Acciona has achieved the highest design score ever awarded by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council in Australia for its work on the Western Harbour Tunnel.
The NSW government’s project in Sydney received a score of 101.1 out of 110 and a “Leading” rating in the IS v1.2 Design Rating, positioning the project as an international benchmark in sustainable infrastructure.
Acciona says the recognition reflects the integration of advanced environmental criteria across all phases of the project, from planning to design and construction.
Acciona has achieved a 42% reduction in potable water use – an estimated saving of 2,560 megalitres – over the project’s design life, and reductions in carbon emissions have also been made.
The project is also using one of the world’s largest underground slurry treatment plants. This solution eliminates kilometres of steel piping, reduces the number of slurry pumps and decreases heavy vehicle traffic on local roads. It also optimises water use, reduces equipment wear and minimises downtime.
“The use of an underground slurry treatment plant represents a key step forward in tunnel construction, significantly improving the safety, efficiency and precision of the works, while notably reducing impacts on the surrounding environment and communities,” says Acciona.
The 6.5km tunnel will be the first new road crossing of Sydney Harbour in more than 30 years. Acciona is delivering Stage 2, which includes the excavation of 4.8km of traffic tunnels from below the suburb of Birchgrove, on the western shore, to Cammeray, on the northern side of the harbour.
Last week Acciona announced it had entered the final phase of tunnelling on the project.
