The Carbon
Infrastructure Transformation Tool (CITT) Project has released its report on
research conducted and launches the next stage of development for a tool that
could help deliver a step change in carbon management on infrastructure
projects.
The project
is a collaboration between industry and academia, with research being carried
out by the University of Edinburgh Business School and smart infrastructure
solutions company, Costain and funded by the Construction Climate Challenge
(CCC), hosted by Volvo Construction Equipment.
Findings from
the report will be important for clients, design teams, estimators and
contractors in specifying, measuring, and reporting carbon reductions. The
results of the research will also help developers of carbon calculation tools
identify areas for future development, and understand the wider sectoral
context for maximising the effectiveness of tools.
The CITT
solution that is a specific result of the research, provides a more detailed
assessment of the carbon impact of a project at the resource level compared to
many tools in the market, simplifying the carbon assessment and intervention
processes for all parties involved. The CITT measures the embodied carbon
emissions of infrastructure projects, i.e. the emissions associated with
producing the materials used, by integrating emissions data with outputs from
estimators, planners and Building Information Modelling (BIM) technicians.
While there
are several carbon management tools available to industry, few integrate with
contractors’ costing and planning processes. The consequence is that
assessments are either too high level for any reliable insight or lead to
increased labour costs for data input. The intention with the CITT solution is
that no additional time is taken to identify the “hot-spots” of a project,
delivering a step change in carbon management on infrastructure projects.
Integration
of data from the schedule of activities allows for carbon impacts to be tracked
and managed on a monthly basis in the same way that cost is, significantly
reducing reporting time during project delivery. Linking carbon to cost allows
for a quick assessment of commercial benefits linked to low carbon
interventions, leading to quick and easy engagement with suppliers and decision
making on the adoption of low carbon options.
The tool has
been successfully trialled and tested on a number of infrastructure projects in
the UK. For example, on the Thames Tideway project, a 25km tunnel or ‘super
sewer’ under the River Thames, utilising the CITT provided an appreciation of
the scope 1, 2 & 3 carbon sources. This project provided the initial
discussions highlighting the need to develop tools which are user friendly and
can measure carbon in more detail.
Dr Matthew
Brander, Senior Lecturer in Carbon Accounting at University of Edinburgh
Business School said: “Increasing sustainability is a vital consideration for
the future of the construction sector. The CITT project points the way to an
industry-wide movement that has the capacity to develop a more impactful,
efficient, and cost effective way of reducing carbon output within
infrastructure projects, as well as establishing a standardised carbon library
for the industry.”
Tim Embley,
Group Research & Innovation Director at Costain Group: “The comprehensive
research conducted to develop the tool so far, and the subsequent
recommendations, demonstrates Costain’s commitment to accelerating the UK’s
journey towards net zero carbon. Next steps in bringing industry closer
together will be key to realising the benefits that will enable smarter, low
carbon delivery of major projects.”
At a carbon
and innovation conference today, hosted by the Infrastructure Industry
Innovation Partnership (i3P), CITT will be sharing insights from the report to
circa. 100 clients. Through understanding current policies and outlining
industry achievements and areas for development, the project will be at the
forefront of sector collaboration to deliver net carbon zero outcomes.
