Summary

The Redfern Station Upgrade project is a transformative infrastructure project that has delivered an innovative, sustainable, and accessible public transport facility. The project has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to sustainability, using low carbon emissions materials, preserving heritage aspects, and future-proofing the asset to meet the needs of commuters for years to come. The project has implemented the future transport strategy and improved access to public transport for those with disability and limited mobility, as well as parents with carers with prams. The project team has considered future climate change and made the asset resilient. This award submission will detail the achievements of the Redfern Station Upgrade project.

Sustainability

The Redfern Station Upgrade project has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to sustainability by using innovative low carbon emissions materials in the construction process. The project has used a range of techniques to minimize its environmental impact, including the use of recycled steel and concrete, low-energy lighting systems, and natural ventilation systems. These measures have enabled the project to reduce its carbon footprint significantly, while also delivering a high-quality, durable and safe facility for commuters.

Additionally, the project has employed renewable energy sources such as solar to power the station, which has further reduced its carbon footprint. The project team has also implemented a smart building management system that enables real-time monitoring and control of energy usage, ensuring that the station operates efficiently and sustainably.

Energy & Carbon

Carbon and energy initiatives on the project are estimated to provide greenhouse gas emissions saving of about 11,990 tCO2-e over the life cycle of the asset. The most significant energy use and GHG emissions reductions over the lifecycle of the project are associated with maximising the efficiency of the design of the lift shaft ventilation system, the inclusion of passive ventilation louvres, and the installation of LED lighting.

Water

Measures to reduce construction water use as much as possible were targeted onsite. A water tank was provided at the station site to collect and reuse water during construction. Initiatives proposed include reuse of collected water in pedestrian barriers, for irrigation, and wash down, reuse of site office rainwater in the office bathrooms.

Materials

The project has modelled an estimated 11% reduction in materials footprint associated with the project design. A key contributor to this was a reduction in embodied materials in the pavement mixes through use of hybrid mix in the new carpark and Synthetic Fibre Reinforced Concrete Pavement in the shared zones, and reduced amounts of reinforcing steel used in the project.

Figure 1: Installation of the water tank at Redfern Station

Commuter Experience

The Redfern Station Upgrade project has also taken into account the needs of commuters, delivering a facility that is user-friendly, accessible and comfortable for all users. The project team has implemented a range of design features to improve the commuter experience, including real-time information displays and comfortable seating areas.

The project has also improved access to public transport for those with disability and limited mobility, as well as parents with carers with prams. The project team has implemented an accessible design that includes ramps, lifts and level access throughout the station. The project team has also implemented a range of features such as tactile indicators and audio announcements to ensure that the station is accessible to all users, including those with vision or hearing impairments.

The project has worked with the community by taking on board feedback from local residents and stakeholders, as part of the co-design process. From this process, the project incorporated elements into the design of the Little Eveleigh Street shared zone, such as:

•           at-grade access to the station entrance

•           street furniture positioned away from residences to deter loitering

•           treatments to deter non-essential traffic in shared zones, without adding speed humps

•          preferred plantings in the buffer zone, in accordance with the City of Sydney’s native plant list.

Figure 1:Artist impression of access to Redfern Station

Heritage Preservation

The Redfern Station Upgrade project has also preserved the heritage aspect of the site by refurbishing the historic Redfern Station building. The project team has taken great care to ensure that the building’s heritage features have been preserved, including the restoration of the building’s distinctive clock tower and the refurbishment of its historic waiting room.

The heritage preservation efforts have been recognized by the National Trust of Australia, which awarded the project a Heritage Award. The award recognizes the project’s exceptional commitment to preserving the heritage aspect of the site, ensuring that the station remains a key heritage asset for the local community.

Key heritage themes of Redfern Station, such as the ongoing connection to the site and wider Redfern/Eveleigh area of the Aboriginal community, the industrial revolution and the ways that Redfern Station has changed over time and influenced the surrounding area. Adding to existing heritage interpretation in the local area, the project design includes:

• bespoke seating incorporating heritage interpretation and patterned paving
• words and phrases incorporated into paver inlays and engraved into concrete
• interpretive signage with text and graphics, plaques, and tree grates
• glass graphics on windows and hand painting on walls of the adapted heritage building entrance
• bollard design at station entrances.

Figure 2:The Platform 1 heritage building

Futureproofing

The Redfern Station Upgrade project has also future-proofed the asset, ensuring that the facility will remain relevant and effective for years to come. The project team has implemented a range of cutting-edge technologies and design features, including the use of renewable energy sources such as solar power and geothermal heating. These technologies ensure that the station is energy-efficient and sustainable, reducing the facility’s operating costs and carbon footprint.

The project team has also taken into account future climate change, making the asset resilient to future weather events such as flooding and extreme heat. The project team has implemented a range of measures to mitigate the impact of climate change, including the installation of flood barriers and the use of materials that are

Key measures to address potential impacts of future climate change on the operation of the asset were focused around reducing impacts associated with increased intensity and frequency of high heat days, increased severity and frequency of storm events, and potential impacts associated with extreme rainfall events and flooding. The measures to integrate climate change resilience included:

• passive solar design of the concourse with shelter and refuge points for people during weather events
• hydraulics and drainage design resilient to flood modelling under climate change scenarios
• rainwater harvesting and passive drainage in shared zones
• capacity to allow for heat dissipation for high voltage cables.

 

Our work from the perspective of Asset Management Principles

The asset management principles underpin the core risk assessment methodology.

Output focus

The Redfern Station Upgrade project was carried out with a strong focus on delivering high-quality outputs that met the needs of stakeholders. The project team developed a clear understanding of the requirements of the project and established clear objectives that guided the project’s development. The objectives were aligned with the strategic goals of the project, which included improving sustainability, accessibility, and user experience.

To ensure that the project met these objectives, the project team established clear performance indicators that were used to measure the success of the project. These performance indicators were based on key metrics such as energy efficiency, accessibility, and user satisfaction, and were used to evaluate the project’s success at various stages of development.

The project team also established a robust project governance structure that included regular reporting and monitoring to ensure that the project remained on track and that outputs were delivered according to schedule. This governance structure was supported by a comprehensive risk management framework that identified potential risks and developed mitigation strategies to manage these risks.

Capabilities

The Redfern Station Upgrade project was carried out by a project team with strong capabilities in asset management principles. The project team had extensive experience in delivering complex infrastructure projects and had a deep understanding of the asset lifecycle.

To support the project team’s capabilities, the project implemented a range of tools and processes that enabled effective asset management. These included a comprehensive asset register that identified all assets associated with the project, as well as their condition and maintenance requirements.

The project team also established clear processes for asset maintenance and renewal, including a detailed maintenance schedule that identified regular maintenance tasks and a long-term asset renewal plan that identified the replacement of assets when required. These processes were supported by a comprehensive asset management system that enabled real-time monitoring of asset condition and performance, ensuring that assets were maintained to the required standard.

Level of Assurance

The Redfern Station Upgrade project was carried out with a high level of assurance, ensuring that the project met all relevant standards and regulations. The project team established clear quality control processes that were used to monitor the quality of work at every stage of the project.

To ensure that the project met all relevant regulatory requirements, the project team established clear compliance frameworks that were aligned with relevant industry standards and regulations. These compliance frameworks were supported by a comprehensive audit and review process that identified any gaps or issues with compliance and developed mitigation strategies to address these issues.

The project team also established clear performance metrics that were used to measure the success of the project and ensure that the project met all relevant quality standards. These metrics were regularly reviewed and monitored to ensure that the project remained on track and that outputs met the required standard.

Learning Organisation

The Redfern Station Upgrade project was carried out ensuring that the project team continually improved their capabilities and processes. The project team established clear processes for knowledge sharing and transfer, which enabled team members to share their experiences and learn from one another.

To support this knowledge sharing, the project team established regular project debriefs that were used to evaluate the success of the project and identify areas for improvement. These debriefs were supported by a comprehensive lessons learned process that identified key learnings from the project and developed strategies to apply these learnings to future projects.

The project team also established a culture of continuous improvement, which encouraged team members to identify areas for improvement.