Overview

Join us for a targeted and intensive half-day event, gathering an array of panellists encompassing diverse professional domains, each representative of a distinct industry sector. 

This event is dedicated to discussions through expert panels and roundtable sessions, all geared towards exploring suitability within infrastructural paradigms. The panellists will shed light on the various aspects of sustainable infrastructure, exploring topics such as design considerations, technological advancements, policy frameworks, and environmental impact.

Learning outcomes

• the importance of sustainability in geotechnical engineering and the government’s role in promoting sustainable practices
• insight generation to inform future policies and initiatives related to sustainability in geotechnical engineering in NSW.

Event program

• 8.30 am: Arrival and Introduction
• 9.00 am: Technical Talk on “Embodied Carbon in Building and Construction”
• 9.30 am: “Exploring Sustainable Infrastructure Advancement and Associated Challenges in Australia”, Expert Panel Discussion
• 11.00 am: Morning Tea
• 11.30 am: Roundtable Discussion and Concluding Remarks 
• 12.30 pm: Lunch and Networking

About the panellists

Philip Oldfield

Associate Professor, UNSW

Philip Oldfield is Head of School at UNSW Built Environment in Sydney. His research is focussed on sustainable architecture and strategies to reduce embodied carbon in buildings. He has led over $0.8 million of funded research projects with diverse inter-disciplinary teams from industry and academia, tackling issues varying from how we use evidence to create high-performance buildings, to strategies to simultaneously reduce embodied carbon and cost in buildings.

Samuel Henwood

Director Ground Engineering Technical Services Infrastructure & Place, Transport for NSW

Sam Henwood is a practising geotechnical engineer with over 25 years’ experience across public and private sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom. He joined Roads and Maritime Services as Senior Geotechnical Scientist in 2014, becoming Director Pavements and Geotechnical in 2016 and later, Director Ground Engineering SME in 2021. His current role includes managing technical risk, engaging peer and industry stakeholders, driving innovation and leading a team of experts in the timely provision of pavements, geotechnical and materials expertise within Transport for NSW.

Cindy Liles

Principal Sustainability Consultant, Wolfpeak

Cindy is a specialised sustainability professional for the built environment. Cindy has worked with construction companies delivering tunnels in the Sydney area for the last seven years and has influenced the projects to achieve outstanding sustainability results, with projects recognised on international and national platforms for sustainability performance. Cindy Liles is completing a PhD candidate at the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science at the University of Newcastle, researching climate change risk. Cindy is highly effective at combining a scientific approach and knowledge of sustainability in infrastructure in a methodological way to lead the projects to achieve the best result for all stakeholders.

Robert Milagre

Associate, Sustainability, Aurecon

Robert is an Associate and Team Leader for Aurecon’s Sustainability Team in the Buildings Group in NSW and ACT. He is a Chartered Environmental Engineer and MBA-qualified Sustainability Professional with exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. Throughout his 22-year career, Robert has developed strong analytical and problem-solving skills while delivering sustainability-focused projects across several markets, including the built environment, facilities management, education, government, and technology. Robert has been involved in shaping sustainability rating systems in Australia for nearly two decades, from the review and commercialisation of NABERS on behalf of the government to the expansion and maturing of the Green Star rating system.

Further events

Engineers Australia’s Climate Smart Engineering Conference (CSE23) is returning to Melbourne this 29-30 November. CSE23 will bring you the latest in world-leading views and engaging debates on solutions to address climate change, responding to extreme events, biodiversity loss, boosting the circular economy and upholding the principles of sustainable practices in engineering. Register early to secure your place.