- Construction responsible for almost a quarter of global emissions
- Over 5% comes directly from fossil fueled construction machinery
- The renewable diesel is a first for Australia, but may be a transitional step
Two Sydney icons will be some of the first to be built with renewable diesel in Australia. The relocated Powerhouse Museum in Parramatta and the iconic Sydney Fish Market will see cranes on site powered by HVO100 diesel.
Moving towards net zero and decarbonisation
The initiative is a collaboration between the NSW Government, Marr Contracting, Lendlease, and Multiplex, with Marr Contracting the cranage provider.
The first shipment of HV0100 came in August this year, with Marr Contracting working with the Australian Government to make a step change in construction sustainability, being the first business in the country to use 100% renewable diesel. The fuel is not currently manufactured or available in Australia.
HVO100 is said to be chemically identical to conventional or “mineral” diesel, with machinery able to operate the fuel without modification.
Lendlease said in a statement that:
“Renewable diesel offers a solution as a transition fuel to substitute mineral diesel and support the industry while it works on converting to all-electric. It’s an advanced biofuel made from animal fats, vegetable oils and agricultural waste, and is chemically identical to mineral diesel.”
While it is a first for Australia, Lendlease has been using sustainable fuels in its constructions globally. The company is already using renewable diesel in the majority of construction projects in the United Kingdom, said Lendlease, including at Google’s London headquarters.
Lendlease said the use of renewable diesel at the Powerhouse Parramatta is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from crane operations by up to 90% over the life cycle of the fuel compared to fossil diesel.
The Sydney Fish Market redevelopment is also expecting large carbon savings and sustainability credentials, Multiplex said it will deliver the fish market as a 5 Star Green Star building with a 100-year structural design life, as well as 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions savings through the use of advanced timber laminate and earth friendly concrete. The concrete will also be sourced from an adjacent plant, reducing travel time and associated carbon emissions through transport.
Sydney’s Fish Market will also be the first site in Australia to use the fuel.
Study finds electrification the answer to net zero
In research conducted by Lendlease and the University of Queensland into how to decarbonise construction, it was found that Australia must accelerate the electrification of its construction machinery as well as support the production of local renewable diesel.
The research also found that construction is responsible for almost a quarter (23%) of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, with approximately 5.5% of that directly from powering construction machinery with fossil fuels.
