Sustainability rating tool gains traction

The Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme measures a project or asset's sustainability performance and its use is already mandated by Waka Kotahi, features in Auckland’s City Rail Link, Watercare’s Central Interceptor project and Te Aha a Turanga (Manawatu Gorge replacement road project) among others

Best of both worlds

The Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Rating Scheme leaves “space for the place” and the people of that space -- most importantly in light of Te Tiriti, the Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The scheme recognises and rewards, under a range of credits throughout the scheme, the genuine engagement with, and inclusion of, indigenous groups as well as differing world views and needs.

It does not prescribe how that is done. The ethos is that that is best determined by the people from the place where the project is being delivered.

Their knowledge and perspectives inform and flesh out the scheme requirements in a way that preserves the rigour of the scheme but allows for respectful inclusion of a range of views. This occurs across the entire scheme.

In Auckland the CRL team worked with that concept in a highly successful way.

The rating tool is owned and administered by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (the ISC) to help drive sustainable outcomes in infrastructure. For the $2.5 billion City Rail Link (CRL) Project, Mana Whenua worked alongside the project team to identify opportunities to respond to New Zealand's cultural context, which was right for Auckland and which added to the value proposition of the scheme.

This included a customised CRL Technical Manual, titled Mahi Rauora Aratohu. (Mahi rauora translates directly to 'work on the health of all things' and aratohu translates as 'pathway marker' but can be interpreted as guidance, meaning the manual is 'the guidance for work on the health of all things.')

CRL used version 1.2 of the IS Rating Scheme, but a new enhanced 2.1 version of the Design and As Built Rating Scheme was introduced late last year which contains greater emphasis on inclusion of indigenous perspectives amongst other things.

The technical guidance in Mahi Rauora Aratohu, like a korowai, wrapped around the IS scheme, and is being used for the remaining contracts within CRL. It also informed the approach taken on Watercare’s Central Interceptor Project which is undergoing rating.

In both cases use of the scheme enabled benchmarking with other projects on a comprehensive range of quadruple bottom-line outcomes and a respectful and considered local approach, that yielded measurable third-party verified impacts.

The Te Aha a Turanga project in the Manawatu, also undergoing rating, has attracted attention for its progressive approach particularly with respect to project co-governance. The

The new route between Ashhurst and Woodville Source: nzta.govt.nz

project won an award at the highly acclaimed Diversity Awards in 2021 in relation to this inclusive approach.

Waka Kotahi is currently looking to map those credits across the scheme that will be of particular interest to iwi.

The feedback to date has been that the holistic, long term, inter-generational view of infrastructure (including planning, design, delivery, use and decommissioning or adaptation) and the way a range of credits reference and incorporate local and indigenous perspectives is consistent with the values of Te Ao Māori even if not specifically referenced.

Embedding Te Ao Māori in everything we do

That concept of the importance of Māori perspectives (Te toitutanga) is a concept City Rail Link has included in every aspect of that project.

CRL’s latest health, safety, environment and sustainability report has for the first time been translated in its entirety into te reo Māori.

But then the CRL project has already chalked a few firsts in its storied history. It has achieved a world-first in embedding cultural values within a sustainability framework using the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s (The ISC) independent and internationally recognised rating scheme.

“Te Ao Māori (the Māori world view) has sustainability at its very core. We have a great responsibility to future generations for the way we conduct our businesses and the impacts that has on the environment and the people, the wellbeing of the whenua (land) and the tangata (people). Mana Whenua Forum member Edith Tuhimata says.

“So in our work with the CRL, we were concerned that cultural values, Te Ao Māori, were not represented in the diagnostic tools in the ISC rating system,” Tuhimata says.

CRL members and the

* Data for January to December 2021

Mana Whenua Forum together developed and implemented Mahi Rauora Aratohu, a world-first custom-made Infrastructure Sustainability Council (The ISC) Infrastructure technical manual specifically referencing and incorporating Mana Whenua values, the first time cultural values have been piloted as part of a market-based sustainability rating tool.

Created through a series of monthly meetings between CRL and the Mana Whenua Forum, it takes the cultural context of New Zealand into account and uses criteria that is compatible with Te Ao Māori.

Mahi Rauora Aratahu was adopted by the Link Alliance for the project’s main Contract 3 works (tunnels and stations) and helped guide the contractor as it gave effect to the cultural criteria embedded within the technical manual.

The Infrastructure Sustainability Council (the ISC) has enhanced references to indigenous world views and perspectives in a new iteration of its rating system (version 2.1) - an approach that tipped its hat to the method pioneered on the CRL project.

CRL chief executive Dr Sean Sweeney says he takes great pride and satisfaction in the success of the Mahi Rauora Aratahu approach taken on this project.

“It has been an honour to be involved in this world-first and a privilege to partner with the Mana Whenua Forum in ensuring Te Ao Māori values drive our work in building New Zealand’s biggest transport infrastructure project,” Sweeney says.

Photo: Hiwa-i-te-Rangi is unveiled to Auckland school children Source:Watercare.co.nz

“The complete translation of our report, Te Pūronga hauora, haumaru, taiao, me te toitutanga, is a continuation of our commitment to our Mana Whenua partners and Te Ao Māori,” he adds. “This is meaningful work and has had real-world application as we endeavour to make the CRL a sustainable and best-practice project that adds value to our society and environment.”

CRL also acts as a leader on more sustainable practices

The City Rail Link’s environmental credentials have been further burnished with its Waitematā Station (Britomart) works awarded a ‘Leading As Built’ rating, an independent verification of the project’s outstanding sustainability outcomes, from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (the ISC).

A Waka Kotahi perspective

“Since we adopted the IS rating tool in late 2020 we’ve seen a real shift in awareness and the desire to embrace sustainability across Waka Kotahi and our transport sector industry partners,” says Principal Specialist (Environment & Sustainability) Rebekah Pokura-Ward.

“Sustainability is no longer a nice to have but a ‘must have’ on our projects and Māori are really important part of that sustainability journey because Māori are inherently the protectors and guardians of Aotearoa and have a history and value system that respects, nurtures and protects the environment

The Māori Strategy Te Ara Kotahi guides Waka Kotahi’s relationship with Māori across all aspects of its business.

“It affirms our commitment to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi based on the principles of Partnership, Protection and Participation and identifies how we can bring these principles to life with over 60 key actions, by way of example,” she says

“On the multi-billion-dollar New Zealand Upgrade Programme we are incentivising our suppliers to come up with innovations to reduce carbon emissions in construction, to restore and enhance our biodiversity and support our local and Māori businesses. “

“We want to show leadership in this area and the IS Rating tool helps drive and reward proper consideration and inclusion of local insights and knowledge. We have started to map these examples so we can continue to improve practices taken on our projects,” according to Pokura-Ward.

Waka Kotahi has a number of projects where Māori values and Māori decision-making has been core to the success of these projects. One example is the Ara Tupua walking and cycling project in Wellington where Waka Kotahi recently won an international award under the indigenous category for its leading work with Māori.

“On that project a stronger approach to partnership was undertaken with the establishment of an Iwi Steering Group to ensure that the Māori voice was heard, and cultural values were incorporated into the design and environmental outcomes for the project.

“Māori perspectives have been key for us to build a sustainable future for New Zealand and it’s exciting to see Māori increasingly leading these conversations and initiatives,” says Pokura-Ward.

Plan for the interior of the redeveloped Britomart train station Source: City Rail Link Ltd (cityraillink.co.nz)

Waitematā enabling works awarded a leading rating

The City Rail Link (CRL) project aims to achieve sustainability excellence by carefully determining which resources are used, optimising the carbon footprint, avoiding waste and leaving a positive social and cultural legacy for Auckland

For the Waitematā Station (Britomart), this included creation of a new public square, Te Komititanga, designed by Mana Whenua artists and weavers, in consultation with CRL’s Mana Whenua Forum representing eight different iwi across the isthmus.

Waitematā Station is the busiest on the Auckland rail network, situated at the heart of the CBD and housed in the historic and protected Chief Post Office. This presented significant construction obstacles, including the proximity to offices and residential building, some of which also have heritage status, and required strict limits around noise and vibration.

Resource efficiency was essential to the design (which also received a leading design rating), planning and implementation of the works, leading to 97 percent of construction and demolition waste and 100 percent of spoil diverted from landfill and significant efficiency gains over CRL’s 100-year lifespan.

These include a 17.8 percent reduction in peak operational energy use, 23 percent reduction in operational carbon emissions and 58 percent reduction in water use.

Leaving a legacy for future generations was a cornerstone objective for the project, with a strong focus on knowledge sharing designed to extend beyond the life of the works and to inform the design and implementation of future projects.

This objective was achieved through a well-defined and integrated sustainability management system with regular reviews and reporting to project sponsors, leadership teams, the Mana Whenua Forum and community liaison group. This provided for sharing sustainability knowledge by both CRL Ltd and the contractor, both within the team and wider (Auckland Transport, external stakeholders and the general public).

Waste management highlights included keeping 8,303 tonnes of construction and demolition waste and 24 tonnes of office waste out of landfill. Assisting this achievement was procurement and design optimisation, onsite separation of concrete, steel, clean fill, office waste and compost and the reusing of waste material on and offsite.

A change in construction methodology from using contiguous piles in pre-treated columns to diaphragm walls and mini piles underneath the Chief Post Office greatly assisted in achieving energy efficiencies. The replacement of diesel generators with grid electricity for site offices and on-site equipment also helped.

Other highlights included water conservation, reducing construction water consumption by 21 percent and generating a forecast 58 percent reduction in water use of the lifecycle of the station. A 13 percent saving is projected for the urban realm during the 100-year design life of CRL.

The achievement follows the ‘Excellent As Built’ and ‘Leading Design’ ratings awarded earlier for CRL works at the lower end of Albert St (Contract 2)), as well as a wide range of honours for innovation, sustainability, engineering and circular economy practices bestowed upon the project.

The Waitematā works involved the construction of twin 136m-long tunnels under the Chief Post Office, a protected historic building, and lower Queen St and the reinstatement of the surrounding urban realm.

The works were conducted by the Downer/ Soletanche Bachy (DSB) joint venture, while design of the works was by Aurecon, Mott MacDonald, Grimshaw, Jasmax and Arup.

Sweeney says he wants to acknowledge the work of the contractors on the Waitematā works and the Link Alliance, which has adopted the ISC sustainability guidelines in the design and construction of the project’s two new underground stations, an above-ground station, bored, mined and cutand-cover tunnels and connections to the Western Line and all rail systems.

“CRL is what I believe is New Zealand Aotearoa’s highest value employment project, bringing big changes to the construction industry,” Sweeney says. “During the year we continued to use the scale and complexity of the project to demonstrate our ability to have a positive impact on the wider industry.”

Downer environment sustainability manager Sarah Sutherland says achieving the highest

IS-rated project in New Zealand is a great accomplishment: “This success was built on the collaborative relationship between CRL and the DSB joint venture and underpinned by the strong sustainability culture set by our senior leaders.

“It is our earnest hope that by setting the bar high, we provide the inspiration for construction projects that follow to achieve even better, more sustainable outcomes,” Sutherland says.

The project has five key environmental and social objectives: reducing resource consumption; zero waste to landfill; creating positive social outcomes; ensuring positive outcomes for Mana Whenua and that the project appropriately reflects Māori culture; and best practice governance and reporting.

The Waitematā works will result in a 17.8 percent reduction in peak operational energy use and 23 percent reduction in operational carbon emissions over the project’s 100-year lifespan. In terms of the project’s aspirational goal of zero waste to landfill, 100 percent of spoil, 97 percent of construction and demolition waste and 74 percent of office waste was diverted from landfill.

“These are meaningful and tangible results that reflect our commitment to sustainable infrastructure construction and, given CRL’s 100-year lifespan, will benefit Aucklanders for generations to come,” Sweeney says.

The Link Alliance’s construction of the tunnels and stations is already delivering significant benefits through initiatives (see box above) such as reducing the embodied carbon of the concrete used by substituting fly-ash for cement as well as energy efficient station designs that, including minimising lighting and ventilation energy use.

These initiatives are expected to result in a 16 percent reduction in embodied carbon, a 19 percent reduction in construction energy emissions and a 22 percent reduction in operational energy emissions, for total savings of 60,515tCO₂e over the 100-year designlife.

Sweeney says these facts represent an important achievement for New Zealand and the construction industry, in particular: “Construction and demolition accounts for about half of New Zealand’s total waste to landfill, so as the country’s largest infrastructure project, we have an important leadership role to play in reducing waste to landfill.

“Our peers in the industry can see what we’re doing and how we’re doing it and this is going to lead to a signficant culture shift and help lead the construction industry to a more sustainable approach to its work,” he says.

Among the re-use purposes the waste has been put to include basalt rock from Maungawhau Station (Mt Eden) being used to build sea walls on the Coromandel Peninsula and create bike obstacles at the Totara Park Mountain Bike Club in South Auckland and timber offcuts being used for works of art.

Glossary for readers less familiar with Te Ao Māori

Tangata Whenua:

The indigenous Māori people of a particular area of New Zealand or of the country as a whole.

Te Aha a Turanga:

Manawatu Gorge bypass project

Mana Whenua:

The right of a Māori tribe to manage a particular area of land

Korowai:

A traditional woven Māori cloak worn as mantle of prestige and honour. The name Korowai is symbolic of leadership, and includes the obligation to care for the people and environment.

Te Toitutanga:

Integrity

Te Ara Kotahi:

The pathway that Māori and the Crown walk together on as envisaged by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Te Tiriti:

The Treaty (of Waitangi) is widely accepted to be a constitutional document that establishes and guides the relationship between the Crown in New Zealand (embodied by our government) and Māori. The Treaty promised to protect Māori culture and to enable Māori to continue to live in New Zealand as Māori. Increasingly this phrase is used in shorthand to refer not only to the document, but manifestations of co-governance and other partnership type behaviours that breathe life into those obligations.

The publishers of AsiaPacific Infrastructure, Property&Build and Industrial Safety News welcomed Infrastructure Sustainability Council (The ISC) as a Content Partner in July 2022. General Manager, New Zealand Adrienne Miller, is a lawyer who, as well as her role at the ISC, has served on the Building Advisory Panel at MBIE, Infrastructure New Zealand’s WIN Advisory Board and is a trustee on the Board of Diversity Works New Zealand. She is involved in mentoring programmes and writes and speaks on issues facing the construction and infrastructure sector. Adrienne.Miller@iscouncil.org +64 27 693 9753 LinkedIn.