Materials & Embodied Carbon Leaders' Alliance Newsletter

Edition #7 - September 2025

Hello MECLA friends!

We hope you've had a good September so far! A lot happened in the last month. Please see some of our key highlights of today's newsletter include:

• MECLA funding and project update - Work on a white paper on decarbonising data centre delivery has begun
• MECLA provided feedback to the Australian BIM Advisory Board position paper on digitisation for decarbonisation
• Prime Projects is presenting their investigation into decarbonising warehouses using mass timber construction to working group 3/4 on 2 October
• Impact X Decarb Forum for the Built Environment in Melbourne coming 11 November
• DBI is hosting a workshop in Adelaide

Furthermore, in September the Australian government announced new 2035 targets, aiming for a 62-70% reduction by the 2035 NDCs. Our Project Director, Monica Richter, weighed in on the role MECLA can play in helping us achieve those ambitions. You can read what she wrote below:

1. Sectoral Plans Set the Pathway—But Delivery Needs Us
The government’s sectoral plans for the built environment, industry, resources, and transport lay out clear decarbonisation pathways: electrification, energy efficiency, circularity, and scaling up low-carbon materials. Embodied carbon is a major focus, especially as operational emissions fall with grid decarbonisation. CCA's advice all highlight the need to address embodied emissions in materials and infrastructure.
2. MECLA’s Influence: Turning Policy into Practice
MECLA can help with driving demand for low carbon materials: help set benchmarks, support NABERS Embodied Carbon ratings, and advocate for procurement policies that prioritise low carbon and recycled materials. Supporting circular design and reuse: By promoting modular construction, design for disassembly, and the use of recycled content, MECLA can help double Australia’s circularity by 2035. Influencing standards and codes: MECLA’s engagement with the National Construction Code and voluntary pathways for embodied carbon measurement is critical.
Scaling up innovation: Through demonstration projects and industry partnerships, MECLA can accelerate the commercialisation of low carbon concrete, steel, and other materials.
3. Collaboration is Key
The 2035 targets require rapid scaling of low carbon materials, circularity, and embodied carbon reduction across all sectors. Government is prioritising procurement reform, circular economy frameworks, innovation funding, and national standards for embodied carbon.
MECLA’s role as a convener—bringing together industry, government, and researchers —is more important than ever to accelerate these transitions.
4. Why This Matters
Achieving the upper end of the 2035 target will unlock new jobs, boost Australia’s competitiveness in green exports, and ensure a just transition for communities and First Nations peoples.
MECLA members are uniquely positioned to lead, influence, and deliver the practical solutions that will make these targets a reality.
Let’s work together to turn ambition into action. The time for incremental change is over—now is the moment for bold, collaborative leadership.

MECLA needs your ongoing support

Since the launch of MECLA Phase 4  on 1 July 2025, the MECLA Alliance has raised over $160,000 in funding, alongside $40,000 in project funding tied to a specific deliverable.

In order to reach our required funding goal of $350,000, we  continue to need your support. To reach our target, we are aiming for a multiple source funding model to continue the Alliance's systems thinking approach to the embodied carbon challenge across different jurisdictions and sectors in Australia. Alongside government funding, we are asking for a yearly financial contribution from all industry members to continue to benefit from MECLA's working groups, broader network, resources and events.

You can access our Phase 4 slide deck on the website below or contact us for more information about membership.

MECLA launches project on Decarbonising Data Centres

With support from the Decarbonising Building Industry Network, MECLA has begun research on the creation of a white paper on decarbonising data centre delivery. Over the coming months, MECLA will be doing research into the sustainability of this fast growing space. Driven in large part by the growth of AI, data centre demand is rapidly increasing. The nexus between energy efficiency, water efficiency, and embodied carbon needs to be adequately evaluated to maximise sustainability.

MECLA will be looking to several partner organisations to develop this resource. Please reach out if you are interested in collaborating on this topic!

MECLA Briefing on the ABAB position paper on Digitalisation for Decarbonisiation

This month MECLA hosted a presentation by the Australian BIM Advisory Board (ABAB) on their position paper on Digitalisation for Decarbonisation. The paper explores the challenges, pathways, and strategic steps to decarbonise construction and infrastructure in Australia and New Zealand. MECLA is providing feedback to the ABAB on the paper. You can watch the recording now:

Join us in Melbourne for Impact X 

MECLA is excited to join forces with Impact X for their upcoming Decarbonisation Forum for the Built Environment. Attend Impact X and hear from some of the most influential decision-makers driving sustainability transformation across the built environment value chain.

MECLA Launches Designing out Carbon Working Group

On 23 September, MECLA hosted the kickoff meeting for a new working group on Designing out Carbon. Almost 100 people joined this inaugural meeting! The group will look at different ways carbon can be saved through design for various aspects of an asset. 

The work to create the guidance will be executed under a series of subgroups to the working group, each dedicated to a specific area of focus. The current key areas of focus are 'general', 'facade', 'structure', and 'interiors'. There will also be a basic, regular working group meeting that includes presentations for those who do not want to contribute to the development of the guidance, but would like to stay informed on the topic of design and embodied carbon.

In the conception meeting, MECLA members came together to hear from the Chair Jeff Morgan, Principal at Hassell, on the vision for the working group and provided feedback. You can watch the replay of that initial meeting, and get in contact if you are interested to participate below!

Mass Timber Construction and Warehouses case study

Thursday, 2 October 2025, 4-5pm

MECLA member Prime Projects has been conducting research into potential ways to innovate warehouse development to achieve the GBCA target of a 40% reduction in embodied carbon by 2030. Their work has explored the opportunities for using engineered timber to save on carbon.

In October's WG3/4 meeting, Prime Projects Managing Director Daniel Swinnerton presents their findings from conducting an LCA on timber options and their future plans to investigate this topic further.

If you'd like to attend the WG meeting and hear from Prime, please get into contact!

Rebuilt webinars and pilot opportunity for MECLA members on Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) 

• Architects & developers: 14 October, 3–4pm AEST (CPD points apply)
• Product manufacturers webinar: 15 October 11-11.30am AEST

Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) Accelerator Programme

The SBTN Step 1 Accelerator Programme is now open for applications. This is a unique opportunity for companies to move from risk and opportunity assessments to setting science-aligned targets for nature.

🔍 What’s involved? A series of expert-led workshops designed to help a small cohort:

• Apply SBTN tools using their own data
• Strengthen internal capabilities to measure nature impacts
• Build on work done with frameworks like TNFD’s LEAP
• Define realistic boundaries for nature targets
• Assess readiness to continue with SBTN methodology

✅ Eligibility:

1. Completed TNFD LEAP scoping or equivalent for key value chain segments
2. Able to commit a staff member to online sessions + a full-day workshop in a major Australian city

📩 Interested? Reach out for details. Let’s accelerate nature-positive leadership together!

If your organisation has a case study please consider sharing it with us. You can submit a case study on the MECLA Website. Each submitted case study will be screened by the MECLA Project Control Group (PCG) before being featured on this website.

You can find out more about MECLA by going to our website, by signing up to our newsletter or following us on LinkedIn to stay updated on future events and developments.

As always, email us with any questions and enquiries at info@mecla.org.au.

MECLA is funded through a mixture of industry and government commitments. We would like to thank all industry organisations, plus the NSW and SA Government that have already made a contribution to support MECLA going national.