Major contractor John Holland is seeking businesses from Sydney and beyond to support its push for a circular economy.
At ICN NSW, as well as connecting major projects with smaller suppliers, we are always on the lookout for ways to support the wider infrastructure, construction and manufacturing industries.
We have recently partnered with John Holland to support the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) development project in Western Sydney. As well as offering work packages for this project, John Holland is looking to find partners who are motivated to contribute to the circular economy. Indigenous partners are also being sought after.
Find out more about these two opportunities:
What is the circular economy?
If you’re not familiar with the term, the circular economy is an economic model aimed at minimising wasted resources. It focuses on designing products, and construction processes to maximise the value and longevity of materials, while minimising environmental impact.
“We found out about ICN NSW and took steps to reach out so we can collaborate with the industry,” she says. “We are now using the ICN Gateway platform in a few different ways, and communicating our objectives and targets in terms of the circular economy is one of them.” Michelle Huang, Sustainability Advisor, John Holland.
Through practices like recycling, reuse, and refurbishment, the circular economy aims to create a sustainable loop where resources are continually circulated and waste is minimised.
At John Holland, having a sustainability focus means the business is keen to work with providers of all sizes to find ways to reduce waste.
According to John Holland Sustainability Advisor Michelle Huang, “Our objective as part of the Upper South Creek Advanced Water Recycling Centre (AWRC) is to get an Infrastructure Sustainability Council rating of Gold based on our environmental, social and economic outcomes. My role is to look for initiatives that will improve our carbon footprint
and share resources so less waste goes into landfill.”
The Upper South Creek AWRC project will have an Australian-first hydrogen generator on site and will use recycled asphalt for paved areas. However, Michelle and her team are also keen to reach out to other Sydney-based construction industry businesses to explore the option to share materials.
“Recycling is great for sustainability, but energy goes into repurposing and manufacturing. The main goal with this part of the project is to not have construction and demolition waste go into landfill, and to instead reuse what we can. So, for example, if we have excess timber or steel, we can work with another project to redirect these resources to them so they don’t end up being thrown away,” says Michelle.
The Upper South Creek AWRC is a major project, so there will be ample opportunities to share resources, and Michelle and her team are open to all possibilities. “Some smaller businesses might want to take bottles and cans from our site and do return and earn,” she explains, “Or they might want to provide us with used coffee cups that can be turned into asphalt. Office waste products like soft plastics, paper and cardboard can be repurposed as well.”
Michelle appreciates having ICN NSW’s support. “We found out about ICN NSW and took steps to reach out so we can collaborate with the industry,” she says. “We are now using the ICN Gateway platform in a few different ways, and communicating our objectives and targets in terms of the circular economy is one of them.”
To find out more about circular economy opportunities with John Holland, visit Upper South Creek Advanced Wastewater Recycling Centre on ICN Gateway, or send an email to Thuy Ho via tho@icnnsw.org.au.
Work Packages Available
Upper South Creek AWRC will deliver sustainable wastewater treatment and high-quality recycled water to create a cooler, greener Western Parkland City, with a wide range of benefits for the entire community including:
– providing efficient and cost-effective wastewater services
– producing high-quality, recycled water for a range of non-drinking reuses
– recycling organic waste to generate electricity
– helping to protect local waterways and aquatic ecosystems via environmental flows
– producing biosolids for an alternative to chemical fertilisers in agriculture
– enhancing biodiversity by greening Western Sydney with recycled water
– generating renewable energy within the AWRC and through solar, and
– building a centre that can respond to changes in demand as our community grows.
In addition to seeking circular economy partners, John Holland has work packages available across areas including road restoration, landscaping and cofferdam installation.
As part of the broader picture, this project has a mandate to provide a positive legacy for the construction industry through the engagement of tailored diversity programs and workforce development initiatives.
John Holland’s goal is to support greater participation of local Western Sydney Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women in non-traditional roles, learner workers, CALD groups, and people with disability, within the workforce and increase supplier diversity through the engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Islander, Supply Nation recognised businesses.
To achieve this goal, the business is keen to engage suppliers who can not only provide a premium product at the right price as well as meet all pre-qualifications, but also contribute to addressing skills shortages and increase diversity in alignment with the Aboriginal Procurement Policy, 2021 and NSW Government’s Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program.
More information is available via https://www.sydneywatertalk.com.au/uppersouthcreek, or you can join ICN Gateway to be notified about upcoming opportunities with John Holland projects.
