Two clever
and creative projects that showcase the City’s
sustainability commitments have been recognised in two separate awards.
Our
sculptural Dell Eco Reef at Clifton Springs took out top prize at the Victorian LGPro
Awards for Excellence in the ‘Special Projects Initiative’ category.
Designed
by The Reef Design Lab’s Alex Goad in collaboration with the City’s Senior
Strategic Environmental Planner Ralph Roob, this innovative reef helps to
reduce coastal erosion while also creating a habitat for marine life.
The
46 Erosion Mitigation Units, made of eco-friendly concrete and recycled shells,
are also a tourism drawcard for recreational snorkelers and swimmers.
The
Dell Eco Reef has won multiple awards including the international Dezeen Award
for Sustainable Design (Building Product) of the Year 2023.
Meanwhile,
our sustainable bridges project at Cowies Creek in Seagull Paddock won an
‘Excellence in Environment & Sustainability’ award at the 2024 International Public Works Conference.
The
City, local manufacturer Austeng, Deakin’s cutting-edge Waurn Ponds Carbon
Nexus facility and Australian engineering company Rocla are behind the two
bridges, which are made from a world-first geopolymer designed to be maintenance-free
for at least 100 years.
The
geopolymer is extremely long-lasting and uses up to 80 per cent less greenhouse
gases in production than concrete, while also being made from recycled
materials.
In
2022, the bridges were recognised with three awards and a commendation at the
Institute of Public Works Engineers Australasia (IPWEA) Victorian Division
awards.
Mayor
Trent Sullivan
The awards are well earned recognition for the City teams
and project collaborators involved.
Our
Dell Eco Reef and sustainable bridges are great examples of circular economy
solutions in practice that meet community need.
Council
is committed to delivering innovative investments that prioritise
sustainability and benefit both the environment and our people.
Congratulations
to all our teams and collaborators who worked on these projects!
Councillor
Peter Murrihy
The winning projects deliver environmental, financial and
social benefits.
The
Dell Eco Reef units help to build a healthier ecosystem along our coastlines,
contain recycled materials and also protect humans from the fallout of storm
surges and erosion.
Council
was keen to encourage sustainable innovation as well as delivering safe and
accessible infrastructure at Cowies Creek, by inviting companies to come up
with solutions to the costly maintenance and waste problem associated with
traditional bridges.