The theme of the 8th CIB President’s Seminar Series is “The impact of research in the built environment sector”, and we have secured speakers from leading CIB members who are delivering significant impact through their research.
Our first seminar in this series is with Vivian Tam of Western Sydney University.
Date: 18th November 2026, 16:00 Sydney (GMT +11)
From Low Carbon to Net Zero: The Future of Sustainable Construction
Abstract
Construction and demolition waste (CDW) is one of the largest contributors to landfill worldwide, presenting significant environmental and sustainability challenges for the construction industry. Despite its abundance, the utilisation of CDW as recycled aggregate in concrete remains limited due to concerns regarding variability in quality and mechanical performance. CO2 Concrete is an emerging innovation that addresses these limitations by injecting carbon dioxide into recycled aggregates prior to their use in concrete applications. This process promotes mineral carbonation, enhancing the physical properties of the recycled aggregates and improving their bonding with the cement matrix.
Experimental investigations indicate that CO2 Concrete exhibits mechanical and durability performance comparable to that of conventional concrete produced with virgin aggregates. In addition to performance improvements, the technology offers the added benefit of permanent CO₂ sequestration, contributing to a reduction in the carbon footprint of concrete production. The enhanced consistency, reliability, and environmental benefits of CO2 Concrete highlight its strong potential for widespread adoption, positioning it as a promising sustainable alternative for future construction practices.
Biography
Distinguished Professor Vivian W. Y. Tam is the Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and a world-leading researcher in the field of construction engineering and management. Her findings have found applications and impact for tackling climate-change issues for green buildings and recycled concrete. She is currently the Director for the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Digital Platforms for Net-Zero Building Ecosystem Lifecycle (NØBEL) at School of Built Environment and Design, Western Sydney University, Australia. She has served as the College of Expert, Australian Research Council, Australian Government in 2018-2021 and currently holds this position again from 2025 onward.
She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Construction Management. She has published over 500 referred journal articles of which 8 are highly-cited. Her work has been recognised by peers nationally and internationally, which has been exemplified by ten Australian Research Council projects and over 44,000 citations with a h-index over 114. Vivian is named as the Winner for the Excellence in Engineering or Information and Communication Technologies, 2025 NSW Premier’s Prizes for Science and Engineering, Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer and 100,000 Top-Scientists (Top 2% Scientists) in the World for since 2017.
Vivian is also nominated as a Runner Up, Scopus Researcher of the Year Award 2019, Excellence in Research Impacting a Sustainable Future, Scopus, and her team has won the Gold Award, 2021 Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU), from this project development.
Vivian is cocordinator of CIB W116 – Smart and Sustainable Built Environment.
