The steel industry's leading sustainability projects and champions have been announced at the Australian Steel Institute's (ASI) 2025 Steel Sustainability Awards (SSA).
The winners and a high commendation in the steel industry's premier sustainability awards are:
• St Marys Integrated Project Office (Winner - Large projects over $10m). This temporary four-storey project hub - housing 200‐workstations – was established to support the design and construction of Sydney Metro's new line to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. A standout innovation was the buildings fully demountable and relocatable design, enabling planned future reuse across other Metro projects. Prioritising sustainability, it minimises waste through reusable construction methods and was rapidly delivered to align with Metro's accelerated construction schedule. With a target of a 50-year design life and relocation every 10 years, the project is estimated to save 252 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions compared to constructing five, stand-alone buildings.
• Bradbury Park Playscape (Winner - Small projects under $10m). Located in Chermside, Brisbane, the Bradbury Park Playscape is a landmark public project that seamlessly integrates art, architecture, and play. Built by Epoca and fabricated by BridgeFab, the project exemplifies sustainability, modular steel construction, and award‐winning design excellence. Using certified materials and digital traceability, the collaborative delivery approach and modular construction methods resulted in a highly efficient, low-impact outcome. Engineered by Bligh Tanner, the structure was optimised for lean material use - reducing steel tonnage without compromising strength or function. Durability was central to the design — with galvanized steel chosen for its long lifespan and minimal maintenance requirements, significantly reducing whole of life embodied carbon.
• Sun Engineering, Queensland Rail Bridge Refurbishment (Highly Commended - Small projects under $10m).This project focused on refurbishing 21, 100-year-old steel bridge girders for reuse i n the Queensland Rail network. Each girder was carefully removed from site, stripped backed, tested, re-strengthened, fitted with newly fabricated steel components, coated with protective finishes and re-instated into service. Demonstrating robust governance and quality assurance, the project was delivered under certified systems with full material traceability. Sun Engineering is SCA CC3 certified, ISO 9001 accredited, and Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads approved: each requiring stringent controls over materials, processes and QA compliance. In the category of Small Business, the judges awarded two winners:
• BridgeFab (Winner - Small business, less than 100 full-time employees). This Brisbane-based fabricator was recognised for its continuous commitment to sustainability through a range of targeted initiatives. Solar energy upgrades and waste tracking systems reduced carbon emissions and improved resource efficiency, while the adoption of paperless digital documentation reduced paper consumption and streamlined operations. Optimised transport logistics, further contributed to lower fuel consumption and reduced carbon emissions. Achieving Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) Level 3 certification for the second consecutive year, the company demonstrated its leadership in sustainable manufacturing - supporting builders in earning Green Star points.
• Structural Challenge (Winner - Small business, less than 100 full-time employees). This company has significantly reduced its energy use through strategic upgrades, including energy-efficient welding machines (achieving a 15% energy savings) and switching to LED lighting, saving approximately 20,000 kWh annually. Its solar panel system further reduces reliance on grid power, generating more than 100MWh each year. With a strong commitment to resource recovery, the company actively recycles steel, batteries, paper, and printer cartridges - diverting over 226 tonnes of steel scrap in the last two years. It also prioritises sustainable procurement, social responsibility and traceability through its operations and has achieved and maintained Level 3 Steel Sustainability Australia (SSA) certification since 2023, demonstrating industry leadership in responsible manufacturing.
• Justin Mendiolea (Winner - People leadership). The chief design engineer at Spaceframe Buildings has been instrumental in driving sustainable outcomes across key projects, including L'Oréal, Peterkin Street, and Kilcoy. Justin led the development of innovative structural designs that reduced embodied carbon and material waste through efficient design, detailing and iterative processes. Beyond project delivery, he actively contributes to industry development through committee involvement, mentoring emerging engineers, and postgraduate study in sustainability.
The Steel Sustainability Awards presented by the ASI provide an outstanding opportunity to showcase the achievements of the entire steel supply chain including architects, designers, engineers, steel manufacturers, distributors, fabricators, processors, builders and constructors in delivering steel-related solutions that result in positive sustainability outcomes across three key areas: projects, companies and people.
The ASI is the peak body for the Australian steel industry, representing 700 companies and 7,000 members. Steel generates 100,000 jobs and $30b in annual revenue in Australia.
