From circular project offices to smarter fabrication and rail renewals, this year’s Australian Steel Institute Steel Sustainability Awards highlighted practical, repeatable ways the sector is shrinking carbon, tightening governance and lifting social outcomes. Across projects, companies and people, the common thread was credible measurement and design choices that make reuse and traceability business-as-usual.
Chief executive of the Australian Steel Institute Mark Cain said the awards provide the perfect platform to inspire companies in the sector to adopt more sustainable steel practices. “The awards reflect the growing importance of environmental stewardship and responsible business practices. The ASI congratulates all the winners, highly commended teams, nominees and members who are making strides when it comes to maintaining corporate social responsibility and the environment.”
Celebrating projects of all sizes
Sydney Metro’s St Marys Integrated Project Office (IPO) won the Large Projects (over $10 million) category. It demonstrates how a “temporary” building can be low-carbon, demountable and built to last. The $16 million, four-level hub pairs a bolted steel frame with standardised beams, columns and connections so the whole structure can be dismantled and reassembled on future projects over a 50-year life.
Brisbane’s Bradbury Park Playscape took out the small projects (under $10 million category). It proves that community infrastructure can be both joyful and judicious. Completed in 2023 at Kedron in Brisbane, the sculptural tower leveraged a certified Australian steel supply chain and design-for-deconstruction principles, backed by digital coordination and local delivery. It’s a replicable template for councils seeking durable, low-impact public spaces.
A highly commended was awarded in the small projects category to Queensland Rail’s Stage 2 bridge program, which refurbished and re-installed 21 historic steel girders across South East Queensland, avoiding the emissions and resource draw of new manufacture while lifting network resilience. The team stripped coatings, undertook Magnetic Particle Testing, re-strengthened and re-braced members, then applied protective systems for return to service—clear, circular logic the judges applauded.
Companies achieving sustainability innovation
There were joint winners in the company achievements (small) categories: BridgeFab and Structural Challenge. Brisbane fabricator BridgeFab showed how a 33-person business can land sustained, verifiable impact. Consecutive SSA Level 3 certification—the only small fabricator at that level in Queensland—anchor their governance; solar-led decarbonisation and a paperless, model-to-machine workflow cut waste, risk and turnaround times.
Structural Challenge’s sustainability program combines certified inputs and digital traceability with tangible environmental and social gains. In the last two years, the company has diverted over 226 tonne of steel scrap and broadened recycling streams, reached SSA Level 3 certification, and bolstered workforce wellbeing and inclusion—all while treating every job like a Green Star project to raise the baseline.
Leadership in steel sustainability
Spaceframe Buildings’ Chief Design Engineer, Justin Mendiolea, won the leadership in steel sustainability innovation category for turning pragmatic engineering into systemic carbon wins. His method starts at concept, quantifying tonnage and embodied carbon, running option studies on frames and bay spacing, and designing for fabrication to reduce steel and welds. The approach carries through to governance and local provenance, with projects set up for solar and water reuse.
ASI would like to thank our judging panel, which included Nicole Sullivan (Impact director at thinkstep-anz), Matt Eastman (General manager of construction Queensland and Northern Territory at Lendlease), Philippa Stone (Sustainability manager at BlueScope), David Bell (Manager of sustainability and insight at InfraBuild), Joe Pirrello (Director of sports, entertainment and aviation, clients and delivery at Aurecon) and Elham Haddo (General manager of Chess Engineering).
ASI would like to thank to our sponsors, including BlueScope Distribution, Calibre Steel, CoilSteels, GAM Steel Service, InfraBuild, Orrcon Steel Distribution, Southern Steel, UnitedSteel and Vulcan.
