Capral bolsters Western Sydney International Airport’s green credentials with the largest order of locally extruded lower-carbon aluminium in Australia

Capral Aluminium (ASX: CAA) confirmed its largest order of custom-designed low-carbon aluminium with the supply of ceiling battens for the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (WSI) terminal where major works construction has now been completed. The choice of Capral Aluminium supported the airport’s targeted 5-star Green Star Design & As-Built v1.3 rating.  

Capral supplied more than 700 tonnes of locally extruded LocAl® Green aluminium battens to Austral Interiors, who constructed the main terminal ceiling on-site.   

Austral worked with Multiplex’s architectural partner, Woods Bagot, on the sweeping suspended ceiling inspired by the airport’s Blue Mountains and Cumberland Plains landscape setting. The suspended ceiling, constructed from custom-designed aluminium battens, became the largest of its type ever constructed in Australia. 

Neil Hill, Principal at Woods Bagot, said the design of the WSI terminal is heavily inspired by its setting. 

“Woods Bagot, in collaboration with the delivery team, advanced the original competition design to help create a memorable feature ceiling encapsulating this unique sense of place where the undulating topography and filtered light combine to animate the customer experience,” said Mr Hill. 

Multiplex delivered the main airport terminal, apron, and airport facilities that will cater for up to 10 million annual passengers. 

The WSI project pursued ambitious sustainability targets, aiming for a 5-star Green Star – Design & As Built V1.3 rating and an ‘Excellent’ Infrastructure Sustainability Design & As Built v1.2 rating. 

Capral Managing Director and CEO, Tony Dragicevich, said, “Western Sydney International Airport is one of the country’s key infrastructure projects, so switching from traditionally sourced primary aluminium to 700 tonnes of Capral LocAl® lower carbon aluminium was an excellent way to help the project meet its green design parameters.” 

Aluminium was chosen as the material for this design element for its innate non-combustibility, strength, light weight, durability, and ease of finishing, while the use of Capral LocAl® Green aluminium also represented a substantial reduction in carbon emissions compared to the global average for primary aluminium. 

“Capral introduced LocAl® in late 2022 and was the first Australian aluminium extruder to offer lower carbon aluminium options for the Australian market. The 700 tonnes required for this project demonstrates our ability to scale production at our extrusion press in Smithfield to help reduce WSI’s embedded carbon footprint,” said Mr Dragicevich. 

“With a national manufacturing footprint, Capral can extrude close to critical infrastructure projects, further reducing transport emissions and enabling closer collaboration with project teams throughout the build.” he added.

Capral’s selection for the project was also supported by its status as the first and only Australian aluminium extruder to be certified under the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard V3 and Chain of Custody (CoC) V2 for the extrusion, warehousing and distribution of aluminium products and services. This recognised Capral’s commitment to responsible production, sourcing, and management of aluminium products and enabled Capral to supply Austral with ASI-certified material.  

“The carbon reduction associated with this small change in how we procure aluminium is substantial. What’s more, Western Sydney International Airport, knew it was getting a product that is 100% recyclable at the end of life and will deliver all the necessary performance outcomes,” said Mr Dragicevich. 

Project Lead, Martin Cisneros from Austral Interiors, said the expert design and procurement teams worked with local suppliers and manufacturers to achieve best-in-class outcomes.  

“This is an awe-inspiring infrastructure project, led by some of the most qualified teams that will welcome generations of international travellers to Australia. The suspended ceiling battens are one of the key interior features, spanning more than 200 meters. The impression they create and how they play with light and space in the terminal is jaw-dropping,” said Mr Cisneros. 

Multiplex Regional Managing Director NSW, David Ghannoum, said: “We committed to doing more than simply meeting the sustainability standards as we helped design and build Western Sydney International Airport. We worked with our contractors and design partners to adopt an innovative mindset that delivered strong sustainability solutions.” 

As Australian manufacturers accelerated efforts towards decarbonisation, innovation in sustainable building materials continued. Products that were not available or accessible in Australia in 2018 when the WSI project commenced became tangible options. The collaborative approach employed by Multiplex with key suppliers like Austral, who manufactured on-site, facilitated best-practice responsible sourcing and supply. 

“In 2018, we didn’t have access to lower carbon aluminium options within the local market. As we built Western Sydney International Airport, we focused on sustainability and minimising our impact on the environment. We also focused on working with our key suppliers, and this is a great example of how our commitment to best practice in procurement and collaboration with our suppliers enabled a far more sustainable outcome,” said Mr Ghannoum. 

1 – Capral utilises a Mass Balance System in line with ISO 20095:2020 Chain of Custody to manage its LocAl Products. CO2e emissions stated are ex-smelter based on kilograms emitted per kilogram of aluminium produced – Aluminium Smelting and Casting.