Technology and Innovation Award

Energy Fleet is an innovative off-grid solar-powered trailer offering the construction industry a clean, renewable energy solution for powering major construction and infrastructure projects. 

The innovative fleet of reliable off-grid solar-powered trailers is being successfully deployed projects across Queensland, offering an alternative to noisy, large-scale diesel generators and supporting the path to a clean energy future. 

Powered by Hembrows Electrical, the trailers provide the unique advantage of portable, renewable, 24/7 off grid power, safety sensor lights, remote monitoring and CCTV capabilities, all with 24/7 technical support and site monitoring. 

Each trailer is built with 10KWh PV capacity, comprising more than 20 quality performing panels, 16kWh of lithium battery energy storage and a superior 5KVA integrated backup generator. The portable power solution provides a continuous output of 8kWh with a surge capacity of up to 12kWh. 

When operational, the trailer can save up to 12,750 litres of diesel per project, offsetting 34,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide. During extended inclement weather events, the battery connected generator will automatically engage and charge the batteries to ensure seamless power delivery. 

Energy Fleet is providing a cost-effective solution to site power, with some construction sites achieving a 15 percent reduction in power usage, increased productivity and greater flexibility in working hours. 

The Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 3 team is incorporating advanced technologies to manage sustainability and drives project efficiencies. 

The project team is using drones to collect water samples from difficult-to-access locations in the project footprint for water quality monitoring. A Queensland first, the initiative increases worker accessibility and ease of service delivery while reducing the safety risk of working over water. 

The introduction of ZoneBloc® compact concrete barriers, approximately 46 percent smaller than a typical barrier, has improved space and maintained safety standards in the narrow construction corridor along the existing Gold Coast Highway.  

The team is also minimising energy consumption with the installation of SOLPOD, a redeployable solar energy system that helps minimise the use of non-renewable resources and is easily redeployed when required. 

Gaia Automate®, an intelligent energy management technology, is being used to minimise non-essential power usage while efficiently distributing additional power where and when it is needed.  

Ten electric vehicles purchased by the project are also being used by site personnel to traverse the corridor, signalling a shift towards emission-free transport. 

The project team’s commitment to emerging technologies is setting new standards in eco-friendly construction practices in Australia. 

McConnell Dowell has successfully delivered the Shiploader and Berth 2 Replacement Project for BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA), a brownfield project located within the lease boundaries of Hay Point Coal Terminal near Mackay. 

The contract award followed a 12-month early contractor involvement process, which delivered smarter, safer and more constructable solutions to improve the infrastructure’s materials handling capacity and cyclonic wave immunity. 

A commitment to minimising sustainability impacts resulted in existing cassions being reused for the new substructure of the wharf, eliminating the need for dredging adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef. 

In a Queensland first, the use of a heavy lift vessel (HLV) for the demolition and construction phases delivered significant safety, cost and efficiency benefits.  

Using the HLVs during demolition minimised the risk of disposed materials entering the marine environment, reduced temporary access requirements and improved safety through reduced work hours over water. A logistical milestone was also achieved when the project team installed 10 x 100-tonne prefabricated modules using the HLV with extremely tight tolerances. 

Other benefits for utilising the HLV included reduced lifts and efficient processing and recycling of demolition material. 

This project is an industry-leading example for dismantling large marine infrastructure and has set new standards in efficiency and sustainability. 

Lewis Woolcott’s SMART (Site Mapping and Resources Tracking) technology has been developed to bring project controls into the present and accelerate project controls into the future.  

As a real-time record of site activity from a bird’s-eye view, SMART provides a watchable playthrough of production as it unfolds, using asset tracking technology to monitor the location and movement of resources on large construction sites.  

Digitally capturing all activity on a project, SMART simultaneously creates a full digital replica of the project’s execution and enables historical playbacks that can be later viewed in a time-lapse for reporting and analytical purposes.  

SMART tracks at a trade or resource type level to provide a level of anonymity, making all data collected on the platform focused on resource management and productivity reporting, rather than the whereabouts of individuals. 

SMART is currently deployed on multiple construction projects and is reducing resource idle time, improving productivity, and enhancing safer delivery. This powerful functionality allows users to have full visibility over their active construction sites, highlighting the most critical events for project enhancement and prioritising key interventions that previously would remain unseen. 

Constructionarium Australia, BlueScope Steel, RPG Australia, Beenleigh Steel and Moddex have collaborated to design a replica of the Eleanor Schonell Bridge using REDCOR® Weathering Steel as a centre piece for engineering training programs. 

Used as part of a Constructionarium Australia training program, the structure offers participants significant experience in the design, procurement, construction, and delivery of a bridge structure under real-world operating conditions. 

The training bridge stands at 6-metres high, 24-metres long, weighs 12 tonnes and is fabricated from BlueScope’s REDCOR® weathering steel — an alloy steel that requires no protective paint coating.  

When used in suitable locations and designed and detailed correctly, it offers bridge asset owners a very low maintenance solution over the bridge lifespan which is typically 100 years.  

REDCOR® Steel offers minimal ongoing maintenance, reduces the need for additional fabrication processes and reduces costs in processes such as galvanisation. At a time when cost challenges are present across the entire sector, the training bridge showcases sustainability and cost-effective alternatives to painted bridges.  

Its applicability across various projects in Queensland supports worker safety, environmental sustainability, and local economies, making it a genuine alternative to concrete and coated steel bridges. 

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is responsible for planning, managing, and delivering a single integrated transport network across road, rail, air, and sea in Queensland. TMR moves and connects people, places, goods, and services safely, efficiently, and effectively across the state. The department is committed to ensuring Queensland’s transport system contributes to people’s quality of life, a vibrant economy, and a sustainable environment. We are also committed to improving the lives of Queenslanders by increasing digital inclusion and supporting a thriving digital economy.