Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG)

Environmental

As the world moves to decarbonise, we recognise the important part we play in designing low carbon structures and assets.

Carbon Calculation

Our capabilities in calculation of carbon in our projects have grown across the business. Our engineering teams in the UK are providing information on embodied carbon in our designs, to assess performance against embodied carbon rating benchmark. Our Digital Engineering team has developed a calculation tool to enable our structural engineers to calculate high levels of carbon at an early stage of design, and to use this to identify opportunities for improvement. We also have capabilities in more detailed modelling of carbon in our buildings and infrastructure projects across the project lifecycle.

Innovation

At the heart of BG&E is clever engineering. We are continually pushing the boundaries through new technology and innovations. Some of our recent innovations have included the use of mass timber within structural design, partnered with SmartCrete academic institutions and the recent addition of the The Helen Alguire Innovation Award.

Timber

We have continued to develop our capabilities in mass timber use in structural design. Over the past two years we have been proactively working with Timber Design Studios and since formally merged. As a result, a new Timber emerging discipline will formally commence from July 2023 and will offer international timber building design specialities services.

There are multiple benefits to using timber including aesthetics, biophilic design, renewable resource, reduced weight and carbon footprint. Our experiences have enabled us to utilise timber where and when appropriate to enhance the overall the design. A few examples include:

1. Castle Towers Zone 3 Redevelopment

The East Village Office is a new commercial building proposed within the redevelopment of the existing Zone 3 at Castle Towers Shopping Centre in Castle Hill, NSW.

Client need: Reduce the upfront carbon and weight of the building.

BG&E’s Scope:

  • BG&E worked in collaboration with Timber Design Studio on the timber structural elements.
  • Structural design from concept phase to construction. Provide a structural solution for the office floors that allows a 40% reduction in embodied carbon compared to a ‘business as usual’ concrete frame structure. Civil design from concept to construction.

Key Technical Achievements & Innovations:

  • To achieve a timber solution at greater spans to suit an open office floor plan, a hybrid timber floor structure has been proposed. This system is designed to remain exposed for a 90 FRL and provides a flat soffit for simple service reticulation and floor-to-floor savings. Timber concrete composite floor: 120mm reinforced concrete + 240 thick CLT Deltabeams: concrete filled steel box sections, a proprietary system by Peikko.
  • Lower embodied carbon structure
  • Lower weight structure over the existing metro tunnel.
2. Gardeners Road Distribution Centre

This project is located at 546 – 548 Gardeners Road, Alexandria in the City of Sydney local government area (LGA).

Client need: The proposed development comprises the construction, fit out and operation of a two-storey warehouse and distribution centre with ancillary offices.

BG&E’s Scope:

  • Structural design of the timber office building attached to main warehouse core from concept design to 70% tender detailed design. Provide specialty timber services including; Fire design of timber elements and acoustics consultancy for timber floor.
  • Auto-extinguishment analysis of timber structure.
  • High level costing plan.
  • Consultancy for embodied carbon calculation of office structure with different construction methodology.

Key Technical Achievements & Innovations:

  • Provide structural design options open to various timber species and sourcing location.
  • Provide auto-extinguishment analysis of timber office structure.
  • Lower embodied carbon structure of timber office building compared to the entire warehouse.
Smartcrete

SmartCrete is an Australian Government funded cooperative research centre (CRC) where $21 million has been allocated towards supporting industry led research into concrete over 8 years. The funds are available to industry and academic groups on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Through SmartCrete, academic institutions are matched with companies on research projects to produce sustainable outcomes. SmartCrete is industry driven and companies have a large say in what research gets done. As concrete is the most widely used material in construction, BG&E’s have reflected their focus in that area of our Clients need.

This is a cost-effective approach for BG&E to address technical issues it faces, become more competitive and help our Clients technically.

Through this initiative, BG&E has been involvement in three research projects:

  1. Shrinkage and Cracking (UTS) – Agreement signed – two PhD students chosen and allocated.
  2. Precast Culvert Durability – Agreement signed –Student selection underway.
  3. Sustainability in Design and Construction –negotiations underway.

As a result of BG&E’s ongoing involvement with SmartCrete, SmartCrete has separately requested the services of Dak Baweja (Director – Specialist Business – Materials) to drive industry involvement in research.

Helen Alguire Innovation Award

The Helen Alguire Innovation Award has been established as an annual tribute to Helen, a treasured member of the BG&E family and taken way too soon. In celebrating her technical excellence, exceptional ability to solve the myriad of challenges, engineering prowess, and innovative thinking - BG&E’s purpose. Employees nominate themselves for the Helen Alguire award with the one page submissions by the 8th of June each year (in remembrance of Helen’s birthday). A panel of diverse judges will review and score the submissions, narrowing them down to a winner and up to three highly commended submissions. The winning entry will be announced by the 31st of July, awarded a $1,000 AUD gift card prize and displayed on the BG&E website and BERT.

Capabilities

BG&E’s approach to sustainability draws on our technical expertise, and how this can inform real-world solutions for better outcomes.

Our technical depth allows us to go beyond high level targets to identify strategic risks and opportunities for issues such as climate change, carbon emissions, and the social and environmental legacies of our projects.

Our tailored approach to sustainability recognises the unique needs of each project to enhance overall project success.

Planning for net zero and regenerative development must be built into the design process, considering how to achieve these as project objectives from the outset.

With this in mind, our growing Sustainability Team has helped to integrate sustainability into civil and buildings projects including:

  • Carbon calculations and net zero transition plans
  • Managing ISC rating requirements, including achieving a Silver Planning rating from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council for EastLink WA Package 1 – Reid Highway Grade Separations; and an Excellent rating for the Smithfield Bypass.
  • Integrating sustainability into design through climate change risk and resilience planning, options assessment and developing partnerships for improved project outcomes.

Next

We are continuing to evolve through innovation to meet our client needs. As we develop, we are focusing more on shaping the built environment through seeking opportunities and challenges to innovate. As concrete production is responsible for at least 5% of the 23% of global emissions produced by the industry, BG&E will be continuing to find opportunities for alternative solutions such as timber, to contribute to the push towards net zero.

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