As utilities invest in new infrastructure to keep up with growing demands, sustainable construction is central to the sector meeting its future targets.
Victoria University Associate Professor Malindu Sandanayake – one of the industry’s premier voices on sustainability in the built environment, outlines the importance and opportunities to come from the highly anticipated Converge 2025 construction expo.
Few in the construction sustainability space can say that they’ve had the same impact, in the same short space of time, as Mr Sandanayake.
Mr Sandanayake is part of a dedicated team, looking to inspire fundamental change in the delivery of sustainable infrastructure. He has been working in infrastructure research for about five years, with a background in sustainability, digital transformation, and material innovation.
Mr Sandanayake’s key areas of focus include using waste materials in construction, developing sustainable concrete mixtures, and exploring digital technologies, among others. But most of all, Mr Sandanayake’s passion lies in establishing and delivering research that will help to turn the tide on infrastructure sustainability – a passion that will serve the utility and construction sectors and beyond.
“Roads and infrastructure are areas that I’ve been fascinated by ever since I was studying and doing work in civil engineering,” he said. “It’s a resource-intensive sector and very dynamic. It’s a space that’s continually changing and continually moving.
Mr Sandanayake said being a part of the research segment of the sector has provided unique insights into what should be – and is – happening when it comes to increasing the use of sustainable products in construction.
“We would like to see more focus from the industry on a holistic approach to how recycling is being implemented, right from the bottom of the supply chain,” he said. “There are plenty of aspects that we as researchers, and industry as consumers, can consider and try when it comes to reuse and reducing waste overall.”
To further promote the importance of proactive and considered sustainability implementation on major projects, Mr Sandanayake will discuss the challenges and opportunities as part of a sustainability-focused panel at the upcoming Converge expo.
Converge 2025 will unite professionals across the utility, construction and infrastructure sectors, including subcontractors, project engineers, council fleet managers and large-scale contractors. The event promises to showcase cutting-edge innovations, foster valuable connections, and explore the future of major projects.
Converge 2025 will take place on 17 to 18 September 2025 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Attendees can expect a comprehensive showcase of the latest equipment, technologies and solutions, alongside a dynamic program of expert panels, keynote speakers and networking opportunities.
Mr Sandanayake will take his place, alongside three other industry leaders, as part of the Green Revolution: Redefining Sustainability in the Built Environment panel.
This panel will focus on the latest trends and innovations that are shaping sustainable construction practices.
This also includes how to close the loop with recycling material in the construction industry, integrating recycling material in the industry, the durability of the recycling material and overall, how to make the industry more sustainable.
Mr Sandanayake said trade shows such as Converge help to connect researchers directly with the end market, leading to more desirable outcomes for both parties.
“It gives us a platform to network with the industry to focus on research aspects,” he said. “We get to know what their problems are, while also allowing us to showcase our expertise and our ideas, with opportunities to set up potential collaborations in the future.”
Just one example of such collaboration is Mr Sandanayake’s ongoing project to transform high-vis work vests and recycle them into a substitute for cementitious components.
As his primary research project, Mr Sandanayake is investigating the use of shredded high-vis vests as concrete fibre reinforcement. His team has so far achieved 10-15 per cent cement replacement and is currently conducting 90-day durability testing.
He said the ultimate goal is to demonstrate the social and environmental benefits of innovative materials, with the next step being commercialisation.
“Often, this research doesn’t go past the R&D stage and doesn’t end up being implemented,” Mr Sandanayake said. “Some still see sustainability as ticking a box, rather than fully seeing the social benefits.
“The whole idea is for us to not just use waste material as a value-add. Instead, to work holistically, to tackle the cost-effectiveness of a product, as well as how we can source these materials locally.”
Mr Sandanayake’s comprehensive, socially conscious, and practical approach to sustainability research has earned him several Sustainability Victoria grants, both as the Lead Investigator and as a partner investigator.
It’s this expertise that he hopes to share at Converge, to enlighten attendees on what’s possible.
“What excites me is the chance to see new technology,” he said. “There’s always a chance to learn, and I hope to see a lot from that aspect.”
For more information on exhibiting and attending, visit convergeexpo.com.au to download the prospectus, or contact our team directly on +61 3 9690 8766 or converge@primecreative.com.au
