It also requires considered planning and the incorporation of the right products and materials across the urban landscape.

While estimates vary, it is generally agreed that the built environment accounts for around 40% of total global carbon emissions.

Relevant in all geographical contexts, this applies most obviously in urban environments, where most people live, work and study. Cities, in other words, represent a major part of the climate change problem.

That said, decarbonisation is only one part of a journey to sustainability that must also include strategies associated with stormwater management, the prevention of heat islands, pollution control, and so on. In addition, it needs to involve the use of genuinely sustainable products, systems, and materials.

Addressing the challenges of urban environments

Anston Architectural Products, a supplier of architectural concrete products suitable for installation in public spaces and elsewhere, addresses these challenges directly.

The company says its products, particularly those incorporating lighter-coloured mixes, have excellent thermal properties and are notably cooler to the touch than other materials such as stone or metal. This helps to mitigate heat build-up in plazas, promenades, and other applications where there are large expanses of hard surfaces.

Made from innovative concrete mix designs that effectively substitute a portion of virgin raw materials with repurposed waste by-products from industrial processes, these products effectively divert these materials away from landfill and, in so doing, reduce the number of would-be pollutants in the natural environment.

Meanwhile, Anston’s sister company, SVC Products, has worked extensively with local government and industry bodies to develop innovative stormwater management products such as the MC2 Multi-Cell Stormwater Detention System, Monash Grated Inlet, and various grating products, all of which are designed to help control the flow of stormwater during heavy rainfall, and reduce the strain on public drainage systems.

Durable, low-maintenance surfaces and concrete street furniture elements, such as those offered by Anston, have the capacity to withstand heavy footfall and weathering, extending product service life and reducing replacement cycles.

On top of this, Anston’s suite of landscape products are produced in a shot-blasted finish that achieves P5 slip resistance to AS 4586, supporting all-weather accessibility on civic pavements and stairs and ensuring safe pedestrian use, while its pedestal paver range is reinforced and purpose-designed for pedestal paving applications, providing a safe, reliable option for highly trafficked commercial environments.

Urban resilience

According to Draffin, a Melbourne-based designer and manufacturer of public place furniture, urban resilience is an important part of the sustainability puzzle.

Urban resilience demands durability, adaptability, and low environmental impact and Draffin mirrors these requirements in its products. Modular, engineered for decades of use, and including materials that withstand extreme weather and heavy public interaction, products like the Wandin Suite and the company’s ‘Bayside’ suite of street and park ready furniture allow councils to reconfigure layouts as community needs evolve.

Above: Denman Village : Denman Village Playground, a project in which FORGE was involved, features astronomy-themed play structures / Supplied.

According to the company, its commitment to low-maintenance design reduces operational strain. By embedding sustainability into every stage (from sourcing to end-of-life), Draffin makes it possible to build infrastructure that lasts and adapts.

Draffin offers customisation of standard products, and most are available in a range of materials. This means, for example, that customers seeking to reduce surface heat absorption and mitigate urban heat island effects have the option of thermally stable materials like electropolished stainless steel, aluminium, or sustainably sourced timbers.

Similarly, where appropriate, the company has the capacity to incorporate permeable bases into its products or integrate them with green infrastructure like rain gardens to support stormwater management.

In addition, the low-VOC coatings and corrosion-resistant treatments extend the life of Draffin products and reduce maintenance, even in high-traffic, high-pollution zones.

The company prioritises modularity, recyclability, and local sourcing. Its hardwoods, which are PEFC-certified and sourced from Australian forests, support carbon sequestration and responsible land management, while its stainless-steel components are designed for disassembly and reuse, and its manufacturing processes minimise waste through precision fabrication.

Above: Draffin offers customisation of standard products, and most are available in a range of materials / Supplied.

Early contractor involvement

A service-based company, focussed not on any specific building materials or products but on the design and delivery of customised outdoor structures – including everything from bridges and boardwalks to play structures, shade structures, and arbours – FORGE is well-placed to comment on the topic of urban planning and sustainability.

According to Ian Joyce, a director at FORGE, early contractor involvement (ECI) is key to the company’s approach.

“Our unique ECI process allows us to test concepts for efficiency and constructability early, which reduces material waste and unnecessary redesigns,” says Joyce.

“From there, our FORGE Methodology ensures those decisions are carried through the entire project, from design and sourcing to delivery and handover.”

The company selects materials and detailing according to their capacity to handle heavy use, and therefore, reduce the need for replacement.

On top of this, according to Joyce, context is key.

“Every structure is tailored to its site, whether that means the materials used to match the climate conditions, lighter-touch foundations in sensitive ecosystems or shade structures that reduce heat in urban centres,” he says.

In this way, the overall process is integrated. Because the FORGE methodology links design, sourcing, and delivery, there is less possibility that sustainable choices will be lost between stages.

As Joyce explains, this approach supports sustainability in three ways.

From an environmental perspective, the lightweight construction techniques the company employs minimise site disturbance. In addition, where possible, the company always pre-assemble structures (which helps reduce emissions) and seeks out durable materials.

From a social perspective, the bridges, boardwalks, play and shade structures and amenities that the company delivers promote active living, social connection, and equitable access to outdoor spaces.

Then, from an economic perspective, early involvement avoids costly redesigns, ensures efficiency, and reduces long-term maintenance costs.

“Because we stay engaged from concept right through to handover, we’re able to carry these sustainability principles consistently across every phase of delivery,” says Joyce.

Above: South Pine: Installed at the South Pine Sports Complex, prefabricated handrail and balustrade systems by Moddex are ensuring safe, compliant access for players and spectators / Supplied.

Modular design

According to Moddex, a manufacturer of barrier systems for large-scale infrastructure and non-residential construction projects, the pre-engineered, modular design of its products plays an important role in reducing their environmental impacts.

Because the systems are fabricated off-site and delivered flat-packed, they require no on-site welding and are simpler to install than alternatives.

In the context of urban public infrastructure, this type of fast, clean installation translates to a reduction in not just energy usage and pollutant emissions, but also dust production, noise pollution, and general disruption.

In addition, according to the company, products like its modular bike and pedestrian barrier systems (including Bikesafe and Bridgerail) deliver the additional benefit of reducing public reliance on private vehicles. As such, they help to support urban cooling and promote cleaner mobility in built-up urban environments.

As installed at the South Pine Sports Complex (a recently renovated facility in the Queensland city of Moreton Bay), prefabricated handrail and balustrade systems by Moddex are ensuring safe, compliant access for both players and spectators.

Moddex products incorporate HDG390 corrosion protection as standard. According to the company, this advanced galvanising method extends service life in harsh environments (such as marine and industrial settings) and reduces maintenance needs.

Recently, Moddex has transitioned to using lower-carbon aluminium, which carries a certified embodied carbon footprint as low as 0.231kg CO2e/kg. Significantly lower than global averages, this change directly supports the carbon-reduction targets set in many city infrastructure frameworks.

Low-carbon structural concrete

A supplier of a range of products including low-carbon concrete solutions, Holcim Australia aims to directly addresses the challenges of modern urban infrastructure and planning.

Holcim’s ECOPact product range offers a spectrum of low-carbon structural concrete products, from everyday mixes with significant embodied carbon reduction, through to high-performance bespoke solutions and the most advanced carbon-saving formulations.

All carrying third party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), products in the range include ECOPactActive, a high-performance concrete, which is designed to achieve early age strengths (matching or exceeding conventional post-tension and precast concrete) and enables accelerated construction without carbon trade-offs.

Above: Concrete spheres made from Anston’s EcoPebble mix, containing 24% recycled waste materials, are used to provide pedestrian protection outside Knox Shopping Centre / Supplied.

Then there is ECOPactMax, Holcim’s most advanced solution, which achieves a minimum 70 per cent embodied carbon reduction compared to ordinary Portland cement concrete.

In parallel to the ECOPact, the company’s Geostone decorative range, which is available throughout metro regions, delivers sustainable, durable, and aesthetically versatile finishes for the public realm.

According to the company, the ECOPact range and Geostone are designed to ensure both immediate and long-term resilience. With lower embodied carbon, they actively support city-level decarbonisation strategies.

At the same time, their engineered durability ensures performance under high-traffic and high-use conditions, minimising maintenance, and lifecycle disruptions.

Like all the mentioned suppliers, Holcim sees itself as taking responsibility for the impact its products have on the planet. At the same time, though, the company understands that low-carbon concrete is just a first step and says that building sustainably is a choice made at every stage of the construction cycle. It is a vision of the world to be shared by future generations.

Main image: Anston produced custom seating modules to furnish the outdoor space at Burwood Brickworks, the world’s most sustainable shopping centre / Supplied.

SUPPLIERS

Holcim

Moddex

Anston Architectural Products

FORGE

Draffin

Mathew MacDonald

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