Climate calculations will reduce the project's carbon footprint
From 1 April all major Trafikverket projects will produce a climate calculation. This is an important tool in the work to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The first climate calculation for the Göteborg-Borås project is now complete.
The results of the Gothenburg-Borås project's first climate calculations show that it is during the actual construction phase that the majority of the carbon dioxide will be generated. Large amounts of concrete and steel are used at that stage for bridges, tunnels and rails. As the design of the project encourages smarter methods and construction techniques, we can reduce the amount of material required in the construction stage. How various material is produced also has an impact on the project's "carbon footprint".
Transport during the construction phase also has a major climatic impact. This concerns the material used in the construction and the amounts of mass that is to be transported away. By making active choices at the planning stage we can influence both the amount and the mode of transport.
"Thanks to the fact that we've now produced a climate calculation, we can get an idea at an early stage of the areas where we need to concentrate on reducing emissions," comments Martin Upmanis, Environmental Manager for the Gothenburg-Borås project.
Trafikverket has a government mandate to actively work towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions within the transport sector. The mandate is a part of the Riksdag's goal to limit Sweden's climatic impact. The work has identified great potential to affect the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the design and construction of infrastructure projects.