Case Study: Parramatta Light Rail

The Challenge

Transport for New South Wales is a leader in implementing sustainability across its portfolio of projects. Parramatta Light Rail, a flagship investment connecting Westmead to Carlingford in Sydney’s west, was no exception, with ambitions to deliver environmental and social outcomes underpinned using the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) Framework,  TfNSW’s Sustainable Design Guidelines, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals across its construction and operation.

The Approach

Using a best practice Organisational LCA (O-LCA) approach, Edge delivered a detailed analysis of the company’s social and environmental impacts. The assessment was “cradle to grave”, covering hundreds of suppliers all the way through to the ultimate disposal of the products they sell. With the analysis in hand, Singtel-Optus quickly realised that they were only a few short steps away from being able to put in place a Science Based Target for their emissions. Working in partnership with Ecofys, we developed a detailed business-as-usual trajectory, an ambitious target, and a set of costed mitigation opportunities.

The Result

The PLR project is considered to be one of TfNSW’s flagship examples of sustainability. The project, due to be completed in 2023, is now well into its construction phase, with works divided across a range of packages. Our advice and support helped to ensure that sustainability was at the core of successful bidders’ strategies, and that sustainability has become a seamless part of all phases. The project is seeking to achieve an “Excellent” IS rating, with a score of at least 65.