Australia is entering another period of hotter, drier conditions, with forecasts pointing to an emerging El Niño and renewed pressure on already constrained water systems. At the same time, shifting demand from high-intensity asset classes, particularly data centres driven by AI and digital infrastructure, is introducing added challenges.

Against this backdrop, water is fast becoming one of the defining resilience issues for the built environment. Yet it still too often sits in silos across planning, operations, sustainability and infrastructure, limiting the sector’s ability to respond strategically.

This session brings together industry leaders to explore how the sector is responding to evolving climate conditions, rising demand and increasing expectations around performance and transparency. It will highlight the shift toward integrated, water-sensitive approaches that move beyond individual buildings to precinct and catchment-scale thinking.

We’ll explore emerging approaches to recycled and non-potable water, the role of collaboration and how performance measurement and benchmarking are evolving to support better decision-making across assets and portfolios.

Whether you’re working toward stronger outcomes through Green Star, improving operational performance, or looking to future-proof your assets, you’ll gain practical insights[NS3.1] to support smarter, water-wise strategies.
 

What you’ll learn

•    How climate conditions are reshaping water risk, resilience and demand across the built environment
•    What water-sensitive and catchment-scale approaches look like in practice
•    How to measure and benchmark water performance using operational data
•    Practical strategies to improve water efficiency and resilience across the asset lifecycle
•    How leading organisations are embedding integrated water strategies across portfolios
•    The growing impact of emerging asset types, including data centres, on future water demand
•    How the sector can better support waterway health, nature and long-term liveability
 

Speakers:

•    Ron Pulido, Sector Lead, National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS)
•    Ian Adams, Director, Organica Engineering
•    Anna Davis, Senior Manager Green Star Technical Delivery, Green Building Council of Australia

This session is ideal for:

•    Developers, asset owners and portfolio managers
•    Sustainability, ESG and environmental professionals
•    Engineers, consultants and design practitioners
•    Government and precinct planners shaping policy and infrastructure outcomes
•    Anyone involved in planning, designing, operating or managing assets where water plays a role