As the construction sector grapples with mounting pressure to address environmental concerns, London’s pioneering approach to managing emissions from construction equipment is setting new standards for the industry, writes James Bellinger, associate director at Arup
The national construction sector is now following London’s lead to meet urgent environmental challenges, making local construction sites around the country more sustainable and less polluting.
The evolution of equipment standards
Construction managers across London have been preparing for updated requirements regarding on-site equipment, which took effect in January.
The equipment, known as non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), includes items such as excavators, piling rigs and cranes.
Since 2015, London has regulated emissions from construction machinery through the NRMM Low Emission Zone. The standards for works carried out in London are based on aligning with the latest technology advancements. Recently, these standards were updated and as of January, all construction equipment must comply with higher emission standards.
While London continues to lead in setting these standards, local targets for reducing emissions from NRMM are often lacking outside of the capital.
Understanding the impact
NRMM is a significant source of air pollution, contributing more to the UK’s particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions than road transport.
While transport is proactively tackling the issue, construction’s share of total NRMM emissions is set to grow with the transport network’s continued expansion.
While emissions are generally declining across the UK, the reduction in air pollution from the manufacturing and construction sectors has been slower compared with other industries.
Historically, under pressure to deliver projects quickly and cost-effectively, many construction companies have prioritised procurement objectives, planning requirements and carbon reduction targets over addressing air quality impacts.
The increasing demand for housing in urban areas exacerbates this issue, often placing construction projects near local communities that are directly affected by emissions.
Even with the recent updates to London’s emissions standards, further advancements are likely to be gradual.
Moreover, innovation within the sector has predominantly focused on carbon reduction, which risks sidelining air quality improvements.
Although London is the only city to introduce standards, similar challenges are present across the UK. With the continued growth of construction – whether for new housing or infrastructure to combat climate change – it is essential to take action now to reduce emissions and support the industry in achieving meaningful progress.
Innovating emissions control solutions for cleaner construction
Arup is collaborating with Impact on Urban Health, a UK-based organisation focused on improving health outcomes in urban areas, to demonstrate how the UK construction sector can reduce emissions, enhance air quality and deliver health benefits to surrounding communities.
Through our initial research and collaboration with the industry, we’ve established benchmarks and identified practical strategies to achieve meaningful emissions reductions.
By integrating these reductions into the procurement process, construction projects can significantly lower air pollution, achieving up to 55% reductions in nitrogen oxides (NOx) and 35% in particulate matter (PM) – well above the 30% target.
To support this effort, we’ve developed a toolkit tailored for construction companies, project managers, procurement teams and local authorities.
The toolkit enables users to set and monitor emission targets throughout the project lifecycle, empowering them to go beyond compliance. By delivering actionable insights and measurable outcomes, it drives industry-wide change and tackles the pressing climate and air quality challenges facing the construction sector.
There is also a growing focus on improving construction sites, driven by several factors. Awareness is increasing around the need to move beyond simply reducing carbon emissions to consider all environmental and health aspects.
Additionally, there is a better understanding of the health impacts on site workers, alongside growing regulatory pressure from local authorities.
A notable example of local authorities taking initiative can be seen in Lambeth and Southwark in London, where construction compliance officers have been appointed to quantify emissions reductions and ensure optimal project outcomes within their boroughs.
Lambeth’s Tustin Estate project also represents the potential for industry-wide transformation. Our partnership with Bouygues showcases how proactive planning and
open collaboration can lead to significant emissions reductions and quantifiable benefits.
This growing awareness and the proactive measures being implemented are encouraging. We hope these efforts continue to expand, fostering further improvements throughout the industry.
Charting the path forward
Looking ahead, our focus is on continuing to show the impact that a proactive approach, effective planning and localised emissions targets can make at construction sites around the country.
Over the next two years, this includes building a comprehensive evidence base and proof of concept, identifying opportunities for improved performance, and driving innovation and policy change. Through collaboration with construction sites of various scales, we can build a proof of concept that could revolutionise sustainability practices in our sector.
This approach will help identify practical solutions, overcome common challenges and drive innovation in both policy and industry best practice.
Using targeted training programmes, environmental procurement guidance and ongoing industry support, we’re working to create a framework for sustainable change that will benefit both the construction sector and the communities it serves.
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