Dundee University goes green with an Alumasc CO² neutralising roof One of the busiest buildings at the University of Dundee was able to benefit from a complete replacement of its waterproof roofing with Alumasc Derbigum Olivine roofing membranes. The August 2018 project ran for six weeks and was completed on time, without any complications, after …

Eco-friendly train maker Vivarail increasing County Durham workforce Vivarail, the manufacturer of eco-friendly passenger trains, has accelerated expansion of its site in County Durham and turned it into its national research and development centre, creating new jobs faster than expected. It opened the new plant at the Spectrum Business Park, Seaham, in December 2017 to …

EU creates €200m CEF Transport Blending Facility for sustainable transport In March the European Commission (EC) together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) launched the new CEF Transport Blending Facility, an innovative financial instrument to support projects contributing to the environmental sustainability and efficiency of the transport sector in Europe. With an initial budget of …

Minster Surfacing shortlisted for five UK National Recycling Awards Minster Surfacing, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, is a finalist for three BusinessGreen Leaders Awards and for two National Recycling Awards. Last year, the Lincoln-based company won regional awards for its commitment to green technology and innovation. These included Best Business and Overall Winner …

Sweco looks at reusing energy to reduce carbon emissions Energy production is a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions. We can reduce these emissions by using energy in smarter ways and reusing excess energy. In a new report, Sweco analyses various solutions for more efficient energy usage. The report concludes that substantial reductions in …

ULEZ scheme set to favour motorcycles in London A survey of 1,000 Londoners to find out if they will make any changes due to the new regulations being introduced for the Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) found that 82.1% of Londoners have, or have thought about changing their transport in preparation for the Ultra Low …

MIT develop unique environmentally friendly manufacturing method for plastics and textiles The biggest source of global energy consumption is the industrial manufacturing of products such as plastics, iron, and steel. Not only does manufacturing these materials require huge amounts of energy, but many of the reactions also directly emit carbon dioxide as a by-product. In …

GSSI collaborates with archaeologists and the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation GSSI, the world leading manufacturer of ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment, is continuing their partnership with the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation. GSSI archaeologists Dan Welch and Peter Leach brought new GPR equipment to remotely sense what lies beneath Jamestown. Jamestown –known for being the first permanent English …

Eco Friendly Bollards for a Greener Environment ECO bollards from Leafield Environmental are environmentally friendly bollards are manufactured from a combination of 50% chipped recycled plastic bottles and 50% regular polymer that itself is usually recycled material. All types of mixed plastic material can be accommodated in the bollard manufacturing process, removing the need for …

Highways England A14 project scoops national Archaeology Award Highways England’s work to tap into the nation’s history while delivering huge road improvements has received national recognition. In a public vote, the archaeological work carried out as part of the company’s £1.5 billion upgrade of the A14, the crucial route linking the East of England and the …

British Antarctic Research Station modernised with help from Mabey Hire Monitoring Solutions Leading engineering services specialist and experts in environmental monitoring solutions, Mabey Hire, today announced its role in the modernisation of the Rothera Research Station – the largest of British Antarctic Survey’s research facilities, situated on the Antarctic Peninsula. To mitigate the environmental impact …

The UK is urged to make a splash for wildlife For this year’s Wild About Gardens challenge, The Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) are calling on people to put in a pond. From mini container ponds to larger sunken ponds, it’s THE garden feature that can make the biggest difference to wildlife. …

New Wildlife mobile app helps identify signs of protected species on construction sites CIRIA and The Ecology Consultancy have announced the launch of their new Working with Wildlife mobile app to identify protected species, which is now available as a free download from the App Store for Apple devices and from the Google Play Store …

British drivers urged to clean up their act as part of a national litter campaign Highways England has called on drivers to join them in doing their bit to reduce littering levels on the nation’s motorways. Litter presents a serious safety risk besides being unsightly and a risk to wildlife and the environment. Around 200,000 bags …

Kenya prioritising non-motorized transport to enhance road safety A majority of trips in Kenya are made by walking and cycling, with only 15% made by private cars, most of which take place in the capital, Nairobi. Yet until now, priorities on the streets did not serve the needs of the majority. For decades, plans throughout …

KLEEMANN presents innovative and environmentally-friendly solutions at bauma At this year’s bauma, Kleemann presents a comprehensive cross-section of its innovative product portfolio with a total of seven mobile crushing and screening plants. High-performance machines and environmentally-compatible solutions for natural stone and recycling applications will be presented. The MOBICAT MC 120 Z PRO for demanding quarry …

VolvoCE partners with National Geographic on Sustainability Campaign Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has joined forces with National Geographic to highlight a breath-taking project to save an endangered community against the threat of rising sea levels. Through a new collaboration that aligns with both companies’ joint values of creating a planet in balance, this new …

EBRD looks at working together for greener cities to help save the planet Urban rivers choked with plastic, exhaust fumes hazing up the sunset over traffic jams, industrial chimney stacks belching smoke, or decrepit old housing leaking heat into the sky. Cities are the source of 70% of energy use and 80% of greenhouse gas …

Sweco to plan a new sustainable district for Rwanda’s capital Kigali Rwanda’s government plans to develop a new district for low and middle-income residents in Kigali. The project is part of the state strategy for the development of sustainable and energy-efficient living spaces. “Sweco will work closely together with residents and public authorities to support …

New scheme could make developers help reverse wildlife damage and decline The Wildlife Trusts call for all new developments to contribute to a Nature Recovery Network The Government consultation into a new legal requirement which could make developers actively improve nature closed at the weekend. It is an attempt to help wildlife recover following the …

Evidence of 2,000 year old beer making found on mammoth A14 road scheme in England Deep below the surface of Britain’s biggest road scheme something has been brewing for a very long time – more than 2,000 years in fact. Experts working on Highways England’s £1.5bn upgrade of the A14 in Cambridgeshire have uncovered what …

Greater reliance on electricity and more frequent extreme weather poses risk to society As society in general is becoming increasingly technologically advanced and reliant on electricity, the trend is making us more vulnerable in extreme weather conditions, which the UN climate panel, IPCC, says may be more common in future as a consequence of climate …

UK DoT promotes sustainable travel and cycling Through its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, the Department for Transport has pledged to double the number of bicycle journey stages from 0.8 billion in 2013 to.1.6 billion in 2025. By focusing on improving safety for cyclists, the strategy will unlock the huge health, environmental and economic benefits …

London welcomes the world’s most sophisticated air quality monitoring network The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched the world’s most advanced and comprehensive network of air quality monitors to help investigate and improve London’s toxic air. ‘Breathe London’ will use a range of cutting-edge fixed and mobile sensors to build up a real-time, hyperlocal …

Porous Pave has laid 13 million pounds of recycled rubber Porous Pave, Inc. reached a new environmental milestone in 2018: surpassing 13 million pounds of recycled rubber used in installations of its permeable paving material. An eco-friendly green building product made in the U.S.A., Porous Pave is a highly porous paving material that offers superior …

BAM planting 150,000 trees to celebrate their 150th anniversary In 2019 Royal BAM Group nv turns 150. To underline the Group’s commitment to sustainability, the European construction company will plant 150,000 trees throughout 2019. More information about the history of BAM and the various jubilee activities can be found on their website here. Carpentry shop …

First Cohort complete Institute of Quarrying Level 3 SHE Certificate Six employees at Salop Sand & Gravel Supply Co. Ltd are celebrating becoming the first cohort of delegates to complete the Level 3 SHE certificate run by the Institute of Quarrying (IQ). Sam Howells, Russell Collier, Nigel Baugh, Matthew Mclean, Glen Parke and Andrew Hart …

EBRD and Korea strengthen co-operation on green cities Strengthening the drive towards green economies in the countries where the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invests, the Republic of Korea and the Bank are joining forces to increase municipal and environmental infrastructure investments under the Bank’s Green Cities framework. The framework supports urban municipalities …

Cities coming together to fight global climate change WWF’s One Planet City Challenge is a friendly competition with a serious goal – to help cities across the world mobilize to take action against climate change. Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) takes a closer look at what the world’s cities can learn from this year’s winner, …

The top four things you should know about the quarry industry The quarry industry delivers vital building materials to construction sites all around the world – but there’s a lot more to the industry than that. Here are four things you might not know about the quarry and aggregates business, from what the future has …

SANRAL erects fence to protect world’s smallest desert in South Africa One of South Africa’s best-kept conservation secrets lies 170 kilometres south of Durban and is considered to be the smallest desert in the world. The Red Desert gets its name from the scarlet colour of the sand and is situated on a hillside overlooking the …

Building a new City from the ground up With Santa Cruz emerging as Latin America’s fastest growing powerhouse, Bolivia’s biggest city is struggling to control its exponential spread. Now a brand-new city is being built from scratch to ease the boom town’s accelerated urbanization. In the fifth episode of The Megaproject Listing, Volvo Construction Equipment …

Ammann asphalt plant retrofit protects the environment Four years ago, Fiegl GmbH of Bavaria invested in the retrofit of an asphalt-mixing plant tower, as well as the replacement of the baghouse. The retrofit led to immediate reductions in emissions, sound levels and fuel usage. The time frame for the retrofit was extremely tight because it …

ITM Monitoring announces updates to Calyx Online Monitoring Software ITM Monitoring a leader in the design and installation of bespoke geotechnical, structural and environmental monitoring systems, has released a new version of its data visualisation platform, Calyx™ Online Monitoring Software (OMS). The updated version provides additional functionality and flexibility, improving user experience within the feature-rich …

MIT study reveals impact of mercury in the environment Mercury is an incredibly stubborn toxin. Once it is emitted from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants, among other sources, the gas can drift through the atmosphere for up to a year before settling into oceans and lakes. It can then accumulate in fish as toxic …

Komatsu at Forest · Forestry · Environmental Machine Exhibition Demonstration in Japan Toru Ohashi, President of Komatsu will be hosting the 2018 Forest · Forestry · Environmental Machinery Exhibition Demonstration with the Forestry Mechanization Association of Japan. The event will be held on November 18 to 19 at Akikawa High School, Akiruno City, Tokyo, Japan. At …

Will diesel engines be a thing of the past? The diesel engine has become a highly efficient power source – but how much further can it be developed. In this article Dr. Staffan Lundgren discusses whether the humble engine has a future, and if so what it looks like. Despite being developed constantly over the …

11fountains Sperm Whale launched by SENNEBOGEN crawler crane A curious sight for onlookers in Harlingen, Friesland, Holland: a 17-ton sperm whale fountain being lowered into the water at Harlingen harbor by a SENNEBOGEN 1100 E. Since the middle of the year, a life-size reproduction of a sperm whale, made from plastic and concrete, located off …

JCB donates US$250,000 worth of machinery to Indonesian quake JCB today announced the donation of $250,000 worth of equipment to the Indonesian Quake and the Island of Sulawesi following the earthquake and tsunami which has killed more than 1,400 people. Two Loadall telescopic handlers complete with powerful grab attachments are on their way to the …

SINN Power brings green wave energy to Guinea The German startup SINN Power is conducting a feasibility study on the potential of wave energy and other renewable technologies on behalf of a customer in Guinea. A stable power supply is by no means a matter of course for the inhabitants of the West African country …

Construction and environmental specialist Amand invests in Ammann Compactors The Amand group of companies regularly rejuvenates its equipment fleet at intervals of three to five years. On each occasion, several manufacturers have the chance to demonstrate their capabilities. For the last 20 years, Ammann has emerged victorious from the bidding rounds and in early summer …

MIT designs new battery that gobbles up carbon dioxide A new type of battery developed by researchers at MIT could be made partly from carbon dioxide captured from power plants. Rather than attempting to convert carbon dioxide to specialized chemicals using metal catalysts, which is currently highly challenging, this battery could continuously convert carbon dioxide …

Meet the 2018 Biodiversity #BIGAwards winners The 2018 BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards #BIGAwards reached a thrilling finale last night unveiling this year’s worthy winners across eight hotly contested categories, along with the overall winner of this year’s Challenge, and the 2018 BIG Biodiversity Champion, voted for by the industry! Launched in 2013 by CIRIA’s Biodiversity …

Heathrow reveals winners of Centre of Excellence Sustainable Innovation Prize Essex based start-up Energy Crop Solutions and local resident Andrew Swift have won Heathrow’s first ever Sustainable Innovation Prize. Beating other applications from SMEs across the UK and airport workers, the winners were judged as the best solutions which could solve some of the sustainability …

ABMEC announces first Environment Health & Safety Day at HSL Laboratories in Buxton The Association of British Mining Equipment Companies ABMEC has announced their first Environment, Health & Safety Day at HSL Laboratories, Buxton. There are a limited number of places, so book quickly. ABMEC have also announced an outstanding line up of speakers (listed below) …

Swiss Thun pioneering sustainability with the eSwingo 200+ The city of Thun (Bernese Oberland) in Switzerland will have electric sweepers from 2019. The eSwingo 200+ not only offers CO² neutral operation and a lower noise level: “The high suction capacity and general performance, even on challenging gradients, impressed those in charge of the commission,” says …

Car-free day in Cardiff achieves 69 percent air quality improvement On Sunday 13th May 2018, Cardiff Council organised a car-free day in the city’s central area. As a result of this event air quality monitoring data showed an average 69% drop in nitrogen dioxide (NO²) – one of the pollutants of greatest public health concern. …

Construction Climate Challenge helps the construction industry break up with carbon Construction has had a love hate relationship with carbon, but the Construction Climate Challenge (CCC) wants the industry to aim for total carbon neutrality by 2045. So here are the top 5 ways to break the habit. 1. Make better use of technology Construction …

Five of the cleverest environmentally friendly innovations Climate change is a reality and we know that it is accelerated by our actions. But humans are by nature innovative and although our industrial revolution may have had huge environmental impacts, it is our technological revolution that might just save the day. Here we look at some …

Building a sustainable future with smart design Designing machinery to have a lower carbon footprint is becoming increasingly important. Niklas Nillroth, Vice President Environment & Sustainability at Volvo Construction Equipment tells us how we must have high ambitions and be clear about the objectives when it comes to building more sustainably. Reducing our environmental impact …

MIT Study finds climate determines the shape of river basins According to MIT, there are more than 1 million river basins carved into the topography of the United States, each collecting rainwater to feed the rivers that cut through them. Some basins are as small as individual streams, while others span nearly half the continent, …

MIT cell-sized robots can sense environment as they flow through pipelines Researchers at MIT have created what may be the smallest cell-sized robots yet that can sense their environment, store data, and even carry out computational tasks. These devices, which are about the size of a human egg cell, consist of tiny electronic circuits made …

sustainable drainage systems SuDS success celebrated at inaugural Awards More than 100 guests gathered in London’s iconic City Hall Living Room last night to celebrate the inaugural susdrain SuDS Awards, supported by the Greater London Authority. Well-deserved winners were announced in three different categories, along with susdrain’s overall winner and our SuDS Champion as voted …

New seminar to focus on the development of Clean Air Zones The organisers of AQE 2018, the Air Quality & Emissions show, have announced a partnership with the Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), to host a one-day seminar on the 21st November 2018 focusing on the development of Clean Air Zones (CAZs). “A significant part of …

Volvo dealer goes Green with Carbon Neutral Articulated Haulers Independent Swiss dealer Robert Aebi is offering Volvo customers a chance to show their care for the environment by buying a ‘GoGreen’ articulated hauler – produced in the construction industry’s first manufacturing plant powered entirely by renewable energy and issued with a carbon offset certificate from …

Mayor Sadiq Khan launches new hyperlocal street air monitoring system in London London Mayor Sadiq Khan has launched a new, street-by-street monitoring system that will help to improve that capital’s air quality. From July 2018, and operating for a year, London will benefit from what is being described as the world’s most sophisticated air quality …

Bhutan receives World Bank support to reform the mining sector The Royal Government of Bhutan today received a $300,000 grant from the Work Bank-led Extractives Global Programmatic Support (EGPS) multi-donor trust fund to support reforms in the mining sector and assist the Department of Geology and Mines in implementing its 2017 Mineral Development Policy. The …

MIT’s satellite monitoring of China’s sulphur emissions from power plants shows reductions Air pollution has smothered China’s cities in recent decades. In response, the Chinese government has implemented measures to clean up its skies and sulphur emissions. But are those policies effective? Now an innovative study co-authored by an MIT scholar shows that one of China’s …

Network Rail Stations to get even greener for World Environment Day Network Rail has announced plans to tackle three significant environmental issues in the country’s biggest and busiest rail stations to mark the UN’s World Environment Day and are part of Network Rail’s ongoing environmental efforts and its ambition to be a market leader in …

New British technology turns windows into solar panels turning skyscrapers into power stations Britain’s estimated 1 billion windows could become the power generators of the future, letting light through while harnessing solar energy. A Cambridge firm, Polysolar, which is manufacturing transparent solar panels, predicts that they could eventually replace conventional carbon emitting energy sources, such …

Businesses challenged to ditch paper as environmental impact reaches all-time high A new campaign has been launched to challenge businesses to reduce their paper usage, following recent research which found that a third of UK workers admit to printing out unnecessary paper documents every single day. In a survey of 1,000 employees, conducted by award-winning …

Green light for wildlife project which puts Cumbria’s Bees on the road to recovery A ground breaking new project to boost the number of bumblebees and other wild pollinators in Cumbria, has been awarded development funding by Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Highways England.  Cumbria Local Nature Partnership has received development funding of £87,100*, made …

ProwESS allows container terminals to capture, store and reuse energy from handling equipment Following a successful proof of concept trial at the UK Port of Felixstowe, Cress Systems is pleased to announce the commercial release of its ProwESS energy capture, storage and reuse system for container terminal yard handling equipment. The first version of the …

The top five mines in the world Many necessities of modern life rely on mined materials – but where are these minerals coming from and what exactly makes them so impressive? 1. AS GOOD AS GOLD – KALGOORLIE SUPER PIT, Australia Located in Western Australia the Kalgoorlie Super Pit is one of the largest open …

2018 proves a promising year for Biral Following a strong start to 2018, leading meteorological specialist Biral has been busy showcasing its popular products at exhibitions around the world and featuring in a number of high profile projects. Biral’s Marketing Director Nathan Neal is delighted with the company’s progress commenting, “Further products will come out …

New proposals for a wilder Britain – A critical moment to reverse the decline of nature Today the Wildlife Trusts are publishing “Towards a wilder Britain – creating a Nature Recovery Network” which shows how new laws could lead to the creation of nature recovery maps and reverse decades of wildlife declines. The new report …

Metso features high performing recycling solutions at USA Waste Expo Metso will present its extensive waste recycling equipment and services offering at Waste Expo 2018, taking place April 24-26 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Halls, Nevada, USA. During the event, Metso professionals will demonstrate how to integrate ideal process productivity, sustainability and reliability …

Network Rail taps into drive to reduce plastic Network Rail today launched its first free drinking water fountain at London Charing Cross station. Thousands of station users and passengers are set to benefit from the newly installed free drinking water fountain at London Charing Cross station. The free drinking water initiative, which seeks to encourage …

Sustainable building is driving down costs and reducing emissions Is it really possible to ‘green up’ the construction industry while keeping costs at a minimum? Terri Wills, CEO of WorldGBC, makes the business case for sustainable building. The construction process is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to global greenhouse emissions. With urbanization …

Is your Construction Site safe for older workers? It’s widely recognised that older workers are crucial to curbing the construction industry skills gap, as reported by CIOB, but an ageing workforce can add pressure in other areas – such as health and safety on the Construction Site. This highlights key issues for employers who need …

Fifteen-foot icicles block UK Railway Line Network Rail engineers are working to remove 15ft-long icicles which have formed in a railway tunnel between Manchester and Buxton. The icicles, in Eaves Tunnel, pose a safety risk for drivers and passengers should they hit, or be hit by trains.   Until the icicles are removed no trains …

Volvo Buses has sold 4,000 electrified buses Volvo Buses has now sold more than 4000 electrified Volvo buses to customers the world over. The latest order is for 90 hybrid buses from Brussels. Volvo Buses is one of the world´s leading developers of electric and hybrid buses. The advanced technology used in Volvo´s electric buses is …

Siemens to provide infrastructure for London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone A major project to develop software for the implementation of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in 2019 will be delivered by Siemens, a global leader in traffic management technology. The work will be carried out over the next 12 months to enable the software …

Are you ready to enter the BIG Biodiversity Challenge 2018? CIRIA has announced that the BIG Biodiversity Challenge 2018 has officially launched. Led by the BIG Biodiversity Interest Group, since 2013 the Challenge has invited the construction industry to add biodiversity enhancements to construction sites, developments or existing buildings, regardless of size, and whether permanent or …

EA Water Quality Report highlights inaction on Runoff Pollution An Environment Agency (EA) state-of-the-nation update, warning that 86% of England’s water bodies fail to meet ‘good’ status, is strong on facts but falls woefully short on action to tackle surface water pollution, drainage experts are warning. Jo Bradley is Market Development Manager with SDS Limited …

New Zealand researches bat behaviour on Southern Links road project Thermal imagery, acoustic monitoring, expeditions in the dead of night and a bat named Kathy might sound like a sci-fi storyline, but it’s all happening south of Hamilton. The NZ Transport Agency and Hamilton City Council have been conducting environmental research into bat behaviour as …

Waikato Expressway wildlife and native plant haven almost open for business A 4 hectare wetland in New Zealand, which will be a haven for wildlife and native plants is taking shape as part of work on the Huntly section of the Waikato Expressway. The wetland off Evans Road adjoins the southern end of Lake Kimihia …

Manitou announces initiative to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals Manitou Group, a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, has announced an initiative through its North American subsidiary to promote the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN). The initiative, entitled Elevation Frontiers, will bring Manitou together with select universities to develop innovative …

Engineering, environment and design consultancy SWECO set for Irish expansion Engineering, environment and design consultancy firm Sweco is set to grow its operations in Ireland following appointment to several national frameworks. The company, which established an office in Cork in May 2017, plans to double its headcount to 20 over the next 12 months to …

10,000 new trees to boost roadside wildlife habitat in South West England Highways England is starting a major programme of tree and shrub planting along the A30 and A38 in a bid to connect a 105 mile corridor of wildlife habitat. The work is taking place at 21 sites in Devon and Cornwall and involves …

ABB and City of Davos drive sustainable mobility with e-vehicle innovation For this year’s annual World Economic Forum, the city of Davos and ABB teamed up in a long-term partnership to provide e-infrastructure for public and private transportation. Davos residents and WEF guests experienced the pioneering TOSA bus for themselves. The award-winning TOSA bus, developed …

Flybe best in noise and emissions at Heathrow Airport Less than a year into its operations at Heathrow, Flybe has distinguished itself in its noise and emissions performance, achieving the top ranking in the latest “Fly Quiet and Green” league table. Data behind the league rankings also shows a marked reduction in the number of …

New Holland and The Climate Corporation partner to deliver two-way data sharing New Holland will enable its customers to seamlessly share in-depth real-time machine data with The Climate Corporation in order to enhance productivity and in-field efficiency. New Holland and The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto Company, announced today a new partnership that will …

Air Monitors wins contract for UK Particulate Matter monitoring network Air Monitors Limited is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the Environment Agency to supply real-time particulate matter (PM) monitors to support the Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN). According to the terms of the contract, Air Monitors will supply …

Heathrow Airport offers prize for green aviation ideas UK businesses and organisations are being invited to apply for Heathrow’s first Sustainable Innovation Prize submitting ideas on how to address the environmental challenges of airports and the aviation industry. The winning entry of the Sustainable Innovation Prize will be awarded £20,000 and the green light to …

EIB provides €30m for renewal of Palma de Mallorca’s urban bus fleet Palma de Mallorca’s urban buses will start being replaced this year with new, more modern, safer, more comfortable and less polluting vehicles. The European Investment Bank (EIB) has signed an agreement with Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT) of Palma whereby it will provide …

CIRIA welcomes the UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan CIRIA welcomes the UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan, and we are pleased that our work has contributed towards many of the goals identified in the plan. CIRIA has a long history of championing environmental issues and our collaborative research projects will continue to deliver towards …

England’s A556 Green Bridge is a winter wonderland Stunning new pictures of an innovative Green Bridge across the new A556 Knutsford to Bowdon bypass show how the project has literally taken root – providing a winter wonderland for mammals, birds and other creatures.   The £1.15 million bridge was one of 7 constructed across the …

Monitors in Scotland inform local air quality management strategy In North Ayrshire, Scotland, monitoring activities have demonstrated that the main local air quality issues are related to traffic congestion caused by a section of the High Street in Irvine, which is being used as a bus terminus, and by queuing traffic at New Street in …

The Wildlife Trusts releases guidelines call for homes, people and wildlife New guidelines published by The Wildlife Trusts today show how new housing developments can be built in a way that provides people with greener, inspirational homes which help to reverse decades of wildlife and habitat decline. ‘Homes for people and wildlife – how to …

Construction Industry a long way from achieving paperless working Organisations in the construction sectors are among those that rely the most on paper, new research has found. A survey of 1,000 workers, conducted by WorkMobile, found that employees working in the education sector rely the most on paper (80%), followed by the finance sector (68%), …

Heathrow pushes airlines to use cleaner, quieter aircraft Environmental charges at Heathrow are set to increase by 7% as the airport seeks to minimise its impact and aircraft pollution on local communities. From 1st January 2018, airlines will be incentivised to deploy their newest aircraft at Heathrow – making the airport cleaner and quieter for …

Terraosave Technology recycles thermal energy from industrial emissions Starklab, an innovative SMU in the field of energy and the Poujoulat Heating and Power division for industrial chimneys, have concluded an ambitious partnership for the development of a new technology for recycling the thermal energy from industrial smokes in Europe. The partnership, signed in between M. …

Allego signs up Siemens to support Electric Vehicle fast charging in the UK Allego, a leading provider of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging solutions and cloud services, has appointed traffic technology supplier Siemens to support the deployment and operation of EV fast-chargers in the UK beginning with its first project in London. As hardware supplier and …

A mini-recycling plant in every home? A major British waste and recycling company believes people should be able to recycle plastics in their own homes, and new-build houses should come with the technology ready-installed. The technology already exists to allow plastics to be either pelleted or turned into useful items and the UKs waste management …

Envirobuild aims to protect over 40,000 acres of rainforest through Rainforest Donations EnviroBuild, the leading sustainable construction company, aims to protect over 40,000 acres of rainforest this year by donating 10% of their profits to the Rainforest Trust and Ocean Cleanup. Ocean Cleanup is an organisation that collects plastic in the ocean through long catchment …

Construction Climate Challenge Conference calls for ambitious carbon reduction goals Industry heavyweights warned guests at a London Construction Climate Challenge conference this week, hosted by Volvo Construction Equipment, that only big targets will trigger the innovation needed to make a meaningful difference in cutting carbon in infrastructure and construction projects. An audience of contractors, clients, …

The Tesla Semi will deliver a high-tech and ultra-safe truck alternative. Unrivalled Performance Without a trailer, the Tesla Semi achieves 0-60 mph in five seconds, compared to 15 seconds in a comparable diesel truck. It does 0-60 mph in 20 seconds with a full 80,000-pound load, a task that takes a diesel truck about a minute. Most notably for …

Volvo’s Building Tomorrow vision for a better future The Spanish seaside town of Alicante recently played host to the start of the Volvo Ocean Race, a 9-month yacht race around the world that is held every three years. Formerly known as the Whitbread race, Volvo took over sponsorship in 2005, and this year is using …

Victoria announces first driverless bus now running in Australia Victoria’s first driverless Autonobus, will transport students around La Trobe University in Bundoora. The Autonobus has brought together world-leading experts in automated vehicle technology in a trial which will help shape Victoria’s transport future. The trial will run until July 2018, examining all aspects of safety, …

Hitachi donates mini-excavator to elephant conservation project A Hitachi ZX38U-5 mini excavator has been delivered to the first elephant sanctuary in Europe. The Premium Used machine was donated by Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME), and handed over to the founders of Elephant Haven in southwest France in September. The versatile short-tail swing model is …

Traffic jams and congestion cost the UK £30 billion a year The UK is the third most congested country in Europe and we spend an average of 32 hours each year stuck in peak hour traffic. According to the latest report from Inrix the combined cost of congestion on the UK’s roads added up to …

Artificial intelligence meets the construction industry The potential for artificial intelligence – or AI – is high on the social agenda. Seemingly, everyone from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to Tesla CEO Elon Musk has an opinion on the impact of AI on our everyday lives. But how will the technology of today impact the construction …

MIT study finds energy-efficient construction is key to lowering urban pollution What are the best ways for U.S. cities to combat climate change? A new study co-authored by an MIT professor indicates it will be easier for cities to reduce emissions coming from residential energy use rather than from local transportation – and this reduction …

MIT students fortify concrete by adding irradiated recycled plastic Discarded plastic bottles could one day be used to build stronger, more flexible concrete structures, from sidewalks and street barriers, to buildings and bridges, according to a new study. MIT undergraduate students have found that, by exposing plastic flakes to small, harmless doses of gamma radiation, …

Research by MIT taps into efficient high-pressure desalination The high-pressure desalination industry, a critical source of potable water in many arid regions, generated more than $13 billion last year and is expected to double within a decade. Most desalination plants today use a process called reverse osmosis (RO), which forces water through huge rolls of …

Protector of the oceans receives the Volvo Environment Prize 2017 One of the world´s most innovative researchers into the future of the oceans and marine life, Professor Rashid Sumaila, receives the Volvo Environment Prize for 2017. He is an economist who has challenged traditional ways of marine governance and has introduced new ways of thinking, …

Will the end of petrol and diesel vehicles pose new challenges for the construction industry? Governments and manufacturers envisioning a diesel-free future for on-road vehicles hit the headlines recently. But how will this impact the construction industry and how will it adapt? Low Emission Zones provide an insight. This July, the automotive industry was rocked …

Heathrow will reduce freight emissions and still increase cargo capacity Speaking at the BCC International Trade Summit today, Heathrow’s Non-Executive Chairman Lord Deighton announced a new ten step Blueprint for Sustainable Freight plan to reduce the impact of freight vehicles around Heathrow. Lord Deighton’s speech is the first time the airport has publicly addressed the …

Drivers warned to look out for Deer crossing roads at dawn and dusk this autumn For the second year running, Highways England and DeerAware – The Deer Initiative have joined forces to warn motorists about the heightened risk of deer-vehicle collisions during the autumn. Across the UK it is estimated that there could be up …

Environmental and social impact of expanding Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Kenya Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) is Kenya’s largest aviation facility, and the busiest airport in east and central Africa. It serves as a transit hub for major airlines as well as the gateway for visitors to other Africa’s airports. The airport also serves …

Prolectric launches reliable year round Mobile Solar Lighting Solar lighting specialist manufacturer Prolectric has launched its ProLight and ProTemp temporary solar lighting for construction, highways and infrastructure projects. With no noise, no fuel and no emissions, they represent a step-change opportunity for contractors in the battle to reduce carbon and improve air quality. The smart, …

GM outlines possibilities for flexible, autonomous Fuel Cell Electric Platform General Motors aims to solve some of the toughest transportation challenges created by natural disasters, complex logistics environments and global conflicts. The company will display its Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure (SURUS), a flexible fuel cell electric platform with autonomous capabilities, at the fall meeting …

Volvo Construction Equipment joins the battle to make zero the hero World Green Building Week may only happen once a year, but Volvo Construction Equipment dedicates every day to driving energy efficiency improvements at its global production sites. The annual event, held by the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC), runs from September 25th to October …

Dreamliners flying high as Heathrow hits new low noise record ​Heathrow’s new “Fly Quiet and Clean” report shows airlines are increasingly using the quietest, cleanest aircraft in their routes to Britain’s hub airport. The report ranks the 50 busiest airlines operating at Heathrow from April to June this year, based on seven noise and emissions …

Winners announced at the Biodiversity Challenge Awards 2017 Last night’s BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards saw a thrilling finale to this year’s competition, with eight well deserved winning entries revealed along with the overall winner of this year’s Challenge, as well as the first BIG Biodiversity Champion, voted for by the UK Construction Industry! The BIG …

Recycling 100 miles of highway in San José, day and night with Wirtgen In San José, USA, in-situ cold recycling with a Wirtgen 3800 CR recycler proves to be the most economical solution. Time is money, especially in road construction. When it comes to cost efficiency, being able to put all equipment to maximum use …

Biggest road upgrade in the UK leads the way on environment Industry-leading environmental work taking place on the biggest road construction project in the UK Project designed to leave a positive legacy for the local environment on completion Construction activity designed to minimise impact on the local environment while it is ongoing Moving protected species, …

18 storey Mjøsa Tower in Brumunddal, Norway will be the tallest wooden building in the world When completed in March 2019, Mjøsa Tower in the Norwegian town of Brumunddal will be the world’s tallest wooden building. The construction, which started in early April this year, is an example of how wood can be substituted for …

Sun cream STIGMA a real burning issue for tradespeople Sunburn on the up with tradespeople most at risk in the UK One in ten don’t wear sun cream for fear of workmates mocking them Wickes trials nationwide roll out of free sun cream in stores Melanoma skin cancer incidence rates have increased by an alarming …

President Trump works to rebuild America’s crumbling infrastructure The old system for completing environmental reviews in the US was fragmented, inefficient, and unpredictable leading to a call to modernise an outdated system. U.S. President Donald J. Trump, said: “Crumbling infrastructure will be replaced with new roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, and railways gleaming across our very, very beautiful …

Black mudfish get special attention on New Zealand Expressway works Staff working on the Huntly section of the Waikato Expressway have dug in more than 1300 natives to protect an isolated pocket of at-risk black mudfish found in a farm drain. The mudfish were found by the Fulton Hogan-HEB joint venture staff who are building …

Parsons to prepare Seismic Studies on two Montreal Bridges The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated have awarded Parsons and CIMA+ the mandate to prepare seismic studies of both the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and the Clement Bridge to evaluate structural integrity and prolong the service life of these important infrastructure assets. “Bridges are an important part …

Swiss Alps pedestrian suspension bridge opens The Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge near the village of Randa in the Swiss Alps has opened as a replacement to a previous bridge that had been damaged by a rock fall. The world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge is some 494 metres long and 86 metres above the ground at …

School Ecology Workshops boost engagement for developers The Ecology Consultancy, a leading UK based ecological consultancy, have recently launched an initiative of School Ecology Workshops to assist the construction industry in engaging with local communities and aiding them in their corporate social responsibility activities. The programme of ecology based educational workshops are offered to schools …

MARIN tests floating mega city as a solution to sea level rise and overcrowded cities This week MARIN (Maritime Research Institute) tested an innovative concept for a floating mega island. The island comprises 87 large floating triangles that are flexibility connected to one another. Together they form a flexible floating island that can be as …

Heathrow’s mam-moth discovery Heathrow’s biodiversity engineers are in a flutter after uncovering what is the 3,000th species known to be living in the 170 hectares of biodiversity lands the airport manages. Why and how Cydalima Perspectalis, more commonly known as the Box Tree Moth, came to reside at the airport is still to be discovered. …

Hitachi donates an excavator to elephant sanctuary in Southwest France Hitachi Construction Machinery is donating a used mini excavator to the first elephant sanctuary in Europe. The 70-acre rural site in southwest France will offer rehabilitation for both Asian and African elephants from zoos and circuses. The ZX38U-5 excavator will play a vital part in …

Cold-in-place recycling additive system allows milling and paving a roadway in a single process The Roadtec CIR Additive System is used in the cold-in-place recycling of asphalt pavement in the repair and rehabilitation of asphalt-paved roads. The system is used to transfer, measure, and inject either emulsion or foamed asphalt to the cutter housing of …

Australia building Koala exclusion fences on the Pacific Highway The Australian and NSW governments are jointly funding the Aus $4.36 billion Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade. Roads and Maritime Services Pacific Highway Office and Pacific Complete are working together to deliver the project. As part of the project, they are building permanent koala exclusion …

Anniversary of tunnel opening sees the Hindhead area recognised as a wildlife haven The Devil’s Punch Bowl, once separated from Hindhead Common by the A3, has become one of the top wildlife sites in south east England. The huge improvements to the area in recent years are the result of the creation of the Hindhead …

Parsons partners with Bridges to Prosperity to construct a footbridge in Panama An 11-member Parsons team will travel to Panama this summer to work alongside the non-profit charity Bridges to Prosperity to construct a footbridge for a small community of rice farmers. In 2015, Parsons committed to becoming a Country Partner for Bridges to Prosperity, …

Volvo makes a whitewater splash in Colorado Colorado-based contractor, Whinnery Construction is employing Volvo excavators to navigate the Animas River, ensuring safe passageway for whitewater enthusiasts. Nestled in the Animas River Valley, surrounded by the San Juan Mountains is the city of Durango, Colorado. The region’s evergreen forests and babbling creeks are adored by locals …

Extremely rare Roman Sarcophagus discovered during construction in London An archaeological gem, unearthed by builders from Galliard Construction, has been moved to the Museum of London, where its contents will be exhumed. Earlier this year Galliard Construction workers, who are currently building a new residential development in the prime location of Harper Road, came across …

Guide dogs learn to cross the road with a little help from AGD Systems Guide dogs in training at Guide Dogs Cymru, Cardiff, are finding it a little easier to get to grips with pelican crossings, thanks to a donation from AGD Systems – the people who make the familiar ‘boxes’ that we press for …

Aquajet Systems EcoClear neutralizes hydro-demolition water and removes particles Aquajet Systems AB, a global leader in hydrodemolition machine manufacturing, introduces the EcoClear® water filtration system. The innovative machine works with Aquajet’s full line of hydrodemolition robots to treat the wastewater generated by the process by neutralizing water pH and greatly reducing its turbidity so that …

Hitachi excavators deliver quality and reliability to German asphalt recycling contractor Baggerbetrieb Fred Walther has bought a new Hitachi ZX300LCN-6 for a long-standing contract on an asphalt recycling site belonging to Südwest Asphalt GmbH & Co. KG. The medium excavator has been assigned to the Karlsruhe facility, where the German contractor has been working for …

Waste to energy plant in Pennsylvania gets a makeover with Volvo excavators With the help of Volvo excavators, a waste-to-energy facility in Pennsylvania is undertaking significant site improvement efforts to lay the foundation for enhanced site safety and efficiency as well as establishing the infrastructure needed to manage increased waste capacity in the future. On …

Heathrow ranks airlines’ emissions and night noise performance For the first time, airlines’ emissions performance, as well as their noise performance, is now tracked publicly in a quarterly league table Unscheduled night flights operating between 11:30 pm and 4:30 am are taken into account in noise rankings Initial data shows BA short haul, Aer Lingus …

Volvo CE’s Building Tomorrow focuses on renewable energy Illustrating how construction is helping make the world a better place, the third episode of Volvo CE’s ground breaking brand campaign, ‘Building Tomorrow’ blows into a remarkable wind farm project in South Africa. Despite abundant natural resources, coal alone will not provide the energy needed to power …

Rachel Contracting relies on Volvo excavators for tactical takedowns Things are looking up for Minnesota-based Rachel Contracting, thanks to a Volvo EC700CHR high reach excavator that is hard at work on a giant downtown demolition project. St. Paul, one-half of Minnesota’s twin cities rose from the steep bluffs where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers collide. …

European Investment Bank signs €80m loan to finance research into environmentally friendly refuse lorries The European Investment Bank (EIB) will grant EUR 80m in financing to Urbaser for its investments in research, development and innovation (RDI) and the renewal of its urban refuse collection lorries, which will be replaced with quieter and less polluting models. The …

Construction cleaning up its act for World Environment Day June 5th marks World Environment Day, the most globally recognized day for communal climate action. Coordinated by the United Nations (UN), the annual event encourages the celebration of environmentally sustainable solutions – an area of particular and increasing focus in the construction industry. Construction has quite a …

Snøhetta Reimagines Willamette Falls in Oregon USA Willamette Falls is the second largest waterfall by volume in the United States. For over a century, the breathtaking site has been cut off from public access by industrial infrastructure built along the water’s edge. Snøhetta is leading the design of the public spaces that will allow visitors …

Suphanburi Quarry in Thailand goes high-tech with a complete aggregate processing plant from Metso Insee Aggregates has selected Metso to supply a full-scope, state-of-the-art quarry processing plant for the Suphanburi Quarry in Thailand. The delivery covers all the advanced crushing and screening equipment, full electrical plant design, automation software and hardware, as well as related …

From nuclear facilities to creating habitats for albatrosses, no corners are cut with Northwest Demolition & Dismantling Safety with no compromises The year was 1954; President Eisenhower put forward a plan for the interstate, boxers Rocky Marciano and Ezzard Charles went toe-to-toe in two historic heavyweight bouts, Ernest Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize for …

Volvo helps the iceman conquer the volcano What happens when some cool customers have to quarry some volcanic basalt? They call in Volvo, of course. Standing in the middle of Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital city, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for another Scandinavian city. However, just a short drive away, the landscape drastically transforms. …

JCB set sights on new markets with prescription safety glasses thanks to Specsavers JCB has its sights set on a new market after launching a range of branded prescription safety glasses with leading high street retailer Specsavers. JCB already licences around 50 leading companies which sell millions of products from batteries, tools and toys bearing …

Balfour Beatty is the first company in the world to achieve ISO 20 400 accreditation for sustainable procurement Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group, has achieved a world first by being the first company to complete the ISO 20 400 assessment, the 2017 international standard for sustainable procurement. The new standard, which has been in …

Elliott Bay Seawall wins Washington Project of the Year The Washington Chapter of the American Public Works Association (APWA) recently named the Elliott Bay Seawall project the 2017 Project of the Year in the Disaster or Emergency Construction/Repair category for a project valued at more than $75 million. The award recognizes excellence in management and …

Everything else is just old scrap! Modern recycling with electric drive always in balance At their Espenhain site Scholz Recycling GmbH & Co KG recently introduced a SENNEBOGEN 8130 EQ in scrap recycling. The responsible people are impressed by the balance principle and are counting on the most modern technology for effective material handling for the …

Snøhetta redesigns Times Square, doubling the amount of public space The new plaza on Broadway radically carves out 2.5 acres of pedestrian-only space at Manhattan’s core, transforming a congested vehicular district into a world-class civic space. With an average of 45 million visitors each year, Times Square is the most visited destination in New York …

New Zealand’s Queenstown Airport clears environmental hurdles to its expansion Queenstown Airport Corporation has welcomed the Environment Court’s final decision on the designation of land next to the airport in Frankton.  The designation is to enable expansion of the airport alongside and to the south of the main runway. Chief Executive Colin Keel said the …

Highways England upgrades A14 – bridge foundations, Roman cows and a floating pontoon Highways England project manager gives a sneak peek into the progress on the UK’s biggest road upgrade under construction. Three months in to main construction on the A14’s £1.5bn upgrade in Cambridgeshire, Highways England’s project manager is giving a sneak peek into progress made …

Sidewalks: The New Planning Frontier By Lisa Nisenson, New Mobility Lead, Alta Planning + Design For the most part, we think of sidewalks as transportation infrastructure. But with the rise in urban living and transportation technology advances, sidewalks are performing more like a land use. Few planners specialize in comprehensive sidewalk design. But sidewalks are …

Salaheddine Mezouar, president of the UN climate treaties conference COP22, said the event, which took place in Morocco in November, would allow “the voices of the most vulnerable countries to climate change [to be] heard, in particular African countries and island states.” Allar Tankler took the opportunity to add to those voices – by discussing what …

Leading International Consulting Group COWI rebrands its UK subsidiaries COWI the Denmark based engineering firm announced that former COWI subsidiaries, Flint & Neill and Donaldson Associates have rebranded as COWI in line with current strategy Effective 1st January 2017, COWI owned companies Flint & Neill and Donaldson Associates became COWI UK Limited. The move brings together COWI …

Tunnel Proposal under England’s Stonehenge World Heritage Site The government has gone out to consultation on its plans to improve the A303 around Stonehenge. Road users and local residents are being invited to have their say on the proposal to construct a 1.8-mile dual carriageway tunnel and to upgrade a seven-mile single carriageway stretch of the …

Office workers at the Wellesley Office Park in Wellesley Massachusetts can now enjoy attractive outdoor areas with comfortable seating and get right out into nature as they stroll along the new 800-metre long Wellesley Office Park footpath. To protect the ecologically sensitive area, the path was installed with 2,000 square metres of Porous Pave XL – …

The California Energy Commission is investing in a US$2 million study to see whether piezoelectric crystals can be used to produce electricity from the mechanical energy created by vehicles driving on roads. Thousands of piezoelectric crystals could be embedded in the road to convert mechanical energy from the weight of passing vehicles into electricity. It is estimated that piezoelectric …

Protecting native wildlife populations – and helping them thrive – is core business for the construction team building part of the new Waikato Expressway east of Hamilton. Lizards released into protected area This morning two more native copper skinks were released into a pest-protected home in the Mangaonua Gully east of Hamilton. A total of …