, social and environmental outcomes while delivering a major transport infrastructure project to the people of Western Sydney,” Thomas said.
“It’s been a key priority during the design and construction process to identify and implement opportunities where we can increase resource efficiency and reuse materials.”
Transport for NSW and Parramatta Connect, the Infrastructure Works contractor building the light rail, have worked together to deliver a raft of innovative and sustainable outcomes for the project.
The light rail project will be the first in New South Wales to have ‘grass track’, as well as achieve significant and positive outcomes for the project and community.
“In a NSW first, ‘grass track’ will be installed along 10 per cent of the alignment, which requires 81 per cent less concrete compared to standard embedded trackform,” Thomas said.
“The project will achieve a 36 per cent reduction in carbon emissions through construction and operations, simply by designing areas with a wire-free system, using supplementary and recycled materials in concrete and asphalt, and re-using existing rail, sleepers and ballast.”
Other Parramatta Light Rail initiatives that contributed to the rating include:
- An Australian First Innovation with the use of a noise and vibration reducing product known as a rail boot system, which is installed on the tracks in sensitive areas.
- A NSW First Innovation with the use of macro synthetic fibres within the light rail’s concrete track, which reduces the quantity of steel reinforcement required, increases concrete durability and performance, and is quicker to install.
- Achieving strong positive social impacts through the creation of jobs and employment opportunities. To date, 57 per cent of trades roles are apprentices, 14 per cent of the workforce are under the age of 25, 2.7 per cent are women in non-traditional roles and 2.4 per cent are Aboriginal.