42 < OUR RESEARCH UNSW Centre for Infrastructure, Engineering & Safety Report 2019
QHow Q to save the world, one road at a time
CIES researchers are at the helm of an emission-reducing, green roads project. Concrete made using industrial waste from coal-fired power stations and steel manufacturing is being used in a world-first green roads trial in Sydney. The CRC for Low Carbon Living-funded project with The City of Sydney is putting the environmentally friendly building product to the test on a busy inner-city street, replacing a 30 metre section of roadway on Wyndham Street in Alexandria. As a major road leading to Sydney Airport, the high traffic volume provides the perfect conditions for the trial. CIES Professor Stephen Foster, Head of School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is the CRCLCL project lead and describes the trial as “a huge step forward”. “This trial will help drive step change in the industry. Many concrete companies are already doing a lot to change, but this trial really gives it another push,” Professor Foster said. “Research into Geopolymer has been undertaken since the 90s, but it’s only now that it’s starting to be commercialised.” Several members of CIES have been involved in geopolymer research including Professor Foster, Associate Professor Arnaud Castel, Dr James Aldred, Dr Taehwan Kim and Dr Johnson Shen, and the Centre is now recognised as a world expert on sustainable construction materials. As Professor Foster noted, “This trial is important because we need demonstration projects to accurately assess the performance of Geopolymer over time so that there can be broader uptake. While we’ll monitor the road performance for up to five years,
