Speakers

Dev Chandraratne is a Sustainability engineer who is motivated to make a difference in addressing the issues of the climate change crisis. She was named the ‘2026 Emerging Leader’ from the Infrastructure Sustainability Council and ‘2022 Future Green leader of the Year’ by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Dev has worked in the Sustainability and Engineering field on major infrastructure projects including Level Crossing Removals Project (LXRP), Major Roads Projects Victoria (MRPV) and North East Link (NEL) Tunnels package.

Currently, she is the Urban Design and Landscaping design lead for the NEL tunnels package to drive sustainable urban realm outcomes. The North East Link aims to deliver one of the largest tree planting programs for a major transport project in Victoria, including the creation of three precincts for community recreation and improved ecology. She also coordinates the Green Star rating for the North East Link project, which has achieved a 6 star Green Star Design Rating.

Dev led the As Built Green Star rating for Reservoir station (5 green stars, winner of 2021 Australasian Rail Industry Sustainability award) and Coburg station, which was the first 6 green star As Built train station in Australia (Premiers Sustainability Award winner 2022). Both stations have achieved outstanding sustainability results, including reducing energy emissions by 40%, reducing potable water use by 90% and utilising a climate resilient design with improved active transportation outcomes.

Dev is also the founder and a coordinator of the industry wide ‘Emerging Sustainability Infrastructure Professionals’ (ESIP) networking group, aimed at creating a platform for early career Sustainability professionals. The ESIP group facilitates networking sessions, knowledge sharing and panel events which connect over 100+ professionals from infrastructure projects in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland facilitating further collaboration and acceleration of sustainability ideas and innovations.

While the construction industry has a substantial carbon footprint, Dev believes it presents an immense opportunity to reduce emissions at a large scale to create long term benefit to the community. She believes that embedding net zero principles in the early stages of a project and implementing innovations in projects is key to creating sustainable infrastructure. In the future, she is excited to be a part of more projects which embeds sustainability and climate change as a key focus area.