Australia’s steel industry has celebrated innovation and environmental leadership at the Australian Steel Institute’s (ASI) 2025 Steel Sustainability Awards (SSA), recognising projects and people driving progress in sustainable construction and manufacturing.
The St Marys Integrated Project Office claimed top honours in the Large Projects over $10 million category.
Established to support Sydney Metro’s new line to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, the four-storey, fully demountable office hub features 200 workstations and a relocatable design that enables reuse across future Metro developments.
Designed for a 50-year lifespan with relocation expected every 10 years, the initiative is projected to save 252 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions compared to constructing five separate buildings.
In the Small Projects under $10 million category, Brisbane’s Bradbury Park Playscape took the win for exemplifying sustainable design and modular steel construction.
Built by Epoca and fabricated by BridgeFab, the playscape merges art, architecture and play in a low-impact design optimised by Bligh Tanner Engineers for minimal material use.
Its durable galvanised steel frame ensures longevity and reduced embodied carbon, reinforcing the project’s commitment to lifecycle sustainability.
Sun Engineering earned a Highly Commended award for refurbishing 21 historic steel bridge girders for Queensland Rail.
The project involved recovering, strengthening and recoating 100-year-old girders, reinstating them into service with full material traceability and rigorous quality compliance.
In the Small Business category, two fabricators were jointly recognised for sustainable operations. BridgeFab, based in Brisbane, was honoured for its ongoing innovation in resource efficiency, solar energy adoption, waste tracking, and paperless documentation.
The company’s SSA Level 3 certification for a second consecutive year underscores its leadership in sustainable manufacturing.
Fellow winner Structural Challenge demonstrated substantial energy savings through strategic initiatives, including efficient welding technology, LED lighting upgrades, and solar power generation exceeding 100 MWh annually.
The business also diverted more than 226 tonnes of steel scrap through recycling over two years while maintaining SSA Level 3 certification since 2023.
The People Leadership award went to Justin Mendiolea, chief design engineer at Spaceframe Buildings, for championing sustainability through innovative structural design and mentorship.
His work on major projects such as L’Oréal, Peterkin Street, and Kilcoy has delivered measurable reductions in embodied carbon, while his ongoing industry engagement continues to advance sustainable engineering practices.
Presented by the ASI, the Steel Sustainability Awards highlight excellence across projects, companies and individuals contributing to environmental performance across the steel supply chain — spanning design, manufacturing, fabrication and construction.
