The team responsible for the design of the Brisbane Airport Link projects - the Parsons Brinckerhoff and Arup Joint Venture (PBAJV) - received the ‘Special Recognition Award for Sustaining our Society’ at the Bentley 2012 Be Inspired Awards on 14 November in Amsterdam. [ + ]

Power and automation technology group ABB has won orders worth around $225 million to supply two turnkey photovoltaic (PV) power plants that will be built in the northern province of Limpopo in South Africa. [ + ]

In an effort to stem consumer concern prompted by a flood of ‘eco-labels’ and green claims by product manufacturers, the Buying Better project has released its proposals to improve the reliability of ‘green’ credentials. [ + ]

DEXUS Property Group and Buildcorp are the latest organisations recognised in the City of Sydney’s CitySwitch Green Office Awards, thanks to measures such as solar panels, improved computer management and lighting. [ + ]

ISO has published a brochure, ‘ISO & construction’, which gives a concise overview of its substantial portfolio of International Standards for the construction sector. [ + ]

The Australian-based Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Gas Technologies (CO2CRC) has commended the latest report by the international ENGO Network on carbon capture and storage (CCS), calling for more governmental support for CCS development. [ + ]

The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has released the report ‘Investigation of opportunities for the interim improvement of recycler data’. [ + ]

Research from carbon market analytics firm RepuTex indicates that a lower than expected Australian carbon price will result in a significant rise in the price of large-scale generation credits (LGCs) created under Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET), with LGCs trading as high as $65/MWh in 2020. [ + ]

Businesses looking for relief from rising electricity prices can now rent or lease the latest in energy-efficient equipment. [ + ]

Australia’s national soil databases can now be accessed in real time online through an iPad app called SoilMapp. The app provides open access to the most up-to-date information for soil at any location in the country within a matter of seconds. [ + ]

Siemens has announced that the Tornado Tower in Doha, Qatar, has been lit up in green using energy-efficient LED lights for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP18) in an effort to establish a strong focus on green technology innovation. [ + ]

Mark Dreyfus, the Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, is leading the Australian delegation at the 18th meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, taking place in Doha, Qatar, until Friday. [ + ]

GHD and Auckland Transport are the winners of the 2012 Engineering Excellence Award for Excellence in Environmental Practice for their ‘TetraTrap’ design. The TetraTrap is a simple catchpit filter which prevents the flow of road pollutants to Auckland’s waterways and harbour via the stormwater system. [ + ]

The City of Sydney has won a silver award in the most sustainable government category of the renowned International Green Awards for its vision, innovation and advocacy in areas including energy, water, waste and transport. [ + ]

Scientists believe that fish ear bones and their distinctive growth rings can offer clues to the likely impacts of climate change in aquatic environments. [ + ]