Focus area 7
Align spend and impact
We are working to ensure our infrastructure investment creates significant positive social and environmental impacts and achieves value for money for the people of NSW.
Our goals
Value created from sustainability is considered alongside financial analysis in all relevant decisions.
Reduce whole of life costs for the transport network
Why it's important
Our projects are helping to shape our cities, centres and communities for generations to come.
With the global climate crisis and growing issues around pollution, waste, water, biodiversity and resource availability, sustainability is a critical consideration in infrastructure planning.
We know that our work has a significant social and environmental impact so we are looking beyond financial costs when making decisions on where and how to invest in our transport infrastructure. We aim to ensure sustainability is embedded into key decision points across the project lifecycle from development, procurement, design and construction to operation, maintenance, renewal and disposal of assets.
Value created from sustainability is considered alongside financial analysis in all relevant decisions
We understand the important role we play in guiding the industry towards sustainable practices and minimising environmental impact. By sharing knowledge and working together, we aim to uplift sustainability capability and performance across the industry, ensuring we deliver value for money in sustainability.
Our biggest opportunity to drive decarbonisation is by applying carbon externality values. Continuing to collaborate with NSW Treasury, we are advancing our research into carbon values that align with our net zero targets. We are also making sure that embodied carbon emissions are factored into all business cases and directing investments towards low carbon alternatives.
Reduce whole of life costs for the transport network
We are committed to understanding the financial costs and environmental and social benefits of our projects to make sustainable decisions that maximise impact and value throughout the project lifecycle.
Through Benefits Realisation Management to measure the costs and benefits as well as define success and impact of a project, we can:
- estimate and accurately embed carbon values in business cases to drive decarbonisation outcomes
- quantify the benefits of climate resilient infrastructure and services
- capture the value of improving biodiversity, heritage, visual amenity, air quality, ecosystem services and social outcomes
- capture the value of reducing stormwater run-off, flood risk, urban heat island effects and land use
- integrate a framework for valuing green infrastructure and public spaces.
Sustainability benefits potential across asset lifecycle
Case studies and highlights
For more on our performance visit:
