Celebrating innovation and impact in sustainable steel design

Lower image, pictured left to right: Amir Hassanieh, Con Komselis, Kaushik Narayan, Professor Amin Heidarpour, Anthony Ng, Sharmy Francis, Lane Cahalan and Sean Mannering

Monash Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is proud to share recent achievements from its ongoing collaboration with InfraBuild, a leading Australian reinforcing steel manufacturer, together with colleagues from the UNSW (University of New South Wales).

Since 2022, the Monash research team - led by Professor Amin Heidarpour - has been working with InfraBuild to support the development and performance testing of the SENSE 600® MPa reinforcing bar - a patented innovation representing a major advancement in sustainable construction materials.

The Monash academic and student team has contributed to this work through structural optimisation and fatigue performance studies, helping to enhance the bar’s strength and resilience.

This collaborative research has now been recognised with three prestigious awards:

2025 Good Design Australia Awards – “Gold Winner” and “Best in Class”

Bestowed at a gala event in Sydney last Friday, the Good Design Awards jury said “InfraBuild’s SENSE 600® high strength 600MPa reinforcing bar with its innovative design lights the way to more sustainable construction... This project truly sets a new benchmark in the building and construction sector and has the potential to create a significant positive impact from a commercial, environmental and societal perspective. Design innovation at its best. Well done.”

Concrete Institute of Australia (CIA)

NSW State Award (Technology and Innovation Category), awarded 16 July 2025

Engineers Australia - Newcastle Division – 2025 Winner

Awarded 17 September, progressing to the national awards on 13 November

Once again the judges gave high praise saying “SENSE 600® is a game-changing innovation in sustainable infrastructure… developed in close collaboration with industry and academia, SENSE 600® demonstrates the power of Australian engineering to drive meaningful change in traditionally emissions-intensive sectors.”

These achievements underscore the strength of industry–university partnerships in advancing Australia’s transition toward more sustainable construction practices. CEE congratulates InfraBuild and all collaborators for their exceptional work in delivering this transformative innovation.

Learn more about the 2025 Good Design Australia Awards here.