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About us

The Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre (SBEnrc Australia) is the successor to the CRC for Construction Innovation.

Established on 1 January 2010, the SBEnrc Australia is a key research facilitator between industry, government and research organisations servicing the built environment industry. The three research streams focus on environmental, social and economic sustainability, areas identified by national industry stakeholders as the key areas that will drive productivity and industry development in the built environment industry.

Vision

To enhance the performance of Australia’s built environment through our achievements as an enduring world-class research and knowledge hub for sustainable infrastructure and building design, construction and management.

Mission

To motivate, facilitate and translate industry value through high quality collaborative research.

Values

Professionalism; Impact; Integrity; Excellence; Passion.

Our Core Partners

We are proud to work closely with the following partners.

OUR BOARD AND RESEARCH AND UTILISATION COMMITTEE

Governing Board

The SBEnrc Australia Governing Board meets quarterly and determines Centre policy, strategic direction, budget allocation and monitoring of accountability on all matters relating to the Objective and the Activities of the Centre. The Board is chaired by John V. McCarthy AO.

John V. McCarthy AO

Chair - SBEnrc

John is a recognised industry leader, with a breadth of experience across various commercial and industry disciplines. He served as inaugural Chair on the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), as Chair of the Australian Construction Industry Forum (ACIF), President of Property Council of Australia (PCA) and member of the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB). He was Australia’s first industry representative on the Board of the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) – an organisation he served as global President (2010-2013).
Melinda Fitzgerald

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) - Curtin University

Melinda Fitzgerald is the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research (Interim) at Curtin University, John Curtin Distinguished Professor and CEO of Connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia.

In her role as Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Prof Fitzgerald has responsibility for the portfolios of Research Partnerships, the Mining Technologies and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, the Curtin University National Resilience and Security Program Office, Research Services and Systems, and Research Excellence. She manages strategic initiatives to empower Curtin University to lead research that Australia and our global partners need now and for the future.

Prof Fitzgerald also leads a team of researchers and post-graduate students in nationally coordinated research focused around understanding and preventing the loss of function that occurs following neurotrauma.

Ron Wakefield

School of Property, Construction and Project Management and Deputy PVC International, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT)

Professor Wakefield is currently Professor of Construction, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor International, Dean of the School of Property, Construction and Project Management and Interim Dean of the School of Global, Urban and Social Studies at RMIT, Australia. Ron researches and teaches at RMIT in the areas of process simulation and modelling, residential and commercial construction and uses of information technology in construction management. He has degrees in Civil Engineering, including a PhD and BE (Hon 1) from the University of New South Wales and an MSE from Princeton University. He has over 165 publications including books, journal articles and conference papers.

Prior to joining RMIT, Professor Wakefield was the William E. Jamerson Professor of Building Construction in the Department of Building Construction and the Associate Director for Building Technology Research at the Center for Housing Research, Virginia Tech. Ron has over 25 years’ experience as an international researcher, consultant and engineer in building construction. He is a Director of Launch Housing and JJR Consulting and a co-opted member of the Victorian Building Practitioners Board. He serves on the Boards of CIB (International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction) and SBEnrc (Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre), and he is the Chair of the Board of Tract Consulting.

Doug Morgan

Doug Morgan Executive Director - Planning and Technical Services, Main Roads WA

Doug (BE, MBA) has more than 25 years of experience in road, traffic and transport regulation areas within Main Roads WA. In his current role as Executive Director Planning and Technical Service Doug manages the engineering, technical, asset data and road planning aspects of Main Roads’ business.
Brian Falzon

Executive Dean - Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science, Western Sydney University

Distinguished Professor Brian G. Falzon is the Dean of Engineering, Design and Built Environment at Western Sydney University. Between 2021 and 2023, he was Distinguished Professor and Chair of Advanced Composite Materials and Aerospace Structures at RMIT University, Director of RMIT University’s Space Industry Hub, Director of the Victorian Node of the Smart Satellite Cooperative Research Centre (SmartSat CRC), and Education and Training Program Manager for the Australian Composites Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (ACM CRC). He was Head of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, from 2015 to 2021, and was appointed to the prestigious UK Royal Academy of Engineering – Bombardier Chair in Aerospace Composites in 2013.

Between 2008 and 2012 Prof Falzon held the Foundation Chair in Aerospace Engineering at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, where he was also Director of Research, Head of Aerospace Engineering, and Deputy Head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Between 1996 and 2008, Prof Falzon was at Imperial College London where he joined as a postdoctoral research fellow before becoming an academic staff member. He holds Adjunct Professorships at Queen’s University Belfast, Monash University and the University of New South Wales and was a Visiting Researcher at the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Prof Falzon graduated with a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Sydney in 1996 and was the recipient of the Golden Jubilee graduate prize. He also gained a Bachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical Engineering with first-class honours and a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Physics and Pure Mathematics from the same University.

Prof Falzon is a passionate engineer and is internationally renowned for his industry-driven work on the computational analysis, design, manufacture and testing of advanced composite structures. An accomplished world-leading researcher (in the top 1% in the field of Material Science - Elsevier ranking 2023), his work has had global impact. He has published over 240 peer-reviewed journal/conference papers and book chapters, one book, and edited four others. He made seminal contributions to the analysis of structural stability of thin-skinned composite aerostructures which had a significant influence on the innovative designs subsequently implemented by Boeing Aerostructures Australia on the Boeing 787 and FA-18E/F programs. Prof Falzon was also key in helping define new modelling methodologies for the UK government-backed research program, ‘Next Generation Composite Wing’. His work on composite failure mechanisms, impact damage modelling and fracture toughness characterisation have helped the NASA Advanced Composites Project, which focused on developing reliable methods to predict structural failure. He has fostered extensive industry collaborations and in addition to the industry/government partnerships mentioned above, he has also delivered projects for Airbus, QinetiQ, UK MoD/dstl, McLaren Racing, Rockwell Collins, Thales Australia, DSTG, and Artemis Technologies.

He is the recipient of three awards from the Royal Aeronautical Society and in 2009 he was honoured with an Australian Leadership Award, from the Australian Davos Connection (ADC), in recognition of his contribution to issues of national importance and demonstrated leadership in his field. He is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, several professional organisations, scientific and thought leadership committees, and sits on the Editorial Board of four journals. In 2010 and 2012 he was selected to serve on the Research Evaluation Committee panel for the Australian Research Council’s Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) exercise. Prof Falzon is also the co-founder of Veryan Medical Limited, a company spin-off from Imperial College London, established in 2003, which developed a new vascular biomimetic stent (for which he holds two patents). Veryan was acquired by Otsuka Medical Devices UK Ltd in December 2018. In 2022 the stent was granted a Good Design Award from the Japan Institute of Design Promotion. In 2018 Prof Falzon was awarded the ‘Belfast Ambassador of the Year’ award by Visit Belfast for promoting advanced manufacturing in Northern Ireland and consequently winning the bid to host a major conference for the city, the 23rd International Conference on Composite Materials, which took place in August 2023.

Kelvin Grace

Senior Manager – Sustainability Governance, ATCO Australia

Driven by a need to succeed at the highest of levels, Kelvin is an ambitious individual always looking forward, in search of novel and innovative knowledge, competencies and perspectives to incorporate into the current work environment.
A senior leader with a winning mentality with over 15 years’ experience, specialising in the leadership, development, management and delivery of people, systems and processes whilst leading and delivering the companies vision and strategy to customers and stakeholders. Kelvin is determined and inspirational, with the natural ability to turn teams into high performers through exceeding expectations and influencing at all levels.
Garrick Allen

Executive Director - Strategic Housing and Asset Policy, WA Department of Housing and Works

Garrick is a property professional with over 15 years of experience working in multiple roles in the Western Australian property sector.

Building on a strong technical background in property valuation, Garrick’s skills have been further developed through practical application in property acquisition and property development including, contract negotiations of many complex transactions. These commercial negotiations have spanned public private partnerships, large land developments, and apartment development projects.

Garrick’s strong focus on social and affordable housing is driven by his understanding of the positive impact that safe and secure housing can have on the disadvantaged. His project management and property background drive him to focus on deliverable social housing policy that can achieve positive tangible change for Western Australians.

Daniel Cooper

CEO - BGC (Australia)

Daniel is an experienced executive with over 25 years’ management experience in Construction Materials across Australia and overseas.

Beginning his career in Perth, Western Australia with Pioneer Concrete he led various Pioneer business units across Australia before moving back to Western Australia as the group’s Executive General Manager responsible for Western Australia/South Australia and then subsequently Queensland /NT.

In 2015 Daniel was appointed Chief Executive Officer for Hanson’s UK business, a complex vertically integrated building materials company of AUD$2 billion turnover and more than 3,500 employees.

Daniel returned to Australia with his family in 2019 to take up the role of CEO of BGC Australia, a private construction and materials company with a revenue of AUD$2.5 billion and more than 4,000 full time employees and contractors.

John Baker

CEO - Sunshine Coast Council, Queensland

John is the CEO of the Sunshine Coast Council. They are renowned for their commitment to sustainability, innovation, and community engagement. Managing one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions, focusing on economic development, environmental stewardship, and leveraging opportunities like the 2032 Olympics to enhance liveability and growth. The Council prioritises transparency, financial sustainability, and delivering services that align with the needs of the diverse and dynamic community.
Elizabeth Fellows

Executive Director - Emissions and Modelling, Queensland Treasury

Elizabeth is a seasoned leader with over a decade of experience in Commonwealth and State Governments, covering climate change, energy, agriculture, natural resources, industry, and infrastructure; across policy, legislation and regulation.

Her demonstrated capabilities include highly developed leadership, negotiation, stakeholder engagement and interpersonal skills, coupled with exceptional quantitative analysis and critical thinking. Elizabeth thrives working on complex and challenging projects in a fast-paced environment and has a track record of delivering high quality products, tackling thorny issues, and getting results.

Christian Christodoulou

Chief Engineer/Director Engineering - Transport for NSW

Christian is a strategically minded executive leader, championing organisational vision, strategy and innovation, building high performing teams in complex customer centric environments and delivering transformation across business clusters.

His experience covers asset management, strategy setting, assurance, governance, financial management, configuration, risk and technical delivery across a multi-modal $168bn assets portfolio. across state government and international consulting bringing experience from Australia, UK, USA, New Zealand, the Middle East and others.

As a recognised Engineering Executive and Fellow across UK, Australia and APEC in leadership & management, he is recognised for his influential and delivery skills with ability to rapidly absorb complex information to deliver solutions and manage stakeholder relationships.

As the Director of Engineering at Transport for NSW, he is accountable for leading the strategic engineering and technical capability frameworks alongside assurance and risk management across the lifecycle of the $168bn network assets portfolio, covering heavy rail, light rail, metro, roads, buses and maritime.

Christian offers expert, influential and strategic advice to the executive and assurance, including operational and cost improvement strategies, to ensure that the condition, performance and integrity of transport assets are suitable at all times for the safe and efficient delivery of multi-modal services. Furthermore, acting as a representative for Transport at State and Federal Government level in relation to engineering and assets and building relationships with stakeholders to ensure the continued safe operations.

Christian brings strong corporate governance with senior committee appointments including: Safety Assurance Board, Configuration Control Board, Network Assurance Committee, Asset Management Steering Committee, Major Projects Network Assurance Committees, Asset Strategy Councils and others.

Career Highlights
- Technical authority lead for $168bn of multi-modal network assets.
- Creating over $500M organisational value across the asset lifecycle through strategic leadership.
- Profit, loss & risk accountability for circa $40M/ annum professional engineering services.
- Managing circa $22M of funding to promote technology and innovation in asset management.
- National harmonisation of standards across Australia.
- Technical expert on materials durability and bridge asset management.

Sue Harrison

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) and Vice-President (Research and Innovation) - The University of Queensland

With over two decades of experience in education and leadership, Sue brings a deep commitment to fostering inclusive, high-performing learning environments. Sue's career spans roles as a teacher, principal, and executive leader, with a focus on driving strategic change, empowering teams, and improving student outcomes. Sue thrives on collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement, and is passionate about mentoring emerging leaders and shaping future-ready schools. Whether leading complex projects or building community partnerships, Sue aim's to make a lasting impact through integrity, empathy, and vision.

Research and Utilisation Committee

The Research and Utilisation Committee meets quarterly and its primary objectives are to assist the Board in discharging its responsibilities relating to:

  • Determining the SBEnrc Australia’s research, utilisation and intellectual property arrangements;
  • Reviewing the Centre’s research and utilisation projects; and
  • Assisting the CEO in developing research and utilisation projects
  • Ensure that appropriate procedures exist to monitor and assess the performance of research and utilisation projects.
  • Examine any other matters referred to it by the Board.

The Research and Utilisation Committee is chaired by Louis Bettini, Main Roads WA.

Louis Bettini

Principal Advisor Sustainability - Main Roads Western Australia

Louis Bettini is Principal Advisor Sustainability in the Strategy team at Main Roads Western Australia. Louis has an Environmental Business Management background and overseas Main Roads’ approach to implementing sustainability both corporately and within major infrastructure projects including facilitating Net Zero Transition and Circular Economy outcomes. Louis is English Speaking Secretary of the World Roads Association Technical Committee 4.5 Decarbonisation of Road Construction and Maintenance.
Dean Wood

Principal Architect, Building Technical Services, Buildings and Contracts - WA Department of Housing and Works

Having qualified in 1982 in the UK, Dean has a wealth of architectural expertise gained from work in both Europe and Australia, largely in the commercial sector but including some heritage and government projects. Dean currently holds the position of Principal Architect, Building Research & Technical Services (BRATS) in Building Management and Works (WA Department of Finance). The BRATS team provides a range of technical advice and expertise to the state’s program of non-residential building projects and their maintenance.
Kelvin Grace

Senior Manager Sustainability Governance - ATCO Australia

Driven by a need to succeed at the highest of levels, Kelvin is an ambitious individual always looking forward, in search of novel and innovative knowledge, competencies and perspectives to incorporate into the current work environment.
A senior leader with a winning mentality with over 15 years’ experience, specialising in the leadership, development, management and delivery of people, systems and processes whilst leading and delivering the companies vision and strategy to customers and stakeholders. Kelvin is determined and inspirational, with the natural ability to turn teams into high performers through exceeding expectations and influencing at all levels.
Carl Barrett

Head of Environmental, Social & Governance - BGC Australia

Carl is the Head of Environmental, Social and Governance at BGC (Australia) Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest home builders that manufactures nearly all products which form part of the construction. He leads the group’s delivery of its ESG Strategy and targets, is workstream lead for sales and acquisitions and leads procurement of the group’s fuels, gases, electricity and waste management contracts.

Prior to this, Carl worked in a variety of State and Commonwealth Government roles, including the Australian Trade Commission, Regional Development and the (then) Sustainable Energy Development Office where he was involved with some of the earliest wind farm and solar projects in Western Australia.

Carl has a Bachelor of Science with first class honours in Natural Resource Management and a Master of Business Administration.

Alexandra Meek

Manager Climate and Sustainability - WA Department of Housing and Works

Alexandra is a building professional with a passion for improving the built environment. She has a range of experience in engineering and project management roles across both civil construction and building projects.

Complementing her work in industry, Alexandra has completed a PhD in sustainable building. With a broad knowledge base, combined with an attention to detail and time management skills, she has excelled in both her working and research career.

John Clifton

Manager Strategy and Innovation - DevelopmentWA

John has worked in the WA Property sector at a strategic, program and project management levels. In a career of nudging 30 years he has contributed to Government policy, corporate strategy, major project submissions, business case preparation, land assembly, project approvals, tendering, sales and leasing and corporate governance.

His work has shaped many projects including Joondalup, White Gum Valley, Craigie Cool Earth, Canning Vale, Wangara Industrial area, the Australian Marine Complex, Latitude 32 legislation and delivery strategy, Peel Business Park and more recently making the investment cases for Colliecrete and the Australian Automation and Robotics Precinct at Neerabup.

John led the development of DevelopmentWA’s first Reconciliation Action Plan in 2019 and he is committed to working for Aboriginal people, businesses and communities in Western Australia.

Vivian Tam

Director - Centre for Infrastructure Engineering, Western Sydney University

Distinguished Professor Vivian W. Y. Tam is the Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a world-leading researcher in the field of construction engineering and management. Her findings have found applications and impact for tackling climate-change issues for green buildings and recycled concrete. She is currently the Director of Centre for Infrastructure Engineering, Associate Dean (Research and HDR), Associate Dean (International) and Discipline Leader (Construction Management) at School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Australia. She was nominated to the College of Expert, Australian Research Council, Australian Government in 2018-2021. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Construction Management and Senior Editor of Construction and Building Materials. She has published over 330 referred journal articles. She has been awarded fifty-three research grants (totalled over $5 million). Her work has been recognised by peers nationally and internationally, which has been exemplified by seven Australian Research Council projects and over 30,000 citations with a h-index of 91. Vivian is also named as 100,000 Top-Scientists (Top 2% Scientists) in the World for since 2017. Vivian is also nominated as a Runner Up, Scopus Researcher of the Year Award 2019, Excellence in Research Impacting a Sustainable Future, Scopus, and her team has won the Gold Award, 2021 Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU), from this project development.
Priya Rajagopalan

Associate Dean (Research & Innovation) – School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University

Priya is a building scientist and the Director of the Sustainable Building Innovation Lab (SBi Lab) and the Associate Dean, Research and Innovation at School of Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University. Priya’s research interests span from sustainable building design, energy benchmarking and labelling, urban heat island, indoor air quality, to citizen science in urban microclimate monitoring, mitigation and adaptation. She has coordinated several projects in building performance for various climate zones and has published more than 100 scientific papers. Priya is also the President of the Architectural Science Association (ANZAScA).

Priya teaches in the Master of Energy Efficient and Sustainable Building Programme which involves a unique blend of courses that focus on key principles and practice of designing and delivering environmentally sustainable buildings, infrastructure and developments, where she challenges and helps students to build skills in energy efficient and sustainable building design for navigating the complex and rapidly changing built environment.

Rochelle Fleming

Director of Research Partnerships - Curtin University

Rochelle has a diverse career which has enabled her to gain valuable expertise in business development, research development, program management, team-orientated leadership, operations and business strategy and strategic partnerships. She can influence, sell and deliver transformational programs at all levels of an organisation.

Most recently, Rochelle held executive roles within the cybersecurity industry, partnering with multi-national organisations towards developing sovereign cyber security solutions for critical infrastructure.

Throughout her career she has built a strong track record in developing and managing cross-sector, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary collaborative programs. With a drive to cultivate strong stakeholder engagement to connect diverse groups and manage complex mutually beneficial relationships.

Rochelle's passion is to facilitate innovation with impact by helping to build strong, sustainable partnerships between organisations that will facilitate lasting research impact, that supports our communities, and industry. Tackling those challenges ahead of us, both grand and not so grand, by bringing people together.

David Moore

Manager Environment and Sustainability Policy - Sunshine Coast Council, Queensland

David Moore is a seasoned technology strategist and Principal Solution Architect at Microsoft, with over two decades of experience helping enterprise clients harness the power of cloud computing, data platforms, and digital transformation. He specializes in guiding organizations through complex architectural decisions, aligning technical solutions with business outcomes across industries.

David’s expertise spans Azure cloud services, enterprise architecture, and solution design, with a strong focus on scalability, security, and performance. He is known for his ability to simplify complexity, foster cross-functional collaboration, and deliver solutions that drive measurable impact.

He is passionate about:
- Empowering clients to adopt cloud-native architectures and modernize legacy systems
- Leading strategic engagements that align technology with long-term business goals
- Mentoring teams and cultivating a culture of technical excellence and innovation

David frequently contributes to technical communities, speaks at industry events, and supports knowledge-sharing initiatives across Microsoft. His thoughtful approach and deep technical insight make him a trusted advisor to both technical and executive stakeholders.

Cara McNicol

Manager, Policy and Legislation at Queensland Government

Cara McNicol is a seasoned public sector leader with over 25 years of experience across policy development, operational management, and stakeholder engagement. Her career spans multiple senior roles within the Queensland Government, including Manager of Circular Economy Policy and Legislation, Director of Program Operations, and Task Force Project Manager. Cara has led complex initiatives in environmental policy, biosecurity response, and industry engagement, demonstrating a strong capacity for strategic thinking and cross-sector collaboration. She also brings experience from the private sector as Policy and Quality Manager at the Australian Election Company. Known for her adaptability, leadership, and commitment to public service, Cara continues to drive impactful change in sustainability, governance, and community outcomes.
Tom Court

Associate Director, Urban Design and Sustainable Infrastructure Strategic Partnerships – Government and Industry - The University of Queensland

Tom is a dynamic leader with a unique blend of academic and athletic expertise, spanning over 15 years across higher education and professional sport. At The University of Queensland, he has held progressive roles from HDR Liaison Officer to Associate Director of Strategic Partnerships, driving initiatives in research impact, performance, and development. His strategic leadership and collaborative approach have contributed to strengthening institutional partnerships and enhancing researcher outcomes. Alongside his academic career, Tom has built a distinguished profile in rugby—serving as a professional player for the Irish Rugby Football Union and the British & Irish Lions, and later transitioning into coaching roles with the Queensland Reds, Brisbane Grammar School, and Brothers Rugby Club. Tom’s dual-track career reflects his commitment to excellence, mentorship, and high-performance culture in both education and sport.
Ray Maher

Deputy Director (Research) - School of Architecture, Design and Planning, The University of Queensland

Ray is a leading researcher and educator in sustainable design and development, with over 14 years of experience at The University of Queensland. His career spans roles from Research Assistant to Deputy Director (Research), where he has led strategic initiatives and collaborated with government and industry to advance sustainability outcomes. Ray’s academic contributions include lecturing in the built environment, coordinating postgraduate courses, and developing innovative tools like MetaMAP to support policy and planning. Beyond academia, he served as Co-Director of Project Habitation, an award-winning design firm, and currently contributes to national research strategy through the Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre. Ray’s work reflects a deep commitment to interdisciplinary thinking, systems innovation, and shaping resilient, future-ready communities.
David Kelly

Director Engineering - Sustainable Infrastructure Program - Transport for NSW

David is a passionate civil engineer with extensive experience delivering complex infrastructure projects and a strong commitment to advancing sustainable practices. As a leader in sustainable procurement, he has successfully implemented emission reduction targets across Transport for NSW’s multibillion-dollar program of works, and developed innovative contract mechanisms, such as Carbon Intensity Options (CIOs).

In his current role leading the Sustainable Infrastructure Program at Transport for NSW, David conceptualised and delivered the Engineering Cost & Carbon Library. This groundbreaking library enables automation of baseline carbon assessments within existing engineering design and cost estimation processes, underpinning updates to engineering standards by integrating performance-based carbon intensity into core practices.

David is enthusiastic about shaping practical engineering solutions, driving innovation, and fostering collaboration with international infrastructure agencies like National Highways England. Achievements include co-leading the development of the Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Roadmap in partnership with Infrastructure NSW, with the collaboration being a finalist in the 2024 NSW Premiers Award. Additionally, he represents Transport for NSW on the Project Control Group for the Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders Alliance (MECLA).

David’s primary research interest is on cost and carbon management.

Lidija Dumbaloska

Director Energy Networks and Systems - Transport for NSW

Lidija Dumbaloska is a seasoned electrical engineer and strategic leader with over two decades of experience in rail infrastructure and engineering management. As the Professional Head of Electrical Engineering at Sydney Trains, she oversees a team of more than 75 engineers, guiding the design, maintenance, and evolution of one of Australia’s most complex electrical rail networks.

Her career began in the NSW Government Railways Graduate Programme, progressing through roles as Project Engineer, Project Manager, and senior leader across high-risk brownfield portfolios. Lidija is known for her ability to solve complex technical challenges, foster high-performing teams, and deliver impactful infrastructure outcomes.

She is passionate about:
- Championing diversity and inclusion in engineering and leadership
- Embracing emerging technologies to improve energy efficiency and network performance
- Cultivating a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning

Lidija regularly contributes to industry forums and mentoring programs, advocating for women in STEM and the future of sustainable transport. Her leadership style blends technical excellence with strategic vision, making her a respected voice in Australia’s engineering community.

Peter Vanderaa

Manager, Climate, Queensland Treasury

Peter Vanderaa is a seasoned product leader with over two decades of experience driving innovation at the intersection of artificial intelligence, enterprise search, and customer engagement. As Senior Director of Product Management at Salesforce, he leads the strategy and development of cutting-edge search technologies that power the world’s most trusted CRM platform.

Peter’s career spans leadership roles in product management, engineering, and technical consulting across global tech giants. He is known for his ability to translate complex technical capabilities into intuitive, scalable solutions that deliver real business value. His work has consistently focused on AI, natural language processing (NLP), and search relevance, helping organizations unlock insights and improve customer experiences.

He is passionate about:
- Building high-impact product teams that thrive on collaboration and curiosity
- Driving AI-powered innovation in search, recommendations, and personalization
- Bridging the gap between technical depth and user-centric design

Peter frequently shares his expertise through industry talks, thought leadership, and mentoring aspiring product managers. His approach blends strategic vision with hands-on execution, making him a respected voice in the future of intelligent enterprise software.

Also a Green Star Accredited Professional.

OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM

Executive Management

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) reports to the Governing Board and has overall responsibility for the Centre’s strategic direction and its research and outreach programs.

Keith Hampson

Chief Executive Officer

Professor Keith Hampson is an energetic executive leader with more than 40 years of industry, government and research leadership, and international experience and scholarship in the built environment. His expertise and leadership strengths have been honed operating in complex multidisciplinary environments in planning, design, construction and maintenance. From leading university teaching, industry and government teams, to initiating and building national and international collaborations in research, technology diffusion and commercialisation, Keith is committed to building a more internationally competitive Australia by promoting access to better education, technology and innovative practices.

For nearly 30 years, Keith has consistently been at the helm of leading translational research for a traditionally non-research focused industry – the built environment industry – creating processes and organisations that have successfully delivered value for industry and driving cultural change that captures the value of research and academia working hand in glove with industry.

Throughout his career, he has led industry-focused research teams that have successfully secured approximately A$70 million in competitive and industry R&D funding.

Will Hackney

Chief Operating Officer

With a Civil Engineering background and as an accomplished digital leader in the built environment, Will brings more than 20 years’ experience in developing improved business and project processes, digital services and capabilities focused on sustainability across the built asset lifecycle. He has led multi-year capability uplift programs for various organisations, delivering value through continuous improvement whilst leveraging certifications and expertise in several industry standards and frameworks.

Having participated in key UK Government, European and Australian research and pilot projects, Will brings experience in establishing frameworks for continuous improvement in leadership, collaborative working, data governance and enabling technologies to drive improvement in business and asset performance.

Will thrives in tackling significant challenges through working with others and believes that the power of people, through collaborative working, can deliver new levels of understanding, capability and outcomes that stand the test of time.

As former Chair of the SBEnrc Research Utilisation Committee (RUC) and Industry Leader on several research SBEnrc research projects, Will firmly believes that collaboration, leadership and partnerships are fundamental to a sustainable built environment and is honoured to be part of the executive leadership team at SBEnrc Australia.

MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

We are achieving our mission thanks to our Program Leaders and the research teams involved in our three programs of activity. The valuable research outcomes our projects deliver have largely been due to our strong focus on industry and government collaboration. Our Centre would not be able to continue growing without the commitment and support of our core partners and we thank you wholeheartedly.

Our Industry Research