The increasing pressure and responsibility to reduce emissions on construction sites

The construction industry is a major contributor to global carbon emissions and is facing growing pressure to lessen its environmental impact. With sustainability now a fundamental aspect of modern building practices, companies are actively looking for efficient strategies to reduce and accurately measure onsite emissions.

Achieving significant reductions requires a combination of innovative technologies, strict monitoring, and collaboration across the industry. These efforts are essential but what options are available to the industry to help meet these requirements and achieve ambitious company-set targets?

Fleet management

Dave Swan, senior vice president at Trackunit (Photo: Trackunit)

Dave Swan, senior vice president at Trackunit, believes that when it comes to effectively managing the carbon emissions of a fleet of construction equipment, digital connectivity is essential for giving greater visibility.

“When considering how to reduce emissions from construction fleets, it’s essential to have accurate data on carbon emissions output. Without this data, it’s challenging to implement immediate changes and measure their impact,” says Swan. “Currently, the process of transitioning to more sustainable powertrains and machinery is slow, and it’s crucial to actively manage and monitor emissions to make tangible progress.”

Swan adds, “Reducing idle time for machinery and measuring productive hours can contribute to lowering CO2 emissions. Access to detailed data is essential for achieving a more efficient and sustainable fleet and business operations, whether as a rental or contracting company.”

Last year, Trackunit launched its Emissions Reporting software to enable fleet owners to manage CO2 targets and meet sustainability criteria on projects. The software uses machine metadata and individual equipment profiling to highlight total fleet emissions reporting for off-highway machines and equipment.

Trackunit says that the software can be used on every type of machine in the off-highway sector and gives users an at-your-fingertips display of emissions from all connected equipment, enabling easy tracking and, where necessary, almost instantaneous action to reduce emissions through the value chain.

In addition to technology, governmental regulation can be a key driver in the reduction of emissions on site. In various regions, there is now a requirement to report on the carbon footprint of projects.

“This visibility is essential,” says Swan. “As it goes beyond merely estimating emissions from construction activities. Real progress occurs when the industry takes the lead in implementing sustainable practices rather than just complying with mandatory regulations.”

Swan says that he has noticed a shift that occurred over the last year and a half. Previously, he says, the focus was on how to comply with legislation in specific regions in North America and Europe. Now, some of the largest construction companies in the world have set internal carbon reduction targets, which are driving sustainability throughout the construction, rental, and manufacturing sectors.

Swan summarises, “This transition is a beautiful story, where legislation has brought attention to the issue, but the construction industry has taken ownership of the challenge and is striving to exceed compliance requirements. The industry’s proactive attitude is shaping internal processes and policies, leading to unintentional compliance with the legislation.”

Alternative energy solutions

Government regulation is also playing a pivotal role in driving the adoption of battery energy storage systems [BESS] by limiting the barrier to entry due to perceived risks about safety and operational challenges. That’s according to Hayley Arckless, country manager at Ampd Energy.

Ampd Energy’s Enertainer on a construction site (Image courtesy of Ampd Energy)

“It can also play a role by setting safety standards, providing incentives, ensuring market fairness, and aligning corporate actions with broader societal goals. Without regulatory frameworks, the adoption of BESS might be slower and less geared towards mass adoption,” says Arckless. 

The EU’s decarbonisation targets for the construction sector are part of a broader strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. These involve reducing emissions from both new and existing buildings, promoting energy efficiency, and encouraging sustainable construction practices.

“Energy storage systems play a critical role in this goal”, says Arckless. “And as such, we’re seeing interest and demand across multiple European countries.”

Australia-based Ampd Energy launched its Enertainer energy storage system for cleaner construction sites in the UK in 2023. It has since been deployed to London’s Olympia Redevelopment. In partnership with Laing O’Rourke, principal contractor for the Olympia Redevelopment, and subsidiary Select, the Enertainer was deployed to power three cranes at the construction project that began last December.

The company estimates that the units have collectively saved 192 tonnes of carbon emissions and reduced operating costs by 70%.

The Enertainer is a plug-and-play device designed for the electrification of construction. Estimated to be 30 times quieter than a diesel generator, the company highlights that the Enertainer is designed for the space-constrained needs of construction sites.

Sustainability ratings in construction

Also pushing companies to assess their emissions and encourage new ways of working is EcoVadis, which assesses companies’ sustainability and offers a framework for enhancing their practices.

As companies become increasingly conscious of their environmental impact, sustainability ratings could offer the necessary information to drive positive changes throughout a company’s lifespan.

Richard Eyram, chief customer officer at EcoVadis (Photo: EcoVadis)

Richard Eyram, chief customer officer at EcoVadis, says that businesses depend on insights related to sustainability across three key themes. This involves tackling ESG regulations, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and enhancing sustainability performance throughout the entire value chain.

Eyram adds, “It’s really to help [companies] with identifying risks and opportunities in their supply chain resiliency. It’s to fly with regulations that are changing. Especially when we’re talking about Europe here. It’s to assess sustainability practices monitor and track actions. It’s not just about getting a rating but about what you do with that and how you can improve.”

Looking specifically at the construction industry, Eyram says that there are various factors that contribute to its complexity. “From an environmental perspective, issues such as energy usage, greenhouse gas emissions, carbon footprint, water usage, and the use of materials and chemicals need to be considered. From a labour and human rights standpoint, concerns include employee health and safety, working conditions in different environments, and overall ethical practices.

“Additionally, changing regulations, such as those about energy efficiency and environmental standards imposed by the European Union, impact the industry. Around 40% of CO2 emissions in this sector are attributed to heavy machinery and reliance on fossil fuels.”

Eyram says that, according to their data, Europe is leading the way. EcoVadis scores the quality of a company’s sustainability management system out of 100. A business with a minimum score of 45 is rated as “committed”, while the top performers receive medals, with cut-off scores of 58 for bronze, 66 for silver, 73 for gold, and 81 for platinum.

Aggregating the scores by region shows that contstruction companies in Europe are leading, with an average of 57.8. The US is listed at 45.2 and Japan at 47.

“It’s interesting”, says Eyram, “And very telling as to the maturity levels of organisations and of the 24,000 organisations inside of construction.” In positive news, Eyram concludes, a total of 64% of the construction organisations EcoVadis works with on a regular basis are improving each year.