FOCUS Carbon reduction and sustainability
Looking towards the horizon Taking a whole-ofbusiness approach to tackle the climate challenge, McConnell Dowell Group has set itself ambitious but achievable targets to be operationally net zero and reduce its direct emissions by 45 per cent by 2030. “I’m very proud to work for a company that has senior management commitment around sustainability and high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards.”
Tim Walker, environment and sustainability operations manager, McConnell Dowell.
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As part of its recently launched overall strategic plan – Horizon 2030 – McConnell Dowell Group (McConnell Dowell) has established a Carbon Reduction Plan to implement strategies across the business to reduce, or stamp out where possible, the company’s impact on the environment. With the building and construction sector accounting for 39 per cent of global emissions, according to the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, McConnell Dowell is taking action to address the climate crisis. Within the company’s Carbon Reduction Plan are three overall goals. Firstly, McConnell Dowell has set a target to be operationally net zero by 2030. The plan also includes a target to reduce the business’s direct carbon emissions, those that occur from sources controlled by the company, by 45 per cent. Thirdly, the company aims to implement an ethically sourced offset strategy. While these goals are certainly ambitious, McConnell Dowell environment and sustainability operations manager Tim Walker says everyone in the company, from executive management to those with boots on the ground, is on board. “I’m very proud to work for a company that has senior management commitment around sustainability and high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards,” says Walker. “Our managing director and executive board have all reviewed and endorsed our Carbon Reduction Plan.” Developed as a company roadmap, the plan is built on eight strategic focus areas – offices, system improvement, education, fuels, moving plant, light vehicles, stationary plant, materials and travel – and includes 44 carbon reduction initiatives to be rolled out across McConnell Dowell’s operations by 2030. The company has also formed an Environmental Sustainability Committee led by one of its regional general managers to help drive these initiatives. “Overall, we aim to achieve a 45 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, with the remaining to be offset, by 2030,” says Walker. Setting plans in motion In achieving these goals, McConnell Dowell has placed a major focus on reducing its Scope 1 emissions, which are produced by its direct use of fuels.
INSIDE CONSTRUCTION August/September 2023
“We are taking meaningful steps to ensure we can do everything we possibly can to reduce emissions with the current technology that is available,” says Walker. “For instance, we’re already in the process of transitioning our light vehicles to electric, with a goal of 100 per cent of our light vehicle fleet to be electric vehicles by 2030.” “We currently have three fully electric vehicles and a number of hybrid vehicles within our fleet as well as an electric truck on the way; and are currently in negotiations with our leasing company to get another 40 electric vehicles added to our fleet in the next 12 months.” Typically, in areas or remote locations where project teams are unable to connect tools and machinery to the mains power, they have to rely on another source of energy to power their equipment, like dieselpowered generators. Construction is among the leading industries contributing the largest carbon footprint from the use of fossil fuels such as diesel. That’s why McConnell Dowell, in partnership with Black Stump Technologies, has cocreated the ‘Solarator’ – a containerised power plant that combines solar panels, batteries and a small diesel-powered generator – which is capable of reducing diesel fuel consumption by up to 80 per cent for the company’s off-grid site facilities. McConnell Dowell estimates that over a 10-year period the units will save over 8,000 tonnes of carbon on its worksites. “We have five of these power units that have been operating successfully across our business over the last six months,” says Walker. “We will continue to develop strategic partnerships with our supply chain to maximise sustainable outcomes.” McConnell Dowell is also looking at a number of renewable fuel and biodiesel trials and is currently using biodiesel blends from five per cent up to 50 per cent blends on a number of its projects in Victoria. “Additionally, we’re about to embark on a 100 per cent renewable fuel trial on a Western Program Alliance project we’re delivering,” says Walker. Similarly, the company is driving down its Scope 2 emissions, which are produced indirectly from its consumption of purchased electricity.