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The ARC Training Centre for Whole Life Design of Carbon Neutral Infrastructure (DfCO2) is funded by Australian Research Council (ARC) with over $10M from ARC and 21 contributing partners.  DfCO2 is a pioneering initiative – the first of its kind globally.

At DfCO2, our mission is to upskill the workforce for the civil infrastructure sector with the methodological and technological expertise necessary to produce infrastructure that is carbon neutral for its whole life. We aim to produce industry-ready research graduates and fellows with knowledge and skills to contribute to reducing carbon emissions across the civil infrastructure sector.

DfCO2 has developed five research and training programs, based on the philosophy of carbon neutrality by design, i.e., accounting carbon emissions before infrastructure is built, rather than after. To achieve this, we will create a uniform carbon neutrality index, aligned with current structural design codes. This index will allow us to measure, predict and monitor carbon neutrality at each stage of the infrastructure lifecycle. By integrating these measurements, we aim to obtain a comprehensive index for the overall infrastructure – a stark contrast from existing carbon neutrality measurement metrics. 

As the Director of DfCO2, I am honoured to spearhead our expertise and commitment to empowering the civil infrastructure workforce in achieving carbon emissions target in Australia. Civil infrastructure plays a pivotal role in our nation’s economy, prosperity, health, environment, social well-being and quality of life. However, it also contributes to over 70% of Australia’s total carbon emissions.  Consequently, there is an urgent need to train an infrastructure sector workforce with the capability to measure carbon neutrality uniformly and design infrastructure that is carbon neutral for its whole life. By doing so, we can effectively mitigate the impact of carbon emissions on global climate change, thereby averting damages projected to reach $585 billion in Australia by 2030.

Our primary focus is to equip industry professionals with advanced methodological and technological skills necessary for designing, developing, and sustaining infrastructure that achieves carbon neutrality throughout its entire lifecycle. We will continue to forge collaborative partnerships across the infrastructure value chain and warmly invite you to join our efforts in achieving carbon neutral infrastructure by design.

Our Centre is funded by the Australian Research Council for a 5 year period as part of the Industrial Transformation Research Program to drive growth, productivity and competitiveness of priority industries. It is a partnership between our seven nodes (hosted at RMIT University, University of New South Wales, University of South Australia, University of Melbourne, University of Technology Sydney, University of Sydney and University of Adelaide) along with other collaborating organisations in Australia.

In collaboration with stakeholders along the value chain, the Centre will identify new market opportunities, reshaping Australia’s infrastructure market toward low-carbon solutions.  Establishing a carbon neutrality index will ensure fair competition and drive regulatory compliance, accelerating the transition. The Centre’s innovations will expand sustainable infrastructure options, including low-carbon materials and maintenance strategies, and exploration of high-circularity end-of-life solutions.

The Centre will train future leaders in the methodologies, technologies, and implementation strategies for carbon-neutral infrastructure design. This initiative will foster a shared understanding and commitment across the construction materials, water management, automation, digitalization, and waste treatment sectors. Our capacity building initiatives will bolster the competitiveness of Australia’s infrastructure sector on the global stage, ensuring it remains at the forefront of sustainable infrastructure development and innovation.

Our vision is to transform the Australian infrastructure workforce sector with the capability to measure carbon emissions uniformly and design carbon-neutral structures throughout their lifespan.  We will train future leaders in the methodologies, technologies, and implementation strategies for carbon-neutral infrastructure design.  Through our five research programs, the Centre will make a vital contribution towards Australia’s net zero emissions targets, and pave the way for a new generation of infrastructure design in Australia and internationally, ultimately realising our vision of Infrastructure 4.0.