National Awards 2024: Award for Leadership in Sustainability

Quote from the jury

The Government Architect The NSW team, led by Abbie Galvin and Paulo Macchia, has shown exceptional leadership in all aspects of sustainability. Their display of courage and leadership in implementing sustainable practices and policies aligns with broader government principles. This achievement not only demonstrates their commitment to environmental stewardship, but also serves as an inspiration to others striving for sustainable development and a progressive urban strategy.

This team has worked closely with the NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) team to establish a bold and elegant method for standardizing the measurement of absorbed carbon – the fundamental step to solving the carbon problem. By exercising sensible soft power with wisdom and perseverance, Abbie Galvin, Paulo Macchia and team – especially Jillian Hopkins and Lucy Rimmer – have ensured that landmark planning reforms were not lost. Instead, they carefully wove it into a new form, providing national leadership when New South Wales became the first state to require architects and developers to calculate embodied carbon in their designs.

Jury

Stuart Tanner FRAIA (Chair) – National President, Australian Institute of Architects | Tanner Architects

Sander de Vries RAIA | Chairman of the National Practice Committee, Australian Institute of Architects

Caroline Pidcock FRAIA | Pidcock architecture and sustainability

Tamara Veltre | To breathe