News in brief: April

B Corp certification is changing

14 April: B Lab Global, the creators of the B Corp certification, has announced that it will be changing the way it assesses organisations of its B Corp certification. Instead of the cumulative point scoring system, companies seeking a certification must adhere to seven critical impact topics, and progress can be tracked via its free app.

The organisation said that “as the climate crisis intensifies and societal inequality grows standards provide companies with clarity on how they can take meaningful and tangible action on issues facing people and the planet.” It also said that “sustained commitments” are necessary as businesses are facing increased regulatory complexity and mounting pressure to retreat from climate and social justice initiatives.

The new assessment method is also announced as the certification is approaching its 10,000^th company certified spread across 100 countries, employing nearly 1 million workers across 160 industries.

Projence and Western Project Services merger

Two RSK Australia owned businesses, Projence and Western Project Services (WPS), have merged under the Projence brand earlier this month to boost its project management capacities for energy, water, infrastructure and the built environment.

WPS is an infrastructure project manager consultancy that works with project management, road safety and consulting engineering services across NSW and Brisbane.

Projence delivers comprehensive project management and advisory solutions, overseeing all facets of project execution, from developmental planning to project controls.

Together, the companies will enable clients to take advantage of a more extensive range of solutions without disruption.

The retail market is on the up again

Greater investment in the retail industry and increases in retail sales show a promising outlook for the retail sector, according to Knight Frank in its Australian Retail Review for April 2025.

The improvement in investor sentiment is the major contributor to higher levels of investment. In 2024, $9.9 billion was traded in the industry, a 39 per cent increase since 2023. NSW had the highest rates of investment trading, at $3.6 billion, followed by Victoria with $2.1 billion.

In Q1 for 2025 alone, $2.9 billion was traded. In 2024, many investors were private. But the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and institutions are expected to return to the market this year in 2025.  

On the consumer side, the past two years proved to be challenging for retail spending, with consumers facing high inflation levels and declines in real income levels. The report suspects that a 2.2 per cent increase in personal disposable income will occur in 2025 as inflation falls, interest rates are cut, and real wage growth occurs.

New benchmark rating and classification tool for the construction industry

The Low Carbon Materials Hub (LCMH) and the Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance (MECLA) concrete working group have launched the Australian Concrete Embodied Carbon Benchmark & Classification, a rating and classification tool to help industry stakeholders reduce emissions and make informed decisions.

The LCMH Live Benchmark is a percentile-based rating system that is updated to show the actual performance of available concrete products in the Australian market. The model is based on a market benchmark approach from the UK.

The MECLA classification system offers a baseline reference to help industry and government leaders understand and set carbon targets.

The benchmark tool contains both national and state-level classifications and ratings of materials including concrete, asphalt, glass and more.

A big win for scope 3 progress as maritime regulations are voted in

International news: The United Nations’ International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has drafted maritime regulations aimed at fuel emission reduction for ships. The regulations were voted to take effect by October 2025 and will be enforced by 2027.

Under the new regulations, ships must comply with a global fuel standard as well as a global economic measure. The fuel standard is a rule that ships must gradually reduce their greenhouse gas fuel intensity (GFI), the measure of how much greenhouse gas is emitted per energy unit used. This regulation will be calculated in a well-to-wake approach, IMO said.

Ships above GFI threshold will need to immediately acquire units to balance deficient emissions, and those using zero or near-zero greenhouse gas technologies will be financially rewarded.

World’s first flying electric ferry to expand services

The world’s first electric hydrofoil ferry is making a comeback in Sweden after taking a break over winter following a successful season, with its operators promising to extend its services to five days a week by the end of May.

The P-12 ferry model by Candela combines electric propulsion with hydrofoil technology to allow it to fly above the water’s surface while offering lower energy consumption and higher speeds. The creators say it is the fastest electric vessel in public transport and emits 95 per cent less carbon dioxide than the diesel-powered vessels operating the same route, as well as using 84 per cent less energy per passenger-kilometre.

The vessel is also “extremely popular”, according to its creators, with departures always being fully booked and long queues due to reduced travel time between Tappström (Ekerö center) and Stockholm City Hall down to 30 minutes, compared to an hour by car or bus. The creators say that customers looking to buy in include people from Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and the USA.

Additional reporting by Samantha Marshall.

More banks join NatHERS for existing homes

8 April: Westpac has become the latest bank to join the Australian government’s trial of the Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) for existing homes. ING was the first bank to partner with the government in trialling the rating tool, which has now expanded to cover existing homes, as previously reported by The Fifth Estate.

From 7 April, Westpac customers looking to refinance or top up their mortgage may be invited to participate in a free home energy rating certificate from an expert assessor on how to improve energy savings and increase comfort.

Westpac is the first major bank to participate in the trial.

New insulation incentives announced for Victorians

The Victorian government has flagged on Tuesday that ceiling insulation will be included in the Victorian Energy Upgrades program from early 2026.

The program already offers a number of discounts to incentivise electrification and upgrading to energy efficient appliances for consumers, such as discounts to hot water systems, induction cooktops, refrigerators, clothes dryers, shower heads, window glazing and weather sealants.

Environment Victoria’s Senior Climate and Energy Adviser Dr Kat Lucas-Healey said that insulation was the “single biggest thing” when it comes to keeping homes comfortable while spending less on heating and cooling. The GBCA also gave accolades to the government, saying the initiatives will cut the average costs of installing ceiling insulation in eligible homes by around 50 per cent, saving energy bills by $4000 a year.

The latest breakthrough in sustainability might replace public toilets

UTS researchers, in collaboration with the Australian Research Council, launched their new Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE) Loo last month. The launch involved showcasing portable toilets and its 200-litre membrane bioreactor system in public areas such as Sydney’s Domain.

The system converts human urine into safe and valuable fertiliser for plants, which conserves water, diverts waste from sewage, and contributes to mitigating climate change. Project lead and UTS Professor Ho Kyong Shon stated that human waste could produce safe, efficient, and sustainable fertilisers but is currently going to waste.

This also presents a cost-effective solution for more sanitary portable public toilets. The fertiliser has been tested by the City of Sydney and the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney’s nursery, and plants are demonstrating “positive results,” Shon said.

EVSE acquires ENGIE’s EV charging network

Australian electric vehicle (EV) charging solution company EVSE has acquired the Australian and New Zealand EV charging network from the international energy services group ENGIE.

The acquisition was for an undisclosed sum. The company has indicated that the acquisition will enable its products to be used in over 200 new locations. The chargers will be incorporated into network provider and EVSE branch company, Exploren’s EV charging network across the nation, including high-traffic sites such as Melbourne’s Chadstone and Sydney’s Chatswood Chase.

EVSE CEO Brendan Wheeler mentioned that ENGIE’s expertise, resources, and assets will support the company’s ambitions to help the country achieve net zero emissions.

The future is hot-swappable batteries for your car

International news: On Monday, one of China’s largest energy and chemical providers, Sinopec, announced a partnership with EV battery developer CATL to build a battery swap network, aiming to set an example for the green infrastructure sector in China.

Sinopec will utilize its extensive network of 30,000 energy stations in the country, 28,000 Easy Joy convenience stores (gas station network), and over 10,000 ultra-fast charging stations, which serve around 200 million customers daily.

CATL, which provides most of the world’s batteries for EV makers, will develop the technology necessary for more than 500 battery swap stations, to create up to 10,000 stations that offer a “swap as fast as refuelling” experience for EV owners in China, as part of the nation’s new infrastructure and low-carbon transport strategy.

The partnership also includes the construction of smart energy microgrids that will integrate solar power, energy storage, charging, swapping, and battery inspections

New community centred home projects for Bankstown and Regents Park

3 April: Sydney Anglican Property (SAP) has partnered with Sustainable Development Group (SDG) to deliver nearly 260 homes to the Bankstown and Regents Park communities. The projects were funded through Round 1 of the Federal Government’s Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF).  

The company said it will use church property to meet the needs of current and future generations, much the same as the Faith Housing groups say they want to serve their communities.  

For the Bankstown development, a new church and ministry centre will be built along with 185 housing units for essential workers, seniors and women over 55. The company aims to create a vibrant new local hub with the addition of retail and commercial spaces, as well as a preschool to support young families.

The former church site in Regents Park will be transformed into 74 social housing units for single women over 55 and families in need of a stable and secure home. Along with the housing development, the church will build over 500 square metres of communal space, including a communal rooftop.  – by Samantha Marshall

The 2025 Consult Australia awards

This year’s Consult Australia awards were spread across 14 categories with notable winners including Aurecon chief executive officer William Cox, GHD’s Natalie Ambroso, Infrastructure Design & Innovation Pty Ltd, Tonkin and Arup.

Cox was awarded the Consult Australia President’s Award and the Champions of Change – Diversity & Inclusion Award for his work driving workplace inclusivity initiatives, increasing gender equity and First Nations employment.

The Leadership Award went to Ambroso, who demonstrated leadership in the defence sector by mentoring emerging engineers and embedding sustainability into critical projects.

Infrastructure Design and Innovation Pty Ltd, Tonkin and Arup were awarded Small Firm of the Year, Medium Firm of the Year and Large Firm of the Year, respectively. – by Samantha Marshall.

Missed out on news from January to March? Read them here:

• News in briefs – January to March 2025