2026 Greener Infrastructure Conference

UNSW SMaRT Centre Director, Prof Veena Sahajwalla, will speak at the 2026 Greener Infrastructure Conference on 29 October.

Co-located with the 2026 Waste Expo in Melbourne, the two-day conference will bring together policy makers, contractors, designers, engineers, and supply chain to explore practical pathways toward a circular economy in infrastructure. 

Hosts say: "Join us for a plenary agenda featuring keynote addresses, presentations, panels, and case studies focused on sharing tangible, real world examples on the use of recycled and reused materials in construction and designed to leave attendees inspired and motivated to build purposely greener infrastructure."

Following the successful launch of the Greener Infrastructure Conference in 2025 with ecologiQ, the 2026 event will have an expanded national focus and a new strategic partnership with the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC).

Conference website

Veena will speak at a session entitled 'Industry Collaboration Shaping the Green Supply Chain', and talk about developing recycling innovations such as UNSW SMaRT Centre's MICROfactorie^TM Technologies and its Green Steel^TM Polymer Injection Technology that recover valuable materials from waste and reform them into new manufacturing feedstock and products to help achieve materials sustainability and for the energy system needed for the future.

Veena will also highlight SMaRT's work on researching solutions for battery recycling and metals resource recovery using innovative and collaborative opportunities to help create circular economies while enhancing sovereign capability while reducing reliance on global supply chains.