Reducing emissions on construction sites

Project objectives

The global construction sector is responsible for 39% of carbon emissions. In 2020, the UK construction industry consumed 2.5m tonnes of diesel, emitting 6m tonnes of CO2e, greenhouse gases and other air pollutants that damage the environment and the health of those working on sites.

We want to reduce construction site emissions, specifically in relation to the use of Non-Road Mobile Machinery (NRMM), and explore the feasibility of solutions to reduce associated on site emissions.

The goals of this market engagement exercise are to understand what solutions exist that could supplement the work already taking place and gauge suppliers' interest, capabilities and capacity to engage in a trial.

Why take part?

We're working towards a greener, safer, more inclusive future for London. To get there, we know we need to tap into the skills and expertise of market innovators. We also value learning from other countries and analogous industries.

Your participation in the market sounding questionnaire helps us to better understand what types of solutions are available to us and to shape possible funded trials in the future.

NRMM emissions

The London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory 2019 estimates that NRMM exhaust emissions in construction are responsible for approximately 2550 tonnes of particulate matter (PM),1350 tonnes of toxic nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 420,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions in London each year.

NRMM, particularly from the construction sector, is a significant contributor to London's air pollution. In April 2023 1365 NRMMs were actively operating in London, of which 1163 were compliant with the NRMM Low Emission Zone (LEZ). The NRMM LEZ uses the planning powers of the Mayor and London borough to control emissions from NRMM used on construction sites.

The NRMM LEZ requires all engines with a power rating between 37 kW and 560 kW to meet an emission standard based on the engine emission 'stage'. Stages describe the standards that need to be met depending on where the site is.

Solutions we're looking for

Significant progress has been made to reduce emissions from NRMMs on construction sites by using new and existing technologies, such as batteries on site to provide energy. However it's still a challenge to switch many NRMMs on construction sites around London to zero-emission technology.

Challenges in using emission-free NRMM include:

• Power loading requirements
• Battery recharging
• Battery reliability and confidence
• Hydrogen storage
• Tower crane power requirements

Based on the challenges identified above and our experience to date, we would want to trial solutions which can address this problem statement:

'How might we reduce emissions associated with the use of NRMM within TfL's construction portfolio?'

We're looking for solutions which allow for the transition to diesel-free, zero emission plant in the near future. We'd also be interested in the better use of existing machinery through efficiencies which would reduce emissions.