The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) mandated that the Haughton River Floodplain Upgrade (HRFU) of the Bruce Highway achieve an ‘Excellent’ Design and As Built rating with the Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) rating scheme. This would be TMR’s first IS project in North Queensland.

The Infrastructure Group (TIG) joint venture, comprising BMD, Bielby, JF Hull and Albem, needed specialists to ensure they satisfied TMR and IS Council requirements.

Losee Consulting led the following applications of sustainability:

• Integrating sustainability in design
• Base case and weightings assessment
• Sustainability management plan and governance
• Modelling energy, water, and materials
• Climate change adaptation planning
• Evidence collection and IS rating submission preparation.

Exceptional sustainability initiatives included:

• Rehabilitation of ecological areas adjacent to Ramsar-listed wetlands
• 40% reduction in materials impact
• Container collection to raise funds for the local school
• Beneficial reuse of topsoil.

The project achieved 60 points and an ‘Excellent’ performance in Design. We are currently preparing the As Built submission.