A market-insights piece for National Precast Association members and civil and infrastructure suppliers
The rules have already changed
In April 2024, Infrastructure NSW switched on its Decarbonising Infrastructure Delivery Policy (1). Government agencies now have to measure the embodied carbon of major projects at three points: the business case, design and procurement stage, and again as-built at completion. The measurement method behind it is being adopted as the national standard by the country's infrastructure and transport ministers (2). The NSW EPA is adding the reporting teeth through its Sustainable Construction policy (3).
NSW is not alone. Federally, the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement Policy already requires low-embodied-emissions materials and recycled content on construction over $7.5 million (4). Victoria's Big Build Policy and Transport Infrastructure Decarbonisation Strategy (5) now reaches into buildings, not just roads and rail. South Australia asks its delivery partners to hold a public emissions-reduction target. ACT requires contracts over $10m to undertake Green Star or ISC ratings (6). Brisbane 2032 infrastructure must target Green Star and track and report on carbon emissions and reductions (7).
Put simply: the agencies and head contractors who buy precast are being told to count carbon. And they will pass that obligation straight down the supply chain to you.
National Precast CEO Cadell is tracking exactly what this means for members.
"Our members build the backbone of this country's infrastructure. The regulatory direction is now clear and it is national. Precasters who can put a credible carbon number on the table - and show where that number is heading -will win work. Those who are not yet measuring their carbon footprint can get into these negotiations and discussions quickly if they start doing the prep work now. My job is to make sure our members see this coming and are ready." Cadell, Taye CEO, National Precast
What this means for you: a number today, and a plan for tomorrow
This mounting national regulatory pressure means that it is no longer enough to have a carbon figure for your product today. The INSW process - measuring at business case, then design, then completion - is built to track a number over time. Agencies want to confidently set a carbon base case and then aspire to beat it. That means two things are now being asked of suppliers:
- A current state. A credible, defensible carbon number for your products, ready to drop into a tender. Can you match the generic number in the reference documents?
- A forward plan. A clear line of sight to where that number is going, and how you intend to get it there. Can you beat it by 10% or 20% if required?
Current state and future direction. You need both. A number without a plan looks like luck. A plan without a number looks like project risk.
How the Rebuilt partnership is helping members get ahead
The Federal and State aligned Infrastructure and Transport Ministers—Guidance Note: Embodied Technical Guidance formally recognises product carbon footprints (PCFs) as a high quality data source for product specific claims (8).
This is why National Precast has partnered with Rebuilt.
The goal is straightforward: give members early, practical insight into what the carbon requirements mean for their specific business -before it shows up as a lost tender.
Several Master Precaster members are already onboarded and getting value:
- Novus - using the work to sharpen their carbon story behind and demo Aptus, their innovative Modern Methods of Construction connector system, and turn their MMC fastening system into a numbers-backed selling point.
- Sunset Sleepers - getting a clear read on their current position and a stepwise path forward ready for Olympics tenders
- Evolution Precast - building the in-house understanding to answer customer and tender questions with confidence, not guesswork.
These are not theoretical exercises. They are practical head-starts.
The 3-step diagnostic: understand your own numbers, on your own terms
Every precaster is different. Different mixes, different products, different customers, different starting points. A generic industry average tells you almost nothing about your business.
That is why Rebuilt runs a simple three-step diagnostic:
- Understand your unique circumstances — where your carbon actually sits today, based on how you really operate.
- Build a stepwise plan — a realistic sequence to grow your own knowledge and capability, at a pace that suits you.
- Put results at your fingertips — so when a tender or a customer asks the carbon question, you have the answer ready, not a scramble.
The outcome is control. You own your numbers. You understand them. And you can defend them in front of a client. You can price in alternatives with confidence.
Two things to do now
1. Book a free diagnostic session. Let us help get you set for success. In one session you will see where you stand and what a plan looks like for your business. It is also the fastest way to understand how Rebuilt compares to EPDs or the free, generic industry libraries - and why an average built for "the industry" is not the same as a number built for you. Contact info@rebuilt.eco
2. Join the webinar on 28 July: We will walk through the regulatory shift, what buyers are now asking for, and exactly how the diagnostic works. Bring your questions. Contact info@nationalprecast.com.au
The requirements are already live. The early movers are already moving. The only question left is whether your carbon number is ready before your next tender needs it.
To book a diagnostic or register for the webinar, contact Rebuilt via National Precast.