Kangaroo Point Bridge earns ‘Excellent’ sustainability rating

Australian and Queensland firsts in sustainable construction have contributed to Kangaroo Point Bridge achieving an Excellent rating under the Infrastructure Sustainability Council’s (ISC) Design and As-Built Rating Scheme.

Delivered in partnership between Brisbane City Council and Brisbane-headquartered builder BESIX Watpac, the project highlights a shared focus on environmental performance and social outcomes.

Lord Mayor of Brisbane Adrian Schrinner said: “With almost 10,000 trips a day and more than four million in just over a year, Brisbane has clearly embraced the Kangaroo Point Bridge.

“We’re committed to keeping Brisbane moving and our partnership with BESIX Watpac and the Federal Government delivered this vital link for our growing city.

“But it’s more than concrete and steel – it’s become a destination, with locals and visitors stopping for the views, riverside dining and one of the best vantage points of our city skyline.”

Related stories:

Kangaroo Point Bridge attracts locals and visitors for its views.

Mark Baker, chief executive officer at BESIX Watpac, said working with partners and local subcontractors helped deliver construction innovations and social outcomes that contributed to securing the “Excellent” sustainability rating.

“We’re continually integrating smarter ways to build, and using drones for water sampling – a first for an Australian civil construction project – is an innovation we’re proud to see contributing to this certification,” he said.

“We also delivered a Queensland first with the installation of the world’s largest lifting capacity tower crane on a single temporary support pier – a concept designed and tested using digital construction tools. This allowed us to lift massive steel components transported down the Brisbane River, improving efficiency and reducing carbon emissions by taking trucks off the road.”

Baker added that upskilling the construction workforce is critical to achieving long-term sustainability outcomes in the construction industry.

“On this project, more than 60 early-career construction workers gained invaluable experience on a major infrastructure project, helping build the capability needed for the significant pipeline of work ahead for Brisbane and Queensland,” he said.

Kangaroo Point Bridge’s 95-metre mast stands as Brisbane’s tallest.

Key sustainability initiatives

The project achieved its Excellent Design Rating in September 2024 and its As-Built Rating in February 2025. This was supported by outcomes including:

Australian firsts

Using drones for water quality monitoring, marking the first time the method has been adopted on a civil construction project in Australia.
Installing computer vision stereo gauges for real-time flood monitoring, a first for an Australian cross-river structure.

Queensland first

Use of the M2480D heavy-lifting luffing tower crane, the world’s largest lifting capacity tower crane, installed on a single temporary support pier in the Brisbane River. This enabled large elements to be fabricated off site and transported via the river.

Emissions reductions

13 per cent reduction in construction emissions, supported by initiatives such as renewable energy powering site offices and procurement of local steel.
74 per cent reduction in operational emissions, supported by Brisbane City Council’s requirement for commercial tenants to use 100 per cent GreenPower.

Renewable energy integration

Integration of solar panels within the Kangaroo Point landing canopy to enhance renewable energy generation.

Heritage and social outcomes

First Nations outcomes through collaboration with Turrbal representatives and archaeologists throughout works, alongside the development of culturally informed interpretive signage.
More than 1,800 jobs created, with 64 apprentices, 14 graduates and 33 First Nations team members involved across construction and delivery roles.

Since opening in December 2024, Kangaroo Point Bridge has recorded more than four million trips and now serves as a key link in Brisbane’s active transport network.

The 460-metre-long structure, with a main span of 183 metres, is among the world’s longest asymmetric cable-stayed pedestrian bridges, with its 95-metre mast standing as Brisbane’s tallest.

Brisbane City Council and BESIX Watpac acknowledged the contributions of project partners WSP, Blight Rayner, Aspect Studios, Rizzani de Eccher, Beenleigh Steel Fabrications and Fitzgerald Constructions, whose expertise supported the project’s delivery.